Football Recap: St. Paul Lutheran Starts Season with Defeat on the Road

St. Paul Lutheran kicked off their season on the road on Friday and hit a couple of potholes. They were outmatched by the Knox County Eagles and fell 70-34. The Saints were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Eagles apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in August of 2024.

Several Saints players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Easton Sheets, who rushed for 101 yards and one TD on only ten carries, and also threw for 232 yards and a pair of touchdowns. St. Paul Lutheran's leading receiver Tate Kreisel was Sheets' top target yet again, picking up 145 receiving yards and one score.

Knox County's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Cooper Clair led the charge by rushing for 189 yards and four TDs on only 15 carries, while also throwing for 104 yards and three touchdowns. Clair's longest rush was for an impressive 62 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Another player making a difference was Carrsen Hayes, who gained 147 total yards and three touchdowns.

We've got plenty of inter-district action coming up soon. St. Paul Lutheran will take on rival Northwest at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Meanwhile, Knox County is set to face off against their familiar foe Keytesville at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.