It’s a new school year, and that means football will soon be here. So what’s potentially in store this year?

“It’s a young team, but they are excited to play,” head coach Jeff Koenig said of this year’s Oriole football team. With 45 players in all as of last week, the team has eight seniors. Among the returning seniors this year is linebacker Chase Sturm along with Blake Paul, Landon Karlen, Hayden Gustafson,  Daniel Person, Robert Poole, Troy Trevino, and Riley Weltzin.

While the team of 45 is young as to relative age, many of the sophomores and juniors have experience from playing last year as well. Among the juniors returning for the Orioles are Madden Mahr , Storm Tiry, Carter Isenberger, Jackson Gindt and Dawson Ewer, while sophomores include Carson Hodowanic and Willy Graham, among others.

Coming off a year of growth during the 2022 football season, the team kicks off its present season with a scrimmage on Saturday August 12 at 10 a.m., in Oriole Park.

Kicking off the regular season Friday August 18 with a game against Cadott at Cadott at 7 p.m., the Orioles will follow this with a non-conference game vs. Marathon at Stanley-Boyd Friday, August 25, at 7 p.m.

Also getting underway are other sports, with the girls volleyball team attending a scrimmage at the Black River Falls Fieldhouse Saturday August 19 at 9 a.m., to be followed with varsity quad Tuesday, August 22 at Colfax, match play starting at 5 p.m.

Already in swing as of press time, the girls golf team have a meet Thursday, August 10 at the Trapp River Golf Course, with competition starting at 10 a.m.