Waukon football team returns 18 letterwinners, eight starters from nearly perfect State Runner-Up team for 2020 campaign


2020 Waukon football ... Left to right - Front row: Jakob Regan, Tucker Jackson, Isaac Roe, Landen Hager, Ashton Wohlfiel, Brayden Lier, Ray Bresnahan, Vicente Quiroz, Milan Byrnes, Noah Hatlan, Cade Kelly, Nash Pearson, Cullen Dickson, Sean Bieber. Second row: Tyler Jones, Avery Rocksvold, Brady Behrend, Walker Hermeier, Joe Schwartz, Konnor Krambeer, Lincoln Snitker, Conner Schwartzhoff, Sean Cooper, Nick Goltz, Evan O’Neill, Nathaniel Hays, Owen Malone, Carson Lonning, Kameron Boots, Ayden Blake. Back row: Mason Kelly, Braden Hemann, Sawyer Krueger, Ethan O’Neill, Brennan Sweeney, Matt Ronan, Drew Stock, Creed Welch, Braxton Stewart, Tanner Kiel, Daniel Cowell, Pat Hennessy, Caleb Block, Logan Lubahn, Jordan Sletten. Not pictured: Isaac Cooper, Kael Crawford, Cael Rethwisch.

Anticipation of the 2020 Waukon football team is soaring high, as the Indian grid squad returns eight starters and 18 total letterwinners this fall from a nearly perfect 2019 season that saw its lone loss come in the Class 2A State Championship game. However, this season’s challenges in trying to play to a return State Championship berth and fourth consecutive trip to the UNI-Dome level of the State Play-Offs will involve overcoming more than just 11 opponents on the other side of the football as all teams will also be battling the same opponent in a COVID-19 pandemic that can disrupt a season even quicker than any on-field opponent.

The virus has already forced the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) to shorten this fall’s regular season schedule from the traditional nine-game slate to just seven games, with all teams also automatically qualifying for this season’s State Play-Offs, all in an effort to allow schools to be able to adjust to any COVID-19 situations. In addition to those schedule changes, a number of adjustments and precautionary measures will need to be taken during games, practices and other preparation to help prevent further spread of the COVID-19 virus.

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