Columbus, Cardinal open football season early

COLUMBUS JUNCTION - Some eight-man teams start the football seasons a week earlier than 11-man squads, but two 11-man teams will play tonight in Columbus Junction.

Cardinal of Eldon will play the Columbus Wildcats at 7 p.m.tonight.

Cardinal had Grand View Christian as its third game last year, a 32-0 home win, but Grand View is not fielding a team this season.

The state was petitioned to allow Columbus a 10th game so the Wildcats are playing the Comets, allowing Cardinal a nine-game slate.

Cardinal was 4-5 last season while Columbus was 0-9.

Columbus has a new head coach in Tyler Kibbe. Kibbe has been an assistant at the school for the past four years.

'We are excited for the opportunity to develop a competitive culture for community,” Kibbe said. 'We are developing our program ‘Day by Day The Wildcat Way.' We have a core group of 12-16 players that have bought into the program, and those core players are doing a great job at educating newcomers into how we do things. Our athletes are showing excitement and we as coaches have been pleased with their efforts and tempo at practice. We understand it will take relentless effort every snap to earn the right to be competitive.”

Cardinal has only played eight games in its 2016 and 2017 seasons because Danville had dropped its football program.

The Comets played nine games last season and won their first four, but lost their last five.

With Grand View off the schedule, the Comets will have a bye week for the Friday game of Sept. 13.

For Columbus, the added game and time Kibbe has with his squad is an advantage.

'Nobody else in the state has the opportunity to have five home games and five away games unless you make the playoffs,” Kibbe said. 'I feel it gives us another opportunity to learn and grow as a program. It is always important to establish who we are and why we do what we do in the first few years of trying to establish a program.”

Cardinal graduated Trev Albert, who was fourth in Class A District 6 last season with 1,015 passing yards. Gabe Reyes returns for his senior season. He was ninth in the district with 454 yards on 89 carries for a 5.1 average per touch. Griffin Greiner was second in the district as a freshman last season, with 412 yards receiving on 23 catches for an average of 17.9 yards per catch. He had five receiving touchdowns. Reyes and Greiner are the leading tacklers returning.

Columbus graduated Chance Colby and Jose Cerezo, but Will Scwab returns for his junior season. He was fifth in Class 1A District 5 last season in total tackles with 68. Jaime Villegas is the Wildcats leading returning rusher. He had 160 yards on 22 carries for an average of 7.3. Schwab is the leading receiver returning. He caught seven balls for 144 yards and three touchdowns.