RATHDRUM, Idaho — The Lakeland football program is entering the 2026-27 season with plenty to replace but not a lack of confidence.
The Hawks are coming off a successful season that ended with a trip to the state playoffs. Now, after losing roughly 15 to 20 seniors, Lakeland is relying on a younger group to maintain the standard established over the past few seasons.
“We just gotta reload, right?” Lakeland head coach Mike Schroeder said. “We lost a lot of seniors last year. Dedicated, committed group of seniors. It’s going to be hard to replace.”
Schroeder said younger players who spent time on the junior varsity team or as backups on varsity last season are now being asked to take on bigger roles.
Senior wide receiver and linebacker Kayden Karle believes those players are ready for the opportunity.
“Even though we did lose those guys, they were great,” Karle said. “I feel like a lot of the kids have risen to the challenge.”
One of the biggest strengths for the Hawks could be their running game.
Senior running back Griffin Tamagni returns to the backfield, while Lakeland believes its offensive line can provide the foundation for both the rushing and passing attacks.
“We got a really good O-line,” Tamagni said. “With a good O-line you can run and pass.”
Karle also expects the Hawks to make their mark on the ground.
“We’re definitely going to be good in the run,” Karle said. “We have one of the best running backs.”
Lakeland will have a young quarterback taking over, but the Hawks believe a strong offensive line and veteran leadership can help ease that transition.
Tamagni said the seniors have embraced their responsibility to help the younger players.
“You just not let them lose hope when they make a mistake and bringing them up and let them know it’s okay,” Tamagni said. “Really just doing your job and telling them what to do at practice.”
The Hawks also aren’t shying away from a challenging schedule.
Schroeder said Lakeland intentionally scheduled tougher competition, knowing the strength of its schedule can factor into the playoff picture.
“We decided to schedule up a little more as much as we possibly can,” Schroeder said.
That challenge begins early, with Lakeland facing Coeur d’Alene, which Schroeder called the top program in Idaho.
“We will find a lot out about who we are the first couple of weeks of the season immediately playing Coeur d’Alene, the top program in the state of Idaho,” Schroeder said.
The Hawks believe their biggest key will be their play up front.
Schroeder said the program’s success starts with its alignment and physicality on both sides of the ball.
“It’s going to be done up front,” Schroeder said. “If we can’t do it up front, I don’t know how successful we’re going to be in the back end in the secondary or the receiver position or quarterback position.”
For senior offensive tackle Kenai Munyer, the challenge of replacing so many players is nothing new for a program that has built a strong culture.
The Hawks are emphasizing accountability and helping younger players adjust to varsity football.
“We’re always kind of underdogs,” Munyer said. “So we’ll just come in and put in our work and let the rest happen.”
Despite the turnover, Lakeland’s expectations remain high.
Schroeder said the Hawks believe they can compete with the best teams in the state and make another deep postseason run.
“Our goal is to be at least in the quarters or make a run to the semis,” Schroeder said.
For Lakeland’s senior class, the challenge is clear, replace the experience that left, maintain the program’s standard, and prove the Hawks can remain among Idaho’s best.
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