KIMBALL – Football season is finally here and Kimball will soon be back in action after getting upset in the Section 5-2A semifinal by Holdingford.
The Minnesota high school football season starts Thursday, Aug. 29, and the football Cubs are hoping to improve on a 2023 record of 6-3. Kimball was the No 2 seed in the section last year, planning to catch undefeated Eden Valley-Watkins sleeping in the championship. But it was the Cubs who were upset, they dropped the section semifinal to Holdingford after beating the team earlier in the year. The Huskers are back on the 2024 regular-season schedule, again with section seeding on the line.
Below, let's take a quick look at this year’s contest, and others across Kimball's 2024 football schedule.
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Out-of-section matchup with Osakis
Last year Osakis ruined what would've been a 6-0 start for Kimball heading into EV-W. The Silverstreaks won 28-14 at home en route to a 9-2 record. Osakis went on to win the Section 6-2A tournament, but fell in the first round of the state tournament to Barnesville.
This year's game against the Silverstreaks on Sept. 6 at Kimball will be another early test after playing Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted on the road.
Section semifinal rematch at Holdingford
Between the regular season win at home Oct. 6 and the section loss three weeks later, Kimball outscored Holdingford 56-52. Both games were close themselves – the Cubs winning 30-28 and the Huskers 34-26 – and 2024's regular-season contest could be close again.
Holdingford hosts this year's game Oct. 4. It's the Huskers' homecoming.
Showdown versus state defending champion
Kimball scheduled a beast for homecoming this year. Coming off a two-week road trip, including Holdingford, the Cubs are facing down 2023's defending state champion. With another non-section game to close the year against Cathedral, Week 7 will likely be Kimball's most meaningful regular-season contest.
EV-W went 13-0 last year, including beating Kimball 18-6. That was the Eagles' closest game as they went on to win the Class 2A title 24-6 over Barnesville. The matchup in 2024 in Kimball could tell us a lot on how the section will sway if both teams are in contention.
Full Schedule
Each team's 2023 record is noted in parentheses.
Aug. 29 Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted (3-6) at Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted High School
Fri Sept. 6 Osakis (9-2) at Kimball High School
Fri Sept. 13 Paynesville (1-8) at Paynesville High School
Fri Sept. 20 Royalton (3-7) at Kimball High School
Fri Sept. 27 Maple Lake (0-9) at Maple Lake High School
Fri Oct. 4 Holdingford (7-4) at Holdingford High School
Fri Oct. 11 Eden Valley-Watkins (13-0) at Kimball High School (Homecoming)
Wed Oct. 16 St. Cloud Cathedral (4-6) at Kimball High School
Contact reporter Reid Glenn at rglenn@gannett.com .
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Football schedule preview: Kimball hoping to improve on section first-round exit
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