By Ethan Jones
It’s once again time for football in Vikings country. The stands are full, and the lights of Friday night are once again shining bright on the players.
The Lakeland Christian Vikings opened the 2026 season with a dominant performance, shutting out the Davenport Broncos 42-0. Even though the game did not count toward the team’s regular season record, it was a good opportunity for both teams to see what they were made of after all the hard work they put in during the offseason.
From the opening kickoff to the final whistle, the Vikings were in control. Both sides of the ball performed well, as the offense consistently put points on the board while the defense came up with crucial stops that kept the Broncos out of the end zone.
The Vikings’ impressive performance was led in part by star running back and recent University of Delaware commit AJ Trudell, who scored three touchdowns and helped lead the rushing attack. Lakeland Christian’s special teams also had a big night, scoring two touchdowns and leaving its mark on the game.
The performance was especially encouraging after the Vikings had to replace several key contributors from last year’s squad. Although it was only a preseason game, the Vikings showed plenty of potential heading into the new season.
After the game, I had the opportunity to talk with quarterback Brody Brenneman and Trudell about their thoughts on the game.
When asked what it meant to be back on the field in front of the fans, Trudell said, “Man, it felt good to be back out here. Man, we put in the hard work for two months straight. Getting a win with the brothers felt great.”
Brenneman talked about the preparation that will go into the Vikings’ first regular season game.
“So, a lot of it is going to be looking at film from this game, so it’s cleaning up the little stuff, a lot of little technique stuff, cleaning that up and preparing next week by looking at defensive looks and personnel on offense,” Brenneman said.
With the Davenport game now behind them, the Vikings can turn their focus toward the Santa Fe Crimson Hawks. Lakeland Christian will officially kick off the regular season against Santa Fe on August 21 at 7:30 p.m. back at Viking Stadium.
Coming off an 8-3 season last year, the Vikings are hoping to live up to the high expectations surrounding the program while proving what they are capable of accomplishing this season.
For fans and students alike, Friday night’s win against Davenport means one thing: football is finally back.
