The Gladbrook-Reinbeck football team brings back 12 letterwinners from last year’s 8-Man state runner-up squad. Pictured (from left) are front row: Hudson Clark, Kael Blohm, Brayden Utter, Thomas Keller, Gavin Blakesley and Treyvon Herron; back row: Dreyson Morgan, Bennett Sieh, Wyatt Giesking, Joey Wolf, Trevor Mathern and Garrett Gebel. PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE

REINBECK — The Gladbrook-Reinbeck football team has won at least seven games in every season since it started playing 8-Man in 2018, reaching new heights with last year’s trip to the state championship game.

Now the Rebels have to maintain that level of play despite graduating eight members of that runner-up squad.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck returns 12 letterwinners from last year’s 11-2 team that achieved its first trip to the UNI-Dome in 8-Man play before falling to Remsen-St. Mary’s, 51-12, in the championship game. Gone to graduation, among others, is quarterback and defensive end Drew Eilers, who will play football at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville this fall after leading the Rebels’ charge to the state finals in his senior season.

“Replacing the guys that are awesome players, that’s not going to happen,” said Olson. “Those guys are studs and they’re playing college football for a reason and they’re just awesome kids. But we’ve got some juniors that now are seniors that are pretty good players.”

“They’ve got a ways to go as far because they haven’t played a lot, but they are working hard. They’ve made a lot of growth in the offseason with their strength and conditioning program … so we’re ready to roll, but we’ve got a ways to go.”

Now that the Rebels have seen the mountain top, they know the climb it takes to make it that far in 8-Man. Reaching that level has helped maintain the program’s lofty expectations, along with a consistently deep roster.

G-R enters the fall with 33 kids out for football, which is a substantial roster for 8-Man.

“I think the one thing that we’ve done a pretty good job of here is getting a lot of kids out for football,” Olson said. “We try to get 10 kids in every grade, which is just a huge number when you’re talking about 8-Man football.”

For the first time in his nearly two decades as head coach, Olson will call the offensive plays this season. Gladbrook-Reinbeck will have a new quarterback, as well, so it’s a process and a challenge that Olson is looking forward to.

The Rebels will hand the reins to either Trevor Mathern, a senior, or Bennett Sieh, a sophomore. Mathern completed all three passes he threw last season, while Sieh was 3-for-5 in addition to quarterbacking the freshman squad all fall.

Mathern had 16 receptions for 198 yards and four touchdowns as a wideout for the Rebels last year, but he’ll compete with Sieh to take the snaps this season.

“He should be pretty good at the position, we hope,” Olson said. “And if he doesn’t, he’ll end up being a receiver and be pretty good there.”

“Bennett played really good quarterback last year as a freshman. Sometimes it’s not always the best player, it’s the best fit for the team, and so that’s what we’ve got to work through as a coaching staff.”

Eilers rushed for 1,187 yards and 30 touchdowns last fall while also passing for 1,963 yards and 26 scores — accounting for 70 percent of the Rebels’ scrimmage yards. The importance of the quarterback position can’t be overstated at the 8-Man level.

“They’ve got to control the huddle, they’ve got to understand the offense, and I’ve got to be able to coach them the right way,” Olson said. “We’re not going to change everything, because what we’ve done has been awesome.”

In addition to Mathern’s multiple position potential, the Rebels return two more top playmakers in senior Hudson Clark and junior Treyvon Herron. Clark rushed for 226 yards and nine touchdowns in addition to being the team’s top receiver with 55 grabs for 1,005 yards and 14 scores. Herron had 71 carries for 699 yards and 13 TDs in addition to 31 receptions for 527 yards and six scores.

The duo also combined for seven kick or punt return touchdowns.

“Hudson is a jack of all trades, he’s been all-state in everything he does, and we’re probably going to move him around on the defensive side of the ball,” Olson said. “Offensively he’s not just going to be the guy we throw a football to. Hopefully he can carry the ball a little bit as well.”

“Treyvon is kind of the opposite. He’s pretty much been a tailback full time, but we can’t just always keep him there. We’ve got to move him around a little bit too.”

G-R graduated a bulk of its starting linemen from last year’s state runner-up squad, but the Rebels have at least some experience back in seniors Gavin Blakesley, Wyatt Giesking and Joe Wolf. Kael Blohm saw some reps up front on both sides of the ball at numerous positions, which makes him a valuable part of the program according to Olson.

“He played a little bit all over the place last year,” Olson said. “Maybe he’ll be able to play receiver this year, maybe he’ll be an offensive lineman. We’re trying to find that spot for him because he’s a really good athlete and a really good player, so we’ve got to get him on the field.”

Garrett Gebel, a senior, played wide receiver and linebacker a year ago, but he’s getting practice time on the offensive line as well this fall.

Junior Brayden Utter made 53-of-67 point-after kicks last season and will return as the team’s placekicker. Clark handled half of the kickoff duties and got touchbacks on 10 of his 38 attempts a year ago.

Of the newly aligned District 6, Gladbrook-Reinbeck and Clarksville (6-4) are the two returning playoff teams from a season ago. North Tama joins the 8-Man game for the first time after going 4-5 in Class A last season.

As always, the Rebels will square off with Don Bosco in non-district play, visiting Gilbertville in Week 5. G-R opens with a home game against Janesville, another playoff qualifier from a season ago.

“There might not be a top dog necessarily, because I don’t even know what we are per se,” Olson said. “I think it can be anybody in our district.”

Gladbrook-Reinbeck 2025-26 Football Schedule

Aug. 29 JANESVILLE

Sept. 5 MESKWAKI, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 12 at Colo-NESCO

Sept. 19 GMG

Sept. 26 at Don Bosco

Oct. 3 at Collins-Maxwell

Oct. 10 CLARKSVILLE

Oct. 17 at North Tama

*all games 7 p.m. unless noted