Year two of the Stewart Young era is underway in Lexington. 

Following last season’s (3-8) finish, the Wildcats are coming into the new year confident following an offseason of development and deepening connections. 

“That bond’s stronger amongst our team, amongst our staff. That’s something we really preached a lot this year,” Young said. “We tried to do a lot of things to unite our team this year.”

With a united front, Young believes the Wildcats' season can go much better. The team lost three games last year by one score or less, including a three-point defeat in the playoffs. If Lexington has a similar season, and just a few more plays go its way, the results could be much different. 

Regardless of the scores, the Wildcats' approach this season will be similar to the last. The team will focus on getting better each week and seeing where the cards fall. In the end, for Young, it’s all about playing together and for each other. 

“If you only focus on wins and losses, you’ve missed the journey,” Young said. “We’re just trying to enjoy it, being a family and enjoy being together.” 

Players to watch 

Lexington returns a large amount of starting production on the offensive side of the ball. 

Easton Crocker is back at quarterback for his sophomore campaign. He was the Wildcats' starter for about half of their games in 2025 as a freshman. 

Newcomer Caedmon Watson will also get reps at the position and have individual packages for his skill set. 

Crocker and Watson will have plenty of targets to look for with Ian Danson and Leon Taylor leading the skill guys. 

There are still a few positions where the main contributors are still in the air. Up front on the offensive line, the Wildcats will rely on younger guys, who gained experience playing last year. Running back is another position the team will work to figure out. 

Lexington’s defense is full of position battles. 

The team will run a four-man front this year, and despite being a bit undersized on the defensive line, Young thinks their ability to move will generate success. 

In the secondary, the Wildcats will have more depth than they did a year ago, giving Lexington flexibility to play around with different coverages. 

While these position battles play out in practice, Lexington will go into the year with a few questions still needing answers. For some, that could be a concern, but for Young it just creates more competition to make the team better.

2026 schedule 

Week 0 -vs. Midland Valley - Aug. 21

Week 1 - at North Augusta - Aug. 28

Week 2 - at Swansea - Sept. 4

Week 3 - vs. Spring Valley - Sept. 11

Week 4 - vs. Emerald - Sept. 18

Week 5 - at Blythewood - Sept. 25

Week 6 - vs. Dutch Fork* - Oct. 2

Week 7 - at White Knoll* - Oct. 9

Week 8 - BYE - Oct. 16

Week 9 - at Chapin* - Oct. 23

Week 10 - vs. River Bluff* - Oct. 30

Note: (*) indicates a game against a region opponent