WATCH: Bonduel Football Preview Spotlight

BONDUEL FOOTBALL PREVIEW SPOTLIGHT IS SPONSORED BY BONDUEL STATE BANK

Bonduel enters the 2026 football season with a veteran core, experience up front and expectations of making another run in a difficult conference.

Head coach James Westrich says the early days of practice have been encouraging as the Bears prepare for their first tests of the season.

“We’re really excited to get after it,” Westrich said. “The first couple of days have been pretty good, so we’re looking forward to the scrimmage and then seeing how the season unfolds.”

Bonduel lost some key pieces from last year’s team, particularly at wide receiver and tight end, but returns plenty of experience in the backfield and along the offensive line.

“We got a lot of linemen returning and our skill guys, our quarterbacks, our running backs,” Westrich said. “We lost the wide receivers and tight ends, so we’re going to have to see what we can do there. Hopefully a couple guys step up and fill some roles.”

Four of Bonduel’s five starters on the offensive line return, giving the Bears a veteran group up front. Westrich believes the unit could also be one of the biggest lines Bonduel has had in several years.

“We got some returning size. I think we’re a little bit bigger than we were last year as a whole across the board,” Westrich said. “We got a lot of guys that put a lot of time in the weight room.”

Quarterback Quinn Wesenberg also returns after becoming more comfortable in the offense as last season progressed.

“I think he’s going to play a much more confident role this year,” Westrich said. “I think last year he was a little nervous, started to get more comfortable at the end of the season, so we’re excited for him.”

Westrich also expects Bonduel’s running backs to be a strength and described the group as dynamic, while finding new receivers to replace last year’s production remains one of the biggest questions entering the season.

Another key returner is Carter Moesch, who is coming off a standout season and has continued putting in work throughout the offseason.

“He’s worked really hard. He’s got a lot of expectations,” Westrich said. “He had some key pieces around him that won’t be there, and hopefully some of these other guys step up and do a little bit more dominant role.”

Bonduel hopes last season’s experience in tight games will also pay off. Westrich said the Bears lost several close contests early in the year before finding ways to win some of those games later in the season.

The year ultimately ended with a heartbreaking playoff loss to Edgar, but Westrich believes those experiences taught the returning players an important lesson.

“They just realized that you just got to keep playing and the game’s never really over,” Westrich said. “You just got to keep trying to give yourself an opportunity in the fourth quarter to make something happen. So I like their confidence.”

Defensively, Westrich says the Bears are still determining exactly where players fit best. He likes the aggressiveness of the group and the athleticism in the secondary, but expects the defensive identity to become clearer following the preseason scrimmage.

For a talented senior class that has produced success across multiple sports, Westrich hopes the final football season can end on a high note.

The goals remain high, including competing for a conference championship and making noise in the postseason, but Westrich says the Bears’ focus will remain on steady improvement.

“Obviously want to win conference, so that’s going to be a tough task, and then hopefully do something in the playoffs,” Westrich said. “Basically, like we always do, start and just get better each week and improve on what we can improve. Hopefully we continue to get better and be the best versions of ourselves at the end of the season.”

2026 Bonduel Football Schedule