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Northern Lebanon Youth Football Checks In After First Two Weeks of 2026 Season
The youth football season is underway, with young players throughout the area getting back onto the field for another fall of competition, development, and plenty of memorable moments.
Northern Lebanon is among those programs getting its 2026 campaign started. Members of the Federal Conference of the CFA Youth Football League, the Vikings have completed their first two weekends of action, taking on West Perry in the opener before traveling to Fairfield this past Sunday.
Northern Lebanon’s football players have already experienced everything from an overtime victory and a defensive shutout to the valuable early-season reps being gained by the program’s youngest athletes. The Vikings’ cheer squads have also been there throughout, bringing energy to the sidelines and adding to the game-day atmosphere.
Week 1: Vikings Open Against West Perry
Northern Lebanon opened its season on Sunday, August 23, against the West Perry Mustangs.
Smurfs: Exhibition
Peewees: West Perry 27, Northern Lebanon 0
Ponies: Northern Lebanon 7, West Perry 0
Midgets: West Perry 54, Northern Lebanon 0
The Smurf squad opened the year with an exhibition contest, giving Northern Lebanon’s youngest players their first game experience of the season and an opportunity to begin putting weeks of practice into action.
West Perry earned a 27-0 victory at the Peewee level, while the Mustangs also took the Midget contest, 54-0.
Pony Defense Leads the Way
Northern Lebanon’s Week 1 victory came from the Pony squad, which used an impressive defensive performance to shut out West Perry, 7-0.
Bentley Bender, Roman Tentylo, and Cade Roy helped lead the first-half defensive effort, while Brayden Appletoncame away with an interception to help keep the Mustangs off the scoreboard.
On offense, Cam Miller, Ashton Graby, and Miles Dresch helped establish Northern Lebanon’s ground attack before the Vikings finally broke through in the second half. Liam Robertson exploded for a 45-yard touchdown run, with Dresch adding the extra point to make it 7-0.
Appleton later recorded his second interception of the game, helping the Vikings finish off the shutout and begin their season with a victory at the Pony level.
Week 2: Vikings Road Trip to Fairfield
Northern Lebanon traveled to Fairfield on Sunday, August 30, for its second Federal Conference matchup of the season.
Smurfs: Exhibition
Peewees: Northern Lebanon 6, Fairfield 0 (OT)
Ponies: Fairfield 12, Northern Lebanon 2
Midgets: Fairfield 16, Northern Lebanon 0
Smurfs Continue to Develop
With a game already under their belts, Northern Lebanon’s Smurfs continued to show progress against Fairfield.
Brock Carpenter helped lead the Viking offense with key contributions from Rick Baez, Sabali Folks, and Carson Lutz. Late in the contest, Miles Wiest capitalized on an opportunity and broke free for a long touchdown run.
The young Vikings also showed plenty of determination defensively. Carpenter, Wiest, and Jameson Reigle were among those making standout stops for Northern Lebanon.
With two exhibitions now behind them, the Smurfs will look to continue building confidence and fundamentals with their first opportunity to play in front of the home crowd coming up.
Peewees Earn Overtime Victory
One of the biggest moments of Northern Lebanon’s young season came from the Peewee squad, which battled Fairfield through a scoreless regulation before earning a 6-0 overtime victory.
Defense carried the Vikings throughout the game. Caleb Figeoura and Liam Monk led the effort with six tackles apiece, helping Northern Lebanon keep the Knights off the scoreboard.
Offensively, the Vikings struggled to consistently move the football, but delivered when it mattered most. Quarterback Grady Wiest connected with Gabe Rice for the game-winning touchdown reception in overtime.
The defense completed the shutout, sending Northern Lebanon home with its first Peewee victory of the season and evening the squad’s record at 1-1.
Ponies, Midgets Continue to Battle
Coming off a victory in their opener, the Northern Lebanon Ponies encountered a tough Fairfield squad in Week 2. The Knights earned a 12-2 victory, moving the Pony Vikings to 1-1 through two games.
Northern Lebanon’s Midget squad showed considerable improvement defensively from its opener. After allowing 54 points against West Perry, the Vikings limited Fairfield to 16 in Week 2. The Knights ultimately earned the 16-0 victory, but the defensive progress gave the Midgets something to build upon as they continue searching for their first win.
Vikings Ready to Come Home
Two weeks into the season, Northern Lebanon has already seen a Pony shutout, a Peewee overtime victory, explosive plays from its Smurfs, and progress from its Midget squad.
More importantly at the youth level, players throughout the program have begun accumulating game experience and building upon the fundamentals established during the preseason.
Now, after opening the campaign against West Perry and Fairfield, Northern Lebanon’s football and cheer squads will get their first opportunity of 2026 to bring that energy in front of the home crowd.
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