MOHAVE COUNTY — The 2026 high school football season arrives in two waves across Mohave County — and one school just across the river in Nevada. Five programs open on August 21: Kingman, River Valley, Kingman Academy, Mohave Accelerated, and Desert Star. The remaining four — Lee Williams, Lake Havasu, Mohave, and Laughlin — begin on August 28.
This week’s edition focuses on the early starters.
Kingman Bulldogs Open on the Road
Kingman begins its season with a long trip to Page, led once again by head coach Russ Stryker, who returned to the high school program after a year at Kingman Middle School. Five players from last season’s successful middle school squad now join a group of ten seniors.
“They’re coming together well,” Stryker said. “They’re ready to hit… we’ve been at it since April, so they’re ready to get out there and hit somebody other than each other.”
One of the Bulldogs’ expected standouts is fullback/defensive end Liam Meissmer, who praised the team’s commitment.
“Everyone shows up every day. It feels like everyone really is dedicated… people definitely do want to show up to earn their spot.”
County Rivals Meet: Kingman Academy vs. Desert Star
Two local teams will open the season against each other as Kingman Academy travels to Mohave Valley to face Desert Star.
The Tigers enter the season under new head coach Austin Christy, who says the foundation of the program is built on a dedicated group of eight core players.
“This whole program is going to be built off of those eight core players that have given me everything this summer,” Christy said. “I think we’re going to go out and surprise some people this year.”
One of those core players, wide receiver/cornerback Colcon Parrott, echoed the sentiment.
“I think that we’re going to have to work really hard, but I think that we could be really good… I’ve been lifting and practicing with my team.”
Desert Star enters the season with excitement surrounding its brand‑new on‑campus stadium and the school’s first senior class. The Titans finished 3–7 last year and again face a challenging schedule.
Head coach Jonthan Clark expects improvement but knows the road won’t be easy as on his schedule are several expected road blocks.
“We’d like to be able to go 7 and 3 this year, but it’s not going to be easy,” Clark said. “I think we played five playoff teams last year. I’m expecting to see about the same this year.”
Quarterback Jaykob Williams, one of last season’s top performers, returns to lead the offense.
“We definitely have the guys here and we definitely have the power that we need,” Williams said. “We all worked hard in the off season, lifting, conditioning, and getting chemistry within the team.”
Mohave Accelerated Looks to Build on 7–4 Season
Mohave Accelerated enters 2026 after a strong 7–4 campaign. Longtime head coach Adam Gibson says the offseason has been marked by dedication.
“These guys have been putting in a lot of hard work both on the field and in the weight room,” Gibson said. “We are just trying to get it all together… making sure we’re running on all cylinders.”
Four‑year varsity player Rylan Krahenbuhl, now in his third season at quarterback, says the team focused heavily on fundamentals during the summer.
“We did a lot of the basics… easy throwing, easy routes, easy option reads,” Krahenbuhl said. “I feel very confident in all my teammates, very excited to see what we can do.”
River Valley Coming Off Undefeated League Season
The River Valley Dust Devils posted a perfect 5–0 league record last year, and head coach Adam King says this year’s group stands out for its coachability.
“One of our most coachable groups that we’ve had,” King said. “Their work ethics have been tremendous. Their accountability to one another has been great.”
Quarterback Adan Montgomery is expected to be one of the team’s leaders to build on last year’s successes.
“I’m looking for our team to come together as one,” Montgomery said. “I dedicated all my off season to weightlifting and bonding with my team…we really want the same goal, which is a state championship.”
Next Week: Part Two
Part two of The Standard’s 2026 football preview arrives next week, featuring Lee Williams, Mohave, Lake Havasu, and our “plus one,” Laughlin.
