For a change, Lourdes gets to build around size up front

Sep. 2—The first thing Mike Kesler mentions when it comes to Rochester Lourdes' offensive line is experience. The Eagles will have plenty of that in 2026, with three seniors, a junior three-year starter, and a sophomore who knows the team's quarterback quite well. In almost the same breath as experience, though, Kesler mentions something the Eagles haven't had an abundance of for some time: Size. In left tackle Akol Manyang (6-foot-3, 265 pounds), left guard Luke Roth (6-0, 205), center Henry Carroll (5-10, 250), right guard Sam Week (5-9, 235) and right tackle Michael Love (6-0, 245), the Eagles will average 240 pounds across the front line. And considering what Lourdes is known for — running the football — that size is welcomed. "To have that experience really helps, and obviously a little size always helps," Kesler, in his 22nd season as the Eagles' head coach, said. Manyang, Week and Love are seniors, Roth a junior and Carroll a sophomore. All five have been around the program for many years, including Carroll, who'll snap the ball this season to his older brother. Chase Carroll, a 6-foot, 190-pound senior, returns after producing nearly 1,100 yards of total offense last season. As always, Lourdes' option offense, which requires quick decision-making, will go as its QB goes. "Chase played his best football at the end of last year," Kesler said. "I think he learned and will build off that experience — the do's and don'ts. He's our signal-caller and has to put us in the right position. We have to take care of the football and that starts with your quarterback making good decisions. We'll see that this year — and his passing has improved tremendously over the summer. "I think what's going to surprise people is just how much bigger and stronger and faster he is. His ability to run is going to stick out." Carroll's likely top targets include senior receivers Gabe Quinones (5-11, 172), Michael Seeger (5-11, 170) and Chris Tweet (6-4, 175), as well as junior tight end Jake Priebe (5-10, 165). The Eagles' backfield will look different from a year ago, too, as standout running back Caleb Akinbolu graduated and is now playing Division I ball at St. Thomas. Presumptive starting tailback Max Pederson, a three-year varsity regular and now a senior, suffered a knee injury in July and will miss the season. "That's a big, big loss for us," Kesler said, "but he is showing up every day. His attitude and effort are tremendous. He'll be a critical leader for us." The ball-carrying duties for the Eagles — who open the 2026 season at 7 p.m. Thursday at home against Chatfield — will be shared by Chase Carroll, senior fullback Sam Wackel and junior tailback Eli Hust. "Both of those guys had really good offseasons," Kesler said. Hust and Wackel will line up next to one another, too, for a defense that among the best in the area in 2025, when Lourdes (7-4 overall) allowed just 13.7 points per game against a schedule that featured two games each against Chatfield, Caledonia and Dover-Eyota. That duo will play the inside linebacker spots, while Tweet will take over at the outside linebacker spot that was held down by veteran standout Ed Lovely for the past four years. Up front, Lourdes will rotate six to eight players along the defensive line. The Eagles will have as many as six linemen playing two ways, so the rotation is an effort to keep them fresh. Tweet, Week, Henry Carroll and Kingsley Obannaya (6-4, 205, junior) are sharing the end spots, while Roth and Love will anchor the middle. Quinones — who will rarely leave the field; he also is the team's punter — and Michael Seeger will play the cornerback spots, with Chase Carroll and senior Isaac Halverson (5-9, 150) at the safety positions. "We always take a lot of pride in our defense," Kesler said. "With our schedule, you have to be able to get some stops. You're tested in a lot of ways throughout the year. We have to control teams' running games and get to the quarterback in passing situations."