The St. Paul Indians and head coach Keith Wiatrak wrapped up the 2026 football season with a 1-8 record, navigating a year marked by injuries and adjustments while finding a way to finish on a positive note.

The Indians battled injuries throughout the season, losing a significant number of starters to shoulder and collarbone injuries. Those absences forced Wiatrak to make changes on offense and find ways to operate without a primary quarterback under center.

It marked back-to-back seasons in which Wiatrak dealt with an injury-plagued roster. In 2025, a large portion of the Indians' offensive line went down with knee injuries. Despite facing similar challenges this fall, St. Paul closed the season with its best result, outscoring Flinthills 30-0 in the second half to earn a 50-30 victory and its first win of the year.

Wiatrak says the Indians will have just one senior moving on in Danny Sturms, who continued to improve as a blocker in the trenches. Unless another student joins his class, Sturms will be the program's lone four-year player.

With several juniors and sophomores returning, Wiatrak says there'll be plenty of talent, while a freshman class of 11 and a large group of eighth graders waiting for their opportunity afterward provide additional reason for optimism heading into next fall and beyond.

For the seniors moving on, Wiatrak says he hopes they enjoyed their time in the program, reflecting on how much football, and particularly coaching, has changed over the past 15 years.

Wiatrak says he wants to make sure players aren't afraid to come out for football. His goal is to create a welcoming practice environment, whether the team is working through 100-degree temperatures in August or potentially freezing conditions during the postseason.

Despite the difficult season, Wiatrak says his players showed they weren't going to quit when things didn't go their way. That resilience was evident each Monday when they returned to the film room ready to improve rather than allowing their struggles to bring them down.

Wiatrak believes the program is heading in the right direction and hopes better health will allow the Indians to continue developing and become more competitive in the years ahead. With several injured players expected to return and plenty of young talent ready for bigger roles, St. Paul will look to build on its 1-8 campaign when the team takes the field again next fall.