PHILIPSBURG — The Drummond-Philipsburg Titans, on paper, look like a squad not lacking in youth.
The co-op 8-man squad features just one senior, Austin Knoeller. Last year’s team, after reaching the state semifinals, graduated 10 seniors. For 8-man roster sizes, that can be a huge loss.
However, while the team is still in fact young, the Titans are still an experienced group. A big junior class, who were sophomores on last year’s semifinal squad, has played a large role in that experience.
“A lot of these kids started on and off in different roles, so there’s a lot of football experience there,” Titans head coach Jason Ostler told 406 MT Sports. “That’s such a big jump to your junior year.”
Both the experience and talent of the Titans was on full display Friday night in the co-op’s 42-6 win over Manhattan Christian (0-3). The Titans (3-0) led 36-0 after the first quarter, 22 points before five minutes had passed.
With a combined score of 128-34 across its first three contests of 2025, the Titans look formidable in the Southern 8-man ranks.
“We’re all learning together,” Knoeller said. “I’m the only senior, but these guys are showing up for me as much as I try to show up for them.”
Friday’s matchup marked the first home game for the Titans, taking place in Philipsburg; the team alternates between the co-ops’ two towns for its home games. The matchup brought extra motivation from last year’s result between the two teams. The Eagles stomped Drummond-Philipsburg 34-14 in Churchill last fall.
“They also got us the year before on our homecoming,” Knoeller added, pointing to the field. “It happened right here.”
This year’s rendition of the game also served as the Titans’ homecoming, but just four offensive plays from scrimmage were enough to determine there would be a different winner. After a quick three-and-out from the Eagles, Wyatt Daniels broke out for a 38-yard touchdown run on the third Titans’ snap.
Then, after an ensuing Manhattan-Christian fumble, quarterback Jake Daunhauer found Michael Goettle for a 14-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive.
“The faster you start, the easier things go,” Ostler said. “Setting that presence on our D-line, letting that carry to the other positions.”
The Titans players reaffirmed starting fast is part of the team’s identity. Knoeller found pay dirt on a five-yard touchdown run moments later. Daunhauer tossed a touchdown strike to Skyler Dahl at the 4:23 mark of the first, and Knoeller ran for a 20-yard score, his second of the night, before the first quarter concluded.
The Titans forced three turnovers — two interceptions, one fumble — in the opening period.
“The line’s been playing super well,” Daunhauer said. “That’s easy when the run game is working, it opens up everything.”
The signal caller, a junior, is a perfect example of the experience-by-fire Ostler noted. The quarterback has started since his freshman season.
“It’s nice having more kids that can lead,” Daunhauer said. “You get the leadership from multiple years.
“Everyone stepped up this year, even the kids who hadn’t played previously.”
JJ Lee returned an Eagles punt to the house late in the second quarter, the last points of the night for the Titans. Manhattan Christian’s Nathan Stewart broke the shutout attempt with a goal-line push late in the fourth quarter. Aside from the score, it was all Titans, all night.
The energy of the squad, Ostler said, is one of the biggest improvements from his previous years with the program.
“Mental toughness is there for us, that’s probably as big as anything,” Ostler added. “The work ethic they’ve put in, it’s been fantastic.
“It’s probably as good of a cohesion as we’ve ever had on these teams.”
The Titans players agreed that pushing for another run at state is on the mind of the group. Even without the traditional core of seniors, the group has playoff battle scars to learn from and game reps to improve from.
“We’ve got experience,” Knoeller said. “When I’m gone, I believe these guys are gonna be real solid next year, too.”
Carson Cashion is a sports writer for 406 MT Sports. Follow him on X @CarsonCashion or contact him at carson.cashion@406mtsports.com.
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