The St. Edmond football team is in for an extended run of home games beginning this Friday with the toughest challenge they will face in the regular season.

The Gaels welcome rival top-rated Bishop Garrigan on Friday night for a 7 p.m. kickoff from Dodger Stadium.

St. Edmond (2-1 overall) and the Golden Bears (3-0) have met 65 times since 1959. Bishop Garrigan snapped a four-game run of wins by the Gaels with a 48-22 victory last season.

Overall, the Golden Bears lead the series, 41-24, but SEHS head coach Matt Dillon does own a 4-3 edge vs. his counterpart, Marty Wadle.

“This might be the best eight-player team I’ve seen in five years of playing in this division,” Dillon said of Garrigan. “They have all the weapons and are hitting at the right time with a very talented senior class.

“We know the task at hand is a difficult one, but we are going to come out and fight like heck to try and win the game.”

Last Friday night, St. Edmond earned a victory over defending eight-player state champion Remsen St. Mary’s, as the game was called at the half with the Gaels leading 36-0.

They have now posted two consecutive wins, and will have a bye next week after Siouxland Christian canceled its season earlier this year.

Following the week off, St. Edmond will host GTRA for Homecoming on Friday, Oct. 3 and welcome in Harris-Lake Park seven days later.

“We know that in terms of our playoff hopes, this game doesn’t have any impact,” Dillon said. “We have to come out of this one as healthy as we can and get ready for GTRA in two weeks.”

Senior Ethan Swisher is completing 71 percent of his passes, racking up 406 yards and seven scores in the air while adding another 93 yards and two scores on the ground. Both Aaron Hindt (169 yards, three TDs) and Kinnick Henning (156 yards, 2 TDs) have been featured in the rushing attack.

Jakob Koopman leads the receiving group with 10 receptions for 253 yards with four scores.

Grant Galles missed last week with an injury. Galles has eight catches for 80 yards and a touchdown, adding scores on defense and special teams.

This contest will be the ultimate challenge. Wadle and Bishop Garrigan have become a powerhouse since going 3-5 in 2022, winning 25 of its last 27 overall. They have outscored the first three opponents in 2025 by an aggregate total of 182-26.

“It’s the longest standing Catholic school rivalry in competition,” Wadle said. “It’s a fun rivalry with a lot of connections between the two schools. Matt is a former Dowling guy like myself, so we’ve known each other for a long time.

“St. Edmond is well-coached and will be well-prepared, so it should be a lot of fun.”

Tate Foertsch, who led the Golden Bears to a state title as a sophomore in 2023, directs the offense. He has thrown for 309 yards and rushed for 191, with eight passing scores already and three more on the ground.

Ethan Marso has taken over as the No. 1 option out of the backfield, adding 286 yards on the ground and seven trips to the end zone.

Michael Joyce, Madden Miller, Weston Rosenmeyer and Kyle Bormann all have two receiving TDs each.

The Garrigan defense has picked off six passes and recorded 11 sacks with nearly 20 tackles for loss. Carter Schwab has three sacks and five tackles for loss. Joyce has picked off three passes.

Earlier this week, students and faculty from both schools — including Dillon and Wadle — gathered at the Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend to participate in a pilgrimmage with Bishop John Keehner leading Mass.

Since 2008, St. Edmond leads the series 11-6, scoring over 30 points in six of those wins.

PROBABLE BISHOP GARRIGAN STARTERS

Offense

G Carter Schwab, 245, sr.

C Kayden Graves, 215, sr.

G Nate Leerar, 265, jr.

TE Madden Miller, 195, soph.

WR Michael Joyce, 175, jr.

FB Carter McGregor, 175, sr.

TB Ethan Marso, 230, sr.

QB Tate Foertsch, 170, sr.

Defense

DE Ca. McGregor

NG Karson Kramer, 260, soph.

DE Schwab

LB Marso

LB Miller

DB C.J. McGregor, 150, soph.

DB Foertsch

S Joyce