The dog days of summer not only bring warm temperatures but also mark the start of local high school football team practices.
Under Coach Bryan Dahl, the Chaska Hawks began formal practice on Aug. 11. Coming off a 5-5 season in 2024, the Hawks return with more than 20 seniors — many in key positions — and all signs point to a strong showing for 2025.
This will be Coach Dahl’s 12th season leading the Hawks. He holds a 64-24 record (73%), including the 2019 Class 5A championship.
“Camp has been great so far. I’m pleased with the effort everyone is showing — we’re getting better each and every practice,” Dahl said. “We’ve got a challenging schedule this year, but we’re up for it. We’ll see a few new teams this year: Rochester Mayo, Century and Hastings. That mixes things up and brings good competition. We’ve also added a few new faces to the coaching staff, and they’ve brought some fresh ideas.”
Chaska competes in Class 5A in the Northstar Gold South Conference — widely considered one of the most competitive within the MSHSL. In the last five Prep Bowls, one team from this section has won or placed second.
MaxPreps has Chaska ranked seventh in Class 5A heading into the season. Conference rivals Chanhassen is ranked second, Mankato West third and Waconia ninth. Seven of Chaska’s eight opponents this season are ranked in the top 25 by MaxPreps.
Two of this year’s team captains — seniors Mason Davis (DB) and Matthew Welter (QB) — took a few minutes to speak with CCLN about the upcoming season.
“We want to win state, bring the trophy back to Chaska. That’s the end goal,” Welter said.
Davis added, “We want to dominate. We want every game to be competitive — and to come out on top.”
Both Davis and Welter have been with the team throughout their high school careers.
“Being a captain is great. You set the pace for the team. It’s a big responsibility, but it’s teaching me a lot,” Welter shared.
“It’s surreal,” Davis said. “My captains up to this point have been great. I’ve learned a lot from all of them. Now it’s my turn. I’m excited.”
The Hawks open their season at home on Aug. 28, hosting Rochester Mayo. They’ll have three additional home games this year:
- Sept. 5 – Rochester Century (Senior Night)
- Sept. 19 – Mankato East (Homecoming)
- Oct. 3 – Chanhassen (Tackle Cancer)
Follow the Hawks’ season on CCLN and through the team’s official web page.
