Reloaded Rails Ready for Another Deep Playoff Run

The Proctor football team is hoping to continue their winning tradition.

PROCTOR, Minn. – The Rails football team has won two of the past three section 7AAA titles. One big reason for that is a strong senior class, 21 to be exact, who have now moved on. So now the team is in full rebuild mode for the upcoming season.

It’s day three of practice for the Rails, which has a different vibe without last year’s seniors. But the coaches hope that the players on this team took advantage of all the success of the past three seasons.

“That’s something that kids learn how to do. They learn how to win close games and learn what it takes to do that. Hopefully the biggest thing they learned is that you win games Monday through Thursday preparing and ready to go for Friday so hopefully, this is what this group learned,” head coach Derek Parendo said.

With a new group comes more competition, not just within the team, but around the Northland as well. That doesn’t change the expectations for this year’s team that’s pushing for another deep playoff run.

“It would mean so much. It was just fun last year because we were out there having a good time. If we make it farther than that, it’s going to be a blast,” said running back/safety Austin Parrot.

“I think you’re going to see one week Denfeld beat Proctor, then the next week Proctor beats Cloquet and Cloquet beats Denfeld. I think it’s going to be a pretty tight race here. You’re going to see a lot of 5-3 records this year and maybe not so many 8-0’s,” Parendo said.

The Rails open their season Thursday August 30th at International Falls.