WAGNER — Gannon Knebel has always been around Friday night lights for the Wagner Red Raiders. 

Knebel was a four-year-old team manager when his father, Jason, was the head coach and now he’s powering the Wagner football team to a banner season as the starting quarterback/middle linebacker. 

“Obviously growing up watching games you want to be a part of that,” Knebel said. “I am just thankful to be able to be out there now, to be playing now from where I started as just a manager with a big dream.”

Knebel is now piloting the Red Raiders to a dream season. Wagner is currently ranked No. 2 in Class 11B, is 5-0 for the first time since 2010 and Knebel is a driving force behind the resurgent season. 

This season, Knebel has passed for 920 yards and 10 touchdowns, while rushing for 788 yards and 16 touchdowns. On defense, he’s totaled 40 tackles and one interception. 

Over the past three seasons, Knebel has more than 2,000 yards both passing and rushing. He’s scored 61 total touchdowns on offense, while he’s posted 128 tackles on defense. 

But Wagner head coach Hunter Hewitt said it is Knebel’s work off the field that’s just as impressive as any individual stats.  

“Everybody sees what he does on the field and it’s incredible and it’s awesome,” Hewitt said. “But everything he does between the ears mentally and emotionally with his teammates and getting people to rally around him, getting people to work in the offseason is just as important.”

Wagner's Gannon Knebel carries the ball against Winner on Aug. 29 in Wagner. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)

Knebel, who was an all-state linebacker last season, has been a team captain since his sophomore season. That’s when Hewitt took over as the head coach, and he knew right away he had a special player. 

“He came in as a sophomore and he separated himself right away as being one of our best players on both sides of the ball,” Hewitt said. “He’s an unbelievable leader. He works his tail off. He leads his teammates by example and by word of mouth, and he’s done that since he was a sophomore.”

Knebel said he’s worn the captain label with pride and doesn’t take the honor lightly. That includes being a leader in offseason workouts.

“I believe in weight room wins championships,” Knebel said. “I kind of had to rally some guys together these last few summers. It’s not easy, but I got them in there. I picked up a few guys and obviously the beginning of our season so far shows that we put a lot of work in and it’s awesome.”

The Red Raiders have defeated Chamberlain (45-12), Winner (34-20), Hot Springs (35-7), Mount Vernon/Plankinton (20-8) and Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (49-34) through the first five games. 

The Winner victory was a signature win for the Red Raiders, who had never beaten the Warriors on the gridiron. Knebel had a hand in all five Wagner touchdowns, passing for 173 yards/two touchdowns and rushing for 166 yards/three touchdowns. 

It was also a special moment for Gannon and Jason, who is now an assistant coach for the Red Raiders. The father and son shared a long embrace on the field after beating the Warriors in Wagner. 

“It was a long time coming,” Gannon said. “That was his first time beating them too as a coach and he’s been around since the early 2000s. He said it was awesome I was able to do it with him.”

Wagner's Gannon Knebel carries the ball against Winner on Aug. 29 in Wagner. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)

Knebel put together another offensive masterpiece on Sept. 19 against Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan, which had won the three previous meetings against Wagner. 

Against the Seahawks, Knebel rushed for 306 yards and six touchdowns, while passing for 129 yards and another score. 

“It’s pretty incredible to watch, and what he can do makes it really hard on a defense,” Hewitt said. “Most of our pass plays are also run plays and most of our run plays are also pass plays with how we do our reads and RPOs (run-pass options). He’s a dynamic player. Everybody knows we run through him.”

Knebel also praises his offensive line and skill players for allowing him to shine on Friday nights. 

“In my opinion, I have the best front five in the state,” Knebel said. “Obviously that can be argued. But I got some big guys up there. I give all my credit to them, especially on the offensive side of the ball. You can’t move the ball without a good front five. So all that glory goes to them.”

Payne Petry, Shea Kjeldgaard, Carlos Galindo and Cruise Koupal are also among the top playmakers that have been key in Wagner’s 5-0 start. 

“He has some awesome skill players right now,” Hewitt said. “Some receivers that are really reliable with good hands and they can make stuff happen. He’s got some good backs behind him, too, running the ball. It takes a whole army to have a good team.”

Knebel, who is also an outstanding wrestler, finished second last season in the 190-pound division in Class B. He said that wrestling background has also paid dividends on the football field. 

“I think wrestling is the best thing for a football player,” Knebel said. “Obviously leverage, getting low for tackling and it brings a lot of mental toughness.” 

Knebel has aspirations to play college football and has been in contact with in-state schools South Dakota State University, Northern State University, University of Sioux Falls, Dakota Wesleyan University and Dakota State University. He said he projects as a linebacker or safety at the next level. 

But first he will continue leading Wagner toward its dream of a state championship. 

“We are shooting for a state title,” Knebel said. “That was the ultimate goal coming into the season. But we want to just go 1-0 every week, and finish with a perfect record would be nice. We’ve got a couple of big time teams coming up. So we try to get through them and take it one playoff game at a time.”

The Red Raiders will play at Class 11B No. 5 Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central (4-0) on Sept. 26. Wagner will then play Class 11B No. 1 Elk Point-Jefferson on Oct. 3 in Elk Point.