The quest begins.

As of Tuesday, Aug. 1, Piece County football teams gathered – officially – for the first time to kick off the 2023 season.

Equipment was issued, and you can bet those conditioning drills are in full swing.

The county features some teams with high hopes. Ellsworth hasn’t been defeated in the Middle Border Conference since 2020, as the Panthers have claimed the title in back-to-back years with identical 7-0 marks in 2021 and 2022. In 2021, Ellsworth fell in the state championship game. Last year, they lost to eventual champion Columbus in the state semifinal game.

Ellsworth fans will get a first look at the 2023 version of the Panthers at a scrimmage Friday, Aug. 11 at West Salem. They officially open play on the road against Marawood Conference powerhouse Edgar Aug. 18 at 7 p.m.

Prescott High School will look for marked improvement this year, as the Cardinals finished 1-6 in Middle Border Conference play in 2022. They’ll participate in a scrimmage Friday, Aug 11 at Osceola at 11:30 a.m. Because of construction at Prescott Middle School, the Cardinals will host their opening game of the season Aug. 18 at David Smith Stadium at UW-River Falls against Eau Claire Regis. Regis rolled to the Division 7 state championship last year, finishing with a perfect 14-0 record.

Prescott won’t have a game on its home turf until Sept. 15 when the Cardinals host Saint Croix Central.

“We are lucky in that our football team is scheduled to be away weeks two-four so we should have no further impacts than week one with Regis,” said Prescott Activities & Athletics Director Andrew Caudill.

River Falls is also coming into the fall campaign as a returning conference champion. The Wildcats and Hudson share the Big Rivers Conference crown with identical 6-1 records. River Falls won two playoff games before losing to West DePere in Level 4.

River Falls will open up the fall season with a non-conference game Thursday, Aug. 17 at home against Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln.

Another Pierce County champion in 2022 was Spring Valley, which won the Dunn-St. Croix Conference with a 7-0 mark. In fact, the Cardinals have won the Dunn-St. Croix three straight seasons. Last year, their season ended in a Level 2 playoff game against Edgar. The Cardinals scrimmage Aug. 11 at Stanley-Boyd High School and open up their season at home against Durand on Aug. 18.

Elmwood/Plum City is coming off a strong 2022 season, where they finished in third place in the Dunn-St. Croix with a 5-2 record, falling in the playoffs to Boyceville. E/PC hosts a scrimmage at 10 a.m. Aug. 11. They open up the season with a non-conference game at Elmwood High School against Pepin/Alma.