By Jack Hart | ILSportsWire
The South Fork Ponies are turning the page to a new season, but the expectations remain just as high.
After making a run to the state semifinals last season, South Fork enters the 2026 campaign with a confident group determined to prove last year’s success was no fluke. With several new faces stepping into important roles, the Ponies believe they have what it takes to make another deep postseason run.
At the center of the offense is quarterback Colton Puccetti, who returns to the position and is ready to lead the Ponies.
“We’re young, but we are all very familiar with each other,” Puccetti said. “We kind of know how each other plays, and that plays a big part in what we’re going to do this year.”
Puccetti is also looking to put last year’s injury behind him and enter the season healthy. His individual goals are ambitious: more than 1,500 passing yards and at least 20 touchdowns, while becoming the best leader possible for his teammates.
But his biggest goal is shared by the entire team.
“Compete for a state championship,” Puccetti said. “All these guys want to go compete and win a state championship. That’s our goal. But we also have to take it week by week, game by game.”
South Fork will open the season against Martinsville, with the Ponies already preparing by studying film and getting themselves ready for whatever they will see on opening night.
While Puccetti will lead the offense, Stephon Shanks is preparing for an expanded role on both sides of the football.
Shanks knows there are big shoes to fill after the departure of George Bailey, but he believes he and the rest of the team are ready for the challenge.
“I got to fill George Bailey’s shoes,” Shanks said. “It’s going to be pretty hard, but I think I can do it.”
Shanks said his biggest goal is helping bring the team together and continuing to build toward another playoff appearance.
The Ponies did lose several key pieces from last year’s team, but Shanks believes the players stepping into those roles can keep South Fork moving forward.
“We got some other big guys stepping up to the plate, and I think we’re going to do good again,” he said.
Defensively, Carter Foli believes the Ponies will bring a different level of aggression in 2026.
“We’re showing a lot more aggression this year,” Foli said. “We’re experimenting a lot with new stuff, and I think we’ll have a solid defense.”
Foli’s goal is simple: lead the defense, create stops and help the Ponies win football games.
The defensive unit will be guided by coaches Clark and Brown, who Foli says have pushed the group throughout the preseason.
Head coach Zach Hanlon is also excited about the pieces coming together.
With the opening game roughly two weeks away, South Fork has been using preseason practices to determine where players fit best, develop the offense and defense and continue building depth.
Hanlon highlighted several players who could have major impacts this fall, including Puccetti, Hudson Hout, Carter Foli and Stephon Shanks.
“We’ve got a lot of guys that are going to step up this year,” Hanlon said. “We’ve got our quarterback back in Puccetti. He went down the first game of the year last year. He’s worked his butt off in the offseason. I expect him to have a great year.”
Hanlon also expects Shanks to play a major role offensively while Hout and Foli have put together strong offseasons in the weight room.
One of the biggest differences for South Fork remains the 8-man game.
Hanlon believes one of the keys to success in 8-man football is tackling. With fewer players on the field and more space available, one missed tackle can quickly turn into a touchdown.
“You’ve got to be such a great tackling team to be a good defense in eight-man football,” Hanlon said.
Hanlon also believes 8-man football has played a major role in bringing football back to South Fork.
The community has embraced the program, showing up in large numbers throughout last season and creating an atmosphere that the players and coaches won’t soon forget.
“Football is back in South Fork, and we got a lot to thank them for that,” Hanlon said.
The Ponies will once again have several games circled on the calendar, but one matchup stands above the rest: Pawnee.
For Puccetti, Shanks and Foli, the answer was immediate when asked which game they were most excited about.
Pawnee.
The rivalry has become one of the biggest events on the South Fork schedule, and Hanlon expects another electric atmosphere when the teams meet this fall.
South Fork will also face a tough schedule that includes teams such as Meridian, making preparation and consistency critical throughout the season.
Offensively, Hanlon expects the Ponies to show a slightly different look this year, with more opportunities to put the ball in the air while still relying heavily on Shanks in the backfield.
Defensively, the Ponies could be quicker up front and feature a younger group than last season.
The pieces may be different, but the goal remains the same.
Win football games. Make the playoffs. And ultimately, compete for a state championship.
The 2026 South Fork Ponies are ready to turn the page.
