KINGSFORD — Growing up his whole life in the Kingsford community, Jack Kriegl admits the sight is surreal – and a dream. 

Just before walking out Monday morning during the first day of high school football practice across the state, Kriegl and others could only beam at the community’s new addition: a gleaming new artificial field installed at the school’s stadium over the summer. 

The funds for the field were raised entirely through private donations, according to Kingsford principal David Lindbeck. 

“It’s beautiful,” Kriegl said. “It’s weird to see because we’ve been on a grass field our whole life. It looks awesome. “There always has been talk about getting turf forever. We finally got it, and it’s like, ‘Wow.’”

Practices began for all fall sports and 100,000 athletes at MHSAA-member high schools Monday. Kingsford's football team didn’t practice on its new field, however, because construction on the track surrounding the field is taking place. The school annually hosts the MHSAA’s Upper Peninsula Track & Field Finals for all three divisions. 

But practicing on the huge and well-manicured grass field behind the stadium didn’t dampen the enthusiasm during the first practice – nor what the future holds once the track is completed and the new turf field is officially open for business in this town of just more than 5,000 adjacent to Iron Mountain on the Upper Peninsula’s southern border with Wisconsin. 

“It’ll probably be the premier facility in Upper Michigan,” said Kingsford football head coach Mark Novara, who began his 27th year in the program and seventh as head coach. “It’s that next level of stuff that we’re really ultra-serious about what we’re doing around here with our athletics program.

“Our former superintendent Dave Holmes really had this vision and wanted it to be done for us. The big thing is that we can use that piece of real estate a lot more than we could before. Our baseball team, our softball team can get out there in the spring. Our band can use it, our PE classes can use it, on down the line. It’s nice.”

“Nice” has also been a way to describe Kingsford’s program in recent years. The Flivvers have become arguably the most consistent 11-player program in the Upper Peninsula, amassing a 19-3 record over the last two seasons and with a string of five consecutive winning seasons total. 

Kingsford enters this year hungry after a disappointing first-round exit in the Division 5 playoffs last year. The Flivvers enjoyed an unbeaten regular season, but suffered an 18-15 loss to Gladwin in District opener. They had reached the Regional Finals in 2023.

“I’m feel like we all want to get back this year,” said Kingsford senior lineman Logan DeClark. “We want to make it far. We were all pretty bummed last year, losing in the first round after having such a great season and going unbeaten. Speaking for everyone here, we don’t want that to happen again.”

Repeating last year’s success will be a challenge for Kingsford, given the Flivvers were a senior-dominated team in 2024 and newcomers will have to adapt fast to varsity football. 

The good news is that Kriegl, a three-sport athlete who has committed to play football at Michigan Tech, is back for his third year on varsity and gives the team notable experience moving over to quarterback after earning all-league second-team as a receiver and first team as a defensive back last season.  

Kriegl suffered a spleen injury in practice before the regular-season finale last fall and missed the playoff game. 

There are also three starters back along the offensive line – Logan and Preston DeClark and Connor White. 

“We’re just trying to maintain that same mental and physical toughness and that hard-nosed brand of football,” Novara said. “I think the talk (from others) will be that ‘they lost everybody.’ But too bad. We’re reloading, and here we come.”

Even better, Kingsford will do so with its spectacular new field on display for the rest of the Upper Peninsula. 

“I’m sure it will bring people into the games,” Kriegl said. “Bigger crowds, which will be fun. Hopefully we can put on a show.”

PHOTOS (Top) Kingsford players work through an agility drill Monday during the first day of practice statewide. (Middle) Ian Spencer catches a pass during the team’s first session of the season. (Below) The Flivvers’ new field turf glimmers during the sunny morning. (Photos by Keith Dunlap.)