GREAT FALLS — After taking a significant step forward last fall, the Great Falls CMR football team believes it has the experience to take another one in 2026.
The Rustlers finished 6-5 last season and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2014, a breakthrough for one of Montana's most storied high school programs.
CMR has won 13 state championships in program history, and as head coach AJ Wilson enters his third season at the helm, expectations are beginning to rise again.
WATCH: CMR PREPARES FOR 2026 SEASON
Wilson has plenty of experience to work with. The Rustlers enter the season with 27 seniors on the roster — easily the largest senior class of his tenure.
"They've seen the expectations. They've seen the standards change over the past couple of years and what's expected of them day in and day out," Wilson said. "The senior group has done a great job of accepting that and rolling with it. So expectations for us are high."
That senior class believes last year's playoff appearance was just a start.
"Our class especially has had a lot of guys get time over the years," senior tight end Landon Bahnmiller said. "I strongly believe this is the year we'll put it all together and make a run."
One of CMR's biggest strengths could be up front, where the Rustlers return an experienced offensive line.
"Our O-line looks scary this year," senior defensive end Ryan Gilbertson said. "We got three returners and, yeah, they're just all big. They're mean. They're ready to go."
One of the biggest questions, however, comes at quarterback.
For five consecutive seasons, the position belonged to a member of the Taylor family. Cole Taylor started in 2021 and 2022 before his younger brother Caleb took over for the 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons.
That means CMR will open a season with someone other than a Taylor behind center for the first time since 2020.
Wilson said Beckett Crouch and Kasey Kegel are competing for the job.
"They've done a good job competing all through the spring and the summer," Wilson said. "It's tight as can be."
Whoever wins the job will take over an offense with experience around him and a team whose seniors say its biggest strength may be its chemistry.
"This is probably the closest team I've ever been on," Bahnmiller said. "Everybody hangs out with everybody outside of school. Just a really close team. Really gritty, tough team this year."
Now the challenge is turning that experience and chemistry into another step forward.
CMR opens the 2026 season Aug. 28 at Helena Capital.
