The football team will play Randall on Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. in the newly remodeled Kimbrough Stadium. 

The team will go into the game 1-0 after their 50-7 victory over Palo Duro last week. Randall is also 1-0 after defeating Midland 35-16 in their season opener Friday, Aug. 30. In the rivalry between Canyon and Randall, the teams will once again compete for the GOAT trophy.

“It’s just another game, but in the back of our minds it is a rivalry,” senior running back Aidan Hildinger said. “It makes it a little different. We’re in the same school district, and everybody hypes up that game. There’s way more fans on both sides, and it’s a lot louder. It’s a fun, high energy experience.”

Last season, the Eagles defeated Randall 44-27 in the very first GOAT game. The Eagles are looking to repeat their victory this season in the rivalry led by Randall 14-9.

“Their running back is very fast so we’ll have to contain him,” Hildinger said. “Their quarterback, Jakobe [Norman], is athletic and knows how to escape the pocket. So we’ll really have to contain him and the running back.”

Hildinger said one of the team’s strength this year has been their closeness.

“Most of us played together last year,” Hildinger said. “Even the new guys, they fit right in with us. It’s just really a team mindset this year instead of any singular person.”

The game will also host the official groundbreaking of the Kimbrough Fieldhouse Complex during halftime. 

“We will be building four locker rooms because we are adding a third high school,” Canyon ISD athletic director Toby Tucker said. “There’ll be a Canyon locker room, Randall, the new school, and a visitor locker room. So each school will get their own unique locker room.”

The top of the locker rooms will accommodate the bathrooms and concessions. 

“You used to have to go all the way to the top of the stadium, and then to go to the bathroom you’d go down the hill again,” Tucker said. “That’ll be all in that middle level so much more accessible for people to get to.”

Along with the future renovations, multiple stadium improvements previously made include modern light replacements, a jumbotron added to the north side of the field, and the destruction of the south hill for smoother accessibility.

“For someone who has a disability or a hard time walking, we’ve used golf carts to get everyone into the stadium,” Tucker said. “We’ll still use golf carts but that will go down to a minimum. I’m proud that someone can come into a game and not have to wonder if they can get in or not. They should never have to worry about that.”

The renovations were included in the $196 million bond passed by voters last November.

“There was a citizen’s committee that basically said we love Kimbrough, it is ours now, but it needs some love and care,” Tucker said. “That was a point of emphasis. Let’s make this a stadium for the next 50 years that people can go and enjoy.”

All the improvements are set to be completed by the fall 2020 season. Tucker said he hopes these remodels set up the district for the next generation.

“I think the finished problem will be one people will be proud of,” Tucker said. “Not just for football, but for fine arts that take place out there. Our band kids. Our cheerleaders. Our spirit programs. We’ll be playing a lot more soccer out there so we’re excited about that. We really want it to be a place of synergy for not just Canyon but all of Canyon ISD.”