Northwest Notes Aug. 12, 2026

Lakeland High wins again in football stadium transformation competition

Lakeland High in Rathdrum just scored $5,000 — and it’s also in the running again — for a football field transformation valued at $1 million.

The school was randomly selected as a $5K Fridays sweepstakes winner through T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights, a national competition celebrating small-town football and community pride. Lakeland Joint School District Multimedia Specialist Jacquie Neff submitted the school’s application.

Last year, Lakeland finished fourth overall in the nationwide competition, rallying more than 393,000 votes from supporters across Idaho and beyond. The Hawks earned $25,000 to support stadium repairs, improve accessibility, upgrade concession facilities, and replace the stadium's H-style field goal posts with Y-style posts.

Aberdeen High is also among this week’s $5K winners from Idaho, with more than 40 high schools in the state applying to this year’s competition so far.

The $5K is an extra win along the way — every eligible school that applies still has a shot at the competition’s bigger prizes. Ultimately, 40 finalists will receive $25,000, four division champions will win $250,000, and one school will receive a football field transformation valued at $1 million.

Eligible schools in communities with populations under 150,000 can apply through Sept. 18 at FridayNight5GLights.com.

Eagles to scrimmage in Spokane for the second consecutive season

Eastern Washington football will play its first scrimmage of fall camp at the ONE Spokane Stadium on Thursday, marking the second straight season for the preseason event dubbed the Red Turf Takeover. 

The scrimmage begins at 6 p.m. and admission is free for the public, with gates opening at 5 p.m. 

The first 509 fans into the stadium get a $7 concession voucher. 

In support of relief efforts for the recent Spokane fires, EWU athletics has partnered with Communities in Schools (CIS) to accept donations of specific items in designated boxes around ONE Spokane Stadium. A list of items CIS is looking for can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/yc8ebw4b 

Football players will be available for post-scrimmage autographs and pictures. 

During the scrimmage, players from EWU soccer and volleyball will be on the main concourse signing autographs. Cheer Team, Swoop, and additional Eastern partners will also be present on the concourse interacting with fans. 

EWU begins its 2026 schedule on Aug. 29 against Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. Eastern’s home opener is the following week (Sept. 5), when it hosts Northern Iowa. 

The Eagles finished 4-4 in the Big Sky last season and 5-7 overall, tied for seventh in the conference standings. Eastern was picked to finish eighth in the 2026 preseason coaches’ and media polls.

Jaylon Jenkins and Isaiah Perez both appeared on the Big Sky preseason All-Conference team, adding multiple preseason All-American recognitions as well. Jenkins earned Big Sky All-Conference first team last season, with Perez earning an honorable mention. 

Eastern returns 10 starters — four on offense and six on defense — from the 2025 team, along with 27 letterwinners overall.