Entering the 2026 season, Bluestem’s Axton Vice is eager to see how far the Lions have come after an offseason built on hard work and determination.
While Bluestem graduated several key senior linemen, Vice believes the team’s offseason commitment has positioned it to take a step forward this fall.
“The thing I’m most excited about for this season is mainly to just see how much we have improved since last year even though we lost some good senior linemen,” Vice said.
Vice established himself as one of Bluestem’s top two-way performers last season, rushing for approximately 800 yards while recording 69 tackles on defense. His production earned him all-league honors at running back, linebacker and skills player, along with honorable mention all-state recognition.
Determined to build on that success, Vice spent the offseason focusing on strength, conditioning and improving his athleticism.
“In the offseason I have mainly just been working out and doing a little bit of conditioning and agility at summer weights,” he said.
The work has centered on preparing for a bigger role in the Lions’ offense. Vice hopes to become a more explosive running back by improving his speed while maintaining the physical style that made him effective a year ago.
“I mainly want to improve my skills at running back,” Vice said. “I’ve been trying to stay in good shape and get faster.”
Vice has set ambitious goals for his junior campaign. Individually, he hopes to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark while finishing with at least 80 tackles. Team success, however, remains his top priority.
“My individual goal is to have at least 1,000 rushing yards and 80 tackles,” Vice said. “As a team I want to try to win five games and maybe a playoff game.”
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