Although Banning Lewis Ranch Academy will host Englewood for a football scrimmage Friday, their most important drive will happen off the turf.

The Stallions, alongside Care and Share Food Bank, will hold a food drive at 7 p.m. at Banning Lewis.

Attendees will be asked to bring one nonperishable food item per person for entry.

“I grew up in a small town in Nebraska and Banning Lewis is a place where the school is built in the neighborhood,” Banning Lewis coach David Todd said. “There’s no other place like it because you have that small-town feeling inside of a big city. … We’re trying to pour into our community so you can have that same feeling you get with small town football.”

Todd, who replaced Nic Olney in the offseason, said he plans to maintain the Stallions’ success from 2023.

The Stallions, who began playing varsity football in 2020, qualified for the postseason for the first time in school history last year.

Banning Lewis also hosted and won its first ever playoff game in 2023 when the Stallions beat Wiggins 21-2 in the first round of the 1A playoffs.

When Olney accepted a job as offensive line and tight end coach at University of Minnesota-Morris in May, Olney noted that Todd would make a suitable replacement.

“I wouldn’t have been able to take over this program if it wasn’t for him or the standards he set,” Todd said. “I’m just taking what he did and putting my twist and my opinion on things. I didn’t have to teach expectations because this program was run so well by coach Olney.”

Todd, who is in his fourth year with the program, said one of his twists includes this food drive.

Coaches want players to succeed on the field, but Todd said being successful in life also includes assisting in the community.

Though the food drive is a small gesture toward the community, Todd said it’s a notable investment to those who pour into Banning Lewis’ program.

“I think this food drive is one step in that direction,” Todd said. “We ask a lot of our community. We just finished a fundraiser that raised $37,000 for our football players. One thing we can do in our community is use our venue and platform to give back to them.”