The 2025 season didn’t go the way that the Cardinal Hayes football team would have hoped. Being just two years removed from securing the New York State Catholic High School title, the Cardinals went 2-8 last year. But as Cardinal Hayes heads into the 2026 season, the team will prepare for some different competition and at a different level with the “same mission to play elite football.” “Last year didn’t go how we wanted,” noted in a post on the Cardinals’ Instagram page . “No excuses. No hiding from it. But the standard? That never changed. Cardinal Hayes High School Football is still chasing the highest level there is.” Cardinal Hayes kicks off the new season with its home opener against Episcopal (PA) on August 28. The Churchmen went 9-1 and captured its 26th Inter-Academic Conference crown in program history last season. On September 4, the Cardinals will host Middletown (DE).…