The high school football season begins with what is the new normal per the district format; changes. L-A moves from the Mid-Southeast East District (R-P, FC, Kingsland, etc.) to the Southeast-White (Chatfield, etc.). Cotter does the opposite. BP moves from MSE West to East. Each MSE Sub-District now has nine teams. Cannon Falls joins L-A as a new team in the Southeast-White, taking over for Red bound Pine Island. The White and Red each have eight teams. K-W moves into the seven team Section 1AA (for D-E). In nine man, Cleveland/Emmanuel Lutheran joins Section 1, as A-C/G-E and Randolph play 9-man regular seasons, 11-man play-offs. The 9-man South District has three divisions. Houston, Lanesboro, and M-C are all in the East with other perennial “SEC” counterparts. Four county teams come off winning seasons. They look to extend their success.
Rushford-Peterson enters the season as defending MSE-East co-champions (6-1) and the defending Section 1A champs. Behind Noah Carlson’s Halley’s Comet season, the Trojans went 12-2, finishing as Class A Runner-Up. “Flash” Carlson is gone, along with a great senior group that also included fellow All-District players Luke Rasmussen, Landon Goree, and Ethan Anderson. Head Coach Davin Thompson’s most noteworthy returnees this year are at the ball handling positions. All-District guys Jake Paulson (6’0” 180 senior WR/LB), Dawson Dahl (6’1” 190 senior RB/LB), and Landon Skalet (5’9” 160 junior QB/CB) each enter their third years of varsity action. Paulson had a big junior year (41-887, 12 TDs receiving, 70 tackles, six sacks, two INTs, five FRs). Dahl (66-364, 3 TDs rushing) mostly blocked for Carlson, but was the team’s leading tackler (84). Skalet was extra efficient at quarterback (91-149, 1,612 yards, 21 TDs, 6 INTs passing, 124.2 QB-rating). Damon Dau (6’0” 190 senior FB/LB), Ethan Hermanson (5’8” 160 sophomore RB/LB), Carter Weidemann (5’7” 180 junior RB/DT), and Ian Brown (5’8” 180 junior C/DL) were also starters. Other seniors are Cody Ryan (5’8” 160 WR/CB), Michael Ekern (5’6” 125 WR/CB), Sam Schwendinger (5’4” 125 WR/DT), and Dustin Brand (6’0” 170 G/DT). The Trojans have seven seniors, eight juniors, 13 sophomores, and five freshman for a roster of 33. R-P drops rival L-A. They add Cotter. They open at Kingsland, have FC week three, and Goodhue week six.
Chris Mensink’s Fillmore Central Falcons enter 2017 having lost back-to-back section title games in two different agonizing ways. Last year, FC fell to R-P in a heart-ripper 22-21. The Falcons, the MSE-East’s co-champs (6-1), had their second straight 9-2 season. All-District picks Riley Means, Justin Ristau, and Walker Ward graduated amidst a 16-man class of 2017. FC has a 16-man senior class this year too. They return five (one-time) A-D players. Third-year starter Brady Ristau (5’9” 190 FB/LB) heads the cast. The rugged senior (553 yards, 5 TDs, team-leading 87 tackles) will be a force on both sides of the ball. Josh Peters (5’9” 152 junior RB/LB) is the top returning rusher (853 yards, 9 total TDs). He had nearly 1,000 total yards offense as a sophomore. Nate Haugerud (5’10” 165 senior TB/LB > 403 yards offense, 8 total TDs) and Matt Lutes (5’9” 171 senior TB/LB) each saw action both ways. The foursome, 2016 A-D picks, combined for over 2,000 yards and 24 total TDs last year. Up front, FC lost quite a bit. Third-year starter Luke Ristau (6’3” 225 OL/DL), a 2015 A-D pick, and Ryli Tostenson (6’2” 203 OL/DL), are a couple key returnees. A new quarterback will have to be found. Logan Corson (5’6” 155 QB/CB), a returning defensive starter, was the back-up last year, though Peters may be the guy. Other seniors include Dom Merkel (5’8” 197 OL/DL), Bradley Heins (5’10” 177 C/DL), Devan Schmidt (5’11” 167 WR/DB), Dawson Schmidt (5’10” 145 WR/DB), Colten Kraling (5’10” 191 WR/CB), Eric Kunz (6’0” 161 OL/DL), Brady Dutton (5’9” 127 WR/DB), Connor Dols (5’8” 140 WR/DB), Ivar Wilmink (5’10” 145 WR/K), and Sebastian Kuhn (6’0” 155 WR). The Falcons have just four juniors, seven sophomores, and nine freshman; a 36-man roster. FC drops L-A, Goodhue, and J-W-P from its schedule, gaining BP, USC, and Cotter. They open with Hayfield. The big re-match with R-P is week three.
Karl Urbaniak’s Cougars had a good season last year. Mabel-Canton went 6-2 in district play, 7-3 overall, their third straight winning season. They fell to SG in the Section 1 9-man semis. The Cougars lost two A-D players, 3,000-yard career running back Weston Whalen and lineman Hunter Erickson. They return two in Drew Wyffels (5’7” 140 junior QB/S) and Pierce Lind (6’0” 180 senior OL/DL). Wyffels enters his third year as starting signal caller (581 yards, 8 TDs, 5 INTs passing; 230 yards, 2 TDs rushing). He doubles as a big play-maker on defense (9 interceptions, INT return TD). Lind has played since freshman year and anchors the Cougar interiors. M-C also has Brenden Kerns (5’11” 175 RB/LB), their top returning rusher (168-943, 8 TDs rushing, INT return TD). Ryan Kuhn (5’10” 150 junior RB/DB) has ball carrying experience (43-234, 5 TDs rushing). Blake Henry (6’1” 180 junior OL/DL), Logan Richardson (5’11” 170 senior OL/LB), Michael Selness (5’11” 160 senior QB/DB), Cody Hershberger (5’7” 160 senior G/LB), Nate Magnuson (6’0” 230 senior OL/DL), and Dylan Loppnow (6’3” 190 junior OL/DL) add to the Cougars’ experience. Connor Gulbranson (5’11” 205 OL/DL) brings M-C’s senior total to seven. They have five juniors and a 25-person roster. M-C has SG and Houston weeks three and four. Lanesboro is the season finale. Grenada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman is their opener.
Making a nice splash in his first season as coach of Houston was Cody Hungerholt. The Hurricanes went 6-2 in district play and finished 7-3. They lost to state champion GM in the 9-man semis. The seven wins was Houston’s most since 2009. Team double-H brings back plenty of talent including three of four 2016 A-D picks, Zach Schneider (5’8” 160 senior RB/DB), Joey Fishel (5’10” 175 FB/DL), and Cody Carpenter (5’10” 150 TE/LB). Schneider is the team’s top returning rusher (89-570 yards, 6 TDs rushing; 7-94, 3 TDs receiving) followed by Fishel (115-542 yards, 7 TDs), who shines defensively. Carpenter is a blocking TE and a defensive asset. The experienced cupboard also includes Brady Happel (5’11” 165 senior RB/LB > 50-493, 3 TDs rushing; 8-162 receiving), Jaytin Millen (5’10” 165 junior QB/LB > 42-203, 3 TDs rushing; 204 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs passing; 4-68, TD receiving), and James Hongerholt (6’2” 155 junior WR/DB). Millen is Houston’s likely quarterback replacement for departed A-D signal caller Harry Chiglo. The ‘Canes return 1,800 yards of rushing production from four guys. On the lines, Cullan Olson (6’1” 260 senior) is an anchor. Other seniors include Damon Carrier (5’8” 230 OL/DL), Alex Townsend (5’10” 210 OL/DL), and Zach Brueggen (5’7” 165 OL/DL). Houston has seven seniors, ten juniors, five sophomores, and seven freshman for a 29-man roster. They open on a Thursday hosting AC/G-E. Powers GM and SG are weeks two and six. Rival M-C is week four.
Chatfield had a disappointing 2016 season. The Gophers finished 2-5 in district play, 2-7 overall. They fell to Triton in the 1AA quarters. Five losses came by single digits. Amidst a 13-man senior class, the Gophers lost two A-D players, Parker Fossum and Kevin Bradt. Their only returning A-D pick, leading rusher Jake Mandt (205-1,071 yards, 13 TDs), broke his ankle over the summer. He’s out for the season. Coach Jeff Johnson is devoid 2016’s top passer (Dillon Bance), rusher (Mandt), and receiver (Fossum). Jacob Gillespie (6’0” 175 senior QB/DB) and Ben Brogan (5’11” 170 junior QB/DB) are the leading candidates under center. Speedsters Ben Ihrke (5’10” 165 senior RB/DB > 189 yards offense, 3 TDs) and Gage Tuohy (5’10” 160 junior RB/DB), fullback Kyle Nosbisch (5’11” 180 senior RB/LB > 239 yards offense, 1 TD), are the top returnees at running back. Tuohy had two kick-off return TDs as a sophomore. Defensively, diminutive Nathan Goldsmith (5’6” 160 junior RB/LB), the team’s top tackler, is back. Carter Fishbaugher (6’0” 190 senior TE/DL), Cole Asleson (6’1” 200 senior OL/DL), Lincoln Salisbury (5’10” 165 junior RB/LB), and Zach Roline (6’1” 220 junior OL/DL) also return. Other seniors are Nathaniel Fox (5’9” 145 OL/DL), Robert Crouch (5’10” 210 OL/DL), and Andy Arellano (WR). Chatfield has eight seniors, 11 juniors, and seven sophomores for a 27-man roster. The Gophers lose Stewartville, Cotter, and PI from their schedule, picking up La Crescent, Cannon Falls, and L-A. Their first four games are against HVL schools, their last four TRC.
James Semmen’s Lanesboro squad is like Chatfield. They lost their top passer (Cole Schwichtenberg), rusher, and receiver (Collin Scott) to graduation. All three of their 2016 A-D picks (Schwichtenberg, Scott, Jared Troendle) departed. It’ll be a bunch of faces that have made some plays making more plays for the Burros. Andrew Luck (6’1” 165 junior QB/CB) is (naturally) the quarterback in waiting, soon as an injured hand heals (70-350, 4 TDs rushing; 129 yards, TD passing). He’s relief-started games both as a freshman and sophomore. Brett Wangen (6’0” 195 senior RB/LB), Jordan Miller (6’0” 160 senior RB/CB), and Connor Ruen (6’0” 165 junior RB/CB) are key other returnees. Wangen (74-460 yards, 5 TDs) is the top returning rusher. Frank Octrup-Dekeyrel (5’6” 140 RB/CB), Riley Cambern (5’10” 210 junior C/DT), and Carson Schwichtenberg (5’9” 130 junior QB/CB) are other key assets. The Burros have three seniors, six juniors, two sophomores, and ten freshman for a 21-man roster. They get Madelia as a new foe to open the season. Houston and M-C are weeks seven and eight.
In Spring Valley, its year two for Brent Stinson as head coach in Kingsland. The Knights are looking to off the win-less schneid. Team double-K went 0-9 last year, losing to R-P in the 1A quarters. They graduated their sole A-D pick, Neal Mulhern. They have returnees all the way down to the freshman class. Ethan Fenske (6’0” 175 QB/S) is back as a two-way starter, the starting quarterback. Fellow seniors Jackson Rindels (6’1” 185 TB/LB), Cody Merkel (6’0” 195 OL/DL), and Matthew Woods (5’11” 220 OL/DL) have lots of varsity experience. Kingsland fifth senior, Jordan Beck (6’3” 190 TE/DE) won’t play due to recovery from an injured shoulder. The Knights have some size with 20 guys 180 pounds or larger. It’s the third straight year the roster has increased. They have seven juniors, nine sophomores, and 12 freshman for a 33-man squad. They’ll test themselves week one against R-P.
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