The 2019 high school football season begins with changes. Districts have been re-aligned. The Mid-Southeast has three sub-districts; Red, White, and Blue. Journal covered squads FC and R-P are in the Blue with Cotter, Hayfield, L-A, and W-K. The Falcons have “cross-over” games with Red and White schools. R-P plays just White schools. Those games are weeks one thru three. Blue versus Blue games are weeks four thru eight. FC, R-P, Hayfield, W-K, Randolph, BP, and Goodhue are the seven-team Section 1A (play-offs). In the Southeast White, Chatfield stays with Caledonia, D-E, SC, Triton, and Z-M. Pine Island enters, L-A and Cannon Falls leave. The Gophers have two Southeast Red “cross-over” games. Chatfield, Caledonia, D-E, K-W, L-A, SC, Triton, and Cotter comprise Section 1AA (play-offs). Nine-man sees the biggest changes. Randolph is out, going 11-man. Kingsland and Southland are in, joining GM, Houston, Lanesboro, L-O, L/P, M-C, and SG in the South East sub-district. All play seven “sub-district” and one “cross-over” game versus a South West foe, save L/P (which plays eight South East games). Nine-Man Section 1 is composed of the above eight South East schools save L/P (play-offs).
For the third time in the last seven years, Chatfield football made the section title game last season. For the eighth time in ten years, the Gophers won at least one play-off game. Chatfield rode a 12-man senior class to a 5-2 sub-district season, an 8-3 overall campaign. Jeff Johnson’s crew fell to Caledonia 34-7 in the 1AA final. Five of six A-D picks graduated. Included were primary ball carriers, Carson Larrabee and 1,000-yard rusher Gage Tuohy. Chatfield’s 2019 campaign begins with just one 2018 returning A-D pick, but a notable one, defensive signal caller and tight end Chance Backer (6’2” 200 MLB/TE). Good-sized and fast (anchored Chatfield’s state relay teams), Backer is a big hitter who also turned 22 offensive touches in five TDs last season (9-185, 4 TDs receiving). Chatfield also returns its QB in Reid Johnson (6’2” 185 Jr. QB/S), who more will be expected (45-123, 885 yards, 9 TDs, 8 INTs passing). Back up front are hosses Isaiah Froese (6’0” 250 OL/DL), A-D in 2017, Jonathan Frank (6’5” 240 Sr. OL/DL), a two-way starter last year, and Sam Stevens (6’3” 250 Sr. OL/DL). Nate Bernard (5’11” 150 Sr. WR/CB), Masyn Remme (5’9” 170 Jr. WR/DB), and Max Aug (5’9” 165 Jr. WR/DB) also had key roles a year ago. Ben Roline (5’9” 170 Jr. RB/LB) and Tate Karver (5’7” 160 Jr. WR/S) are prospective new ball carriers. Roline owns a 170 yard, 3 TD game to his varsity credit. The Gophers have just six seniors, 27 total on varsity. Chatfield opens at PEM. Lake City and Pine Island are two other Red foes. The Gophers notably have D-E week two (home), Caledonia week four (away), and St. Charles week seven (away).
The second Journal covered football team to make a section title game were the Houston Hurricanes. In the midst of an excellent 24-7 three-year run, Cody Hungerholt’s group went 6-1 in sub-district play, 9-2 overall in 2018. They fell to Spring Grove 28-6 in the 9-Man Section 1 title game. Both losses were to the state champion Lions. For the momentum to keep going, team double-H will need to make up for its ten departed seniors and four A-D selections, a list that included three-year players James Hongerholt (QB), Jaytin Millen (1,000-yard rusher), and Joey Fishel (1,000-yard rusher, South-East Defensive Player of the Year). Heading this year’s cast will be returning senior starters Ben Walters (6’0” 200 RB/DB > 38-211 yards, 3 TDs rushing; 3-86, TD receiving), who got some carries last year, Mikkel Schutte (6’5” 170 QB/DB > 4 INTs defensively), the new QB, and experienced blockers Alec Francis (6’0” 260 OL/DL) and Logan Rodriguez (5’10” 210 TE/DL). Alex Van Gundy (6’1” 180 WR/DB > 28-144, 2 TDs rushing; 4-98, TD receiving in 2017), a ball carrier as a sophomore, returns to the team, a nice addition. Caiden Olson (5’9” 180 Jr. RB/LB), a defensive starter in 2018, is a sixth key returnee. Rounding out an 8-man senior class are Dustin Stampka (5’9” 160 WR/LB), Cade Roth (6’2” 170 WR/DB), Jon Smith (5’10” 180 OL/DL), and Wyatt Walters (6’0’ 195 RB/LB). The ‘Canes are 28-strong. They get newbies Southland (home) and Kingsland (road) weeks one and two. Perennial powers SG (home) and GM (road) are weeks five and eight.
Rushford-Peterson had another good season a year ago. The Trojans posted their seventh straight winning campaign under Coach Davin Thompson. Team green went 5-2 in the sub-district, 7-3 overall. They fell to Goodhue 20-7 in a 1A semi. R-P had seven total A-D picks a season ago. Four, including three-year starting quarterback Landon Skalet, graduated. A fifth (would-be returnee) isn’t out for football. The Trojans two returning A-D picks are tall receiving targets Vinnie Mason (6’4” 225 Sr. TE/DE) and Kobe Lind (6’2” 170 Jr. WR/SS). Lind caught 31 passes for 391 yards and 6 TDs. Mason caught 13 for 154 and 3 TDs, though was an imposing sight at defensive end. From there, speedster Triton Meldahl (5’10” 170 Sr. RB/LB) is the top returning running back. He had 61 carries for 600 yards and 8 TDs last season. Halen Schwendinger (5’10” 190 Sr. OL/LB), Sam Kingsley (5’10” 250 Sr. OL/DL), and Peyton Morrison (5’9” 170 RB/LB) are a trio of other key returnees. Cody Paulson (6’3” 250 OL/DL), Brett Betthauser (5’10” 215 OL/DL), Gunner Mierau (6’4” 230 OL/DL), Tim Highum (6’0” 210 OL/DL), and Jordan Vande Zande (5’10” 275 OL/DL) round out a 10-man senior class. Of those 10, seven are linemen, average weight 230-plus pounds. Ben Wieser (6’5” 275 Jr. OL/DL) is another big guy. Junior Malachi Bunke (5’8” 150 QB/CB) projects at QB. The Trojans have 30 out. They open with defending section champ BP. Cross-district foes Faribault B.A. (away) and Goodhue (home) are weeks two and three. L-A is week five, FC week seven (both away).
After a trio of successful seasons, Fillmore Central took a step back a season ago. FC went 4-3 in district, 4-5 overall. The Falcons fell to Southland 25-12 in a 1A quarter. Chris Mensink graduated three of five A-D picks, including three-time selection, three-time leading rusher Josh Peters. FC returns two A-D players in Hadrian Williams (5’11” 220 Sr. FB/LB) and Carson Kiehne (5’8” 150 Jr. RB/LB). Williams, a good big athlete, is a three-year starter. The fleet of foot Kiehne is the squad’s top returning offensive asset (63-284 yards, 6 TDs rushing; 21-313, 2 TDs receiving). The duo will be FC’s smash and sprint back-field. Other key returnees are Nick Whalen (5’11” 211 Sr. C/DE), Nate Burke (5’11” 306 Jr. OL/DL), Cory Brown (6’2” 165 Sr. WR/DB) and Mason Berg (6’1” 175 Sr. WR/DB). Michael Barrett (6’4” 183 OL/DL), Nick Marzolf (5’11” 220 OL/DL), Dominic Knoke (OL/DL), Ian Shupe (6’2” 172 P), and exchange student Theo Luhmann (6’1” 149 K) round out a nine-man senior class. Zach Haugerud (5’11” 150 Jr. QB/LB) projects to start behind center. The Falcons could potentially throw out a line with three 250-plus pounders. They have 38 on the varsity. FC opens with non-White squads USC (home), Goodhue (away), and Faribault B.A. (home). R-P is a notable game week seven. It is the only home game the last half of the season.
Lanesboro football will look to start moving upward. The Burros went 2-5 in sub-district play, 3-6 overall last year. They fell to GM 26-6 in a 9-Man Section 1 quarter. James Semmen’s group graduated five relied upon seniors, including its QB and a trio of A-D picks. They’ll have just three seniors this year, but 13 juniors and 12 sophomores. Nate Betz (5’9” 160 FB/S), Trevor Atkinson (6’1” 230 OG/DT), and Dakota Rathbun (6’0’ 245 OG/DT) are the seniors. Betz got some offensive touches last season (33-237 yards, 2 TDs rushing; 8-146 receiving). The Burros return their top ball-carrier in J.T. Rein (5’10” 180 So. RB/S), who had 145 carries for 590 yards and 4 TDs as a frosh. Bodin Mayer (6’2” 220 Jr. G/LB), Jake Gathje (5’9” 150 Jr. RB/CB), Ben Snyder (6’0” 160 Jr. FB/DE), Sawyer Johnson (5’11” 175 Jr. TE/DE), Carter Clarke (6’0” 175 So. TE/DE), and Caden Anderson (5’9” 150 Jr. WR/CB) also have experience. The latter, the Burros top returning receiver (20-196 yards), is probably out with a knee injury though. Seth Semmen (6’1” 200 So. QB/S) projects as the new signal caller. Older brother Will Semmen was also a Burro QB. Lanesboro is 38-strong (35 ninth thru 11th graders). The Burros open at M-C, then host cross-over foe Sleepy Eye-St. Mary’s. They have newbies Kingsland (home) and Southland (away) weeks five and six.
Mabel-Canton will start the year anew, at least as it pertains to who call signals. The Cougars will break in a new quarterback for the first time since 2015. Karl Urbaniak’s M-C crew went 3-4 in the sub-district, 5-5 overall last season. They won a play-off game but fell to SG 42-14 in the 9-Man Section 1 semis. Among the key departures were four-year QB starter Drew Wyffels, an All-State pick at safety, and lineman Blake Henry, an All-State HM selection. Both were All-District. The Coug’s other 2018 A-D player is their leading returnee this season, TB/MLB Gavin Johnson (6’2” 190 Jr.). He had a very good sophomore year with 178 carries for 1,014 yards and 9 TDs. Ethan Underbakke (6’2” 175 Sr. RB/LB) is a second key returning ball carrier (32-248, 3 TDs rushing; 9-111 receiving). Elsewhere, Dawson Wilder (6’2” 210 Sr. RB/LB) is back, joining Underbakke as the squad’s only seniors. Junior linemen Brady Yoder (5’10” 200 OL/DL), Randy Gerard (5’11” 260 OL/DL), and Colton Heintz-Kuderer (5’10” 200 OL/DL) are return up front, with sophomore Matt McClimon (5’10” 200 OL/DL). Jack Arneson (5’9” 140 Jr. QB/DB) is the prospective new QB. The Cougars are 21-strong. M-C opens by hosting rival Lanesboro. They are at Southland week two, at Nicollet week eight (cross-over game). Coach Urbaniak enters his 35th season.
In Spring Valley, Kingsland starts the season with the biggest change. The Knights are now 9-Man. Head Coach Brent Stinson is back to usher in the change. A year ago, team double-K went 1-6 in sub-district play, 1-8 overall. They fell to BP 53-20 in a 1A quarter. Kingsland had two All-District players, but one graduated and the second is not out. The Knights do return two guys who split quarterbacking duties last season, William Jahn (5’11” 200 Jr. QB/DE) and Nick Ramaker (6’2” 195 Sr. QB/DB). A few other returning ball-carriers slash receivers include Noah Watson (5’10” 215 Sr. FB/LB), Lucas Howard (5’8” 155 Sr. RB/LB), Ashton Kohn (5’9” 150 Sr. WR/CB), Reed Merkel (6’0” 175 Sr. TE/LB), and Devin Carr (5‘8“ 160 Jr. WR/DB). Up front, Matthew Schwanke (5’10” 185 TE/DL) and Patrick Junge (6’0” 190 OL/DL) are two key senior returnees. The Knights have seven seniors (all mentioned), 32 total out. Their first 9-Man game ever will be at GM (maybe the section favorites). Weeks two and three are home games versus Houston and cross-over foe Mountain Lake.
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