A multitude of players from the Class AA state champion Chatfield Gophers make the All-Southeast White team. Jeff Johnson’s crew gets seven A-D selections. Three, Ethan Ruskell (6’1” 210 DE/OL), Grady Schott (6’2” 200 TE/LB), and Caden Nolte (6’2” 275 OL/DL) are seniors. Four, Sam Backer (5’11” 195 QB/RB/S), Isaac Stevens (6’2” 180 OL/DL), Drew O’Connor (6’3” 180 TE/LB), and Drew Schindler (5’9” 160 WR/CB) are juniors. Backer heads the cast after having a massive year that earned him District MVP and Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Converted to Wildcat QB, he was menace defenses, topping 2,000 rushing yards (239-2,384 yards, 39 TDS rushing) while averaging just about 10 yards per carry! Including his passing work (52-97, 733 yards, 12 TDs, 2 INTs), he tallied 51 offensive TDs. The speedy junior had ten 100-plus-yard rushing games, four 250-plus-yard rushing games, and six games of three-plus rushing TDs. He contributed 19 rushing TDs, 23 total TDs, in Chatfield’s first four playoff games. Backer threepeats as A-D. G-Schott moved up from A-D MH. He finished second on the team in tackles with 79 (7 TFLs) while adding some offensive stats (8-135, TD receiving). He teamed with his brother Kail to man the inside linebacker positions for a stout Gopher defense. Schindler had team highs with seven interceptions and 11 pass break-ups (39 tackles). Ruskell was a pressure-machine (44 tackles, 7 TFLs, 4 sacks) particularly in the play-off run and a key offensive lineman. Stevens and Nolte were two other key linemen that helped spawn Backer’s big offensive season and made Chatfield’s defense stingy. Nolte was a really big athletic center, starting everything on the offensive line. O’Connor was a starting linebacker and go-to two-point conversion tight end (15-210, TD receiving, six two-point receptions). Seniors Mason Clemens (6’0” 220 OL/DL) and Campbell Berge (6’0” 215 DL/OL), juniors Cole Johnson (6’4” 185 Jr. WR/DB), Luke Carrier (5’8” 160 WR/LB), Jackson Schild (5’11” 160 RB/LB), Michael Greiner (5’9” 200 OL/DL), and Carter Daniels (5’9” 175 Jr. LB/WR), sophomore Kail Schott (6’0” 180 So. LB/RB), made A-D HM. Clemens, who repeated, and Greiner were key offensive lineman. Berge, who also repeats, was a key defensive lineman. Johnson was the team’s leading receiver (28-611, 9 TDs). K-Schott (50-291, TD rushing; team-best 82 total tackles, team-best 14 TFLs) and Carrier notably did work on both side of the ball (19-251, 4 TDs receiving, TD rushing; 34 total tackles). Carrier authored the game-winning TD reception in the state semifinals. Schild (94-421, 5 TDs rushing) did some ground work. Daniels had a team third-best 57 total tackles. Said group helped the Gophers to an epic season where they went 13-1, winning 13-straight games. They won the White, Section 1AA, and Class AA titles.
Caledonia football gets five All-District picks; seniors Logan Banse (6’3” 210 WR/DL), Chris Pieper (6’3” 185 WR/LB), and Eric Mauss (5’10” 185 RB/DE), juniors Ayden Goetzinger (5’9” 195 RB/LB), and Tucker Ginther (5’8” 150 WR/S). Banse (17-209, 2 TDs receiving; 46 total tackles) and Pieper (25-323, 2 TDs receiving; 41 total tackles, INT return TD) move up after being A-D HM last year. Each did dual work at receiver and on defense, where they were two of the Warriors top tacklers. Goetzinger led the team in tackles with 76 while adding two interceptions including a pick-six. Mauss (108-637, 5 TDs rushing) led the team in rushing while also contributing defensively (24 total tackles). Ginther was the Warriors third leading tackler (43 total tackles). Seniors Evan Schroeder (CB/WR), Tate VanGundy (TE/DE), Mitch Gavin (OL/DL), Ely Ranzenberger (OL/DL), Thane Meiners (RB/DB), Jackson Koepke (WR/CB), Jermiah Jacobson (T/DT), and Blake Morrow (OL/MLB) made A-D HM. Koepke notably led the Warriors in receiving (39-404, 7 TDs). All 10 Warrior seniors were honored either A-D or A-D HM.
*All stats submitted by teams and tallied by Paul Trende.
