Football: 9-Man South-East Awards

The South-East sub-district in 9-Man featured state runner-up and district champ Kingsland (7-0, 13-1), LeRoy-Ostrander (6-1, 8-2), Spring Grove (5-2, 8-3), Mabel-Canton (4-4, 4-5), Houston (3-4, 5-5), Southland (3-4, 4-5), Alden-Conger/G-E (2-5, 4-6), Grand Meadow (1-6, 1-8), and Lanesboro (1-6, 1-8). The Knights and Cardinals each gets a league-high five All-District picks. Beau Wiersma (5’9” 200 Sr. RB/LB), Parker Johnson (6’1” 185 Jr. TE/DE), Ayden Howard (6’2” 165 Sr. WR/RB/DB), Kaaleem Reiland (5’8” 185 So. QB/DB), and Noah House (6’0” 220 OL/DL) make it for Kingsland. Wiersma, Johnson, and Howard each repeat. Reiland and House were Honorable Mention last year. Wiersma (Defensive Player of the Year) and Johnson (Lineman of the Year) pull in big individual awards. The Knights literally went from not being able to run the ball a few years ago to having one of the best 9-man backs in the state in Wiersma. He topped 2,000-yards rushing and compiled 44 total TDs (234-2,279 yards, 38 TDs rushing, 16-301, 4 TDs receiving, two-kickoff return TDs). Wiersma averaged 9.7 yards per carry with ten 100-yard rushing games. For his career, he was credited with almost 3,900 yards and 53 rushing TDs. He also led the Knights in tackles (111) including 21 for loss. Johnson had 16 ½ sacks and 26 TFLs amidst his 77 tacklers. He added offensive blocking and receiving work (20-202, 3 TDs). Both were named A.P. All-State Second Team. Howard was the Knights top receiver, a play-maker everywhere (43-928, 10 TDs receiving, 26-331, 4 TDs rushing; seven interceptions; 324 kick-off return yards, 286 punt return yards, two return TDs). Reiland blossomed into a strong dual-threat QB (111 of 191, 1,910 yards, 22 TDs, 8 INTs passing, 151-1,113 yards, 14 TDs rushing). House was a two-way line player with a team second-best 80 tackles (eight sacks, 22 TFLs). Courtland Drury-DeBoer (6’0” 195 Sr. OL/DL) and Sam Howard (6’2” 190 TE/LB) made A-D HM. The latter three were very key in blocking for a squad that ran for over 4,000 yards and amassed over 6,000 total yards of offense. 

For second place L-O, Camden Hungerholt (6’1” 170 Jr. QB/DB), Carter Sweeney (6’1” 180 Jr. WR/LB), Malyk Schaefer (6’2” 285 Sr. C/DL), Mason Diemer (6’1” 275 Sr. OL/DL), and Ryder Stern (6’1” 175 Jr. TE/LB) are A-D each for a first time. Hungerholt is the South-East Offensive Player of the Year. His numbers were ridiculous (276-2,627 yards, 36 TDs rushing, 102-196, 1,595 yards, 15 TDs, 4 INTs passing). He piled up over 4,200 yards total offense and 51 total TDs! By proxy, Chase Johnson accounted for 4,400 total yards offense and 59 total TDs (but in four more games in 2021). Hungerholt rushed for over 200 yards and had three or more rushing TDs in a game each nine times. He also had a team second-best 84 tackles. Schaefer, a three-year offensive line starter, Diemer, and Stern (14-229, 4 TDs receiving) were key blockers to an offense that compiled over 3,000 rushing, 4,700 total yards. Stern led the team in tackles (100). Schaefer led the team in sacks (six) and tackles for loss (15). Deimer was second in sacks with four  and TFLs with nine (62 tackles). Sweeney was the top ball catcher (50-868, 9 TDs receiving) while finishing fourth in tackles (79). Logan Diemer (5’10” 180 So. RB/LB) and Spencer Goodale (6’0” 235 So. OL/DL) made A-D HM. Said guys helped Trevor Carrier get named Coach of the Year in the sub-district.

Third place Spring Grove received four selections, Jaxon Strinmoen (6’4” 180 Sr. WR/LB), Jacob Olerud (6’1” 175 Sr. RB/LB), Ethan Crouch (6’4” 252 Sr. TE/DL) and Brandon Jahnke (6’0” 205 Jr. OL/DL). The sub-district coaches also awarded a special All-District award to Elijah Solum, who with an injury, missed his senior season after being the Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. Strinmoen and Olerud moved up to pure A-D after receiving HM a year ago. Strinmoen, during district play, led the league in punt returns (33.1 yards per runback with one TD). He had the second-most receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. For the season, he averaged 16.7 yards per reception for 569 yards and five TDs. He displayed versatility when pressed into service at quarterback during the playoffs when injury sidelined the starting signal-caller. Strinmoen finished with 1,283 yards of all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving, returning) and was the Lions’ third-leading tackler. Olerud was the leading tackler (146) for the team that led the sub-district in total defense and fewest yards and points allowed. On offense, he moved to running back where he rushed for 774 yards and seven touchdowns (5.3 Y.P.C.). Jahnke and Crouch comprised two-thirds of that accomplished defensive line. Jahnke had 9 1/2 tackles for loss, Crouch nine. On offense, Crouch and Jahnke did the work up front allowing only eight sacks in 11 games as SG won eight games. Receiving A-D HM were Bryce Berns (6’0” 155 Jr. QB/DB) and Zach Brumm (6’2” 180 Jr. WR/S).

Mabel-Canton gets four selections, Cayden Tollefsrud (5’9” 170 Sr. RB/LB), Tyler Larson (6’0” 185 Jr. RB/LB), Isaac Underbakke (6’0” 155 So. QB/DB), and Colton Tollefsrud (Sr. OL/DB). Cayden T. earned his fourth A-D nod. For a second straight year, he ran for over 1,000 yards (186-1,043, 13 TDs rushing) while amassing nearly 1,500 yards total offense (20-399, 5 TDs receiving). He led the defense with 134 tackles (75 solo) while adding a pair of kick-offs return TDs (13 returns, 332 yards). Larson was his best mate in the backfield (153-868 yards, 13 TDs rushing) and on defense (team second-best 57 tackles). He earned his third A-D nod. Tollefsrud and Larson combined for just over 1,900 yards and 26 total TDs rushing. Underbakke played both QB (42-89, 689 yards, 7 TDs, 5 INTs) and defensive back (team best four interceptions). Colton T. amassed a team fifth best 41 tackles. Hayden Erickson (6’1” 180 Sr. OL/DL) and Milton Hutchinson (5’10” 190 So. OL/DL) made A-D HM for the Cougars.

Houston gets a trio of first-time picks in Maddox Rodriguez (5’10” 170 Jr. RB/LB), Aden Kulas (5’11” 190 Jr. RB/DL), and Ethan Knutson (5’9” 160 Sr. OL/LB). Rodriguez’s fantastic start was cut short after just four games (87-589, 10 TDs rushing, 8-148, 2 TDs receiving). He added a couple interceptions including a pick-six on defense. Kulas led Houston in rushing (181-758 yards, 11 TDs). He added a team third-best 54 tackles (team-best 10 TFLs, three sacks). Knutson, for a second straight year, led the Hurricanes in tackles with 99. Making A-D HM for Houston are Logan Olson (5’9” 230 Jr. OL/DL) and Zach Olson (5’7” 145 Jr. WR/DB).

Making A-D for Lanesboro is repeat selection Mason Howard (5’10” 165 Sr. QB/DB). He had 15 total TDs for the Burros (86-497, 6 TDs rushing. 54 of 126, 894 yards, 9 TDs, 9 INTs passing). Making A-D HM are Kaden Stettler (5’11” 160 Sr. WR/DB) and Michael Rein (6’0” 185 Sr. RB/LB). Making A-D for Grand Meadow is three-time selection Corbin Ludemann (6’3” 190 Sr. RB/LB). For a second straight year, he ran for 1,000 yards (175-1,121, 15 TD rushing). He had 15 of GMs 16 rushing TDs and led the team in tackles (84). Making A-D HM for GM are Aaron Mork (5’10” 230 Sr. OL/DL) and Dalton Pischke (5’10” 160 Sr. RB/LB).