Fillmore Central won the Mid-Southeast Blue making state (12-1) and Rushford-Peterson took third (7-3). And thus, the Blue All-District team has a bunch of Trojans and Falcons. FC gets nine A-D picks including sweeping the individual awards. Bryce Corson (5’7” 160 Sr. WR/RB/LB), Dillon O’Connor (5’11” 170 Sr. QB), Gunner Benson (6’0” 190 Sr. OL/DE), Garrett Gossman (5’8” 155 T/MLB), Chase Christianson (5’11” 160 Jr. WR/S), Kyle Daniels (6’0” 160 Jr. RB/LB), Will Parker (6’0” 160 Sr. T/DE), Jake Fishbaugher (6’0” 160 Sr. WR/CB), and Atlee Hershberger (5’9” 195 So. OL/LB) are honored. Each started both ways (save O’Connor). Corson, Benson, Gossman, Parker, and Fishbaugher repeat as A-D. Corson is the Sub-District MVP. FC’s “Austin Ekeler” was an explosive offensive asset, doing work on both the ground (126-569 yards, 11 TDs rushing) and via his receiving skills (53-870, 13 TDs receiving). He thus tallied over 1,400 yards total offense with 28 total TDs (two more passing, one punt return). The senior added 47 total tackles and three interceptions including a pick six on defense. Corson had over 1,200 total yards total offense and 23 total TDs a year ago. He set FC’s single-season records for rushing (17) and receiving (13) TDs, plus career receiving TDs (18). His 56 combined career rushing/receiving TDs in a record too. He played in the Minnesota High School All-Star game. O’Connor is the Sub-District’s Offensive Player of the Year. He completed 146 of 241 passes (59%) for 2,226 yards and 26 TDs passing (10 interceptions). He added eight rushing TDs. O’Connor set FC’s single-season passing yards and TDs record this year. He also tied his coach Andy Todd for career passing TDs (36). O’Connor was A-D HM last year (missed multiple games to injury). O’Connor threw for over 3,000 career yards. Gunner Benson is the District’s Lineman of the Year. Benson was FC’s best combo of size and athleticism in the trenches; 5 ½ sacks, 20 total tackles for loss, and a team third-best 53 total tackles. Gossman shared the District’s Defensive Player of the Year with Faribault B.A.’s Charlie King. Gossman led FC with 94 tackles including 25 total for loss and three sacks. Christianson joined Corson in the explosivity department, putting up a 20-yards-per receiving average (27-546 yards, 8 TDs receiving, 131 yards, TD rushing) while adding a kick-off return TD. The junior added four interceptions (three in one game). Daniels was a hard between the tackle’s offensive (61-359, 4 TDs rushing, 17-166 receiving) and defensive player (team second-best 55 total tackles). Fishbaugher was a solid ancillary offensive and defensive component. Parker and Hershberger joined with Benson and Gossman to lead an offensive line that helped the Falcons pile up over 4,000 yards total offense. Tyler Mayer (5’10” 250 Jr. OL/DL), Lincoln Iverson (5’11” 195 Jr. OL/DL), Luke Hellickson (6’4” 160 Jr. WR/CB), and Jayce Kiehne (6’2” 170 Jr. WR/S) make A-D Honorable Mention. Kiehne was A-D last season, but played just four games due to injury (13-254, 5 TDs receiving). Two-way starter Hellickson repeats as A-D HM. Mayer was an o-line starter, Iverson a d-line starter. Said guys took Falcon fans on a fantastic ride to state for a first time. They won the school’s first out-right Conference/District title since 1996 and posted a school record 12-win, 1-loss season. It was the best Falcon football season ever. Chris Mensink is the Blue “Coach of the Year.” Rushford-Peterson gets seven All-District picks, Grady Hengel (5’8” 160 Sr. WR/RB/LB), Dalton Hoel (5’10” 150 Sr. WR/DB), Andrew Wilkemeyer (6’3” 250 Sr. OL/DL), Jonah Bunke (5’6” 150 So. RB/LB), Owen Fenske (6’0” 200 OL/DL), Jackson Bergan (5’10” 230 OL/DL), and Titan Tekautz (5’10” 170 Jr. RB/LB). Hengel and Wilkemeyer each repeat. Hengel was the Trojans top all-over play-maker, compiling 18 total offensive TDs. He accounted for scores all three ways on offense (87-530, 11 TDs rushing; 13-277, 3 TD receiving; 14 of 29, 190 yards, 4 TDs, INT passing). Hengel averaged 8.1 yards per rush/reception. Wilkemeyer again was the biggest Trojan in the trenches including notching at least seven TFLs plus a fumble recovery TD. The speedy Hoel was Mr. return TD. Coming off an A-D HM junior campaign where he returned three of five interceptions for TDs, Hoel added two more pick-sixes amidst his team-best seven interceptions. He also had three kick-off return TDs, notching almost 600 yards just in special teams’ yards (383 kickoff, 205 punt). He also led the team in receiving (33-364, 4 TDs). Bunke was R-P’s top rusher (138-727, 7 TDs rushing), top yardage getter (818 total yards), and a defensive starter. Bergan and Fenske were line mainstays alongside Wilkemeyer. Tekautz was one of defense’s top tacklers including authoring an 84-yard fumble return TD. Riley Tesch (5’11” 145 Sr. QB > 76 of 136, 1,089 yards, 9 TDs, 10 INTs passing, rushing TD) and Sampson Wilkemeyer (6’0” 165 Jr. WR/LB > 16-360, 4 TDs receiving) made A-D HM.
About Paul Trende
Sports Reporter
sports@fillmorecountyjournal.com
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