Chatfield (6-0, 11-1) won the Southeast-White for the third time in four years while Cannon Falls (4-2, 8-3), Triton (4-2, 8-3), and Caledonia (4-2, 7-3) each tied for second. All four teams made section title games with the Gophers and Cobras making state. Dover-Eyota (2-4, 4-6), La Crescent/Hokah (1-5, 2-7), and St. Charles (0-6, 1-8) rounded out the White standings. Chatfield gets a sub-district best seven All-league selections in Ben Carrier (5’11” 180 Sr. RB/LB), Carson Rowland (5’10” 160 Sr. QB/S), Ethan Cole (6’3” 250 Sr. OL/DL), Jacob Stevens (6’5” 270 Sr. OL/DL), Westin Nolte (5’11” 200 Sr. OL/LB), Mitchel Hinckley (6’0” 200 Jr. OL/DL), and Kaisen Johnson (5’9” 150 Jr. WR/S). Carrier, Rowland and Cole each repeat. Carrier, Rowland, Stevens, and Cole rake in individual honors. Carrier is the District Player of the Year. “Benny the Bull” toted the ball 129 times for 1,456 yards and 17 rushing TDs, scoring 21 total TDs (10-185, 4 TDs receiving). Carrier had eight 100-yard rushing games, two touchdowns in nine of 12 games, while averaging 11.2 yards per carry. Defensively, he added 54 tackles (team-best 28 solos), two sacks, and two forced fumbles. Rowland, who racked up a team-best 30 total TDs (58 of 107, 1,105 yards, 14 TDs, 6 INT passing, 155-873, 16 TDs rushing), shared the Offensive Player of the Year award with Triton’s Pierce Petersohn. He improved his passing a lot (484 yards, 5 TDs, 5 INTs) from last year. The senior also contributed 32 tackles. Cole and Stevens share the sub-district Lineman of the Year award. With Hinckley, Nolte and Josh Bernard, Chatfield’s offensive line blocked for a team that racked up 3,283 yards rushing, or 273 yards per game. Coach Jeff Johnson has called them “probably the best line I have ever coached.” Cole (30 tackles, two sacks, two fumble recoveries, fumble-return TD), Nolte (49 tackles), and Hinckley (46 tackles) were also key defensive players. Stevens has been selected to play in the Minnesota High School All-Star game. Kaisen Johnson (17-320, 6 TDs) was the team’s second leading receiver by yardage, but had the most TD-receptions (despite missing multiple games to injury). He added multiple defensive stats (34 tackles, two sacks, FF, FR). Ayden Miner (6’2” 170 Sr. DE/OL > team-second best 56 tackles, team-best seven sacks), Tobin McMahon (5’9” 160 Sr. WR/DB > 15-346, 5 TDs receiving; 17-110 rushing; 35 tackles, team-best nine pass breakups, three interceptions), Jackson Bernard (6’1” 205 Jr. OL/DL), and Chase Johnston (5’10” 175 Sr. RB/LB > team-best 59 tackles) earned All-District honorable mention. Said guys led the Gophers to a fabulous state semifinals season where they were Section 1AA champs.
Section and sub-district contender Caledonia get six All-District picks in seniors Ethan Stendel (6’4” 215 QB/LB), Ben Stemper (6’0” 175 RB/LB), Fischer Wait (5’9” 155 WR/DB), Tanner Ginther (5’8” 175 OL/LD), Eric Welscher (OL/DL), and J.T. Hammell (OL/DL). The offense ran through the long athlete Stendel, as the senior third-year player amassed 18 total offensive touchdowns (98 of 185, 1,246 yards, 11 TDs, 5 INTs passing; 94-601, 7 TDs rushing). The rare quarterback/linebacker starter, Stendel was also credited with a team second-best 57 tackles, two forced fumbles, and three interceptions while kicking 26 of 32 PATs. The University of Minnesota commit was Caledonia’s only repeat All-District pick. Stendel has been selected to play in the Minnesota High School All-Star game. Stemper (100-669, 7 TDs rushing; 6-79 receiving) was the team’s leading rusher while having a team third-best 52 tackles, including four sacks, plus an interception return touchdown. Ginther and Hammell were two-way trench-battlers. Ginther led the team with 74 tackles. Hammell chipped in 34. Welscher was a key offense line starter. Wait was the team’s second leading receiver (23-371, 2 TDs receiving) and main return guy (10-187 yards on kickoff returns, 5-93 yards on punt returns). Stemper and Wait were AD HM last year. Making All-District HM are Will Allen (6’1” 175 Jr. WR/LB > 33 total tackles, interception return TD), Tristan Meyer (5’11” 160 Sr. WR/LB > 26-395, 4 TDs receiving, 23 tackles), and Mason King (6’0” 170 Sr. WR/DB). Meyer repeated as honorable mention. Said guys help Caledonia go 7-3 including making the 1AA title game.
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