With Caledonia and Spring Grove each winning state titles, post-season football awards come out well after most teams finished. A plethora of county athletes make their respective All-District teams.
In the MSE-East, R-P’s 8-2 squad has seven A-D players. Jake Paulson (6’0” 180 WR/LB) earns his second nod. The senior big play maker had another great receiving year (33-691 yards, 8 TDs), plus returning kick-offs (9-260, TD) and punts (12-287, 2 TDs). Over the past two seasons, he has caught 74 passes for 1,578 yards and 20 TDs. Also a second-time pick is senior Dawson Dahl (6’1” 190 RB/LB). R-P’s defensive quarterback and leading tackler, Dahl added five total TDs (three different ways). The Trojans went 26-8 the past three years with Paulson and Dahl critical pieces. R-P’s third two-time A-D pick is junior Landon Skalet (5’9” 160 QB/DB). Skalet had another solid season throwing the football (58-114, 1,000 yards, 9 TDs, 6 INTs). Blasting on the scene with his first A-D nod is Ethan Sense (5’7” 160 RB/LB). The junior had two immense games (493 yards, 9 TDs rushing) amidst a great campaign (195-1,098 yards, 18 TDs rushing). Rounding out R-P’S A-D picks are Carter Wiedemann (5’8” 180 Jr. RB/DL), a blocking-back and defensive lineman, Ian Brown (5’8” 180 Jr. OL/DL), a two-way line starter, and defensive back Riley Koop (5’8” 135 Jr. WR/DB). Ethan Hermanson (So. RB/LB) and Matt Nelson (Jr. G/DE) are A-D Honorable Mention. Getting six A-D picks amidst its solid 7-3 campaign is FC. Luke Ristau (6’3” 225 DE/T) is the sub-District Lineman of the Year. The imposing senior got credited with a team high 5 ½ sacks and 14 TFL’s. It’s his second A-D nod (2015). Brady Ristau (5’10” 190 RB/LB) repeats as A-D. He is the MSE-East’s co-Defensive Player of the Year (with Goodhue’s Ryan Schoenfelder). The senior led the Falcons in tackles (13 TFLs), added a pair interceptions, while contributing offensively (67-372, 3 TDs rushing; 12-133 receiving). FC went 25-7 the past three years with both Ristau’s critical pieces. Nate Haugerud (5’10” 165 Sr. RB/LB) and Josh Peters (5’9” 150 Jr. RB/LB) also earn their second A-D nods. Haugerud made plays both ways (36-232, 3 TDs rushing, 20-401, 5 TDs receiving; six interceptions, INT return TD). Peters was FC’s leading rusher for a second straight year (90-713 yards, 10 TDs; 15-212, TD receiving). Earning their first A-D honors are Logan Corson (5’6” 155 Sr. QB/CB) and Brock Walsh (5’10” Jr. 215 OL/DL). Corson quarterbacked the offense (60-116, 973 yards, 9 TDs, 1 INT, 98.1 QBR, 82-171, 6 TDs rushing). Walsh was a two-way line starter. Seniors Ryli Tostenson (OL/DE), Devan Schmidt (OL/LB), Colten Kraling (TE/CB), Matt Lutes (RB/LB), and Ivar Wilmink (K) are A-D HM. Kingsland’s three A-D picks are senior two-way starters Matthew Woods (5’11” 220 DE/OL), Ethan Fenske (6’0” 175 QB/S), and Jackson Rindels (6’1” 185 RB/LB). They gutted out multiple winless seasons to get the Knights in the win column. Reid Kruegel (Jr. WR/DB), Hunter Fabian (Jr. OL/DL), Bradyn Willford (Jr. TE/LB) and Dallas Jones (So. RB/LB) are A-D MH.
In the 9-Man South-East, Houston gets four A-D picks in repeat selection Zach Schneider (5’8” 160 Sr. RB/LB), Brady Happel (6’0” 175 Sr. RB/LB), Cullan Olson (6’1” 260 Sr. OL/DL), and James Hongerholt (6’2” 160 Jr. QB/WR/S). Schneider led the Hurricanes in rushing (107-834, 11 TDs) for a second straight year while adding a punt return TD. Over the past two seasons, he racked up 1,404 rushing yards and 21 total TDs. Happel was the team’s second leading rusher (85-728, 9 TDs) and top receiver (8-162, 2 TDs). He has tallied 1,545 yards combined offense with 14 TDs the past two years. Hongerholt scored TDs three different ways (rushing, receiving, passing) while adding a team-high five interceptions. Olson was maybe the District’s most imposing lineman. Damon Carrier (Sr. OL/DL) is A-D HM. The fivesome played every game, as 8-2 Houston spent most of the season ranked. M-C gets three A-D picks in repeat selections Drew Wyffels (5’8” 150 Jr. QB/S) and Pierce Lind (6’0” 180 Sr. OL/LB), first-timer Blake Henry (6’2” 180 Jr. OL/DL). Wyffels commanded the M-C offense (25-50, 528 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs passing, 75-478 yards, 7 TDs rushing). He added an interception return TD. Lind, a four-year varsity player, was a top tackler. He and Henry helped blocked for an M-C run game that notched 36 rushing TDs and nearly two 1,000-yard rushers. Brenden Kerns (Sr. RB/LB) and Logan Richardson (Sr. OL/DB) are A-D HM. The busiest Burro, Connor Ruen (6’0” 165 Jr. RB/LB), is Lanesboro’s sole A-D pick. Ruen affected the offense (44-161 rushing, 22-268, 2 TDs receiving), defense (five sacks, three FFs, INT return TD), and special teams (29-578 yards on KORs, 9-121 yards on PRs). Brett Wangen (Sr. RB/LB) and Joe Gathje (Jr. TE/DE) are A-D HM.
In the Southeast-White, Chatfield gets five A-D players in Kyle Nosbisch (5’11” 180 Sr. RB/DL), Ben Irhke (5’10” 165 Sr. RB/LB), Cole Asleson (6’1” 215 Sr. OL/DL), Carter Fishbaugher (6’0” 195 Sr. LB), and Isaiah Froese (6’0” 205 So. OL/DL). Nosbisch was one of the White’s top rushers (196-1,041, 11 TDs). He had only two games under 70 yards rushing. Ihrke had six rushing TDs and was one of the White’s top kick-returners (19-449, 2 TDs – both versus Caledonia). Fishbaugher was Chatfield’s most active linebacker (two sacks, two FFs, blocked punt TD). Asleson, a third-year starter, and Froese, just a sophomore, anchored the Gopher lines. Carson Larrabee (Jr. RB/LB), Chance Backer (So. TE), Nathan Goldsmith (Jr. LB), and Zach Roline (Jr. OL/DL) are A-D HM.