ELEVA-STRUMEleva-Strum’s head football coach Nick Stowell thinks this season will be a competitive one for his team following last year’s fifth-place finish in the Dairyland Conference.
When asked about the outlook for his team for the 2024 season, Stowell said that it’s “very positive: We have over 20 juniors and seniors. We return four out of five O linemen. We have new ball carriers but the QB is a constant and he is ready to lead. We had a really good offseason and guys are ready to get into the playoffs, chase a conference title and see what happens.”
The team is coming off a 3-4 fifth-place Dairyland Conference record last year (4-5 overall). Their last trip to state was in 2009 and their last conference title was in 2015. Stowell enters his fourth season as head coach for the squad.
Quarterback Brennan Hanner will again lead the charge for Eleva-Strum. He carried the ball 65 times last season for 234 yards and eight touchdowns.
Newcomers expected to make an impact this season include Luis Itehua, junior RB; Brock Stendahl, sophomore RB; Ty Fjelstad, senior WR and Reede Brown: TE/WR/QB.
PEPIN-ALMAThis year’s Pepin-Alma football squad will look quite different from the one that went 10-1 overall and won the Dairyland Conference with a perfect 7-0 record.
Eagles head football coach Mike Olson, who has served as leader of the team for 24 years now, said that key players lost from last year’s campaign will definitely impact this year’s incarnation of the squad.
“We lose nine starters on offense and eight on defense. Many of the seniors who graduated have been significant contributors for the last three years,” Olson said, adding that “We lose All-State players Evan Olson (WR) and Demetrius Bergmann (RB), along with Honorable Mention All State Madox Stewart (LB). These three have put up tremendous numbers over the last couple of years and will be hard to replace. Between rushing and receiving, Evan finished (his high school) career with 4,128 yards and 50 TDs. Demetrius finished his career with 3,862 rushing yards and 80 TDs.”
All Conference players lost include Jackson Riesgraf–1st Team OLB; Grant Hoffer–2nd Team DL and 1st Team OL; Jameson Riesgraf—2nd Team OL, 1st Team DE; Ashton Radatz–1st Team Defensive Line and 1st Team Offensive Line; Cainnin Mann–1st Team DB; Bergmann–2nd Team ILB and 1st Team Running Back “Co-Conference Offensive Player of the Year;” Olson–1st Team Receiver and named “ Co-Conference Offensive Player of the Year;” and Stewart–1st Team QB, 1st Team ILB “Conference Defensive Player of the Year.”
Despite the losses, Olson remains upbeat about the potential strengths of this year’s team.
“(Our) strengths: Numbers, we should have 43 players Grades 9-12, we return a hard working group. We have very good size and strength. We return 15 letterwinners.”
Returning for the Eagles is 2023 top OL star Breckin Hullopeter. All Conference Players returning are the following: 2nd Team: Dylan Roundy—Defensive Back; 1st Team: Breckin Hullopeter—Offensive Line; Mason Westberg—Tight End and All Region offensive lineman Breckin Hullopeter.
Olson noted the biggest weakness this year’s squad will have as being “Lack of experience. With so many seniors last year, we had very few underclassmen start. We did, however, have a full JV schedule and many of the underclassmen were able to get significant playing time last year.”
The Eagles lost in level 2 of the state playoffs to Bangor. Pepin/Alma won the Dairyland Conference from 2013-2016 and again in 2022 and 2023. They were state runners up in both 2014 and 2015.
BLAIR-TAYLORBlair-Taylor head football coach Seth Dale expects his team to be very competitive this season.
“We have almost all of our passing offense back from last year. We need to replace a good running back. Will probably be done by committee,” Dale, entering his first year as head coach of the squad, said.
“Our record last year was 5-5. We gave Cashton a good game in the level 1 playoff game for three quarters and they pulled away in the fourth. We have a lot of talent coming back,” Dale said.
Returning players include quarterback Tavian Shramek, WR/DB Ethan Kniseley and WR/DB CJ Drummer. Newcomers expected to make an impact on the team include a trio of wide receivers, Payton Kelly, Connor Kruse and Hunter Wagner.
The team’s last Dairyland Conference title was in 2021.
MELROSE-MINDOROWith three conference titles, the last being in 2018, Melrose-Mindoro’s head football coach Tory Lockington said this year’s incarnation of the team “will be young, but hopefully in the mix.”
Lockington, in his ninth season leading the squad, said key returners include Eric Herzberg, second team O-line and defensive end from last season; Isaiah Erickson, offensive line; DB and wide receiver Collin Christianson and running back and linebacker Landon Windsor.
“Our sophomores got some time playing last year and I expect a few of them to really step up this season and help us out,” Lockington noted.
AUGUSTADespite going 1-8 overall last season and placing seventh in the Dairyland Conference with a 1-6 conference record, Augusta head football coach Derek Boldt is optimistic entering this year.
“I think that we can surprise some people. We will have a smaller team, but that means more reps and a tighter knit group. We have some potential, we just need to stay healthy,” Boldt told the Leader-Telegram.
Returners he expects to impact the team this season with their stats from last year are Noah Schroeder (311 rushing yards and five touchdowns, 65 total tackles) and Beau Harmer (124 receiving yards, one touchdown and 70 total tackles.) Other returners from last season who the head coach mentioned are Matt Hoff — Center and DT James Green — O-line and defensive end. Boldt also expects freshman Rylee Mickelson to make an early impact on this year’s team.
Augusta has one conference title in 2021 and the team’s last trip to state was in 1989.
Most Popular
Comments / 0