2019 All-MIAC Awards: MN Prep Highlight Edition (1st Team Defense)

In my previous feature for Northstar Football News I highlighted and reviewed the careers of our very own Minnesota boys who were honored in the recently released 2019 All-MIAC award report. The 2019 All-MIAC First Team Offense was filled with former Minnesota preps who balled out in one of the top conferences in all of Division III, and who did the same under Friday night lights all throughout our Gopher state. Today we will dive into and examine the First Team Defense selections, and they are some hammers. These studs come from as far South as Mankato and as far North as Moorhead, and everywhere in between. Their paths to D3 vary, but there is no denying that they are all representing the state of MN proudly and had/are having an impressive 2019. Let’s shout these recruits out and review their lengthy college and prep accomplishments from our great state. I hope you enjoy! DL: <a href="https://www.northstarfootballnews.com/player/zachary-jakes/">Zachary Jakes</a> (6’1, 240 lbs.) Sophomore. Gustavus Adolphus College. Mankato, Minn. Mankato-West HS. One of only two sophomores on the MIAC First Team Defensive list, Jakes is an animal on the dline for the Golden Gusties who really would have no problem playing a level up in the NSIC (D2). Coming from a Minnesota powerhouse in Mankato-West and with an older brother Tyler who was a captain and a 20+ game starter at LB for GAC as well as an All-State, All-Conference, and All-City award winner at West, Jakes came in ready to compete in the MIAC from day one. [caption id="attachment_15677" align="alignright" width="300"] Jakes (16) with a big tackle for West.[/caption] His prep career included an All-Conference award, two All-District honors, and All-City nod, and a 2017 District Co-lineman of the year selection for football that netted him scholarship offers from D2 Winona State and UMN-Crookston. Also a distinguished wrestler, Jakes placed 2nd place finishes in 2A at 220 in ‘16 and ‘17 and an exciting 1st place finish in 2018 over #2 ranked <a href="https://www.northstarfootballnews.com/player/mitch-trigg/">Mitch Trigg</a> of Foley 8-7 at 285 lbs. He had confirmed his commitment to the Gusties in football previous to the state championship match, and ended his wrestling career on top. As reported by the MankatoFreePress, Jakes stated “that’s fine. I gave it everything I had.” In 2019 he recorded 53 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, and three sacks despite constant double teams, chips, and cuts. After coming in at over 250 pounds freshman year, his drop to 240 lbs. this year seems to have paid off. He’ll be a force as an upperclassmen. Junior Year West Hudl: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/4153138/5851b1a33df53a2fe4fd345f">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/4153138/5851b1a33df53a2fe4fd345f</a> DL: Luke Swenson (6’3, 230 lbs.) Senior. University of St. Thomas. Shoreview, Minn. Mounds View HS. Honored for the second consecutive year on the First Team Defense, Swenson has had a great college career for the Tommies that began his sophomore season in ‘17 when he had 15 tackles, three TFL’s, one FF and one FR. He followed it up with 23 tackles, nine TFLs, 5.5 sacks, and three FR’s in 2018 that resulted in his first All-MIAC selection. In 2019 he posted 27 tackles, six sacks, and a FF which ended his Tommie career with 72 tackles, 19.5 TFLs, 11.5 sacks, five FR’s, and two FF’s. [caption id="attachment_15678" align="alignright" width="300"] Swenson (31) makes a tackle for the MV Mustangs.[/caption] This success follows a prep career at Mounds View where Swenson was a three-sport captain and in football was a 3X varsity letter winner and an All-Conference honoree. In lacrosse he was All-Conference and All-Section, and in basketball he was HM All-Conference. Congratulations on your career, Luke! ILB: Richard Carriveau (6’3, 220 lbs.) Senior. St. John’s University. Rice, Minn. Sauk Rapids-Rice HS. Carriveau worked hard to crack the starting lineup at SJU after a very heavy upperclassmen group kept him off the field his first two seasons in Collegeville. Carriveau, who turned down a scholarship offer from St. Cloud State to attend St. John’s when he was a senior at Sauk Rapids-Rice, finished his junior season in 2018 with 76 total tackles, 4.5 TFL’s, three sacks, two FR’s, and one FF. He currently has posted 73 tackles, four TFL’s, 2.5 sacks, and a FR in his 2019 season that is still ongoing as SJU just beat Wheaton (Ill.) 34-33 yesterday in a crazy game whose end I have posted the link to. The Johnnie linebacker was also a founding member of the St. John’s Criminology Club, and as a sociology major he hopes to one day work for the FBI. SJU will need the bruiser to shed blocks and plug gaps like he has been all year if they want to keep the playoff run going now that they’re in the semifinals. Congratulations on the 1st Team selection, Richard. You’ve worked hard for it. SJU/Wheaton ending: <a href="https://twitter.com/cjzero/status/1203420564699959296?s=20">https://twitter.com/cjzero/status/1203420564699959296?s=20</a> Sauk Rapids-Rice Hudl: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/1887348/5721d6c10dcb0d12f87af683">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/1887348/5721d6c10dcb0d12f87af683</a> ILB: Mike Delich (6’0, 214 lbs.) Sophomore. Bethel University. Apple Valley, Minn. Eastview HS. It’s hard not to like and appreciate Delich - the other sophomore on the All-MIAC First Team Defensive list - as he embodies the old school football traditions and plays both ways for the Bethel University Royals. Delich honestly could have been considered for a MIAC honor on the offensive side of the ball as a RB, but his impact as an inside backer in Bethel’s 3-3-5 defensive scheme cannot be overstated. His path to Division III was atypical, as the Eastview graduate accepted a PWO offer from the Golden Gophers and spent a season as a redshirt in Dinkytown before joining former U of M PWO teammate Jaran Roste at Bethel in Arden Hills. [caption id="attachment_15682" align="alignright" width="300"] Delich running the rock for the Eastview Lightning.[/caption] As a prep, Delich was a 2016 Vikings MFCA All Star team selection, a 2X All-Conference selectee in football, and in wrestling he placed 4th in the state as a junior at 195 lbs. His senior year wrestling season he went 36-1 and placed 3rd at 195 in 3A. He finished his wrestling career in HS with a 111-22 record with 68 pins. This year for Bethel the former Golden Gopher rushed the ball 16 times for 155 yards and five touchdowns with his longest run being 54 yards. He has rushed 36 times in his career for 239 yards and 10 TDs. On defense in 2019, he posted 48 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, and six sacks. He’ll be a monster as an upperclassman in the MIAC. Eastview Hudl: <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/3329279/58165987bd752025a4c788fe">http://www.hudl.com/video/3/3329279/58165987bd752025a4c788fe</a> ILB: Derek Glynn (6’2, 237 lbs.) Senior. Augsburg University. Lonsdale, Minn. Fairbault HS. Glynn just finished his last year in the MIAC as the most productive linebacker in the conference. The former Fairbault Falcon lettered thrice in high school and was awarded an All-Conference HM nod his senior year. Glynn joined the Auggies in Minneapolis on a non traditional path after joining Augsburg’s StepUp program to help overcome a chemical dependency. He came out of retirement to achieve a life long goal of playing college football, and boy were the Auggies happy to have him. He finished his senior season with a MIAC best 116 tackles (45 solo), three TFLs, three PBUs, a sack, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Starting all but one game in his college career, Glynn finished with 348 career tackles (139 solo) with 21.5 TFLs, eight sacks, seven PBUs, four FRs, and one int. He also led the MIAC in tackles in ‘17 with 101, and has been selected twice to the Academic All-District 6 football team two years in a row with a 3.78 GPA. He was a 2nd Team All-MIAC selection in 2018 and an honorable mention selection in 2017. Safe to say Glynn has overcome a lot, thrived, and has a lot to be proud of. OLB: Danny Pietruszewski (6’3, 245 lbs.) Junior. St. John’s University. South St. Paul, Minn. South St. Paul HS. A behemoth of a LB on the various Minnesota football fields of the MIAC, Pietruszewski is one of the most distinguished backers in the conference and the best defensive player in the MIAC. He was a 2017 All-MIAC Second Team member as a freshman, and a 1st Team honoree in ‘18 and now ‘19. His older brother Jack was also an impressive LB for the Johnnies who graduated in 2016, and his brothers presence in Collegeville is what really drove the now junior to attend SJU after a redshirt year as a walk-on TE at the U of M. I honestly believed that Pietruszewski had a good shot of earning a scholarship eventually due to his size and athletic ability, but the South St. Paul native made the best decision for him and he has been a force since entering the MIAC in 2017. His prep career was capped by leading SSP to their first Prep Bowl appearance in a long time while finishing with a 11-2 record. Listed as the #11 athlete in MN coming out of high school by 24/7Sports, he threw for 847 yards and nine TDs while rushing for 1,311 yards and 27 TDs on 308 (!!) carries. This resulted in a Second Team All-State and Second Team All-Metro honors his senior year, and as a junior in high school Pietruszewski scored 28 TDs for SSP as well. He’ll go into next season as the best LB in the MIAC. In his 2019 Johnnie campaign thus far, he recorded 57 tackles, 14.5 TFLs, eight sacks, and a FF. His 1st Team All-MIAC selection in 2018 was after a season that he posted 57 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, and 5.5 sacks. I wouldn’t be surprised if he averages a sack a game in 2020. SSP Hudl: <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/2829433/5721d8ca0dcb0d12f87d58e4">http://www.hudl.com/video/3/2829433/5721d8ca0dcb0d12f87d58e4</a> CB: Joe Hird (6’2, 199 lbs.) Junior. University of St. Thomas. Bloomington, Minn. Jefferson HS. Hird received his First MIAC distinction in 2019 after bouncing between WR and CB for the St. Paul based Tommies. Also on the basketball squad at UST, Hird had one TD off nine catches for 110 yards in 2018 after posting 10 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and an interception his freshman year of ‘17. This year back at CB he recorded 25 tackles, two sacks, and an int for UST while holding down the CB1 spot. This success isn’t a huge surprise, as Hird made AP Second Team All-State and StarTribune Second Team All-Metro while setting five school records for single season or career stats including 19 career TDs, 119 career receptions, and 1,824 career receiving yards. [caption id="attachment_15683" align="alignright" width="300"] Hird (16) celebrates with some Jaguar teammates.[/caption] He was also a captain, team MVP, and offensive MVP for the Jefferson Jaguars football team. In his prep basketball career he was All-Conference, twice academic All-Conference, and led the team in assists and treys. Looking forward to seeing what he can do in 2020. Hudl: <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/28X27w">http://www.hudl.com/v/28X27w</a> Some studs, indeed. I hope you all enjoyed the article. Stay tuned for the upcoming 2019 All-MIAC Second Team Offense feature article brought to you by Northstar Football News highlighting our own Minnesota preps who were honored by the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.