Top A Wrestlers/Football Studs 2019-20
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Wrestling and football mix together like Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, lemonade and ice tea, and sitting on the porch and a nice summer day; they just make each other better. Looking back on the last decade of state champions in Minnesota on the wrestling mat, the AAA, AA, and A divisions of the sport are littered with champions who excelled on both the mat and the gridiron as a prep, and became similarly successful at one of the sports in college. Some of these A champions include 3x state champion with a career record of 237-28 Keegan Moore (Jackson County Central->Oklahoma State/University of Northern Iowa wrestling), 1x state champion who went 48-0 as a senior Garrett Malstrom (Frazee->North Dakota State football), 1x state champ and 2x D3 All-Region and Third Team All-American selection Nathan Brinker (Holdingford->St. John’s University football), and 1x state champion who went 31-0 as a senior & Mr. Football Finalist who scored 99 career touchdowns Christopher Bain (Grand Meadow->Southwest Minnesota State football) but there are hundred more football studs that, despite not winning a state championship, have competed for and earned tons of prep accolades and successes. In today’s special feature for Northstar Football News, we will examine some of the 2019-2020 most competitive A wrestlers who fly around on Friday nights for their high school football squads. I hope you enjoy! *note: these lists are based off of The Guillotine’s February 20th rankings, as well as accolades awarded/film available in either sport for the selections.
106 Pounds
Walker Bents (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) Section 5. 10th grade. Ranked #1.
Listed as a RB and CB on the varsity football Hudl, Bents only has wrestling highlights on his profile but is also listed on the school’s MNFootballHub roster. Last year as a freshman he placed third at 106A and went 45-6. This year, having the individual section tournaments having commenced, Bents won the section tournament over Braden Thom of LPGE-Browerville 9-3, and has a 42-4 record going into the state tournament. Highlights
113 Pounds
Bryce Sonnek (United South Central) Section 2. 11th grade. Ranked #10.
Unfortunately, Sonnek does not have a Hudl profile, but he’s listed on United South Central’s football roster on MNFootballHub as a WR and has posted stats of 3 rushes for 9 yards, 13 tackles, 2 FR’s, and a FF. He just won the Section 2A wrestling meet, and qualified for the state meet. He did not place last year.
120 Pounds
Ayden Horner (Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove) Section 3. 10th grade. Ranked #1.
A Section 3A champion at 120 pounds this past weekend who won by major decision over Owen Bertram of Springfield, 12-7, Horner is listed as a HB on Tracy-Gilroy-Balaton MNFootballHub roster and posted 66 rushes for 309 yards and 4 TDs with 2 extra points in seven games. He also posted 6 tackles and a FR on the defensive side of the ball. He place 3rd at 113A last winter and had a 47-4 record. He has one game of film against Wabasso
Carson Kullhem (Aitkin) Section 7. 10th grade. Ranked #9.
Two weeks ago, Kullhem was the Brainerd Dispatch Male Athlete of the Week. According to the article posted a couple weeks ago, "Kullhem owns a 26-4 record this season and eclipsed 100 career wins Jan. 24. At the Mid-State Conference tournament, he earned all-conference honors after going 5-0 and winning the 120-pound weight division.-Conrad Engstrom." The Gobblers wrestling team was the runner-up for Section 7A, just barely missing a chance to go to state, and I have not been able to confirm if he qualified for state. He has a fair amount of Hudl game film on his page. vs. Crosby-Ironton
126 Pounds
Dane Niemi (New York Mills) Section 6. 10th grade. Ranked #2.
A 5th place finisher last season for New York Mills who finished with a 32-11 record as a freshman. Niemi also has a good Hudl profile with a fair amount of games on it. New York Mills has a good amount of duel sport athletes on this list. vs. Underwood HS
Tucker Ginther (Caledonia/Houston) Section 1. 9th grade. Ranked #7
Rostered on the Caledonia Warriors state championship winning team this past fall as a freshman, Ginther shows promise on the gridiron and the wrestling mat. He does not have any Hudl film, but being rostered for Caledonia is no joke, so I figured I’d add him to the list. This winter in his freshman wrestling season, Ginther is 26-11 and just placed second in Section 1A behind 27-10 senior from Zumbrota-Mazeppa Luke Krier.
Ginther. Photo by Ryan Pitts/The Caledonia Argus
132 Pounds
Landon Gode (LPGE-Browerville) Section 5. 10th grade. Ranked #1
A 4th place finisher at 126A last winter who finished 37-12 in his freshman campaign, Gode just recently won the Section 5A championship over the state’s #3 ranked wrestler Blaine Fischer of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa. He unfortunately does not have Hudl film on his account, but has some state tournament stats from Browerville/Eagle Valley’s state tourney loss against BOLD last November. In that game, the listed RB had 14 attempts for 22 yards and the only TD of the game for Browerville/Eagle Valley.
138 Pounds
Brett Willaby (Windom/Mountain Lake) Section 3. 12th grade. Ranked #3
A defending state champ who win the 126A state championship last year after going 35-3, Willaby just won a state championship on the gridiron with Mountain Lake as a WR, and scored a go-ahead two-point conversion to take the lead they would never relinquish to Hancock in the 2019 9Man state championship. He beat #6 ranked Jonah Gruenes of Minneota 1-0 in the section final match, but is still ranked behind two other wrestlers in the 138-pound division of class A. Highlights
Willaby running the rock.
Lincoln Carpenter (Sibley East) Section 4. 12th grade. Ranked #8
Although his Hudl account is not updated for his senior season, Carpenter does have game film from the past two seasons and is listed as a RB/MLB on Sibley East’s roster. He just qualified for state at 138-pounds and will make his way to the Xcel Energy Center in March. vs. Norwood-Young America
145 Pounds
Trey Fairbanks (Deer River) Section 7. 12th grade. Ranked #2
The #2 ranked 145-pounder also does not have updated film from his senior year, but has a good amount of game tape from the past two seasons. He placed 6th at 138A last season on the mat and went 39-6. He’s in a good spot to up that placer this winter/spring. vs. Virgina High School
Payton Handevidt (Jackson County Central) Section 3. 10th grade. Ranked #4
A 6th place finisher in 2019 at 120A who finished with a 41-6 record, Handevidt decisioned Blake Reiss of Minneota, 4-2 in the Section 3A championship match last weekend. vs. Martin County West
Handevidt tries to break down Dane Niemi of New York Mills in the 5th place Class A match at 120 pounds. (Doug Wolter/The Globe)
152 Pounds
Willie VonRuden (Medford) Section 2. 12th grade. Ranked #1
Medford’s QB1 placed 2nd last year at 145A, and it was a heartbreaker of a loss as he lost 5-4 in the finals to Kyle Cavanaugh of Caledonia/Houston. He finished the season 32-2, and is looking to get that elusive title this year at 152. He just won the Section 2A title this past weekend and is coming into state hot. According to MNFootballHub, VonRuden went 34-66 for 446 and 5 TDs in 2019 and 35 rushes for 419 and 7 TDs. He’d make a heckuva college athlete on the mat or on the field. Enjoy his highlight. Senior Season
Caledonia’s Kyle Cavanaugh, right, wrestles Medford’s Willie Von Ruden, left.
Chuck Miller, Winona Daily News Caden Ochsendorf (Maple River) Section 2. 12th grade. Ranked #7 Maple River’s QB1 wore #1 and led MR to a 6-2 regular season and his MNFootballHub stats say that he threw 33-75 for 554 and 10 TDs with 94 rushes for 550 yards and 8 TDs. He also had 22 tackles, 1 TFL, and 3 picks as a FS on the defensive side of the ball. He also caught a TD pass. Unfortunately he lost to VonRuden of Medford 10-4 in the finals, but still punched his ticket to the state tournament. I would be really pumped to see both of these dudes play football in college. Senior Season Highlights 160 Pounds Tate Lange (Holdingford) Section 7. 11th grade. Ranked #9 Unfortunately Lange does not have any film, but he’s listed on Holdingford’s roster and according to his MNFootballHub statistics, #5 threw 5-11 for 150 yards. It was tough to find wrestling news on him, and I do not know if he qualified for state. Dakota Meech (United North Central) Section 8. 11th grade. Ranked #10 Also not in possession of any highlights, Meech captured a conference title at 160 pounds this season, but unfortunately he placed fourth in the section tournament and will not be competing in the state tournament. The RB/OLB posted 18 tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 TFL according to MNFootballHub in 2019 however. 170 Pounds Tyson Meyer (Minnewaska Area) Section 5. 11th grade. Ranked #1 The defending state champion at 170A went 39-0 as a sophomore in 2018-19 and beat senior Kaleb O’Reilly of Goodhue 9-6 in the state finals. This year he’s 46-1 and beat Rick Jones (36-11) by a 13-2 major decision to win the 170-pound championship in the Section 5A finals. He’s a heckuva two-sport athlete who - according to MNFootballHub - rushed 95 times for 957 yards and 8 TDs to go along with 21 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 FR, and 1 INT. According to the echopress.com Meyer was honored at the Lakers postseason banquet with “the team’s offensive player of the year and took home the team’s overall Most Outstanding Player Award. Meyer led the Lakers with 1,152 rushing yards on 137 carries to go along with 12 touchdowns. He also had 60.5 total tackles on defense.” I’d be very surprised if he did not win his second state title this March. Tyson Meyer JR Year Offense Meyer. Wyatt Simon (Maple River) Section 2. 12th grade. Ranked #4 Simon is another great two-sport athlete who plays RB and SS on the football team and according to MNFootballHub posted 43 rushing attempts for 253 yards and 2 TDs with 10 tackles and a TFL. This past weekend he was unfortunately upset by NRHEG sophomore Ralph Roesler (28-10). He still qualified for state however, and has a chance at redemption. He’s got some good game film on his Hudl as well. He went 39-7 last year as a junior and placed 5th at 160A. vs. Luverne HS Ashton Hanan (Kimball Area) Section 4. 10th grade. Ranked #6 According to MNFootballHub Hanan had 13 catches for 97 yards and a TD with 9 tackles on the defensive side of the ball. I couldn’t find if he qualified for state on the wrestling mat. vs. Montevideo HS 182 Pounds Nathan Trio (Maple River) Section 2. 12th grade. Ranked #2 The owner of a great high school Hudl name: Senior Year Buff Stuff , Trio is another Maple River athlete to make this Northstar Football News list, and he’s a stud. As a TE, he had 7 catches for 114 yards and a TD to go along with 47 tackles, 5 TFLs, and a sack on the defensive side of the ball. At the section tournament this weekend, Trio defeated LCWM Area’s Avery Northquest to send himself to the state tournament. I hope he gets that state title this March. Brett Graham (Frazee) Section 8. 12th grade. Ranked #3 Graham faced a doozy of a section championship match this past weekend, as he scored a takedown with 10 seconds left in overtime to win himself the section. 182 pounds is a stacked weight class in Class A this year, and Graham will have to wrestle his best for a shot at the top of the podium. Last year on the mat, he placed 4th at 170A and went 37-13 on the season. On the gridiron, he was an OL/DL for Frazee and had 13 tackles on the defensive line. He was also the Defensive Player of the Year in his district this past fall. Senior 2019 195 Pounds Tyler VanLuik (Minnewaska Area) Section 5. 12th grade. Ranked #1 VanLuik is coming off a tremendous senior football sees some in which #77 was selected All-District, District DLine MVP, and was a West Central Tribune All-Area selection after posting 27 solo tackles, 71 assisted tackles, 13 TFLs, 7.5 sacks, 2 FF, and 2 FR. It was also his first season on the offensive line; and he helped Minnewaska ball-carriers rush for more than 2,300 yards in 2019. Interviews by Patrick Bernadeau of the WCT, Minnewaska’s head football coach said about VanLuik: “Tyler is the most talented defensive lineman I have had the opportunity to coach...His combination of speed and strength allows him to impact plays all over the field and make him virtually unblockable. He is a natural lineman that uses his hands extremely well to keep separation, diagnose plays and then fly to the football. We are going to miss his presence dearly next year.” According to Alexandria’s echopress.com VanLuik was named the Lakers’ defensive lineman of the year and defensive player of the year at the postseason team banquet. Whatever sport he chooses to pursue in college, if any, I am excited for. vs. Kimball Area Photo via. the Guillotine Luke Tweeton (Frazee) Section 8. 12th grade. Ranked #2 Tweeton dropped to 195 from 220 lbs., where he placed 2nd last year after going 35-8 as a junior. He lost in the finals to Dominik Vancura of Badger-Greenbush-Middle River, who is currently ranked #1 at 220A once again. Listed as a defensive lineman on the Frazee Hornet football Hudl, he recorded 4 total tackles according to MNFootballHub in 2019. I am not sure how he placed at sections. vs. New York Mills HS Sam Dunker (Jackson County Central) Section 3. 12th grade. Ranked #6 I had seen JCC’s Dunker ranked at 195 all season, but according to the nujournal.com , he wrestled at 220 lbs. at sections and lost the true second match to Mason Rummel of Springfield. He was an All-District defensive lineman on JCC’s state 3A semifinalist football team in 2019, and would have a successful college career whether on the mat or the field. Offensive/defensive highlights 220 Pounds Dylan Jorgensen (Minnewaska Area) Section 5. 12th grade. Ranked #2 The recipient of a cool news feature by the West Central Tribune last January, Jorgenson fought through a brain injury to qualify for state on the wrestling mat, and helped Minnewaska Lakers on the gridiron as well, as he recorded an interception against the undefeated BOLD Warriors team in the regular season, and was an All-District defensive lineman as a senior. He just won a Section 5A championship this weekend. He’s got a tough #1 ranked above him in Domink Vacura, but if there’s anyone who can beat the champ, it’s him. vs. Kimball Area Daniel Erlandson Daniel Erlandson ATH Breckenridge | 2021 State MN (Breckenridge) Section 6. 11th grade. Ranked #3 A standout FB/MLB for the Breckenridge Cowboy football team, Erlandson placed 4th at 220A with a 34-7 record last winter/spring on the mat. He hit 100 career wins this past February on the mat. He’s got a great Hudl and I look forward to seeing him and the Cowboys in 2020. Junior Season 2019 Erlandson trucking a Barnesville defender. Photo & article by Turner Blaufuss of Daily News Media Shane Noyes (Canby) Section 3. 11th grade. Ranked #4 Interestingly, Noyes has a brother ranked third in the 285A rankings, and having this wrestling partner so close in weight live at home with you seems to be paying off, as the 4th ranked 220A wrestler is a beast on the mat and the gridiron and shows it in his Hudl game film on his roster. The Marshall Independent named him to their All-Area First Team as a defensive lineman, and according to them he “was an anchor along the defensive front for a unit that allowed just 10.6 points per game in 2019. The junior led the Lancers in sacks and finished second on the team with 105 tackles.” Last wrestling season he placed 6th at 195A and had a 33-10 record. This season he just won the section tournament, along with his brother, and is looking to improve upon his 6th place finish from last year. I’m excited to see where he and his brother end up on the podium. vs. Lakeview HS Mason Rummel (Springfield) Section 3. 12th grade. Ranked #6 As previously mentioned, Rummel just won the 220 Section 3 title, beating Dunker of JCC. On the football field this past fall, Rummel was Springfield’s RB and was named to the Southwest District All District Team, and was the District MVP as well. I’d love to see him on the gridiron next fall. He’s poised to make some noise on the wrestling mat at state this year too. vs. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton HS Springfield running back Mason Rummel takes the ball off tackle for a nice gain against Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity.. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine Carter Quam (Kenyon-Wanamingo) Section 2. Ranked #8 On the football field this past fall, Quam was an All-District selection who was honored by the Rochester Post Bulletin as an HM All-Area pick at OL/LB after posting 40 tackles and 4 sacks for Kenyon. At the Section 2 meet last weekend, Quam pinned junior Brennon Hoffman (Medford) in 1:03 of the first period. It’s a good time to get hot and I wish him luck at state! vs. Randolph HS 285 Pounds Craig Orlando Craig Orlando DL Verndale | 2020 State MN (Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie) Section 6. 12th grade. Ranked #1 The first college football commit on the list just so happens to be an absolute 9Man monster who recently signed his National Letter of Intent to play football at the University of North Dakota. Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie junior [player_tooltip player_id="3523" first="Craig" last="Orlando"] raises his arm in victory after defending his Class 1A State heavyweight title over Adrian’s Scot Edwards Saturday, March 2 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Bill Johnson / Picture Day Pro! On the gridiron, Orlando played nearly every position possible, and the 6’3, 265 lber. projects as a NG in college for the Fighting Hawks. His senior season last fall he rushed for 1,430 yards off 187 carries, caught 43 passes for 602 yards, and scored 30 TDs. In his career on the defensive side of the ball he recorded 258 tackles and 41 TFLs. He was a 3x All-Conference selection, 3x All-Area, 2x All-State, Nine-Man All-State team, and Minnesota Vikings All-State team pick. On the mat, Orlando is going for his third consecutive heavyweight title, having gone 42-3 in his 2018 title run, 47-1 in 2019, and is around 40-0 this year and just won the Section 6A 285 lb. championship. I’d be very surprised if Orlando somehow did not defend his title successfully come March, but crazier things have happened. Either way, I’m very excited he is playing football and will be a fun one to watch on Saturday’s. At one point I found a good little highlight of him running over kids as a RB, but that video has been lost to the depths of YouTube. He is in this news video however, and it’s worth seeing how big he is on the gridiron. Scot Edwards (Adrian) Section 3. 12th grade. Ranked #2 Last year’s 285A runner-up is committed to wrestle in college at Worthington’s Minnesota West Community and Technical College next winter, but has some business to attend to first as he’s looking to get another shot at a state title in 2020. He’ll have to go through the aforementioned Craig Orlando Craig Orlando DL Verndale | 2020 State MN of Verndale if he wants to top that podium,and it’s going to be obviously difficult to stop the undefeated 2x state championship. He was an All-District football player in 2018, and although I can’t confirm it I’m assuming it’s safe to say he repeated in 2019. Unfortunately he was bested 8-5 in the section final against Denver Noyes. It’s going to be an uphill battle for the top of podium, but Edwards’ deep tournament experience in March will definitely help. Scot Edwards Tanner Berghuis (Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City) Section 4. 12th grade. Ranked #2 I’m always a fan of career highlight tapes, and Berghuis has a good one for y’all. On the mat however, Berghuis places 5th at 285A and went 46-3 overall. He just won the Section 4A 285 championship. career highlights Dylan Nirk (Westfield/Blooming Prairie) Section 2. 12th grade. Ranked #5 Nirk is coming off an overtime victory over Medford’s Gavin Hermes (26-15) in the Section 4A final that ended with a takedown to claim a 4-2 victory by the Blooming Prairie senior. He’ll have a real good shot at finding the podium in March. No matter where finishes come state, Nirk’s real talent may be on the football field, as his senior season was one to remember. In addition to the Awesome Blossom’s 1A team state championship, Nirk anchored an offensive line that was one of the most dominant in 1A. He set the line, was their best puller, and allowed only one sack all of 2019. He was an Austin Daily Herald All-Area First Team pick and a Owatonna People’s Press First Team selection as well. I’m excited to see where he ends up as well. Career Highlights Jakob Swalla (Minnewaska Area) Section 5. 11th grade. Ranked #6 The 285A ranking have been fluctuating all year, and the last wrestler on our list is a good example of this. Swalla was ranked 4th in TheGuillotine’s ranking from February 6th, but dropped to 6th place in the latest 2/20 edition. According to the Pope County Tribune, last weekend’s section tournament was a big one for Swalla, as “the junior needed three wins to take the 285 pound title. Swalla won handily by major decision in his quarterfinal and semifinal matches. The championship match was also a rematch of last year, pitting Swalla against BOLD’s Brady Ridler. The match went to sudden death overtime, where Swalla prevailed with a take down to earn his second consecutive trip to state.” He’s also accomplished on the football field, as he was named the Laker’s OL of the Year, and was an All-District pick. Junior Year I hope you enjoyed!
Chuck Miller, Winona Daily News Caden Ochsendorf (Maple River) Section 2. 12th grade. Ranked #7 Maple River’s QB1 wore #1 and led MR to a 6-2 regular season and his MNFootballHub stats say that he threw 33-75 for 554 and 10 TDs with 94 rushes for 550 yards and 8 TDs. He also had 22 tackles, 1 TFL, and 3 picks as a FS on the defensive side of the ball. He also caught a TD pass. Unfortunately he lost to VonRuden of Medford 10-4 in the finals, but still punched his ticket to the state tournament. I would be really pumped to see both of these dudes play football in college. Senior Season Highlights 160 Pounds Tate Lange (Holdingford) Section 7. 11th grade. Ranked #9 Unfortunately Lange does not have any film, but he’s listed on Holdingford’s roster and according to his MNFootballHub statistics, #5 threw 5-11 for 150 yards. It was tough to find wrestling news on him, and I do not know if he qualified for state. Dakota Meech (United North Central) Section 8. 11th grade. Ranked #10 Also not in possession of any highlights, Meech captured a conference title at 160 pounds this season, but unfortunately he placed fourth in the section tournament and will not be competing in the state tournament. The RB/OLB posted 18 tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 TFL according to MNFootballHub in 2019 however. 170 Pounds Tyson Meyer (Minnewaska Area) Section 5. 11th grade. Ranked #1 The defending state champion at 170A went 39-0 as a sophomore in 2018-19 and beat senior Kaleb O’Reilly of Goodhue 9-6 in the state finals. This year he’s 46-1 and beat Rick Jones (36-11) by a 13-2 major decision to win the 170-pound championship in the Section 5A finals. He’s a heckuva two-sport athlete who - according to MNFootballHub - rushed 95 times for 957 yards and 8 TDs to go along with 21 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 FR, and 1 INT. According to the echopress.com Meyer was honored at the Lakers postseason banquet with “the team’s offensive player of the year and took home the team’s overall Most Outstanding Player Award. Meyer led the Lakers with 1,152 rushing yards on 137 carries to go along with 12 touchdowns. He also had 60.5 total tackles on defense.” I’d be very surprised if he did not win his second state title this March. Tyson Meyer JR Year Offense Meyer. Wyatt Simon (Maple River) Section 2. 12th grade. Ranked #4 Simon is another great two-sport athlete who plays RB and SS on the football team and according to MNFootballHub posted 43 rushing attempts for 253 yards and 2 TDs with 10 tackles and a TFL. This past weekend he was unfortunately upset by NRHEG sophomore Ralph Roesler (28-10). He still qualified for state however, and has a chance at redemption. He’s got some good game film on his Hudl as well. He went 39-7 last year as a junior and placed 5th at 160A. vs. Luverne HS Ashton Hanan (Kimball Area) Section 4. 10th grade. Ranked #6 According to MNFootballHub Hanan had 13 catches for 97 yards and a TD with 9 tackles on the defensive side of the ball. I couldn’t find if he qualified for state on the wrestling mat. vs. Montevideo HS 182 Pounds Nathan Trio (Maple River) Section 2. 12th grade. Ranked #2 The owner of a great high school Hudl name: Senior Year Buff Stuff , Trio is another Maple River athlete to make this Northstar Football News list, and he’s a stud. As a TE, he had 7 catches for 114 yards and a TD to go along with 47 tackles, 5 TFLs, and a sack on the defensive side of the ball. At the section tournament this weekend, Trio defeated LCWM Area’s Avery Northquest to send himself to the state tournament. I hope he gets that state title this March. Brett Graham (Frazee) Section 8. 12th grade. Ranked #3 Graham faced a doozy of a section championship match this past weekend, as he scored a takedown with 10 seconds left in overtime to win himself the section. 182 pounds is a stacked weight class in Class A this year, and Graham will have to wrestle his best for a shot at the top of the podium. Last year on the mat, he placed 4th at 170A and went 37-13 on the season. On the gridiron, he was an OL/DL for Frazee and had 13 tackles on the defensive line. He was also the Defensive Player of the Year in his district this past fall. Senior 2019 195 Pounds Tyler VanLuik (Minnewaska Area) Section 5. 12th grade. Ranked #1 VanLuik is coming off a tremendous senior football sees some in which #77 was selected All-District, District DLine MVP, and was a West Central Tribune All-Area selection after posting 27 solo tackles, 71 assisted tackles, 13 TFLs, 7.5 sacks, 2 FF, and 2 FR. It was also his first season on the offensive line; and he helped Minnewaska ball-carriers rush for more than 2,300 yards in 2019. Interviews by Patrick Bernadeau of the WCT, Minnewaska’s head football coach said about VanLuik: “Tyler is the most talented defensive lineman I have had the opportunity to coach...His combination of speed and strength allows him to impact plays all over the field and make him virtually unblockable. He is a natural lineman that uses his hands extremely well to keep separation, diagnose plays and then fly to the football. We are going to miss his presence dearly next year.” According to Alexandria’s echopress.com VanLuik was named the Lakers’ defensive lineman of the year and defensive player of the year at the postseason team banquet. Whatever sport he chooses to pursue in college, if any, I am excited for. vs. Kimball Area Photo via. the Guillotine Luke Tweeton (Frazee) Section 8. 12th grade. Ranked #2 Tweeton dropped to 195 from 220 lbs., where he placed 2nd last year after going 35-8 as a junior. He lost in the finals to Dominik Vancura of Badger-Greenbush-Middle River, who is currently ranked #1 at 220A once again. Listed as a defensive lineman on the Frazee Hornet football Hudl, he recorded 4 total tackles according to MNFootballHub in 2019. I am not sure how he placed at sections. vs. New York Mills HS Sam Dunker (Jackson County Central) Section 3. 12th grade. Ranked #6 I had seen JCC’s Dunker ranked at 195 all season, but according to the nujournal.com , he wrestled at 220 lbs. at sections and lost the true second match to Mason Rummel of Springfield. He was an All-District defensive lineman on JCC’s state 3A semifinalist football team in 2019, and would have a successful college career whether on the mat or the field. Offensive/defensive highlights 220 Pounds Dylan Jorgensen (Minnewaska Area) Section 5. 12th grade. Ranked #2 The recipient of a cool news feature by the West Central Tribune last January, Jorgenson fought through a brain injury to qualify for state on the wrestling mat, and helped Minnewaska Lakers on the gridiron as well, as he recorded an interception against the undefeated BOLD Warriors team in the regular season, and was an All-District defensive lineman as a senior. He just won a Section 5A championship this weekend. He’s got a tough #1 ranked above him in Domink Vacura, but if there’s anyone who can beat the champ, it’s him. vs. Kimball Area Daniel Erlandson Daniel Erlandson ATH Breckenridge | 2021 State MN (Breckenridge) Section 6. 11th grade. Ranked #3 A standout FB/MLB for the Breckenridge Cowboy football team, Erlandson placed 4th at 220A with a 34-7 record last winter/spring on the mat. He hit 100 career wins this past February on the mat. He’s got a great Hudl and I look forward to seeing him and the Cowboys in 2020. Junior Season 2019 Erlandson trucking a Barnesville defender. Photo & article by Turner Blaufuss of Daily News Media Shane Noyes (Canby) Section 3. 11th grade. Ranked #4 Interestingly, Noyes has a brother ranked third in the 285A rankings, and having this wrestling partner so close in weight live at home with you seems to be paying off, as the 4th ranked 220A wrestler is a beast on the mat and the gridiron and shows it in his Hudl game film on his roster. The Marshall Independent named him to their All-Area First Team as a defensive lineman, and according to them he “was an anchor along the defensive front for a unit that allowed just 10.6 points per game in 2019. The junior led the Lancers in sacks and finished second on the team with 105 tackles.” Last wrestling season he placed 6th at 195A and had a 33-10 record. This season he just won the section tournament, along with his brother, and is looking to improve upon his 6th place finish from last year. I’m excited to see where he and his brother end up on the podium. vs. Lakeview HS Mason Rummel (Springfield) Section 3. 12th grade. Ranked #6 As previously mentioned, Rummel just won the 220 Section 3 title, beating Dunker of JCC. On the football field this past fall, Rummel was Springfield’s RB and was named to the Southwest District All District Team, and was the District MVP as well. I’d love to see him on the gridiron next fall. He’s poised to make some noise on the wrestling mat at state this year too. vs. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton HS Springfield running back Mason Rummel takes the ball off tackle for a nice gain against Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity.. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine Carter Quam (Kenyon-Wanamingo) Section 2. Ranked #8 On the football field this past fall, Quam was an All-District selection who was honored by the Rochester Post Bulletin as an HM All-Area pick at OL/LB after posting 40 tackles and 4 sacks for Kenyon. At the Section 2 meet last weekend, Quam pinned junior Brennon Hoffman (Medford) in 1:03 of the first period. It’s a good time to get hot and I wish him luck at state! vs. Randolph HS 285 Pounds Craig Orlando Craig Orlando DL Verndale | 2020 State MN (Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie) Section 6. 12th grade. Ranked #1 The first college football commit on the list just so happens to be an absolute 9Man monster who recently signed his National Letter of Intent to play football at the University of North Dakota. Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie junior [player_tooltip player_id="3523" first="Craig" last="Orlando"] raises his arm in victory after defending his Class 1A State heavyweight title over Adrian’s Scot Edwards Saturday, March 2 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Bill Johnson / Picture Day Pro! On the gridiron, Orlando played nearly every position possible, and the 6’3, 265 lber. projects as a NG in college for the Fighting Hawks. His senior season last fall he rushed for 1,430 yards off 187 carries, caught 43 passes for 602 yards, and scored 30 TDs. In his career on the defensive side of the ball he recorded 258 tackles and 41 TFLs. He was a 3x All-Conference selection, 3x All-Area, 2x All-State, Nine-Man All-State team, and Minnesota Vikings All-State team pick. On the mat, Orlando is going for his third consecutive heavyweight title, having gone 42-3 in his 2018 title run, 47-1 in 2019, and is around 40-0 this year and just won the Section 6A 285 lb. championship. I’d be very surprised if Orlando somehow did not defend his title successfully come March, but crazier things have happened. Either way, I’m very excited he is playing football and will be a fun one to watch on Saturday’s. At one point I found a good little highlight of him running over kids as a RB, but that video has been lost to the depths of YouTube. He is in this news video however, and it’s worth seeing how big he is on the gridiron. Scot Edwards (Adrian) Section 3. 12th grade. Ranked #2 Last year’s 285A runner-up is committed to wrestle in college at Worthington’s Minnesota West Community and Technical College next winter, but has some business to attend to first as he’s looking to get another shot at a state title in 2020. He’ll have to go through the aforementioned Craig Orlando Craig Orlando DL Verndale | 2020 State MN of Verndale if he wants to top that podium,and it’s going to be obviously difficult to stop the undefeated 2x state championship. He was an All-District football player in 2018, and although I can’t confirm it I’m assuming it’s safe to say he repeated in 2019. Unfortunately he was bested 8-5 in the section final against Denver Noyes. It’s going to be an uphill battle for the top of podium, but Edwards’ deep tournament experience in March will definitely help. Scot Edwards Tanner Berghuis (Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City) Section 4. 12th grade. Ranked #2 I’m always a fan of career highlight tapes, and Berghuis has a good one for y’all. On the mat however, Berghuis places 5th at 285A and went 46-3 overall. He just won the Section 4A 285 championship. career highlights Dylan Nirk (Westfield/Blooming Prairie) Section 2. 12th grade. Ranked #5 Nirk is coming off an overtime victory over Medford’s Gavin Hermes (26-15) in the Section 4A final that ended with a takedown to claim a 4-2 victory by the Blooming Prairie senior. He’ll have a real good shot at finding the podium in March. No matter where finishes come state, Nirk’s real talent may be on the football field, as his senior season was one to remember. In addition to the Awesome Blossom’s 1A team state championship, Nirk anchored an offensive line that was one of the most dominant in 1A. He set the line, was their best puller, and allowed only one sack all of 2019. He was an Austin Daily Herald All-Area First Team pick and a Owatonna People’s Press First Team selection as well. I’m excited to see where he ends up as well. Career Highlights Jakob Swalla (Minnewaska Area) Section 5. 11th grade. Ranked #6 The 285A ranking have been fluctuating all year, and the last wrestler on our list is a good example of this. Swalla was ranked 4th in TheGuillotine’s ranking from February 6th, but dropped to 6th place in the latest 2/20 edition. According to the Pope County Tribune, last weekend’s section tournament was a big one for Swalla, as “the junior needed three wins to take the 285 pound title. Swalla won handily by major decision in his quarterfinal and semifinal matches. The championship match was also a rematch of last year, pitting Swalla against BOLD’s Brady Ridler. The match went to sudden death overtime, where Swalla prevailed with a take down to earn his second consecutive trip to state.” He’s also accomplished on the football field, as he was named the Laker’s OL of the Year, and was an All-District pick. Junior Year I hope you enjoyed!
