All-NSIC Awards: MN Prep Highlight Edition (North & South Division 2nd Team Defense)

This seventh & last edition of Northstar Football News' featured series will examine and highlight the former Minnesota prep football stars selected to the Second Team All-Conference Defense list of the North and South divisions in one of the toughest conferences in Division II football: the NSIC. These five athletes were some of the best players coming out of high school as MN preps and have more than successfully made the jump to college athletics, where they have shone under the lights from Bemidji to Moorhead to Crookston, and from Augustana to Mankato. Let's check back in with these former Northstar studs to review their 2019 seasons, high school careers, and more. I hope you enjoy! North Division DB: Gunnar Feldhege (5’11, 165) Soph. Cold Spring, Minn. Rocori HS. Bemidji State University A somewhat “undersized” defensive back for the Beavers who was named White District Special Team Player of the Year and St. Cloud All-Area as a senior prep at Rocori. That year he totaled 23 receptions for 281 yards and 5 TDs, and as a junior he rushed 65 times for 453 yards and 6 touchdowns. Now at BSU, Feldhege is a true sophomore that appeared in 11 games with 4 starts in the defensive backfield as a true frosh in 2018, and recorded 42 tackles, .5 TFLS, 1 interception, and 2 PBUs. This year he stepped it up to become the Beavers leading tackler w/ 68 total stops along with 4 PBUs, 1 FR, and his first career INT. Bemidji will definitely need his presence in the backfield as they need to replace All-Everything DB Michael Junker next season. I’m pumped to watch the Rocori grad as an upperclassman. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/3509863/5838e9d65b3cda081069c0cc">Junior Year Rocori</a> DL: Joe Warner (6’0, 265) Senior. St. Louis Park, Minn. SLP HS->Rochester Community and Technical College University of Minnesota-Crookston This is the first Golden Eagle from Minnesota to get selected to the All-NSIC awards, and boy is he a good one. The junior college transfer originally from St. Louis Park was an All-Conference pick as a prep in 2014, and followed it up with a MCAC Second Team All-Division selection as a sophomore at RCTC. After committing to the now defunct Crookston football program Warner had an impactful 2018 Junior year as he started 10 games as a DT and notched 47 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, and a sack. In what became his first All-NSIC award season this past fall as a senior, Warner totaled 34 tackles, 4 TFLs, 3 sacks, and a FR to earn this Second Team accolade. Congratulations on the impressive career, Joe! <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/2583903/5721be32b019261f80bbb218">Senior Year SLP</a> <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2CNwQk">Sophomore SZN JUCO</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11282678/5be8526342102b06b003d2e8">Crookston</a> [caption id="attachment_18462" align="alignnone" width="300"] Warner.[/caption] DL: Darius Woods-Steichen (6’2, 264) Jr. Mahnomen, Minn. Waubun HS. Minnesota State University Moorhead A stud prep player at Waubun who was selected All-State, All-District, District Co-MVP, Conference Defensive MVP, and team captain to go along with his five letters in football, Woods-Steichen was a great recruiting pickup for the Dragons of MSUM. He’s been one of the most accomplished defensive lineman in the North Division of the NSIC since he became a starter in 2018 as a RS Soph. He RS freshman year in 2017 saw him appearing in 3 games while recording 3 tackles, and after a heckuva 2017-18 offseason the Mahnomen native exploded onto the scene to earn himself a NSIC First Team honor after tallying 30 tackles, 11 TFLs, 8.5 sacks, and two FFs. This year Woods-Steichen recorded 34 tackles, 12 TFLs, 6 sacks, 3 PBUs, 2 FF, and a FR in route to his Second Team selection. He’ll be a beast as a senior. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2CALdt">vs. Augustana University</a> [caption id="attachment_18463" align="alignnone" width="300"] Woods-Steichen (52) Photo by Michael Vosburg / Forum Photo Editor[/caption] South Division LB: TJ Liggett (6’0, 210) Soph. Rosemount, Minn. Rosemount HS. Augustana University The 3x Rosemount Irish letterwinner and two-year starter was a team captain as a senior and also a starter for their back-to-back conference championships. [caption id="attachment_18464" align="alignnone" width="300"] Liggett (1)[/caption] He was named All-Conference in 2016 as a prep after he recorded 75 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 3 FFs. Liggett played sparingly as a RS freshman in 2018, and recorded 9 tackles in 10 games. He must have hit the weight room hard in 2019, as he came back to tally 89 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 3 FF, 2 sacks, 2 FRs, and a blocked kick. He’ll be a stud for Augie as an upperclassman. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2AKKuH">Liggett Senior Year</a> [embed]https://twitter.com/tj_liggett/status/1207787336609742848?s=21[/embed] LB: Alex Goettl (6’3, 225) Sr. North Mankato, Minn. Mankato West HS. Minnesota State-Mankato Goettl has played a lot of football in his career in Mankato. Starting at Mankato West, Goettl started every game for both the OL and DL as a junior and senior. This included his senior season in which he and the Scarlett won the 5A Minnesota State championship in 2014. During that year he was a captain, and earned all-conference and all-city accolades. After committing to his hometown Mavericks and redshirting in 2015, Goettl recorded 15 tackles and a blocked punt in 11 games. In 2017 he started all 13 Maverick football contests and tallied 55 tackles, 4 PBUs, 3.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, and an interception. He then went on to have a killer 2018 season where he picked up All-NSIC First Team honors and a D2CCA All-Super Region Second Team pick after posting 48 tackles, 3 PBUs, 2.5 TFLs, 2 interceptions, 2 FRs, and a sack. #49 will be missed in Mankato. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/1628659/5721bb7c0c5e6812248cfa08">Senior Year HS</a> [caption id="attachment_18468" align="alignnone" width="300"] Goettl with the INT.[/caption] Thank you for reading all of the NSIC, MIAC, and WIAC postseason articles honoring MN preps. I hope you enjoyed. Until next year!