Recruiting Report: Damian Meyer-Andre (Jackson County Central-2021)

Jackson County Central HS in Southwestern MN near the Iowa border is one of the more overlooked recruiting hubs in the southern portion of the state for wrestling, basketball, and of course: football. The Huskies are coming off an impressive 2019 season that saw them reach the 3A state semifinals at U.S. Bank stadium where they lost a thrilling matchup to eventual champion Pierz 20-14 on a last minute long TD reception. With a loaded senior class graduating in June, the Huskies will need some of their talented juniors to step-up big time if they want to replicate some of their ‘19 success. One of the most talented of these c/o ‘21 Huskies is 5’11, 170 lb. WR/DB Damian Meyer-Andre - who provided a safety valve to SDSU Jackrabbit QB senior commit [player_tooltip player_id="10989" first="Rudy" last="Voss"] at WR and scored 5 TDs in ‘19 - and he is poised for a monster 2020 season and can be a significant addition a college football program after graduating. Meyer-Andre was kind enough to give Northstar Football News some of his time to reflect on his 2019 season and the Huskies stud senior class, as well as his status on recruiting, what he loves about football, and more! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2CUuFn">Junior Highlights</a> [caption id="attachment_18002" align="alignright" width="214"] Snag.[/caption] NFN: Hello and thank you for your time, Damian! Please begin by telling us a little bit about yourself, when you began playing football, what you love about the game, and your measurables and some stats from last year! DMA: “I’m from Jackson, MN I’ve grown up here my whole life. Football came into my life at a very young age. One day in the summer before 3rd grade my dad asked me if I wanted to play tackle football and I was determined to try it, as soon as I got into it there was no turning back and especially when I got older it became such a great thing in my life. Football brings me to a place of peace, something about that little leather ball just gets me and I wanna play as much as I possibly can. When I’m away from football I enjoy fishing and spending time in the outdoors. Hanging out with friends and my girlfriend are other things I enjoy a lot. I live the sport of football so much because it gives me a chance to show people what I can do, I feel like I’m an underdog coming from where I have to what I have now and I’m still not done proving people wrong! I also love the team part of the sport, with having everybody come together work hard and battle it out is just something you can’t compare too it’s a surreal feeling out there with guys you can call your brothers. I’m 6’, 170 lbs. and looking to get up to 180, and although we don’t keep stats I know I had 5 TDs in a three-game stretch last season.” NFN: How was your 2018 season as well as JCC’s? How did you use that offseason going into 2019 to have such a successful season last fall? DMA: “For our 2018 I wasn’t all that apart of I was just a practice squad kinda guy and that’s where I started to get really good. Otherwise I played jv games and was on the varsity roster.That year was good all around but unfortunately that year came to an end early to Fairmont in the section championship game. Everybody was broken about it because all of us wanted a state trip so bad. We all set it as our goal to make it back and we sure did. During the off-season we really got physically and mentally better. I’d say the weight room really helped us all out and as well as the camps me and some of my teammates went too. We dominated the 2019 season and I think we just had people in the right spots, I believe that’s what made us so dominate. We were just one game away from the big game and it had us torn apart that we were so close and it came to such a terrible ending. Our coaches weren’t really doing the best job at that last game and we had a few people giving up but I’ll tell you I was in that thing the whole time even if I wasn’t getting the ball at all. I believe we should’ve taken the ball to the air a little more but there were circumstances with Rudy’s arm so we just couldn’t as much and it was disappointing for me because I feel I could’ve really made a difference at the end.” NFN: What do you love about the JCC program? Also, what was it liking playing with that great senior group of Voss, Buhl, Post, and Brinkman? DMA: “Our program at JCC is so amazing because we have such a nice group of people all fighting for the same thing and that’s to bring a small town a greats achievement. We have great coaches and trainers to help us be as great as we are. Playing with them seniors was truly an honor, I played with them in my first year of football and we went 6-0! It was pretty fun and getting the chance to play with them fully this last year was truly a blessing, there such a great group of guys. Even though I was intruding on some of there fellow friends playing time they still respected me a lot for my game and I really appreciated that. Probably one of the best teams I’ll ever play on is the one with this big group of seniors.” NFN: What are your thoughts on that class leaving? What are some things y’all will have to do to replicate the success of last season? DMA: “With such a big group leaving the team next year it’s gonna be a challenge but we believe we still can do it. I’ve been told and I’m basically the leader next year and I’m fully ready to take that responsibility but it’s not just all me. Me and my close friend have a good passion for football and hard work and we believe if we can get everybody in the gym and to have the fight we do that we as a senior class could be very dominant.” NFN: Now get into some details on the 2019 regular season. Who’d you play? What were some important games? How was your performance? DMA: “We started the season off at home against New Richland and I wasn’t in much that game but I got time at the end and I would go on to get my first varsity touchdown that night! We would dominate and win 46-0. Next we had Worthington and that game we set a school record score of 76 points scored in the game, we won 76-6. Going into Redwood was a good one because it was my first real challenge and I held up good with a few catches and close times on a few touchdown catches but we went on to win that game 49-12 after getting revenge from last years homecoming. We beat Windom just as bad as we did Worthington, and then we had Blue Earth which is a tough team, and I had a very tough night there with frustration and issues going on I just didn’t have that good of a game, and neither did anybody but we came out on top 20-15. St. James was another dominant game, then Pipestone and Luverne were good teams and we didn’t play our best overall but still had enough to win both. This whole season I learned a lot and I can’t wait to put what I’ve all learned into next year.” NFN: How about sections and state? How did those go? DMA: “Our sections went well but it had its lows. We played very good football throughout every game but we came so close to breaking many times. It just proves how much we wanted it. I had a few nice plays in sections with some nice catches and jet sweeps but it wasn’t anything crazy. Playing in that State game was an amazing experience, I can’t tell you how soft that field was and how fast it was running on turf, oh god it was all amazing. I didn’t have much that game either but my jet sweep and my catch I had no clue I caught we’re all I had from that game. I still think about that game everyday. Seeing other outcomes and ways it could’ve gone but it’s the game of football and it’s how it goes. I love the sport to death and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” NFN: How about recruitment? Who are some teams you’re interested, and talking to? What are you looking for in a college program and what can you bring to a CFB team? DMA: “For college I haven’t gotten much offers yet but I’d hope they start rolling in a little bit. For me I’m really just trying to go anywhere because just that would be an amazing achievement. I’ll go anywhere I feel fits me and where I feel needed. I believe I can be a very big threat on the field and that helps motivate me to get better everyday. I’ll do anything to continue playing football. I would love to go D1 but I know I’ll have way more D2 and D3 offers. I’ll just wait and see what I get and I’ll go from there but a big shot for me is I’d like to attend NDSU and possibly make a big name for myself because I believe in dreams and I’m gonna keep working hard for my dream. I’ve just had a couple junior day invites but nothing major. I’m just hoping someone will give me a shot and believe in me. Because that’s all I need is a shot and I’ll do my best to prove myself. I’m really just looking for a place that wants me and believes I can be effective on the field in college because I really believe I can be. My plan is to keep working hard and go all out this next year. I’m gonna give it all I got so stay tuned for 2020 season! Thank you so much for the interview Oliver!” Thank you yourself, Damian! I’m excited to see the JCC Huskie playmaker in action in 2020, and I hope a team gives him that shot he’s looking for.