Recruiting Report: Kristian Kaesviharn (Wayzata-2021)

Kristian Kaesviharn is an intriguing WR prospect on the 2019 MN 6A state champion Wayzata Trojan squad that has showed a promising ability as a wideout due to his sure-handed catching ability and route running skills that helped him earn impactful varsity minutes as a junior on one of the best high school football team’s Minnesota had to offer in 2019. With a lot to prove, and the potential for a big season in 2020, Northstar Football News was pumped to catch-up with #18 to talk about what it means for him to be a Trojan and how his football career has gone thus far, some big plays for him and Wayzata in their 2019 championship season, some thoughts and hopes for his recruitment, and more. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy! <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2DBvZh">Junior Season Highlights 2019</a> NFN: Hello and thank you for your time, Kristian! Please begin sharing with our readers a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? When did you begin playing football and what do you love about the game? And if you could include some of your measurables and stats it would be appreciated. Kaesviharn: "I was born in Cincinnati Ohio, but we moved after I was born to Louisiana where I spent the majority of my elementary school years. [caption id="attachment_18941" align="alignleft" width="223"] #18[/caption] We then moved here in 2010. I’ve always been interested in sports and I started to play flag football when we moved to Minnesota. I started playing tackle football when I was in 6th grade and I fell in love with the game. The feeling of going to battle with your teammates right before each game is one of the main reasons I play. Football has also taught me many life lessons that will help me become a better man and make the world a better place. I am 6’ 1” at 180 lbs. My 40 time last year was a 4.7. My max bench is 235, max squat is 315, max clean is 185. Last year I had a total of 3 touchdowns with 200+ yards on JV. For varsity I had 3 receptions and 2 runs for a total of 75+ yards on the season." NFN: After such a memorable 2019 season, what does it mean for you to be a Trojan, and what can you say about your Wayzata career thus far? Kaesviharn: "It is an honor to be a Trojan. We go by what we call Trojan P.R.I.D.E. Which is an acronym for how we carry ourselves on and off the field. My football career at Wayzata started out strong as a freshman. I was a WR and an option quarterback and we had a very successful season that year. During sophomore year, we struggled to beat some teams that we definitely should have and learned a lot from the season. This past junior year I didn’t land a starting position and it was more of a year for me to find out how I fit into the team and what my strengths and weaknesses are." NFN: Walk us through some of the differences the program has grown to since you were a freshman to now rising senior. What difference can you credit with having the biggest impact on the Trojans success this year? Kaesviharn: "Coach Brown is an amazing coach and he has been building our program every single year. I remember as a freshman Coach Brown was a still new to the program and starting to change the program. One of the biggest things that is a credit to our success is definitely Trojan P.R.I.D.E. It taught us how to be disciplined and how to hold each other accountable for our actions on and off of the field. We pushed each other and he created a culture where we all had a job for us to be successful. He called it being 1-0 in everything you do. Finishing the rep 1-0, finishing the workout 1-0, and focus on the little things one step at a time and eventually you will be at the top." NFN: How was the 2018 season for you as well as Wayzata? What were some big games, low moments, and how did you build off 2018 to succeed in 2019? Kaesviharn: "In the 2018 season we had .500 record and the biggest difference from that season to the 2019 season was definitely the team chemistry. The seniors this last year were all super close with one another and did a good job in taking the underclassmen under their wing. We also had many returning varsity starters that had experience playing at the varsity level that helped excel our team forward." NFN: How is the Trojan offseason? And this year, how was it playing offense with studs like [player_tooltip player_id="11010" first="Christian" last="Vasser"], Jacob Wildermuth, and Tom Schmidt? Kaesviharn: "The offseason is grind season. The week after we won the state championship we had a group of juniors in the weight room getting ready for next year. We want to live up to the legacy that the seniors created this year and get another ring. We continue to practice our craft through having 7 on 7 days where we get some guys together to work on plays that we remember. We lift 5 days a week with built in sprints and finishers. Vasser, Wildermuth and Schmidt were amazing role models that had an astounding work ethic. One of the main reasons I think they were so successful was because their robust work ethic. They were determined to not have another 2018 season after watching that group of seniors be heartbroken of having their last year of highschool football end early. They worked all offseason and put in extra work on top of our own practices with personal trainers and coaches. They have inspired me to work as hard as they did and continue what they started this past year." NFN: Describe for us the 2019 season in your own words. What did it feel like to go undefeated? When did you know you guys were going to be legit, and what was it like being apart of such a special football team and season? Kaesviharn: "We took the season one game at a time. We had a routine each with what we did in practices and we stuck to it no matter what. We knew we had a chance to win it all when we beat Eden Prairie, our rivals, for the first time in 7 years. It was the best experience of my life after the state championship game. The surreal feeling of having all the fans their cheering for your team and being in the US Bank Stadium was the dopest thing ever." NFN: How about the playoffs? What was a memorable play for you during that stretch of games, and what else stuck out to you about the experience? Kaesviharn: "This is when the season actually mattered. It was a cool feeling being able to play another 5 games after our 8 regular season games. It felt like we played another season. Just like the regular season we just took it one game at a time and continued to do what worked for us in the regular season. I remember one play that started our momentum in the championship game. It was the kickoff return where [player_tooltip player_id="18450" first="Julian" last="Diedrich"] and [player_tooltip player_id="2491" first="Sam" last="Robertson"] faked the hand off and Sam ran for 80 yards. It was a key moment for us to start taking advantage of a play like that. Another thing that stuck out to me was lining up for the kickoff against Lakeville North, which was our first game in the bank. Making the tackle that first play of the game was an exhilarating feeling that I will never forget." NFN: Now that you are a rising senior, what have you learned from 2019 and how can you take that experience and use it to act as a leader in 2020 and recreate that success from last fall? Kaesviharn: "I have learned a lot from this past season. Ive watched the seniors lead our team and us upcoming seniors hope to recreate and continue the culture they made for our team. I plan on being a leader for the younger wide receivers and helping them out on their route running and little aspects of being a receiver that I didn’t pick up on was I was a junior. As for next year, we have a target on our back. Everyone is going to want to beat the state championship team. Which means that we have to work even harder than we did last year and come closer together and be another championship team." [caption id="attachment_18942" align="aligncenter" width="365"] #18 & company[/caption] NFN: What are some teams you’re interested in and what’s a dream school of yours? What level do you believe you can play at and who have you been in contact with? Also, what are you looking for in a potential college football team? Kaesviharn: "Since I grew up in Louisiana Ive loved watching LSU play and have dreamed of going there to play football. With my size and skill I believe that I can go D2. I plan on visiting colleges like Saint Johns University, UWEC, Gustavus for Junior days. I haven’t been to any summer football camps yet and I definitely plan on going to some this summer. As for the colleges I would like to go to, I have always liked the larger schools that are located closer to the city. I have always gone to a big school and I like the atmosphere of a big school with lots of students." NFN: Last but not least, what can you add to a college football program, and what do you do well as a football player? Kaesviharn: "I can add to their culture and help the other players in the program have a strong disciplined work-ethic. I have always been determined and motivated to put the work in that nobody else wants to do. I think with my hard work and dedication I can be an exceptional football player." Keep an eye peeled for #18 on the Trojans 2020 squad as they attempt to repeat as MN 6A state champions. Kristian is poised for a big year and there’s no telling how high his ceiling is as a wide-out. Stay tuned with Northstar Football News for more!