Returning senior talent – 4A

Continuing my look at teams with a solid senior class returning in 2021, I look at Class 4A. By chance, if you want to find returning senior talent, head to the south Metro and keep moving in that direction. With all but one team in that direction, the south – at least in Minnesota – shall rise with talent this season. <strong>Hutchinson</strong> 5 players ranked by PRZ [player_tooltip player_id="18438" first="Sam" last="Rensch"] DB, [player_tooltip player_id="49828" first="Colin" last="Nagel"] TE, [player_tooltip player_id="49825" first="Aaron" last="Elliott"] LB, [player_tooltip player_id="49848" first="Mitchell" last="Piehl"] RB, [player_tooltip player_id="49864" first="Nolan" last="Prokosch"] RB Everyone knows Hutch likes to run the ball down opponents’ throats, and they are off to a good start with that plan. Although Nagel may be moving positions, they are returning Piehl and Nagel – their two leading rushers from 2020. They return plenty of experience on the defensive side of the ball too. Elliot was second on the team in tackles, and Rensch – who will play basketball at the next level – returns to anchor the secondary. <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/02/recruiting-report-sam-rensch-2021/">Read more on Rensch here</a>. <strong>Jordan</strong> 5 players ranked by PRZ [player_tooltip player_id="49859" first="Peyton" last="Nawrocki"] OL, [player_tooltip player_id="49900" first="Zach" last="Schlicht"] OL, [player_tooltip player_id="49857" first="Ashton" last="Sivilay"] WR, [player_tooltip player_id="49860" first="Noah" last="Millhouse"] QB, [player_tooltip player_id="49927" first="Ben" last="Swanson"] ATH Returning a starting quarterback who completed nearly 65 percent of his passes in Millhouse is a great place to start. Add to that; Millhouse gets his top target from last year – Sivilay. Additionally, the offensive and defensive lines are anchored by athletic interior lineman Nawrock and the powerful Schlicht on the edge of both offensive and defensive lines. <strong>Mankato East</strong> 7 players ranked by PRZ [player_tooltip player_id="22947" first="Jacob" last="Eggert"] QB,  [player_tooltip player_id="116213" first="Puolrah" last="Gong"] WR, [player_tooltip player_id="49867" first="Gus" last="Gartzke"] LB, [player_tooltip player_id="49957" first="Wyatt" last="Rodriguez"] OL, [player_tooltip player_id="49931" first="Braden" last="Letourneau"] OL, [player_tooltip player_id="49936" first="Diego" last="Reyes"] ATH, [player_tooltip player_id="49964" first="Nathaniel" last="Drumm"] WR East returns one of the best quarterbacks in the state. For more on Eggert – <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/04/prospect-spotlight-jacob-eggert-mankato-east-2022/">check out a previous feature I did on the quarterback</a>. Although they lose their top two receivers, East will be relying on two experienced pass-catchers in Drumm and Gong. Forty percent of the offensive line is also back. Rodriguez is a physical mountain of a man at center and a two-way, athletic man in the trenches in Letourneau. <strong>Mankato West</strong> 7 players ranked by PRZ [player_tooltip player_id="18425" first="Mekhi" last="Collins"] WR, [player_tooltip player_id="49958" first="Gannon" last="Rosenfeld"] DL, [player_tooltip player_id="49868" first="Ryan" last="Haley"] LB, [player_tooltip player_id="49920" first="Zander" last="Dittbenner"] QB, [player_tooltip player_id="49906" first="Walker" last="Britz"] RB, [player_tooltip player_id="49919" first="Aidan" last="Wall"] ATH, [player_tooltip player_id="49947" first="Hayden" last="Hartman"] LB There should be a lot of good football played in the town of Mankato, as East’s cross-town rival – Mankato West, is coming off an undefeated season and has seven significant contributors returning. I will beat this drum until I am done writing about football but bringing back experience at the quarterback position is critical. Dittbenner completed 60 percent of his passes and had a better than three to one touchdown to interception rate. Collins is one of the most explosive offensive players in the state. Haley and Rosenfeld finished one and two in tackles. Rosenfeld led the team with seven sacks – finishing ahead of Haley’s three sacks. <strong>SMB</strong> 5 players ranked by PRZ [player_tooltip player_id="18423" first="Chase" last="Carter"] DL, [player_tooltip player_id="49833" first="Michael" last="Hall"] LB, [player_tooltip player_id="116250" first="Sanjay" last="Redd"] RB, [player_tooltip player_id="116497" first="Luke" last="Sugalski"] OL, [player_tooltip player_id="18534" first="Charlie" last="Johnson"] QB The Wolfpack returns possibly the best player in the state with Michigan State commit Carter. For more detail on Carter – <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/03/recruiting-spotlight-chase-carter-smb-2022/">check out this feature on him</a>. On the offensive side of the ball, Redd’s speed and quickness help him do a little bit of everything – including returning kicks. Speaking of returning, they will welcome back running back/linebacker Hall – who was a significant contributor as a sophomore but missed his junior season with an injury. Sugalski is a long, athlete lineman who returns at one of the tackle spots.