2022 Preseason All-State Team: Class AA Defense
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If I had to pick my favorite time of the football offseason, I’d easily choose the end of August. Not only is the season right around the corner, it’s also the culmination of months of anticipation for the coming season,…
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Continue ReadingIf I had to pick my favorite time of the football offseason, I’d easily choose the end of August. Not only is the season right around the corner, it’s also the culmination of months of anticipation for the coming season, and with fall camps either right in the thick of things or winding down in preparation for Week 0/1 matchups, the hype has hit a precipice as the leaves are turning and the smell of autumn football is in the air. It’s also my favorite time of the offseason because I get to watch and write the PrepRedzoneMN Preseason All-State Teams, and I’m very excited to keep the 2022 series churning along with this Class AA Defensive Team. Get to know the best returning prep football players Class AA’s defense has to offer right here, and make sure you check out the AA Offensive squad’s feature as well. Congratulations to the selections!
Preseason Player of the Year: Sam Backer Sam Backer 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Chatfield | 2023 State MN (Chatfield) Senior. RB/QB. 5’11, 200 lbs. Committed to MSU-Mankato
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Auvon Sager Auvon Sager 6'5" | 240 lbs | DL MPLS North | 2023 State MN (Minneapolis North) Senior. DE. 6’6, 220 lbs.
AA Preseason All-State Defensive Squad
Defensive Line
First Team: Auvon Sager Auvon Sager 6'5" | 240 lbs | DL MPLS North | 2023 State MN (Minneapolis North) Senior. 6’6, 220 lbs. – Gage McManemy Gage McManemy 6'4" | 250 lbs | OL Lake Crystal-Welcome-Memorial | 2023 State MN (Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) Senior. 6’4, 250 lbs. – Max Kingsbury Max Kingsbury 6'4" | 265 lbs | DL Concordia Academy | 2023 State MN (Concordia Academy) Senior. 6’4, 275 lbs. – Tyler Stone (West Central Area/Ashby) Senior.
Second Team: Hunter DeLoach Hunter DeLoach 6'3" | 225 lbs | DL Norwood Young America | 2023 State MN (Norwood Young America) Senior. 6’3, 220 lbs. – Jeremiah Sims Jeremiah Sims 6'7" | 295 lbs | DL MPLS North | 2023 State MN (Minneapolis North) Senior. 6’7, 275 lbs. – Braden Skifstad Braden Skifstad 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL Falls | 2023 MN (International Falls) Senior. 6’2, 245 lbs. – Justin Jacobson Justin Jacobson 6'1" | 250 lbs | OL Pelican Rapids | 2024 State MN (Pelican Rapids) Junior. 6’2, 240 lbs.
Third Team: Brett Biesanz (Cotter) Junior. 6’1, 230 lbs. – Owen Krueger Owen Krueger 6'4" | 270 lbs | OL Blooming Prairie | 2025 State MN (Blooming Prairie) Sophomore. 6’4, 295 lbs. – Sam Pirkl (Blooming Prairie) Senior. 6’2, 230 lbs. – Riley Dikken Riley Dikken 200 lbs | OL Redwood Valley | 2023 MN (Redwood Valley) Senior.
Linebacker
First Team: Dylan Klancher Dylan Klancher 6'3" | 225 lbs | TE Crosby-Ironton | 2023 MN (Crosby-Ironton) Senior. 6’3, 225 lbs. – Jonny Robideau (Barnesville) Senior. 6’1, 215 lbs. – Gaabi Boucha Gaabi Boucha 6'3" | 225 lbs | ATH Warroad | 2023 State MN (Warroad) Senior. 6’3, 215 lbs.
Second Team: Derek Tibbetts (Hawley) Senior. 6’3, 215 lbs. – Landen Merseth Landen Merseth 6'3" | 215 lbs | OL Minnesota Valley Lutheran | 2023 MN (Minnesota Valley Lutheran) Senior. 6’2, 205 lbs. – Malachi Kohls Malachi Kohls 6'3" | 230 lbs | OL Minnesota Valley Lutheran | 2023 MN (Minnesota Valley Lutheran) Senior. 6’3, 230 lbs.
Third Team: Tytan Small Tytan Small 6'0" | 195 lbs | LB St. Charles | 2023 State MN (St. Charles) Senior. 5’11, 190 lbs. – Cooper Ochsendorf Cooper Ochsendorf 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Maple River | 2023 State MN (Maple River) Senior. 5’10, 180 lbs. – Ethan Boll (Crookston) Senior. 6’2, 200 lbs.
Defensive Back
First Team: Zashon Rich Zashon Rich 6'2" | 180 lbs | DB MPLS North | 2024 State MN (Minneapolis North) Junior. 6’2, 180 lbs. – Anthony Sykora Anthony Sykora 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH West Central Area | 2023 State MN (West Central Area/Ashby) Senior. 5’10, 185 lbs. – Cole Thompson Cole Thompson 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Minnesota Valley Lutheran | 2023 MN (Minnesota Valley Lutheran) Senior. 5’11, 180 lbs. – Josh Ortiz (Concordia Academy) Senior. 6’4, 200 lbs.
Second Team: George Widman V (Crookston) Senior. 5’5, 150 lbs. – Cole Anderson (West Central Area/Ashby) Senior. 6’2, 180 lbs. – Kameron Clay Kameron Clay 5'10" | 145 lbs | DB Minneapolis North | 2023 State MN (Minneapolis North) Senior. 5’10, 145 lbs. – Jaivon Hill Jaivon Hill 5'9 | DB Minneapolis North | 2023 MN (Minneapolis North) Senior. 5’9, 170 lbs.
Third Team: Carter Daniels (Chatfield) Senior. – Malakye Parker Malakye Parker 5'11" | 185 lbs | RB Goodhue | 2023 State MN (Goodhue) Senior. 5’11, 185 lbs. – Sawyer Prigge Sawyer Prigge 5'10" | 150 lbs | WR NRHEG | 2023 State MN (New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva) Senior. 5’10, 155 lbs. – Jordan Howell (Minneapolis North) Junior. 5’10, 160 lbs.
Specialists
First Team: Isaac Maneval (Barnesville) Senior. Kicker/Punter. 6’6, 210 lbs. – Brayden Swee (Dover-Eyota) Senior. Kick Returner
Second Team: Nick Brunn (Concordia Academy) Senior Kick Returner – Drew O’Connor (Chatfield) Senior. Kickoff Coverage