Class 2A, District 2: DeJean Continues To Showcase His Skills

Photo: Prep Redzone

Dana Becker

August 13, 2022 @ 06:38 PM

Cooper DeJean put OABCIG on the map. His brother, Beckett, has kept the Falcons soaring high.   Class 2A, District 2 was one of the toughest in the state a year ago, as state champion Southeast Valley would come out of it. Along with OABCIG, Spirit Lake, Estherville-LC, Clarion-Goldfield/Dows and Pocahontas Area all will call it home again this season.   Here is a look at the top prospects in the district, including DeJean:   [player_tooltip player_id='246721' first='Beckett' last='DeJean'] - OABCIG - QB/CB   In his first season leading the OABCIG offense, [player_tooltip player_id='246721' first='Beckett' last='DeJean'] was excellent. He racked up almost 3,000 yards passing and added another 423 on the ground. DeJean completed 57 percent of his passes with 30 touchdowns. He also had nine rushing scores.   Like his brother before him, DeJean is a great defensive player, recording 42.5 tackles with six interceptions and a fumble recovery.   [player_tooltip player_id='320449' first='Preston' last='Gardner'] - Clarion-Goldfield/Dows - QB/DB   While he entered 2021 as a wide receiver, Clarion-Goldfield/Dows found themselves a quarterback when [player_tooltip player_id='320449' first='Preston' last='Gardner'] shifted over to the position. Gardner threw for 1,091 yards with 14 touchdowns, recording a 163.4 quarterback rating.   Using his legs and speed, Gardner orchestrated the RPO offense with another 730 yards rushing and eight more scores. On defense, he made 19 tackles and forced three turnovers.   [player_tooltip player_id='147461' first='Ryan' last='Schiltz'] - Estherville-LC - QB/DB   Another of the dual-threat quarterbacks from the district, Rayn Schiltz racked up over 2,000 yards of offense and accounted for 27 offensive touchdowns. He completed 54 percent of his passes, averaging 13 yards per completion.   With his legs, Schiltz averaged five yards per rush and had 10 of his touchdowns on the ground. He also made 22 tackles on defense and picked off three passes.   [player_tooltip player_id='152751' first='Griffin' last='Diersen'] - OABCIG - RB/LB   The OABCIG offense might run through [player_tooltip player_id='246721' first='Beckett' last='DeJean'], but like any superstar quarterback, he needs a good supporting case. The Falcons have that in [player_tooltip player_id='152751' first='Griffin' last='Diersen'], a senior who ran for 964 yards and scored eight touchdowns. He also caught 23 passes for another 242 yards and two scores.   Diersen was also one of the top tacklers in the state, recording 88 stops - 73 of which were solo tackles. He had two sacks and four tackles for loss.   Eli Johnson - Southeast Valley - WR/S   The Southeast Valley offense will need to replace an all-stater quarterback and standout running back, along with several other key pieces. One coming back, though, is Eli Johnson. As a junior, Johnson recorded 32 receptions for 735 yards and 10 touchdowns.   Johnson's big-play ability was on display, as he averaged 23 yards per reception. Using his speed and excellent hands, Johnson should be primed for another standout senior season.   [player_tooltip player_id='24029' first='Justin' last='Loseke'] - Southeast Valley - OL/LB   Aaron Graves has moved on, taking his talents to the University of Iowa. Now, the Southeast Valley defense will be led by [player_tooltip player_id='24029' first='Justin' last='Loseke'], a returning all-stater. Loske recorded 82.5 tackles with eight sacks and 12 tackles for loss.   Loseke will also be counted on to help protect the new Jaguar quarterback and produce points on the offensive side of the ball.

Cooper DeJean put OABCIG on the map. His brother, Beckett, has kept the Falcons soaring high.