Preseason Preview: Dassel-Cokato Chargers

The feeling of bringing your high school and town their first-ever high school football state championship must be one of the highest highs in the game of football, much less at the prep level. In a history-making season of 2021, the 2022 class of the Dassel-Cokato Chargers did just that and brought their towns of around 5,000 total people, and the high school of 574 students, a moment they won't soon forget after defeating Plainview-Elgin-Millville 28-21 in the Minnesota 3A state championship last November. However, reaching the top and staying at the top are two very different attainments, and the 2023 class of Chargers have a lot of work on their hands as they try to repeat as AAA state champions this upcoming fall. With the graduation of the best player in program history and a ton of other talented '22s, there is some size, speed, and strength to replace in the trenches and the skill positions, and luckily PrepRedzoneMN is here to give you the most detailed report on the defending 3A state champions around. The numbers don't lie, and our lovely subscribers are showing that they enjoy these Preseason Previews, so check out PRzMN's take on the feature as we review the defending state champions and then into more programs from every class and corner of our Great State of Minnesota. Thanks for reading, and Go Chargers!   Team Review   Annandale, Esko, and Plainview-Elgin-Millville all came within one score of downing the eventual 14-0 undefeated AAA Minnesota state champs last season, but a loss for Dassel-Cokato was not in the cards for their 2021 season and they left last fall unblemished and spotless. It must have been particularly sweet given the fact the Chargers finished as runner-ups in 2019 in a heartbreaker to a loaded Pierz team that I'm sure left them hungry for another shot at a ring, and a lot of that success was ran on the back of stud RB Eli Gillman. The Montana Grizz commit, who is off to Missoula for fall camp of his freshman season, was a monster of a prep RB who totaled more than 1,900 rushing yards and 43 rushing TDs as a senior and 4,690 total all-purpose yards and 79 total TDs in his career. That included a shortened 2020 COVID season, and the Mr. Football Finalist and PrepRedzoneMN Player of the Year brought a very balanced skillset as a runner at a thick 200-205 pounds, an over 500 pound squat, and verified 10.86 speed in the 100M dash. He was the bell cow in a rushing attack that rushed 699 times last season and never cared about the workload, spotlight, or attention in comparisons to getting his team the W. It was far from a one man show however, as the 2022 class also was made up of studs such as Mason Ailie (Bemidji State football), Gregory Clark (Morningside football), Kyan Lynk, Jack Hillmann, Elijah Aamot, Keyton Johnson, and Grant Grochow all contributed mightily to the state title and will be tough to replace now that their prep careers have concluded. This included the always important QB position, as well as a lot of defenders. Luckily, Dassel-Cokato has some depth in their '23, '24, and even '25 classes so let's get to know some of these up-and-comers below.   Key Departures: Eli Gillman - RB. 6', 205 lbs. Committed to Montana   Mason Ailie - TE. 6'4, 240 lbs. Committed to Bemidji State   Gregory Clark - QB. 6'1, 190 lbs. Committed to Morningside   Big Games of 2022: Whenever they play Annandale. Schedule hasn't been posted yet that I can find.     <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/10/IMG_1622.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62658" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Dawn Gillman</figcaption></figure>   Players to Step Up   [player_tooltip player_id="105371" first="Monte" last="Gillman"] - RB. C/o 2024. 5'7, 165 lbs.   The younger brother of the aforementioned Montana commit Eli Gillman, his younger brother Monte is smaller than his brother but may be more athletic, and that's saying something. He's got fantastic body control and can backflip just as easily as most of us can run. Despite the measurables, Monte can run behind his pads and set a physical edge as a ball carrier. Going into his third year of starting for the Chargers, Monte is far from new to the varsity scene but now that the backfield is finally all his, he'll have to step up his game to adjust to a bigger workload and more pressure-filled carries. He's already shown vision, burst, quickness, and contact balance, and with another season of wrestling, track and field, and weight room labor, I think he's primed to level up and implement the [player_tooltip player_id="105371" first="Monte" last="Gillman"] era to the Charger's offensive backfield.   Angel Reyes - OT. C/o 2023. 6'3, 290 lbs.   A big St. Olaf College recruit with good size and experience in the Chargers OL room, it would be a great help to Dassel-Cokato's offense if they had multiple dominant offensive lineman to run behind in 2022 and Reyes has put in a lot of work up to this point in his prep career and possesses the size and competition experience to get it done in the trenches for his team.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/05/155-Angel-Reyes-1024x677.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-330777" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reyes </figcaption></figure>   Kyle Dahlin - OL. C/o 2023. 5'11, 240 lbs.   Got some big game experience against Annandale, PEM, and New London-Spicer last season as a junior but is going to need to step up his quantity reps and consistency in performance to help bring that Chargers OL back up to state championship snuff.   Bryce Gabrelcik - OL. C/o 2023. 5'11, 225 lbs.   Another strong and technically sound returning offensive lineman but needed another year in the weight room to get better at consistently finishing and generally have an easier time moving around opponents. Now that he's a senior he'll be a big potential piece to the Chargers 2022 OL.   Top Dogs   [player_tooltip player_id="244997" first="Tate" last="Link"] - LB/RB. C/o 2023. 5'9, 200 lbs.   A stud two-sport athlete who has represented MN's National Wrestling Team thrice and is coming off a 4th place finish at 182 lb. AA in last March's state tourney, [player_tooltip player_id="244997" first="Tate" last="Link"] had himself a heckuva junior year of athletics and is poised for even greater expectations now that he's stepping into more of a leadership role as a now-senior. As a junior LB/DL last season, he posted 43 tackles, 9 TFLs, and a defensive TD and has a nose for the football, a knack for finding the backfield, and the poise to make the play at the biggest of moments. I like his positional versatility as well, especially defensively, and with Link's older brother Jude committed to Iowa's wrestling team in May, I'll be interested to see if Tate decides to wrestle or play football in college. For now though, he's the top dog of DC's 2022 campaign.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/05/Tate-Link1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-330877" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Link</figcaption></figure>   Trayten Johnson - OL/DL. C/o 2023. 6'2, 260 lbs.   The returning District Lineman of the Year, Johnson also was named team Most Valuable Lineman and is coming off his first offer last month from the University of Jamestown. With a thick 6'2, 265 pound build, a heavy punch & noticeable chest strength, and comfortability working downfield and in space, Johnson looks like a scholarship OL prospect and put some good things on tape as a run blocker last year. He sent more than a few defenders flying backwards and hard into the ground last season, and is only bigger, stronger, and meaner now that he's a senior. He's the big dog who the RBs will be running behind in 2022.   Breakout Candidates   Devan Nguyen - TE. C/o 2023. 6', 205 lbs.   Now the top passing target returning for the Chargers, last year's TE2 Nguyen was a productive pass catching option last year as a junior and ran a clean corner route that was very successful against opposing DBs and LBs. He also lined up as a crushing FB, and as a blocker from the inline TE spot he's strong for his size, high-motored, and always looking to finish. He'll be a three-down TE this year and is going to be counted on much more as a blocker and pass catcher and will break onto the recruiting scene and people's radars now that he's a senior.   [player_tooltip player_id="234886" first="Caleb" last="Smock"] - RB/WR. C/o 2025. 5'10, 175 lbs.   Great freshman highlights as an offensive weapon against non-varsity competition and was a playmaker with speed and contact balance that was above the level of JV action.   Kobee Thielen - WR. C/o 2025   Another playmaking freshman whose dominance looked above the level of non-varsity competition, Thielen was deadly with the ball in his hand and fast with or without the rock. Also a beast on the defensive side of the ball, I would be surprised to not see him on the field in some capacity and position for DC's varsity.   Team Recruiting News   With Link and Johnson leading the way for the 2023 batch of Charger prospects, it's a fertile year for DII, DIII, and NAIA coaches to stop by the Central MN 3A competitor. I'm especially curious to see how '24 Gillman continues to work through the recruitment process and those two DC '25s I mentioned as Potential Breakout Candidates could really make some waves as future recruits. The '23s are going to see their offer lists and opportunities explode as the season begins and eventually concludes. To stay posted with Dassel-Cokato recruiting news, as well as more recruiting related information, make sure to keep refreshing PrepRedzoneMN!   Other Players to Know   Tyree Thielen - WR/DB. C/o 2023. 5'11, 160 lbs.   [player_tooltip player_id='551328' first='Caleb' last='Thinesen'] - C/o 2024.   Kasen Warner - C/o 2024.   Gabe Aamot - RB. C/o 2024. 5'11, 150 lbs.   Thomas Kaiser - TE/WR. C/o 2023. 6', 175 lbs.   [player_tooltip player_id="234887" first="Jackson" last="Yanke"] - WR/DB. C/o 2025   Jayce Olthoff - WR/DB. C/o 2024.   Nikolas Keith - C/o 2024   [player_tooltip player_id='1582797' first='Cole' last='Veith'] - C/o 2025   Grant Kelly -OL/LB. C/o 2023   Branden Aho - OL/DL. C/o 2025   Hunter Grindeland - DE. C/o 2023   Josiah Smock - OL. C/o 2023

The feeling of bringing your high school and town their first-ever high school football state championship must be one of the highest highs in the game of football, much less at the prep level. In a history-making season of 2021, the 2022 class of the Dassel-Cokato Chargers did just that and brought their towns of around 5,000 total people, and the high school of 574 students, a moment they won't soon forget after defeating Plainview-Elgin-Millville 28-21 in the Minnesota 3A state championship last November. However, reaching the top and staying at the top are two very different attainments, and the 2023 class of Chargers have a lot of work on their hands as they try to repeat as AAA state champions this upcoming fall. With the graduation of the best player in program history and a ton of other talented '22s, there is some size, speed, and strength to replace in the trenches and the skill positions, and luckily PrepRedzoneMN is here to give you the most detailed report on the defending 3A state champions around. The numbers don't lie, and our lovely subscribers are showing that they enjoy these Preseason Previews, so check out PRzMN's take on the feature as we review the defending state champions and then into more programs from every class and corner of our Great State of Minnesota. Thanks for reading, and Go Chargers!