Minnesota’s 2023 Class AA Preseason All-State Team: Defense/ST

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class AA is up in our esteemed <em>PRzMN </em>Preseason All-State series, and we're kicking it off with the grit, toughness, and physicality that can only come from the defensive side of the ball, not to mention the skills it takes to contribute on special teams. We combed through the 56 high school football programs that make up Class AA to find the best of the best DL, LBs, DBs, athletes, and specialists, selected with film, stats &amp; production, accolades, and college interest from the freshman up the rising seniors all taken into account. What a Preseason All-State Team we have on our hands! Congratulations to the selections. Hard work pays off, boys. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>--</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Preseason Player of the Year: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='438724' first='Hunter' last='Kallstrom']</strong> (<em>Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg</em>) Senior. ATH. 6'4, 225 lbs. Committed to Wyoming</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='362314' first='Ethan' last='Cole']</strong> (<em>Chatfield</em>) Junior. DL. 6'4, 235 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Defensive Line</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-04cddb5e-e588-4f8c-95b3-04a1f4f31cfb">First Team:<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='362314' first='Ethan' last='Cole']</strong> (<em>Chatfield</em>) 2025. 6'4, 235 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='438724' first='Hunter' last='Kallstrom']</strong> (<em>Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg</em>) 2024. 6'4, 225 lbs. - <strong>Grant Erickson</strong> (<em>Norwood Young America</em>) 2024. 6'4, 300 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242419' first='Jordan' last='Tornstrom']</strong> (<em>Caledonia</em>) 2024. 6'2, 240 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-22470a86-ed1c-4eae-a027-a5f5c99ea211">Second Team: <strong>Malaki Lee</strong> (<em>Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg</em>) 2024. 6'2, 210 lbs.- <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='368528' first='Justin' last='Jacobson']</strong> (<em>Pelican Rapids</em>) 2024. 6'1, 250 lbs. - <strong>Anthony Fink</strong> (<em>Eden Valley-Watkins</em>) 2024. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='706023' first='Cadman' last='Foley']</strong> (<em>St. Agnes</em>) 2024. 6'2, 215 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-ce5ced97-1c20-4dc6-a9f3-675cc204a0a6">Third Team: <strong>Connor Woidtke</strong> (<em>Roseau</em>) 2024. 5'10, 220 lbs. - <strong>Peyton Amundson</strong> (<em>Barnesville</em>) 2024. 6'1, 200 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='945930' first='Carter' last='Storms']</strong> (<em>Norwood Young America)</em> 2025. 6'5, 210 lbs. - <strong>Ebrima Camara</strong> (<em>Crosby-Ironton</em>) 2024. 6'3, 240 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Linebacker</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-04cddb5e-e588-4f8c-95b3-04a1f4f31cfb">First Team: <strong>Sam Shepersky</strong> (<em>Cannon Falls</em>) 2024. 5'11, 210 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='980874' first='Jacob' last='Schimek']</strong> (<em>St. Clair-Loyola</em>) 2024. 6'2, 215 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='973578' first='Jack' last='Ames']</strong> (<em>Hawley</em>) 2025. 6', 215 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-22470a86-ed1c-4eae-a027-a5f5c99ea211">Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='391542' first='Ethan' last='Larson']</strong> (<em>Barnesville</em>) 2024. 6'1, 200 lbs. - <strong>Haden Rosenow</strong> (<em>Kimball Area</em>) 2024. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1150016' first='Elijah' last='Claussen']</strong> <em>(Staples-Motley</em>) 2024. 6', 250 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-ce5ced97-1c20-4dc6-a9f3-675cc204a0a6">Third Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='519282' first='Kailan' last='Schott']</strong> (<em>Chatfield</em>) 2024. 6', 200 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='627969' first='Seth' last='Stai']</strong> (<em>Jackson County Central</em>) 2024. 5'10, 185 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='348670' first='Nick' last='Barrett']</strong> (<em>Cannon Falls</em>) 2024. 6', 205 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Defensive Back</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-04cddb5e-e588-4f8c-95b3-04a1f4f31cfb">First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='973742' first='Zach' last='Wickenhauser']</strong> (<em>Norwood Young America</em>) 2025. 6'1, 185 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='870646' first='Jett' last='Olson']</strong> (<em>Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg</em>) 2025. 5'10, 180 lbs. - <strong>Kyler Flunker </strong>(<em>Minnesota Valley Lutheran</em>) 2024. 6'1, 185 lbs. - <strong>Chad Schull</strong> (<em>Maple River</em>) 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-22470a86-ed1c-4eae-a027-a5f5c99ea211">Second Team: <strong>Joseph Skidmore</strong> (<em>St. Agnes</em>) 2024. 6'1, 185 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='551344' first='Dylan' last='Blount']</strong> (<em>St. Clair-Loyola</em>) 2024. 6'1, 185 lbs. - <strong>Luke Bieniek </strong>(<em>Holdingford</em>) 2025. 5'11, 180 lbs. - <strong>Nasir Dotts</strong> (<em>West Central Area</em>) 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-ce5ced97-1c20-4dc6-a9f3-675cc204a0a6">Third Team: <strong>Cooper Crandall</strong> (<em>International Falls</em>) 2025. 5'7, 160 lbs. - <strong>Amarus Harris</strong> (<em>Maple River</em>) 2025. 5'7, 155 lbs. - <strong>Nolan Morsching</strong> (<em>Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton</em>) 2024. 5'8, 150 lbs. -<strong> Tucker Renquist</strong> (<em>Windom Area</em>) 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Athlete</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-04cddb5e-e588-4f8c-95b3-04a1f4f31cfb">First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='945891' first='Gannon' last='Bolgrean']</strong> (<em>Barnesville</em>) 2025. 6', 175 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='706021' first='Caden' last='Sheff']</strong> (<em>Barnum</em>) 2024. 6'2, 170 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-22470a86-ed1c-4eae-a027-a5f5c99ea211">Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1202012' first='Ethan' last='Stendel']</strong> (<em>Caledonia</em>) 2025. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242449' first='Lewis' last='Doyle']</strong> (<em>Caledonia</em>) 2024. 6', 170 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-ce5ced97-1c20-4dc6-a9f3-675cc204a0a6">Third Team: <strong>Jesse Ortiz</strong> (<em>Medford</em>) 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Specialists</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Kicker: <strong>Antanas Martinaitis</strong> (<em>Holdingford</em>) 2024. 6'1, 190 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='234915' first='Nohel' last='Vivanco']</strong> (<em>Pipestone Area</em>) 2025. 5'6, 165 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Punter: <strong>Owen Mortenson</strong> (<em>Kimball Area</em>) 2025. 5'9, 155 lbs. - <strong>Jayden Kennedy</strong> (<em>Medford</em>) 2025. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Long Snapper: <strong>Magnus Swanson</strong> <em>(Cannon Falls</em>) 2025. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Returner: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='348669' first='Dylan' last='Banks']</strong> (<em>Cannon Falls</em>) 2024. 6', 200 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->