Minnesota’s 2023 Class 5A Preseason All-State Team: Defense/ST

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First off, I'd like to apologize for the lateness in this Preseason All-State Team. A collusion of events, both professionally and personally, made my summer the most hectic of my life, and I hope you guys can forgive me for not being timely in the publishing of these big-school All-State teams. Taking over the Illinois rankings, getting married and going on my honeymoon, moving, and a few more life events has pushed these teams into the season, but I'd like to think it's better late than never, and these boys named to Minnesota's 2023 Class 5A Preseason All-State Defensive and Special Teams squad absolutely deserve recognition for their efforts as juniors and into the offseason. This is an especially loaded Defense and ST team, with big-time scholarship talent at every position on the defensive and in the special teams game and a diverse range of graduating classes and programs represented. I've already taken enough of your time in this intro however, get to know Minnesota's 2023 Class 5A Preseason All-State Defensive and Special Teams squad below. Congratulations to the selections, hard work pays off and it's been a heckuva 2023 season already. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Preseason Class 5A Preseason Player of the Year: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='138248' first='Wyatt' last='Gilmore']</strong> (<em>Rogers</em>) Senior. DE/TE. Committed to Oklahoma </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Preseason Class 5A Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='105369' first='Sam' last='Macy']</strong> (<em>Chanhassen</em>) Senior. EDGE. Committed to Minnesota </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-- </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">First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='138248' first='Wyatt' last='Gilmore'] </strong>(<em>Rogers</em>) 2024. 6'4, 250 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242416' first='Max' last='Mogelson']</strong> (<em>Two Rivers</em>) 2024. 6'3, 280 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242410' first='Langden' last='College'] </strong>(<em>Robbinsdale Armstrong</em>) 2024. 6'4, 215 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='105408' first='Adrian' last='Onyiego'] </strong>(<em>Rogers</em>) 2024. 6'2, 200 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242397' first='Lucas' last='Caron']</strong> (<em>Bemidji</em>) 2024. 6'5, 250 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='945933' first='Denim' last='Blackstad']</strong> (<em>Mankato West</em>) 2025. 6'3, 225 lbs. - <strong>Adam Fluekiger</strong> (<em>Monticello</em>) 2024. 6'4, 240 lbs. - <strong>Grant Lower</strong> (<em>Owatonna</em>) 2024. 6'4, 270 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Third Team: <strong>Ben Bauer</strong> (<em>Monticello</em>) 2024. 6'2, 260 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='909160' first='Miles' last='Prochnow']</strong> (<em>Rochester Century</em>) 2024. 6'2, 270 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='551427' first='Sawyer' last='Rumohr']</strong> (<em>Alexandria</em>) 2024. 6'3, 245 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1149981' first='Henry' last='Novak']</strong> (<em>New Prague</em>) 2024. 6'4, 205 lbs. - <strong>Dominic</strong> <strong>Castagnetto </strong>(<em>Chanhassen</em>) 2024. </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-7ece8d7b-e290-4b0b-b32e-f5834a92f848">First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242494' first='Dylan' last='Gross']</strong> (<em>Brainerd</em>) 2024. 6'2, 220 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='105369' first='Sam' last='Macy']</strong> (<em>Chanhassen</em>) 2024. 6'5, 230 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='362273' first='Emmanuel' last='Karmo']</strong> (<em>Robbinsdale Cooper</em>) 2025. 6'3, 210 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='362299' first='Josh' last='Wedel']</strong> (<em>Chaska</em>) 2025. 6'5, 235 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-52b40744-eb2e-40c4-8524-9914ff2c493f">Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='945922' first='Kaleb' last='Weikel']</strong> (<em>Andover</em>) 2025. 6'2, 220 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='629433' first='Logan' last='Bunker']</strong> (<em>Elk River</em>) 2024. 6'1, 200 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='706017' first='Torrin' last='Smith'] </strong>(<em>Owatonna</em>) 2024. 6', 220 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='706016' first='Nolan' last='Radtke']</strong> (<em>Rochester John Marshall</em>) 2024. 6'2, 215 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-ff220d4e-7015-4079-85e1-355ccb3799b8">Third Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='677748' first='Palmer' last='Willegalle']</strong> (<em>Rogers</em>) 2024. 6', 205 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='368594' first='Austin' last='Koep']</strong> (<em>Northfield</em>) 2024. 6'3, 210 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242478' first='Enoch' last='Dablaka']</strong> (<em>Bloomington Kennedy</em>) 2024. 6'1, 165 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='992967' first='Ben' last='Peterson']</strong> (<em>Andover</em>) 2024. 6'3, 220 lbs. - <strong>Vincent Zeyen </strong>(<em>Hastings</em>) 2024. 6'1, 190 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-7ece8d7b-e290-4b0b-b32e-f5834a92f848">First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='250928' first='William' last='Washington']</strong> (<em>Apple Valley</em>) 2024. 5'11, 170 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='743247' first='Brody' last='Koberoski']</strong> (<em>Mankato West</em>) 2024. 6'1, 180 lbs. - <strong>Tate McDonald</strong> (<em>Waconia</em>) 2024. 6'2, 180 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='241915' first='Obe' last='Eyafe'] </strong>(<em>Andover</em>) 2024. 6'3, 195 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-52b40744-eb2e-40c4-8524-9914ff2c493f">Second Team: <strong>Tyler Smith</strong> (<em>Chanhassen</em>) 2024. 6'1, 185 lbs. - <strong>Zach Ladu</strong> (<em>Rochester John Marshall</em>) 2024. 6'4, 175 lbs. - <strong>Sean Holbrook</strong> (<em>Brainerd</em>) 2024. 6'1, 190 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='241912' first='Isaac' last='Davis'] </strong>(<em>Park Center</em>) 2024. 5'11, 185 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-ff220d4e-7015-4079-85e1-355ccb3799b8">Third Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='105414' first='Damarius' last='Fletcher']</strong> (<em>St. Cloud Tech)</em> 2024. 5'10, 180 lbs. - <strong>Tony Kruse </strong>(<em>St. Louis Park</em>) 2024. 6'2, 180 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='470809' first='Luke' last='Dehnicke']</strong> (<em>Andover</em>) 2024. 6'4, 205 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='368533' first='Owen' last='Beyer']</strong> (<em>Owatonna</em>) 2024. 5'11, 170 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Honorable Mention: <strong>John Hagen</strong> (<em>Brainerd</em>) 2024. 6'1, 160 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1120574' first='Randy' last='Kweyete']</strong> (<em>Park Center)</em> 2025. 6'3, 185 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242377' first='Peter' last='Douma'] </strong>(<em>St. Paul Highland Park)</em> 2024. 6'2 ,185 lbs. - <strong>Francisco Fernandez</strong> (<em>Spring Lake Park</em>) 2024. 5'10, 160 lbs. </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-7ece8d7b-e290-4b0b-b32e-f5834a92f848">First Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='234761' first='Luke' last='Emmerich']</strong> (<em>Monticello</em>) 2025. 6'3, 190 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-52b40744-eb2e-40c4-8524-9914ff2c493f">Second Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='641139' first='Allan' last='Lankfard'] </strong>(<em>St. Paul Central)</em> 2025. 6'1, 190 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='945918' first='Aijhon' last='Douglas']</strong> (<em>St. Paul Harding/Humboldt</em>) 2025. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-ff220d4e-7015-4079-85e1-355ccb3799b8">Third Team: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242487' first='Marcus' last='Lomanga'] </strong>(<em>Bloomington Jefferson</em>) 2024. 6'2, 215 lbs. </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>Daniel Jackson (</strong><em>Alexandria</em>) 2025. 5'9, 165 lbs. - <strong>Carter Smith</strong> (<em>Spring Lake Park</em>) 2024. 6'1, 180 lbs. - <strong>Alex Akim </strong>(<em>Mankato West</em>) 2024. 5'10, 205 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='877463' first='Satchel' last='Johnson']</strong> (<em>New Prague</em>) 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Punter: <strong>Daniel Jackson</strong> (<em>Alexandria</em>) 2025. 5'9, 165 lbs. -<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='677771' first='Emerson' last='Droubie']</strong> (<em>Cambridge-Isanti)</em> 2025. 6'5, 200 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Long Snapper: <strong>Jack Caron</strong> (<em>Bemidji</em>) 2025. 5'11, 200 lbs. - <strong>Logan Granroth</strong> <em>(St. Francis)</em> 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Returner: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='241915' first='Obe' last='Eyafe'] </strong>(<em>Andover</em>) 2024. 6'3, 195 lbs. - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='945918' first='Aijhon' last='Douglas']</strong> (<em>St. Paul Harding/Humboldt</em>) 2025. - <strong>Dmario</strong> <strong>Davenport </strong>(<em>Andover</em>) 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->