2025 Bemidji State Big School War on the Shore New Names

The 2025 Bemidji State Team Camp is one of the must-attend events of the chaotic Summer Camp SZN. Under the backdrop of a picturesque stadium view right on Lake Bemidji, the Beavers host both a Small School and Big School Team, the latter of which PrepRedzoneMN is stoked to attend to put an exclamation point on our 2025 summer camp circuit.   The likes of Forest Lake, Shakopee, Simley, Zimmerman, Holy Angels, Bemidji, Maple Grove, Eastview, Grand Rapids, Princeton, and Fargo South, from over the border in North Dakota, descended on the BSU Big School Team Camp for a chance to win the coveted War on the Shore title, with over 700 total prospects and some big-time talent such as [player_tooltip player_id='592117' first='Howie' last='Johnson'] (Forest Lake - Gophers commit), [player_tooltip player_id='212480' first='Blake' last='Betton'] (Shakopee - 6 P4 offers), [player_tooltip player_id='1452200' first='Nehemiah' last='Ombati'] (Shakpoee - NDSU, SDSU, UND offers), [player_tooltip player_id='1476059' first='Daniel' last='Devine'] (Holy Angels - NDSU commit), [player_tooltip player_id='489731' first='Kaden' last='Harney'] (Maple Grove - SDSU commit), [player_tooltip player_id='1255885' first='Matthew' last='Perusse'] (Maple Grove - Montana State commit), [player_tooltip player_id='1292632' first='Drew' last='Kessel'] (Fargo South - Minnesota, NDSU offers), and [player_tooltip player_id='592132' first='Brayden' last='Dozier'] (Maple Grove - NDSU commit), as well as dozens of DII commits and offerees, PrepRedzoneMN had your exclusive, front-seat view of one of the biggest camps in the Upper Midwest.   However, with all of the headlining talent, PrepRedzoneMN was able to put our scouting hat on - as always - and uncover some new names that we are very excited about going into the 2025 Minnesota regular season. Good showing, fellas!   --   New Names & Standouts   Logan McNear (Grand Rapids) 2028. QB/CB/ATH.   Listed at 6'4, 180 lbs. on his Twitter profile, Grand Rapids' rising sophomore Logan McNear was an eye-catching sight at the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp. Tall, lanky, long, and lean, McNear had a ridiculous amount of room to grow in, and the more I watched the rising sophomore, who held an already-big role in the Thunderhawks offensive attack and defensive prowess in 2025, the more I liked him. Running the Thunderhawks flexbone offense as the quarterback, McNear made good decisions with the football and had some juice when he tucked the ball and took off. His length, athleticism, and balance helped him step and work through tackle attempts at his lower body, and I also really enjoyed watching him play defensive back. Both as a cornerback or a safety, McNear was rangy, able to play man coverage on the perimeter, and was physical when called upon to tackle or set the edge. Welcome to the 2028 rankings Big Board, Logan! Update coming soon.   [player_tooltip player_id='1642886' first='Lucas' last='Jacobs'] (Holy Angels) 2027. DE/OT. 6'5, 250 lbs.   I cannot begin to describe how excited I am about [player_tooltip player_id='1642886' first='Lucas' last='Jacobs']. With the state's #1 OT Dajohn Yarborough off to hotter pastures in Arizona, there is a MASSIVE vacuum of talent, size, and recruiting prowess in the state's 2027 OL and DL class, but I think we have ourselves a frontrunner, folks. Like a fly drawn to a rural midnight streetlight, I saw Jacobs, as well as his soon-to-be-mentioned twin brother (see below), across the field of the Chet Anderson Stadium and bolted to them like my life depended on it. Looking just about all of his reported 6'5, 250 lbs., Jacobs was a hulking rising sophomore presence who was right in the middle of dominating some 6A competition in the 1v1 board drill, fully padded. Big, wide shoulders, a natural thickness in his build, and more room to fill in, Jacobs was in the running for one of the most physically impressive prospects of the over 700+ in attendance at the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp, and boy did he back it up on the field. Natural bend and flexibility in his hips, lead in his hands, and did a good job of staying home, reading and reacting, and finding the ball behind the LOS for disruptive run defense. Jacobs also displayed the ability to climb to the second level and was an earthmover at the point of attack as an OT. We'll be hearing about Jacobs and his brother on the recruiting trail soon enough!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Lucjacobs27/status/1953545823234797811 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1665771' first='Marcus' last='Jacobs'] (Holy Angels) 2027. OL/DL. 6'4, 235 lbs.   The second of the Jacobs twins, a duo of soon-to-be-breakout stars on the 2027 Big Board, Marcus was long, lean, and mean, with a ton of room to add weight and some excellent two-way versatility along the OL and DL. Jacobs, who had a good showing against some 6A opponents during board drill 1v1s, and he did a good job of finishing blocks with physicality, getting off the ball with urgency from the defensive line, and covering ground in run support. Not sure where Holy Angels found these two, but holy cow am I excited to get some film on these boys in a couple of weeks. Oozing with potential, to say the least.   [player_tooltip player_id='1629197' first='Will' last='Souba'] (Holy Angels) 2026. DE/TE. 6'2, 215 lbs.   Another Holy Angels Star who was new to the scene and has the chance to make some serious scholarship waves on the recruiting trail, rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='1629197' first='Will' last='Souba'] was a dog during padded scrimmages and team settings, when the reps mattered the most, and was a force on both sides of the ball during the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp. Despite the size, physicality, and dynamic ability, Souba is very-much under-the-radar, as he doesn't have a lick of film and was holding down a spot on our 2026 Watch List, so I think it's safe to say you are smelling a 2025 Breakout Star Candidate. From the multiple exposure points I got on the 215 lber. during the two day BSU camp, Souba proved himself to be a big and reliable target in the passing game, with quick cuts and footwork after the catch and a big, hulking presence after the catch and in the open field. He had a couple dazzling displays of elusiveness that got his teammates hyped, and later in the day, Souba started to assert himself defensively. In a scrimmage against Grand Rapids, I saw Souba make four tackles in a row, including a stuffed dive attempt and a drive-ending tackle behind the line of scrimmage. Strong, physical, and productive, I also saw the rising senior CRUSH a Zimmerman RB for one of the biggest hits of the session, making me even more excited about this massive dark horse in the 2026. Don't let him slip through the cracks like Isaiah Bird-Winston, a 2025 AHA grad bound for big things in the JUCO scene.   Cole Johnson (Maple Grove) 2026. DE. 6'4, 210 lbs.   A rising senior defensive linemen looking to fill in for the legendary 2025 Crimson class and its departure, Maple Grove's Cole Johnson has a good basketball background with an exciting frame to match, coming in somewhere around 6'4, 210 lbs. with noticeable length and muscle development given the frame. It screams upside, and Johnson also did a good job of asserting himself against some larger opponents during board drill 1v1s fully padded. Plus, he looked and played fast during positional drills and scrimmages, was strong at the point of attack as mentioned, and did a good job of reading OL blocking schemes in real time. Didn't get to see him in a ton of pass rushing situations, but given the type of athlete that be generated from a basketball/football background in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, I think DIIIs and DIIs should be on notice for the rising senior sleeper.   [player_tooltip player_id='1506709' first='Julian' last='Cipala'] (Maple Grove) 2028. DE.   I think we have a potential monster on our hands here, folks. Only a rising sophomore, Cipala was taking first team defensive reps with the defending 6A champs, and he's positioned himself for a healthy amount of varsity reps in 2025. No clue what he measures in at, but he looked around the same size as the aforementioned Cole Johnson, and holy cow does he have some long arms. Cipala has a frame that could grow into monstrous proportions as an upperclassmen. Not only did Cipala have a good showing during 1v1 board drill reps against rising seniors from his fellow Big School ranks at the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp, Cipala was productive and disruptive in both run and pass situations during 11v11 scrimmages, as he did a great job of using his hands to shock and shed blocking attempts, displayed a heckuva motor, and used his length effectively and advantageously in pass rush settings. I cannot wait to get this kid on the 2028 PrepRedzoneMN Big Board.   Eli Cherne (Grand Rapids) 2026. DE.   Sadly, I don't have a clue how big Grand Rapids stud 2026 DE Eli Cherne measures in at, but I can tell you he was the biggest kid on the Grand Rapids team at the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp and one of the biggest I saw throughout the two day affair up in the 218. If I had to guess, I'd say somewhere between 6'3-6'4 and 210 to 220 pounds, and he caught my eye walking back to sideline after the OL/DL group got done working at Chet Anderson Stadium. Not only was Cherne an eye-catcher, the under-the-radar senior was also quite effective holding down the edge as a 5T, showing physicality at the point of attack and heavy hands, as well as good balance and the ability to set the edge, shed blocks and make tackles behind the LOS, and get after the QB in pass defense. You heard it here first, Cherne looked like scholarship material at the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp.   Kobe Siemers (Fargo South, North Dakota) 2026. WR. 5'11, 165 lbs.   The lone North Dakotan to make this star-studded roster of breakout performers at the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp, rising senior wide receiver Kobe Siemers came into the camp as a complete darkhorse, having no tape publicly available except for a couple of 7v7 clips, but left as arguably the most effective wide receiver of the entire camp. Siemers was a fluid and controlled route runner who was impressively effective at creating separation at both the LOS and at the top of the route, and in addition to his soft and consistent hands, Siemers had some dynamite showings after the catch, using a combination of twitch and vision to break more than his fair share of tackles and create additional gains with ball in-hand. Additionally, the Fargo product could create explosive plays when working vertically, his 50/50 balls were also a plus, and he had some good reps as a defensive back to boot. Did someone say "Breakout Senior Season?"   Alex Knies (Forest Lake) 2027. OL. 6'3, 260 lbs.   As mentioned, there's as much of a wide open race in the rising junior OL class as I can remember, and more than ever, PrepRedzoneMN is on the lookout for new Hog Mollys who can fill that void. Well, Forest Lake's Alex Knies has a good shot of making some noise as the 6'3, 260 lb. LG was a roadgrader during the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp. Big, strong kid with great balance in both the run and pass game, Knies was opening some huge holes for his RBs in the run game specifically and set the tone at the point of attack for his Rangers. Additionally, the kid had a bit of a nasty streak, and was getting into it with some defenders and backing up his teammates in the trenches throughout the various scrimmages, including War on the Shore. One of the best OL on one of 6A's top rising offensive line units. Get to know the name now!   [player_tooltip player_id='1639114' first='Jack' last='Chelgren'] (Forest Lake) 2026. OL. 6'3, 260 lbs.   Another half of the physical, aggressive, and effective breakout newcomers from the Forest Lake OL at the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp, RT [player_tooltip player_id='1639114' first='Jack' last='Chelgren'] is going into his second year as the starter on the Rangers offensive line, and his experience and size showed up in some big ways during team scrimmages at the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp. Heavy hands, did a good job of keeping a clean pocket against some of the Team Camp's top pass rushers, and has honed his skills and technique against 4star pass-rusher and Gophers commit [player_tooltip player_id='592117' first='Howie' last='Johnson']. Forest Lake is going to make some noise in 2025, and Chelgren is going to be a lynchpin.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/JackChelgren_71/status/1899969133959098536 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1688607' first='Jacob' last='Rehfeld'] (Forest Lake) 2026. TE. 6'3, 200 lbs.   There was a strong TE contingent that descended on the 2025 Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp, and one of the best in attendance goes to 6'3, 200 lber. [player_tooltip player_id='1688607' first='Jacob' last='Rehfeld']. A consistent pass-catching option for his Rangers offensive attack, Rehfeld always seemed to be open, and he was able to stick his cleat in the ground to work vertical with consistently, always moving the chains and getting upfield. His length and body control were an asset in his catch radius as well as after the catch, and Rehfeld didn't mind sticking his head into the trenches as a run blocker, using physicality and good technique to help open holes out on the edge for his RBs.   Wyatt Tverstol (Bemidji) 2027. TE. 6'5, 210 lbs.   There are some D1 names on this list, and amongst the studs, Bemidji TE Wyatt Tverstol may have been my favorite new find from the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp. A stud RHP for the Lumberjacks baseball team, Tverstol looked and played like a potential D1 TE down the line. With an absurd amount of room to grow and fill in, the rising junior was one of the biggest, most consistent, and most dangerous pass-catching options at the entire camp. A huge target with the catch radius to match, Tverstol caught everything I saw come his way, contested or not, and his speed and route running capability had DBs shook while trying to cover the TE, much less break up a pass at the catch point. His soft hands became physical and useful in the run game as a blocker, and he was a tough kid who took a ton of reps and came up big in a variety of situations, including against 6A Minnesota opponents. With the tradition and prowess of multi-sport talent that Minnesota regularly produces, as well all the other strengths I just mentioned, don't be surprised when you see Tverstol make a high debut on the PrepRedzoneMN 2027 Big Board.   [player_tooltip player_id='1752265' first='Brooks' last='Rohne'] (Forest Lake) 2027. SAF. 5'10, 160 lbs.   Boy do I love me a good tackler, and I think Forest Lake's rising junior safety [player_tooltip player_id='1752265' first='Brooks' last='Rohne'] was maybe the best at the 2025 Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp. My first look at Rohne came in a round-robin scrimmage tourney on the second day of the camp, where he was absolutely lighting up the competition, proving himself as the hardest hitter at the scrimmage and showing off a ton of pop for his size. Not only is Rohne a thumper, he's also a fantastic open-field tackler, does a good job of running the alley and is rangy in run support, and he did a good job in man coverage out of the slot, which came in handy in a big defensive rep and stop during the War on the Shore. Welcome to the rankings, Brooks! I like watching you play football.   AJ Degerstrom (Forest Lake) 2026. LB. 5'9, 205 lbs.   A brick wall of a Forest Lake OLB, rising senior AJ Degerstrom is poised for a big year in the 6A defensive ranks. A frame that is built to set the edge and create havoc in the prep football ranks, Degerstrom was one of the toughest kids in attendance at the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp, as well as one of the hardest hitters. With his thick frame and natural leverage advantage, Degerstrom cracked off one of the biggest collisions I saw at the camp, putting a Shakopee RB flat on his butt thanks to a beautifully angled pop, and he overall had a nose for the football and did a great job of banging pads, beating blocks, and stuffing RBs rep to rep, scrimmage to scrimmage. Top Performer as well as a New Name to Know!   [player_tooltip player_id='1879673' first='Derrick' last='Loomis'] (Forest Lake) 2027. LB. 5'10, 210 lbs.   One of my favorite linebackers at the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp, as well as the last Forest Lake standout, rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1879673' first='Derrick' last='Loomis'] had a strong, thick, stout build that looked like it was built for run defense, and Loomis he proved he was one of the baddest, as well as productive, throughout the 2+ days of competition. Loomis' vision was on full display throughout the 11v11 scrimmages, as he made some beautiful reads and stops throughout the competition, and his overall flow to the ball was smooth and exciting to watch. Loomis, when he made contact with ball carriers, also consistently won at the gain line, and he also used his natural leverage advantage and lower body strength to work up and under blocking attempts from climbing guards and centers. Loomis was a monster run defender in the box with the sideline-to-sideline range to match. Should be a big year for the rising junior!   Owen Vandermeer (Bemidji) QB. 2027. 6'2, 170 lbs.   We got an exciting new name to know in the 2027 QB class, folks! Bemidji has a very intriguing roster going into the 2025 season, and it also helps to have some QB seasoning, which is exactly what Vandermeer got thrown into last fall as a sophomore. Vandermeer got better and better as the Bemidji State War on the Shore Team Camp wore on, honing in on his accuracy and decision-making to help Bemidji make a big-time push in the War on the Shore finale of the camp. Vandermeer had a live arm that threw a couple beautiful deep balls throughout the padded 11v11 scrimmages, and he really began to show off his mobility was competition heated up. The 6'2, 170 lber. was able to make accurate throws on the move, as well as tuck the ball, make tacklers miss, and create splash plays with his legs as a runner. Bemidji State was watching him closely, as they should have been, and given the command of the offense, ability to rise to the moment and bright lights, and ability to distribute the ball accurately to all three levels of the field trend towards Vandermeer having a big junior season with the 'Jacks. The lights are only going to get brighter from now on, Owen!   Matty Mcgrath (Eastview) 2026. WR. 5'8, 150 lbs.   Undersized? Sure. Unassuming? I guess. Baller? You bet your butt. Eastview's Matty Mcgrath is the Lightning's returning WR1 going into 2025, and he showed why at the 2025 Bemidji State War on the Shore Big School Team Camp. Mcgrath was absolutely cooking throughout the two days of competition, and that was on both sides of the ball, as he was fast, twitchy, and a knack for a big play, routinely finding himself in good positions around the football, as well as absurdly open more than a few times. Mcgrath was a smooth, quick route runner who made one of the biggest plays of the entire 2025 Bemidji State War on the Shore Big School Team Camp during the War on the Shore finale, beating a D1 defensive back commit to get open in the back of the endzone for a huge TD catch and win during winner-goes-home 11v11 action. Ballhawk, route runner, playmaker, Mcgrath was on fire in the 218 and should have himself a productive senior season with his Lightning. Don't sleep!   Vicente Elustondo (Simley) 2026. LB. 5'10, 220 lbs.   Simley, despite the 4A classification was really flexing their muscle at the 2025 Bemidji State War on the Shore Big School Team Camp. With size in the trenches and some real-deal athletes in the skill spots, Simley was flying around full-throttle up in the 218, and things were led in the middle of their second-level by rising senior linebacker Vicente Elustondo. A broad, thick, and powerful 220ish pounder, Elustondo was built like a run-stuffer, and he proved he was more than up to the task against 6A offensive lines, smashing his face into OL chests, using his hands to shock and shed, and consistently plug gaps between the tackles. A good blitzer with some quickness and finesse to his game, Elustondo made some key stops for his Spartans when it mattered most during War on the Shore, including a couple goal-line tackles, and given the frame and instincts, I'm interested to see how close to that 100 tackle mark Elustondo can sniff this fall.   --

The 2025 Bemidji State Team Camp is one of the must-attend events of the chaotic Summer Camp SZN. Under the backdrop of a picturesque stadium view right on Lake Bemidji, the Beavers host both a Small School and Big School Team, the latter of which PrepRedzoneMN is stoked to attend to put an exclamation point on our 2025 summer camp circuit.