Week 6 Small School Ballers

Continuing my coverage of Week 6 of the 2025 prep football season, I've found a handful of talented athletes from some of the smaller schools in southern MN. There are kids from three graduating classes represented, each with a fantastic performance last Friday night. Enjoy!   RB: Nick Thein, 5'10" 170 lbs, Pine Island 2026   Thein has been having a fantastic senior season, and that success continued during a 48-0 routing of Austin to make Pine Island a perfect 6-0 on the season. He took only 11 carries for 95 yards and managed to tie his season high of 4 rushing TDs. When you dive into his tape, you can't help but be impressed. The kid is quick and always seems to find an open running lane, no matter how dire the situation. He's a slippery ball carrier and has found his way out of the wash more than once, often breaking multiple tackles along the way. Pine Island is legit, and Thein is a big part of their success this season.   QB/LB: Will Allen, 5'10" 150 lbs, Caledonia 2026   Allen had his most explosive game to date last week when he lit up the stat sheet in a 34-0 win over Randolph. He went 10/17 (58.8%) for a season high 210 yards, 2 TDs, and finished the night with a stellar passer rating of 117.3. He also had 9 rushes for 62 yards, he found the endzone one more time with his legs, and recorded two tackles on defense. He throws a nice ball and is a fluid athlete with a ton of positional versatility for play at the next level. Keep an eye out for Allen.   WR: Grant King, 6'2", Caledonia 2028   King is currently a bit of an enigma. He reeks potential, listed at 6'2" as a sophomore with no weight to be found, but is constantly finding his way to make an impact in-game. He's got game time as both a QB and as a WR, but has seen a ton of success as a wideout recently. Against Randolph, he caught 7 balls, the most on the team by a country mile, for 84 yards and 2 TDs. From the little tape he does have, you can tell he's an explosive runner who is a danger when he finds green. King is known as a basketball prospect right now, but I like his chances to emerge as one of the top 2028 prospects in small-town ball.   LB/RB: Tyson Ginther, Caledonia 2027   Another Caledonia athlete I really wish I could find measurables on, junior LB Tyson Ginther, had a fantastic performance against Randolph last Friday night. He recorded 7 total tackles, the second most for him on the season, but what really caught my eye was the 54-yard interception he returned for a touchdown in the second quarter. He also managed to punch in a TD from the 2-yard line early on in the game. Ginther is an athlete whom I look forward to finding out more about.   LB/RB: [player_tooltip player_id='1257224' first='Tristan' last='Zingler'], 6'1" 220 lbs, Randolph 2026   There is a lot to love about Zingler as an athletic prospect. 2x state wrestling entrant, 2x football All-District, 1x baseball All-Section and All-Conference, he really gets it done everywhere, and has the frame to be immensely successful at the next level. He's been one of Randolph's best defenders this season, and in Week 6, he recorded 9 total tackles, 1 TFL, and his first forced fumble of the year. He also took 21 carries for 38 yards. When you dive into his midseason film, it's hard not to be impressed with how downhill Zingler plays. He tackles low and can plug up runs up the middle with the best of them. Zingler would make a great addition to a lot of MIAC squads.   QB: Daulton Bauer, 5'10" 150 lbs, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 2026   Bauer has put together some fantastic performances throughout his senior year, and he repeated that success in a dominating 53-8 win over Medford last week. Bauer went 7/9 (77.8%) for 140 yards, 2 passing TDs, and a perfect 158.3 passer rating. He's been one of the better QBs not just in his section, but in AA as a whole this season. When Bauer has success, JWP is a very dangerous team. They will be a fun squad to watch come playoffs, especially if Bauer keeps playing like this.   ATH: [player_tooltip player_id='1688603' first='Matthew' last='Gehrke'], 5'11" 205 lbs, New London-Spicer 2026   Gehrke was all over the field for New London-Spicer last week. He caught 3 balls for 32 yards and a TD, but had an even bigger impact on the defensive side of the ball, where he recorded 10 total tackles, the second most for him this season. He's got a ton of tape out right now, and on it, Gehrke showcases solid instincts, the ability to fight through offensive linemen, and some hard hits across the middle. He's got a nose for the ball and always seems to make the right read defensively. A lot to like out of the NLS senior.   RB: Raydon Graham, 5'5" 155 lbs, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 2026   Graham had one of his best games of his senior campaign during Week 6, carrying the rock a season high 22 times en route to a 20-7 win over New London Spicer. He rushed for 100 yards and was the Lakers' primary driving offensive force throughout the game. He's an accomplished wrestler capable of handling a substantial workload, and if HLWW goes on a streaky playoff run, it will likely be due to Graham's effort carrying the rock.

Continuing my coverage of Week 6 of the 2025 prep football season, I've found a handful of talented athletes from some of the smaller schools in southern MN. There are kids from three graduating classes represented, each with a fantastic performance last Friday night. Enjoy!