2026 Team Preview: MOC-Floyd Valley Dutchmen

Over the last 4 seasons, MOC-Floyd Valley has maintained a steady presence as a solid unit within the 3A conference, posting at least 5+ wins in each of the last 4 years. The Dutchmen are coming off a 5-4 campaign in 2025 that was highlighted with an upset win over Algona. The Dutchmen have undergone serious roster turnover this offseason with the departure of a strong senior class, including star RB Dylan Maasdam. The 2026 season may be a challenging one for the Dutchmen to keep up the pace, but they retain plenty of starters and promising talent that should keep them very much alive in the conference.   We take a look today at 7 players that should lead the way for the Dutchmen in 2026!    An immediate standout as an all-purpose threat, [player_tooltip player_id='1688992' first='Hudson' last='Kleinhesselink'] has endured himself as a promising playmaker for the Dutchmen going forward. Seeing playing time primarily on defense and special-teams, Kleinhesselink recorded 22 tackles and a TFL on defense, caught 9 passes for 135 yards and a TD, added 66 rushing yards (5.5 YPC), and recorded 331 kick return yards (27.6 yards per return) and a kick return TD as a sophomore. A stud who's game is best defined by his speed, Kleinhesselink is reported to have run a 4.5 40 yard time and a 11.02 100 yard meter time, and that kind of speed will make him dangerous nearly every time the ball is in his hands. The Dutchmen will certainly be looking for ways to get the ball in his hands as much as possible entering his junior season.     Making his presence known as a three-way threat at LB, RB, and TE, [player_tooltip player_id='2101647' first='Henry' last='Heller'] is another oncoming junior who brings a lot to the table for the Dutchmen. Heller finished with 149 yards on 13 receptions and 2 TDs while adding 111 rushing yards (10.1 YPC) and a rushing TD. Defensively, he ranked 3rd on the team with 42.5 tackles, 3 TFLs, a sack, and an INT. Heller's size and athleticism may make him more suited to play at the former two positions, but he is capable of being effective in both maneuvering through the LOS as the ball-carrier as well as lining out wide and burning the secondary for a long pass. Heller's versatility also flashes as a solid OLB, with plenty of speed and strength to hold the edge, and also flashes special teams value in coverage units. Heller will have a huge presence for the Dutchmen in 2026.     [player_tooltip player_id='1699602' first='Albear' last='Van Zee'] saw limited playing time in his junior season, but gave plenty of flashes that could see him play a prominent role at WR and CB in 2026. Van Zee led the team with 171 receiving yards on 12 receptions. He also recorded 12.5 tackles, a TFL, 3 PBUs, and an INT. A flexible and dynamic athlete who possesses plenty of range and mechanics that could excel greatly at the next level, including long, fast strides, great vertical leaping ability to high-point passes, and a lengthy wingspan to gain separation and win 1-on-1 whether it's on offense or defense. Van Zee holds a D1 offer from Drake, and a strong senior showing should certainly yield several more offers to play at that level.     [player_tooltip player_id='2255718' first='Burke' last='Uhl'] is one of the most productive defenders from the Dutchmen that will be returning to the starting lineup in 2026. Uhl finished 2nd on the team with 44.5 tackles along with 6 TFLs and 1.5 sacks. As a Fullback, Uhl added a rushing TD on offense. A solid plug in the middle of the defense, Uhl proves to be effective containing the box and shutting down the run game, playing low, showing solid lateral movement, and being able to surge through gaps to disrupt the run and pass. Uhl should remain to be a vital cog for the defense as he enters his senior season.     His older brother Carson served as the starting QB for the Dutchmen last season, and now [player_tooltip player_id='2202677' first='Chase' last='Carmichael'] is expected to have a much bigger role for the Dutchmen in 2026. Carmichael finished 2nd on the team with 198 rushing yards (7.6 YPC) and a rushing TD last season, and he is slated to become the No. 1 RB on the depth chart with the departure of Maasdam this offseason. He also added 17.5 tackles and a TFL on defense. Carmichael flashes the skills necessary to handle the pressure of taking over the vacant starting RB position, possessing plenty of speed and agility to be able to cut and change direction quickly while also being able to surge through the line and break away from the defense for long runs. Carmichael may quickly grow into a central piece for the offense entering his junior season.     While he lacks much for film currently, [player_tooltip player_id='2120891' first='Ryker' last='Slemp'] already garners attention with his ideal size and strength to become a mainstay on the trenches for the Dutchmen entering his sophomore season. Listed at both LT and DE, Slemp has seen more playing time currently on the OL, being able to move well and stay in the center of his defender, being able to kick out on a pin pull block to open a running lane outside the perimeter. His pass-pro skillset remains unknown, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Slemp become a starter on the varsity line for the Dutchmen in 2026, where we could see plenty of opportunities for his growth and development as a potentially elite OL prospect in the makings.     Rounding out this list is [player_tooltip player_id='2255730' first='Parker' last='Plathe'], another player who didn't see a ton of playing time last season, but flashes versatility playing at both DE and DT as a junior. Plathe recorded 4.5 tackles, 0.5 TFLs, and a fumble recovery during his junior season. The obvious standout characteristic for Plathe is being able to play in multiple positions on the defensive-line, and while he could certainly benefit with some mass and strength to consistently win on his matchups, Plathe shows plenty of potential to be a steady cog in shutting down the run-game. Plathe will likely enter his senior season on the starting lineup for the Dutchmen, and it will be intriguing to see how well he will perform in the varsity group.

Over the last 4 seasons, MOC-Floyd Valley has maintained a steady presence as a solid unit within the 3A conference, posting at least 5+ wins in each of the last 4 years. The Dutchmen are coming off a 5-4 campaign in 2025 that was highlighted with an upset win over Algona. The Dutchmen have undergone serious roster turnover this offseason with the departure of a strong senior class, including star RB Dylan Maasdam. The 2026 season may be a challenging one for the Dutchmen to keep up the pace, but they retain plenty of starters and promising talent that should keep them very much alive in the conference.