Stendel was only given 12 pass attempts during Caledonia’s Week 4 whooping over Cannon Falls, but he made the most of it throwing for 128 yards and 3 TDs compiling an extraordinary passer rating of 127.8. His impact also extended to the defensive side of the ball where Stendel managed to record 7 total tackles. Stendel and Caledonia are a scary team for anyone to face in the postseason.

Since emerging as the starting QB for Caledonia in 2022, Ethan Stendel Ethan Stendel 6'3" | 225 lbs | ATH Caledonia | 2025 State MN has been the real deal. Stendel had an excellent year in 2023, finishing with 1482 touchdowns, 12 touchdowns, and only 3 INTs, while adding 382 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Stendel throws an effortless deep ball, and shows brilliant touch on his passes. Stendel shows great accuracy on his sideline passes and hits his targets through tight windows. Beyond his passing capabilities, Stendel is a dangerous QB on the ground, showing great instincts when to scramble and run, and he isn’t afraid to fight for extra yardage. Stendel has already committed to play for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Stendel hopes to finish his senior year in Caledonia by leading his team to a state championship after finishing 10-1 last season.

Stendel throws what looks to be an effortless deep ball. He can push the ball downfield – with accuracy – as well as anyone in the state. Like many past Warriors’ quarterbacks, Stendel is just as good an athlete as a quarterback. When he tucks the ball away to run, he has good instincts and speed in the open field. He can use his legs to get out of trouble and buy time to use his big arm on the move, where he still can push the ball down the field. Stendel can play in the shotgun and under center – a skill becoming increasingly scarce. He is not afraid to take a hit as a runner or passer. That arm strength allows him to get the ball down the field accurately, even when a defender hits him in the chest.

Another big-time winner from the Gophers prospects camps, I am STOKED to have the one-and-only Caledonia Warriors firmly back in the upper echelons of the state’s recruiting scene. In hindsight, I absolutely should have trusted my gut more when evaluating Stendel’s tape and doing the rankings. I wanted him to be a Top 30 kid, as the tape and size really got my recruiting juices flowing, but I just couldn’t get myself to take that leap knowing next to nothing about the kid. I knew he was big, and I knew he was fast, but I didn’t have any available data on the kid, had never seen him live, and he plays QB for Caledonia, muddying the waters of his potential recruitment and where he fits at the next level. The moral of the story is never bet against Caledonia kids, and I won’t be making that mistake twice. Not sure how I missed him at the opening PJ Fleck RTB Prospect Camp, but his athleticism and movement skills were absolutely checking P4 boxes, as Stendel worked out for DC Corey Hetherman, impressing so much that Head Coach PJ Fleck and the Gophers staff so much that he left a P4 offeree and commit, verballing to Fleck immediately after receiving the offer. The tape shows off a kid with major juice as a ball carrier, displaying big-time burst and top-end speed, dynamic movement skills, and physicality. Generally, programs will put their best athlete at the QB spot, so although he’s going to have to get used to LB, the transition isn’t something I’m too worried. Major mover and shaker in the 2025 rankings, and if you know the type of kids Caledonia produces, it’s a safe bet that he’s going to find success at the next level. Go Warriors!