Section 1, Class 2A football looks to be a slugfest again in '26

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Sep. 3—Section 1, Class 2A football turned into a slugfest in 2025. It was as wide-open and competitive of a section as there was in the state.

Five of the seven teams in the section finished the regular season at or better than .500, and the top two seeds were defeated on their home fields in the section semifinals. The No. 3 seed won the section championship, which should actually be no surprise considering it was …

It was rinse and repeat in 2025 for the Warriors, who finished 9-3 overall and won their 15th section championship in 20 years.

The Warriors allowed a section-best 11.3 points per game, and will again feature playmakers all over the field. That group includes two of the best juniors in southeastern Minnesota and the state — defensive lineman Max Schmitz (57 tackles, 8 sacks) and linebacker Cooper Allen (114 total tackles, 2 forced fumbles).

Senior wide receiver/linebacker Coby Hammell is a talented two-way player. The University of North Dakota commit had 21 catches for 415 yards and 5 touchdowns last fall, and on defense he recorded 28 tackles, 2 sacks and 1 interception.

Grant King, who is also an excellent safety, could take over at QB after Will Allen graduated, though King was Caledonia's top receiver last fall, catching 30 passes for 541 yards and 8 TDs.

Among the team's other returners who could play key roles are seniors Jacob Klug (WR/DB), Tyson Ginther (OL/LB) and Bo Knutson (WR/LB), and juniors Chase Hauser (RB/DB), Logan Luttchens and Colin Stemper.

The Warriors will again have a solid ground game. Hauser (6.6) and Knutson (6.7) both averaged more than 6 yards per rush.

Ginther (55 tackles) and Knutson (51 tackles) were both among the team's top five tacklers in 2025, while Klug had 34 tackles and was second on the team with three interceptions.

Long-time Warriors head coach Carl Fruechte said his team's strengths season should be strength and speed.

"I love our schedule," he added. "A lot of great teams to play!"

The Gophers (6-3) started strong a year ago, winning their first six games and earning the No. 1 seed in the section playoffs.

Coach Jeff Johnson's team has a strong — physical and experienced — core group of players back who saw significant time last year and expect to have big seasons this year. That includes seniors OT/DE Sean Kirchner (4 sacks), QB Carter Ask, TE/LB/K Ross Stoehr and FB/LB Ezra Schild; and juniors WR/S Logan Pearson, RB/LB Hunter Polikowsky, OL/DL Corbin Horsman and OL/LB Eli Manahan.

Ask, a senior, passed for 628 yards and 8 TDs in district play last year. He leads a deep QB group that also includes junior Brandt McBroom and sophomore Nolan Happel. "Carter is returning and should have a big year," Johnson said. "(McBroom and Happel) provide some huge depth. It will be a competitive room."

Pearson will provide an excellent target for Ask; Johnson calls Pearson "electric" at the receiver position. He'll step in for graduated star Kaisen Johnson as the primary pass-catcher.

Polikowsky will take over as the lead back in the Gophers' offense, after the graduation of the district's leading rusher, D'Andre Williams (114 att., 813 yards, 7 TDs). He'll run behind a powerful line, led by Kirchner and Horsman.

Happel and Brenden Kobs played extensively late last season as freshmen, after the Gophers were decimated by injuries. That experience will prove valuable for both this fall, as they step into bigger roles.

The Eagles finished 4-5 a year ago, winning three of their final four regular season games, but that was only good enough for the No. 5 seed in an ultra-competitive section.

The good news for D-E fans: They return some serious playmakers and some grit and experience along both lines.

Up front, senior Josh Wingert, a three-year starter at center, will anchor the line for coach Jon Hauswald's crew. He'll be joined by junior Boden Draper as starters on both sides of the ball. Draper had 44 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and 1 sack in 2025.

Senior Jace Drilling returns as D-E's starting quarterback after playing running back (29 att., 172 yards, 2 TDs) last fall. He also is one of the top safeties in the district and section, having recorded 51 tackles and 1 interception.

Senior receiver/linebacker Joel Skrukrud is another of the best all-around athletes in the district. He had 51 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 2 1/2 sacks, while also catching 25 passes for 325 yards and 3 TDs. Another senior WR/LB, Owen Ihrke (64 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 sack) returns, as does senior RB/DB Caden Haag (20 rushes, 183 yards, 2 TDs).

Hauswald said he is impressed by the Eagles' team speed, their depth at the skill positions and the athleticism he has seen up and down the roster.

Among the players who could step into bigger roles this fall: seniors Owen Wallace (WR/CB), Cole Sizer (WR/DB), Rowan Flaby (WR/DB), and juniors Blake Nordine (RB/DB), Garrett Myers (OL/DL), Garrett Mueller (WR/DB) and Aidan Pristash (LB).

The Eagles made a somewhat surprising run — though not all that surprising, considering they went 6-4 overall and beat top-seeded Chatfield on the road in the section semifinals — before falling to Caledonia in the section final.

The Eagles return a strong core group from that team that is committed to making another postseason run.

Perhaps most importantly, Lourdes returns five linemen with starting experience (four on offense) on one or both sides of the ball: Michael Love, Luke Roth, Akol Manyang, Henry Carroll and Sam Week.

They'll protect senior QB Chase Carroll, who doubles as the Eagles' starting safety. Elijah Hust is expected to be the primary ball carrier, but the Eagles always rely on more than one. Sam Wackel will be another running back to watch, and he could make a big impact defensively, too, at middle linebacker.

Gabe Quinones and Michael Seeger return as receivers and defensive backs, and Isaac Halverson is also expected to be a big contributor at safety.

Sophomore kicker Ben Seeger adds a special-teams advantage, too. He was 22-for-23 on PAT kicks and made his lone field goal last fall from 27 yards, though his range extends well beyond that.

"Our schedule is difficult again," head coach Mike Kesler said, "but that's the case for everyone because this is football in southeastern Minnesota. We are excited to watch this team compete, they've worked hard and they are excited about playing under the lights."

Second-year Trojans head coach Robbie Strand is optimistic and enthusiastic about the new season for one primary reason — a reason that any high school football coach would be optimistic:

"Our experience, especially up front, will be what we lean on the most," Strand said. "We have some really good athletes up front but our depth and experience is what we hope we can lean on in the trenches."

R-P has four linemen back with extensive experience on defense and offense: seniors Chace Drazkowski and Brode Vickerman, and juniors Jeremiah Kuss and Levi Kammerer. Senior Holden Lee and junior Tanner Thesing will also be in the rotation on one or both sides of the ball.

R-P has some talented athletes back elsewhere on the field. Senior QB/DB Creighton Hoiness rarely leaves the field. He's also one of the best kickers in the section, helping the Trojans win the field position battle by booming 21 punts for a 35.1-yard average last year.

The Trojans' other top returning players include seniors LB/TE Cole Thompson, RB/DB Carson Johnson, RB/LB Owen Lange, and junior RB/LB Jaxon Johnson.

Among the upperclassmen moving into bigger roles this season are senior RB/DB Ryken Anderson, and juniors QB/DB Ayden Garrett, RB/DB Tahven Pepin, RB/DB Alex Oian, and RB/LB Colton Hotning, and sophomore RB/DB Matthew Gudmundson.

R-P went 3-6 a year ago, including a win against section champion Caledonia, as well as two tight one-score losses, against section runner-up Lourdes and St. Charles.

"There is no light week in our schedule," Strand said. "We'll have to make sure we bring it every week and hopefully we are battle tested by end of the year into the playoffs."

The Saints (2-7) have a new head coach this season, but one who is quite familiar with football in southeastern Minnesota and Section 1-2A. Riley Stejskal takes over this fall for long-time head coach Matt Reinhardt, and Stejskal said he knows the Saints will have to be ready at kickoff time every week.

"When you're in a Section with Chatfield, Caledonia, and Triton it has to be one of the toughest around," Stejskal said. "But that's what you get when you play football in Southeast Minnesota, you get the best of the best every week. There are no weeks off with our schedule. We need to be prepared every week in order to compete!"

The Saints lost seven of their 11 starters on both sides of the ball, but Stejskal said he's been impressed with the way the veteran players have taken charge.

"We will need several guys to step in and produce immediately," Stejskal said. "We have a group of seniors that are leading by example and pushing kids to their limits. (They're) organizing captains' practices and wanting to make the most out of their final high school season."

Among those top returning players are seniors Zack Zanto (OL/DL), Briggs Dorman (TE/LB), Moxen Decker (OL/DL), Jackson Vermilya (LB/ATH) and Benett Boyum (TE/LB).

Senior Brayden Mueller and junior Nick Butson battled throughout fall camp for the QB job, while Vermilya, senior Bryce Shea and junior Cam Haley will share running back duties.

The obvious piece missing for the Cobras this fall is perhaps the best all-around athlete in school history — he won two track and field state titles (and set a Class 1A record in the 400, 47.50) and is now playing football at Virginia Tech — but their cupboard is still well stocked.

That starts with standout athlete Graden Thomas, who recorded six interceptions as a sophomore, then was rarely thrown at a year ago. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior and University of Sioux Falls commit is a two-time all-district player and will take the reins at QB this fall and will shift to a linebacker spot on defense. "He's as well-rounded of a football player as you'll find. We are looking for big things from him," coach Brandon Neseth said.

Up front, 5-8, 215-pound center/nose guard Austin Scanlan will anchor both lines in his third season as a starter.

The Cobras also welcome back Braxton Koss (6-1, 160), who will play both running back and receiver. Like Petersohn was, Koss is a talented high jumper (clearing 6-6 last spring). He'll also play safety. "He played on both sides of the ball last year, but will potentially see a big jump in 2026," Neseth said.

Christian Valdez, a 5-9, 175-pound do-anything athlete was the district's leading scorer last fall. He'll primarily play running back, receiver, cornerback and he is the Cobras' kicker. He had game-winning TD catches against Lourdes and Dover-Eyota last season.

Jackson Kraemer, one of the team's primary rushers last fall, returns as another weapon for the offense.

Jaxon Jensen (6-1, 180) will also get some carries and play linebacker. Neseth said Jensen had a great JV season in 2025 and "we are expecting big things with his physicality on both sides of the ball."

Aaron Knutson could be another weapon in the passing game. He has great size (6-5, 215) and "one of the more natural athletes on our squad," Neseth said. However, Knutson may shift to an offensive line position as the Cobras work through some injury concerns. He'll also line up at defensive end.

"We open with (defending state runner-up) Goodhue and close with Cannon Falls," Neseth said. "In between those two powers, we play Chatfield, Caledonia, R-P, Lourdes, and Dover-Eyota. It simply doesn't get much more difficult than that. We embrace the strong schedule against historic AA powers and know we have to bring our best each week."

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