sailor. mnsun. com Fall Football Preview • Thursday, August 28, 2025 Page 19
HOLY ANGELS STARS
A fourth state run is in the mix
JASON OLSON jason. olson @ apgecm. com
Holy Angels played in its fourth state tournament since 2020 last season, compiling a 7-4 record that included a pair of wins over rival Benilde-St. Margaret’ s, including in the Section 5AAAA final, 34-14.
Senior running back and two-year starter and captain Emmett Anderson comes into the season after rushing for 1,374 yards on 181 carries for a 7.6-yard-per-carry average in 11 games, scoring 15 times. He added five catches for 91 yards.
Joining Anderson as captains are two-year starting center John McCarten and right tackle Ryan Ackerson.
The Stars had 13 players named All-District, including returners this fall: Anderson, Gavin Coughlin, Reese Skelton, Anderson Stark and Aidan Nygren.
Senior inside linebacker Jacob Szopa had 50 tackles, third most for the team, including seven for a loss and one interception.
Senior linebacker / tight end Souba was fourth on the team in tackles( 47) and is another starter to see time on both sides of the ball.
Coughlin, a senior, is back as a defensive back and receiver. He made 36 tackles, rushed for 164 yards and two touchdowns, and caught the second-most passes( 24) for 364 yards and three touchdowns.
Nygren, a senior defensive back, made 26 tackles to go with two for a
( SUN PHOTO BY JASON OLSON)
Holy Angels captains from left: Jake Szopa, Emmett Anderson, Daniel Devine and Josh McCarten.
loss, one interception, two blocked kicks and four passes defensed. He returns with starting experience at quarterback as well.
Daniel Devine is a disruptive defensive lineman, starting at defensive tackle and defensive end.
Anderson, a senior defensive back / receiver, made 18 tackles, one for a loss, one interception and five passes defensed.
Senior lineman Zane Mir made 18 tackles as a defensive starter.
Among the newcomers are junior twin brothers Lucas and
Marcus Jacobs, who will contribute on both sides of the line given their 6-foot-5, 235- pound and 6-3, 225-pound frames.
Junior inside linebacker Jax Schneider will fill the role well as a newcomer, thanks to a strong training camp with natural instincts and, as Gunderson describes,“ is a student of the game.”
A familiar face is back on the coaching staff: Thomas Shelstad, a former inside linebacker and captain who was the Prep Bowl MVP in the state tournament run in 2017. Shelstad went on to play at St. Thomas and will coach the running backs and outside linebackers.
Shelstad joins linebacker coach and fellow AHA alum Ryan Bercich, whose father is former Minnesota Viking linebacker Pete Bercich, who currently is part of the Vikings’ broadcast team.
Stars boys basketball head coach Jimmy Mireri will join the staff as a defensive backs and receivers coach.
The Stars will get another shot at BSM in a Week 2 meeting at the StarDome on Sept. 5 after hosting Byron, which was a Class AAAA state entrant last season.
QUICK HITS
Head Coach
Jim Gunderson Tenth Season
Last Year’ s Record: 7-5
Key Returning Players
Emmett Anderson, the Stars senior running back, had more than 1,300 rushing yards last season and returns as the prime mover on offense.
Gavin Coughlin, another senior returns as a two-way starter at wide receiver and defensive back.
A third key senior returnee is Daniel Devine, a tight end and defensive lineman.
Schedule
Aug. 29 Byron 6 p. m. Sept. 5 Benilde-St. Margaret’ s Sept. 12 at Robbinsdale Cooper
6 p. m. Sept. 19 at DeLaSalle 6 p. m. Sept. 26 SMB Oct. 3 at Fridley 6 p. m. Oct. 10 at St. Agnes( TBD) Oct. 15 Richfield
Game times 7 p. m. unless otherwise noted