Page 20 Fall Football Preview • Thursday, August 28, 2025 sailor. mnsun. com
PROVIDENCE ACADEMY LIONS
Big O-Line ready to protect new quarterback
JOHN SHERMAN john. sherman @ apgecm. com
Providence Academy’ s football team made significant improvement last season as a 7-3 record replaced all memories of a 3-7 mark the previous year.
Aside from two losses to Orono – one in the regular season and one in the section playoffs – the Lions were able to dominate opponents. The other loss on last year’ s schedule was to perennial state powerhouse Becker in a one-score game on opening night.
At the beginning of the 2025 season, the main strength for Providence Academy is definitely an experienced offensive line.“ As a group our offensive linemen have 50 previous starts,” head coach Colin Rooney noted.
Seasoned blockers are led by 6-2, 260-pound senior Deacon Seelen, 6-foot, 250-pound senior Stryker Johnson and 6-3, 285-pound junior Jon Wiseman. They are three of the four Lion captains.
Graduation in June took Abu Tarawallie, who is now a Golden Gopher football player at the University of Minnesota. Tarawallie fit right in with the type of lineman coach Rooney likes – big fast and aggressive. And he could play both ways.
Wiseman joined Tarawallie in the defensive line last season and the two set up a roadblock.
“ We lost a lot of good football players to graduation,” coach Rooney said.“ But we have a lot of good players back.”
Magnus Hansen, another 2025 graduate, had a solid
passing year as QB1 in 2024 with 1,595 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He was an all-district selection along with Joe Berghult, who starred on defense while amassing 496 receiving yards and 230 rushing yards. Berghult graduated and so did fullback Peyton Bartz, the Lions’ leading rusher with 552 yards.
Providence has a new starter at quarterback this year, the head coach’ s son, junior JJ Rooney. As a sophomore, he played parts of three varsity games, completing all but one of his passes.
“ JJ will get our offense to some open grass,” coach Rooney said.“ We have a quarterback-friendly offense and he knows our system.”
With Rooney in the backfield is senior Daijor“ Dae-Dae” McCrimmon, who played in eight varsity games and had 78 yards on 27 carries last season. McCrimmon also caught four passes for 50 yards.
“ Dae-Dae is our home-run threat,” coach Rooney observed.“ He gets one step and he’ s gone. At the end of last season, he began to click.”
Another fast player returning for the Lions is Quinn LaCombe, a 5-9, 155-pound senior defensive back and wide receiver.
Coach Rooney looks at junior Henry Willihnganz as as an X factor for the Lions.“ Henry is 6-5 and 235 pounds,” coach Rooney said.“ If he plays with intensity, look out.”
With more experience on offense than defense to open 2025, coach Rooney said,“ We might have to outscore them.”
( SUN PHOTO BY JOHN SHERMAN)
Junior JJ Rooney stands tall in the pocket as Providence Academy’ s QB1. He is one of four Lion captains.
JJ Rooney has earned the confidence of his teammates with his leadership ability and was recently named the Lions’ fourth captain.
In addition to playing five teams within its district, Providence Academy has three non-district tests against DeLa- Salle, Hill-Murray and Kasson-Mantorville.
Games against Orono are always circled on the calendar, and this year Providence matches up against the Spartans the last week of the regular season, Wednesday, Oct. 15, at Orono.
Another challenging district game pits the Lions against Mound Westonka at 7 p. m. Friday, Sept. 12, in Mound.
Prior to the 2024 season, coach Rooney added former Edina High head coach Reed Boltmann to his coaching staff as the defensive coordinator. Brock Boltmann, Reed’ s son and a former Edina quarterback, has joined the staff this season.
QUICK HITS
Head Coach
Colin Rooney Eighth Season
Last Year’ s Record: 7-3
Key Returning Players
Lion football fans will see big offensive and defensive lines on the field this season with captains Jon Wiseman, Deacon Seelen and Stryker Johnson holding down key spots. Wiseman, a junior who weighs in at 285 pounds, has the size and quickness to eventually play NCAA Division I football. The Lions lost 1,500-yard passer Magnus Hansen to graduation, but ready to replace him is junior JJ Rooney, who completed all but one of his varsity passes last season. Another playmaker to watch is Daijor McCrimmon, one of the quickest players on the squad. He is a running back and a pass receiver. More speed is on hand with the return of wide receiver and defensive back Quinn
LaCombe.
Schedule
Aug. 29: Zimmerman Sept. 5: At Delano Sept. 12: At Mound Westonka Sept. 19: Kasson-Mantorville Sept. 26: DeLaSalle Oct. 3: At Hill-Murray, 6 p. m. Oct. 10: Big Lake Oct. 15: At Orono
Game times 7 p. m. unless otherwise noted