sailor. mnsun. com Fall Football Preview • Thursday, August 28, 2025 Page 23
RICHFIELD SPARTANS
Talent remains, but health will be key to success
JASON OLSON jason. olson @ apgecm. com
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Richfield won four straight games last season, but could have extended the streak to six if not for late falters against Milaca and Concordia Academy and finished the season 4-4.
The Spartans will need to make the most of their opportunities with returners at skill positions, including two-way junior receiver / defensive backs Dre Collins( 24 tackles, six touchdowns) and Damon Brown( 32 tackles, four touchdowns).
The Spartans have a talented squad returning, but staying healthy will be key because the program has relatively few players.
Collins was the leading receiver, catching 37 passes for 636 yards, while Brown caught six passes for 56 yards and three touchdowns, tying for the scoring lead. Each had a kick return for a touchdown; Brown on a punt and Collins on a kickoff, where he averaged 23.6 yards per return.
Among the seniors, the leading tackler returning is linebacker Connor Oberpiller, who made 56 tackles, collected three sacks, recorded two safeties and blocked a kick. He will again be a primary running back this season behind a line that includes seniors Spencer Flanery and Elias Erdmann and junior Jeremiah Lopez.
Senior receivers Noah Meyers and Jonah Meyers are brothers who serve as vocal leaders not only on the
( SUN PHOTO BY JASON OLSON)
Instead of naming team captains, Richfield football uses a Leadership Council to make decisions about the program all year.
field, on the sideline and in the classroom, helping motivate the team.
The secondary remains intact, primarily with Collins and Brown returning, along with junior defensive back Jarell Allen, who will split time as a receiver. Head coach Kris Pulford said Allen is fast and has excellent hands— two skills crucial in the open field.
Another junior Pulford expects to make an impact quickly is Mason Aune, who will see time at running back and linebacker.
“ He’ s a physical player who can see the field well on offense and defense to make the smart play,” Pulford said. Last season, Aune carried the ball 22 times for 94 yards and two touchdowns and caught three passes for 22 yards.
New defensive coordinator Anthony Satchel joins the staff after one season at Hamline University in St. Paul, and he also brings extensive high school coaching experience.
Satchel, a teacher in Hopkins, has coached at Hopkins and Irondale.
“ We’ ll have a couple different coverage types, similar to what we’ ve run in the past, but we want to keep it simple so the kids can play fast and physical,” Pulford said. Last season, the defense pitched two shutouts and allowed just under 10 points per game( 9.83) in six contests.
Another new coach is a familiar face to Richfield basketball fans: boys basketball assistant coach Reid Quale, who will work with the receivers and linebackers.
This will be his ninth school year coaching in the district.
The offense remains in a spread formation to take advantage of the width of the field, getting the ball quickly into the hands of its most skilled players to move the chains and score points.
Richfield remains in the Skyway District but is relocating to the Gold subdistrict this season, joining Holy Angels, Benilde-St. Margaret’ s, SMB and DeLaSalle.
Head Coach Kris Pulford Ninth Season
Last Year’ s Record: 4-4
Key Returning Players
The Richfield lines will have to be rebuilt with the loss of last season’ s key seniors Brody Johnson, Spencer Lewis and Fernando Perez.
Junior wide receiver and defensive back Damon Brown is one of Richfield’ s blue-chip returnees. He scored three touchdowns last season and made 22 tackles.
Richfield’ s top returning defensive player is senior Connor Oberpriller, who had 41 tackles, including three sacks, plus a blocked kick and two safeties.
Schedule
Aug. 29 Highland Park 6 p. m. Sept. 5 at South St. Paul 7 p. m. Sept. 13 SMB noon Sept. 20 Brooklyn Center noon Sept. 26 at Benilde-St. Margaret’ s Oct. 3 at St. Anthony Village Oct. 10 Columbia Heights 5 p. m. Oct. 15 at Holy Angels
Game times 7 p. m. unless otherwise noted