2025 Sun Fall Football Preview | Page 26

Page 26 Fall Football Preview • Thursday, August 28, 2025

From page 14

Wylie added that the new defensive editions understand the bar set last year when the Falcons went unbeaten through the regular season and section tournament.

“ There’ s a couple of us that are new to the defense this year, but it’ s always just about guys coming together to make us as strong as possible,” he explained.“ The main thing really is that us guys that are crossing over want to make sure we’ re helping

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of that. They’ re not our top speed guys, but if it gets four yards, we are in great shape.”

The program has several multi-sport student-athletes who play a winter sport, similar to the trend in outstate programs, where smaller participation numbers require the best students to compete in as many sports as possible.

From page 18

– Friday, Oct. 3. Home games against Minnetonka and Maple Grove are set for that night and on the 10th. On the 15th( MEA Week), the Trojans travel to Eden Prairie.

None of the current Wayzata varsity players has ever taken possession of the Bay Bell, the traveling trophy in the Minnetonka-Wayzata series. Could this be the Trojans’ year?

“ We really want that Bay Bell,” Evans said.

“ I know a lot of the Minnetonka boys,” Brown said.

reach the bar set by the defense last season and improve on it too.”

Senior wide receiver Farelle Deline, who, like Wylie, played a significant role in 2024, also sees that there are big shoes to fill offensively. Deline told the Sun Post that this year’ s senior class is focused on maintaining effective and empathetic leadership, while also noting he has high expectations for the team on the field.

“ We want to make sure everyone, especially the younger guys, know that whatever they have going

For those who don’ t participate in a winter sport, Jefferson offers Jag Power at no cost, which includes sessions Mondays through Thursdays after school.

Bachman said the program is the largest he has seen, having been part of it for the last four years.“ We’ re closing in on 100 kids, ninth through 12th grades, including a big freshman group of about 35 kids and another big group of freshmen last

“ We are friends off the field, but not during that game.”

The toughest stretch of the Wayzata season will be a 12-day period from Oct. 3 through Oct. 15.

The Wayzata players want to have a good season that they’ ll remember for many years. No matter what happens in the Won-Lost columns, they will have fond memories of playing for head coach Lambert Brown and the rest of the coaching staff.

“ I met coach Brown in seventh grade when he visited me at middle school,” Booh said.“ I am grateful that he took a chance

on, they have guys they can ask questions to, and that we won’ t be mad at them or anything, we want to help them. We’ re one big family. … On the field, I do want to be a more aggressive player this year. I didn’ t feel I had enough of that last season. I think we can be really good this season, as long as we get used to each other.

“ Even just this offseason and this week, we’ ve been clicking more and more as we spend time and practice. I think, personally, if we stay on track, we have it in us to do better than last year.”

year,” Bachman said.“ It’ s exciting to see how the boosters provide us with some great stuff along with the Jaguars Athletic Foundation, and we’ ve had tremendous support in fundraising with new parents getting involved.”

Jefferson remains in the Northstar East-Gold subdistrict, but the other teams changed from last season to include Kennedy, St. Louis Park, Cretin-Derham Hall, Mahtomedi and Tartan.

on me my sophomore year. Coach Brown has good game plans. And he keeps us humble.”

“ I love coach Brown,” Berkland said.“ Me makes us better football players and also better men.”

“ With coach Brown, we have the best team culture in Class 6AA,” Evans said.“ He encourages us to be leaders in school and expects the football players to sit in the front of the class.”

“ The best thing about coach Brown is that he doesn’ t just teach football,” Low concluded.“ He teaches life lessons.”

Amongst those faces are two that are set to be major threats to the Hawks’ offense.

Beckham Van Voorst is one of those faces. The class of 2027 quarterback transferred to Cooper from Minneapolis South in 2024 and had a strong season as part of a QB pairing with Tavorian Thompson. Injury issues meant Van Voorst only played five games and had a slow start to his off-season, but now, back healthy, the quarterback is determined to have a stronger 2025 season as a player and a leader.

“ I had an injury last year that meant I missed some time and so, I’ m learning to appreciate the game and the opportunity to play even more,” Van Voorst said.“ It’ s made me more determined to give my all when I’ m back on the field. … It feels like it can be my team more so this time, because I transferred to Cooper last year and I was just so much younger than a lot of the other guys. I feel like I can lead people now, especially because I was able to show last year that I was able to play.” Cooper has some exciting targets

intelligent and wouldn’ t get flustered.”

Junior fullback Joey Rochowiak is a similar type of leader to Guggenberger. Look for offensive lineman Arbor Sterk to start at left tackle, along with Riley Shannon to make the switch from tight end to offensive line and defensive end, with a move to less tight-end-reliant sets.

“ Shannon’ s a hockey player, very coachable and an outstanding athlete. Whatever we ask him to do, he’ s for it. Team-first, old school kind of kid who we wish we had a whole team of him.”

The others backing up include Jaidyn Garibaldi, who started in the secondary last season but will be asked to play both ways this fall. Nate Decowski was another defensive starter in the secondary who will be asked to contribute on both sides of the ball.

Senior captain Milo Dungan will play on both sides of the line and is excited to see the new offensive system in action. It’ s a balanced attack with a solid running game, mixed with an air

sailor. mnsun. com

for Van Voorst to work with, including senior wide receiver Sema’ J Young. Young has committed to Bemidji and told the Sun Post that his senior season is all about leaving it all on the field mentally and physically.

“ For me, it’ s about leaving with no regrets. It’ s my senior year and I’ ve followed a lot of big players in my time here. I want to leave this team on a good note. … I want to set a good example for the younger players for sure. I had that happen for me growing up in this team and it helped me a lot, kept me working, so I want to be able to return the favor.”

Young, one of the earlier commits from a talented class of 2026, also noted that he understands that the opportunities he will have after high school are all the more reason to stick to his work and get the job done at Cooper.

“ I definitely feel like, being committed, I have more eyes on me now. I think about making sure I do things the right way and setting a good example. I know if I do something wrong, there’ s people expecting me to do things the right way. It’ s not the time for being lazy.”

raid style.

“ We lost a few guys on defense, but I feel like Rob [ Shull ] and our young guys are stepping up and filling shoes,” Dungan said.

Senior captain Dylan Werner started later in the season on defense but was solid when the opportunity arose.

Senior captain Rob Shull was a linebacker and running back last season and will be asked to contribute in multiple ways again this season.

Shull finished with the third-most tackles, including 17 solos, three for a loss and one sack, and Decowski was right behind him with 48 tackles( 9 solos), two for loss and two interceptions.

Dungan added 41 tackles, five for a loss and 0.5 sacks. Werner added 24 tackles and one sack, and Garibaldi finished with 32 tackles and two interceptions to share the team INT lead with Decowski, and since-graduated Owen Guertin.

BSM will remain in the Skyway-Gold subdistrict and include Holy Angels, Richfield, De La Salle, and SMB.