Page 10 Fall Football Preview • Friday, August 29, 2025
Farmington
sunthisweek. com
Tigers put some more grit in their game
by Mike Shaughnessy SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
One word comes up frequently in a football conversation with Farmington senior Chris Rehak.“ Nasty.” Rehak, a starting linebacker, isn’ t alone in believing Farmington needs an edge to its game this season. The Tigers know their assignments, Rehak said, it’ s just that it would help if they carried them out with a little more of, shall we say, a bad disposition.
“ We’ re very capable of running our formations and being in the right spots,” said Rehak, who last year led the Tigers in tackles( 90) and tackles for losses( nine).“ The main thing we need to work on is just being nasty in the interior. In our division( Metro South district), six of the eight games we play this year, they’ re going to be running the ball every time. We need the D-line and linebackers being in sync, getting to the holes and just being active.”
The change in tone isn’ t just on defense. The Tigers, also seeking to become more physical on offense, will switch to a power running philosophy.
That wasn’ t an easy decision. Farmington, 5-4 last season, had success running a spread offense directed by former cohead coach Rick Sutton. Sutton now is an assistant coach at Forest Lake and Jon Pieper is the solo head coach. Pieper will take over the offense and said he hopes it will evoke memories of the successful
Run-oriented offense is one of Farmington’ s biggest changes
Photo by Mike Shaughnessy
Farmington football players work on a blocking drill during the first week of practice at Tiger Stadium.
grind-it-out approach of former Farmington head coaches Earl Wetzel and Mark Froehling.
“ Rick Sutton was a mentor to me in several different capacities of life, but this is my first year coaching offense and I wanted to put my own mark on this thing,” Pieper said.“ I wanted it to be a little more of the Mark Froehling tradition from back in the day with those Wing-T roots, using the strength we gain in the weightroom and hopefully making it transfer out onto the field.”
Pieper said the team has quite a few players with the required grit to help the Tigers accomplish their goals. They’ ll have plenty of experience at linebacker with Rehak, University of Minnesota Duluth commit Max Blandin, and seniors Cole Busse and Danny Sather. Rehak and Busse finished first and second in the football program’ s annual Ironman competition, a decathlon-style test of strength and fitness. Sather was second on the team in tackles last season.
Senior Hank Von Bank, who has an offer from Bemidji State, is one of the returnees on the defensive line. Seniors Logan Petsinger and Austin Raveling return in the defensive backfield.
“ We may not be the biggest defense out there but I think we’ re fast and athletic, and that gives us the opportunity to play in space,” Blandin said.“ We can move around the field and stop the run so teams are forced to pass. And
Schedule
( Games 7 p. m. Fridays unless noted) Aug. 28: Eastview Sept. 5: at Lakeville North Sept. 12: at White Bear Lake Sept. 19: Lakeville South Sept. 26: Rosemount Oct. 3: at Eagan Oct. 10: Shakopee Oct. 15( Wednesday): at Prior Lake
then we have good guys in our secondary.”
The Tigers don’ t return any backs who gained more than 21 yards rushing last season. Rehak could get more snaps on offense in 2025. So too could senior Ryder Anderson, who finished third in the Ironman competition. Junior Ty Beck and senior Blake Johnson got snaps on offense as receivers.
Returning linemen such as 250-pound senior Isaac Henry and juniors Rocco Fulk and Kyle Graham are expected to give the Tigers’ offense a push. A strong rushing game would take pressure off the Farmington defense; last season the Tigers allowed almost 26 points per game.
“ We have some dogs on the line,” Rehak said.“ I think we’ ll run the ball very well, but people are going to be surprised about our passing. We’ ll go into the game, the other team’ s going to be confused, we’ ll run six times in a row and then throw a
See Tigers, 15
Photo by Mike Shaughnessy
Farmington head coach Jon Pieper makes his point to the players during the first week of fall practice. The Tigers’ season opener is at home against Eastview on Aug. 28.