Page 12 Football Preivew • Friday , August 30 , 2024
Farmington
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Farmington expects a big leap forward
by Mike Shaughnessy SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Farmington will have a different look on the football season this fall , one that will be easy to spot .
A new , Cincinnati Bengals-inspired helmet design will freshen things up a bit , but a lot of the players wearing the helmets will be looking to prove something . Farmington returns a large number of players with varsity experience , including nine starters on offense , and expects to be considerably improved over last year ’ s 3-6 record .
Farmington ’ s senior class , especially , believes it ’ s time to move up the ranks in Class 6A .
“ I was on JV as a freshman , so I ’ ve been doing this for four years , and this one just feels different ,” senior wide receiver Brock Wyandt said during the first week of fall practice . “ In the past , a lot of guys would be a little sluggish during the hot weather , but all these guys out here are having fun . The senior class is pushing that through . I feel like we ’ re goofy , but we ’ re all locked in and making it fun out here .”
The Tigers of course realize that having fun has its time and place , but there will be times when they have to stick to business .
“ We can ’ t have guys dropping off . Everybody needs to stay together and go through this whole process together ,” said senior defensive lineman Max Speratos , a returning all-district player .
Numerous returnees for football team , including 9 starters on offense
Photo by Mike Shaughnessy
Farmington football co-head coach Rick Sutton directs players through a kickoff return drill during the first week of fall practice .
Farmington lost its first five games of the 2023 season , but the last two games in that losing streak were one-score losses to Rosemount and Lakeville North . The Tigers won their final three regular-season games before a first-round playoff to eventual Class 6A runner-up Edina .
What the Tigers became in the second half of the 2023 season is what the coaches think they can build on .
“ A number of our players got a pretty fair amount of playing time as sophomores and juniors ,” said Rick Sutton , co-head coach along with Jon Pieper . “ We were inexperienced in a few spots , and it took us a while to get rolling .
“ It ’ s August , and we think we ’ re ahead of where we were last November . There ’ s been no drop-off and we expect to continue improving .”
Another year of experience figures to benefit the Farmington defense , which struggled at times last season , allowing almost 28 points a game .
Speratos and fellow senior Ethan Giesler anchor the defensive line . Both have committed to play at Minnesota-Duluth .
“ Our D-line is all coming back this year ,” Speratos said . “ We have a strong linebacker group . We have a lot of big guys , strong guys , and I ’ m totally confident we ’ re going to be able to stop the run . Our secondary is new , but they ’ re all good athletes and are picking things up quickly .”
Schedule
( Games 7 p . m . Fridays unless noted ) Aug . 29 ( Thurs .): Mounds View Sept . 6 : at Lakeville South Sept . 13 : Rochester Mayo Sept . 19 ( Thurs .): Lakeville North Sept . 27 : at Rosemount Oct . 4 : at Eagan Oct . 11 : Burnsville Oct . 17 ( Thurs .): at Coon Rapids ( 1 p . m .)
Pieper , who also is the Tigers ’ defensive coordinator , has been happy with the group ’ s work in practice , Sutton said . Juniors Logan Petsinger and Chris Rehak are other potential impact players . Rehak won the football program ’ s Ironman competition , held in late July . Giesler and Layne Johnson were second and third .
Senior Jonah Ask , who passed for almost 1,400 yards and rushed for nearly 500 in 2023 , returns as the Tigers ’ quarterback . Also returning are his top receiving targets – Wyandt , Cody Renzy and Cole Wilcek , who combined for 83 receptions and 10 touchdowns . Johnson rushed for 345 yards last season , third most on the team .
One of the pillars of the offensive line is center Jayden Gournaris , a three-year starter and all-district player last season . Senior Killian Kuegah-Chouchouda returns at guard .
“ We have a lot of See Tigers , 22A
Photo by Mike Shaughnessy
Farmington players practice kickoff returns during fall practice . The Tigers ’ season opener is Thursday , Aug . 29 , against Mounds View at home .