The future is now
Owatonna standout running back Tristan Graham hands the ball off the a youth camper during a drill. Graham and many other Husky football players took on the role of coaches at Owatonna’s annual youth football camp. Staff photo by Johnnie Phillips
Owatonna’s annual youth camp took to the back practice fields at the high school campus last week, officially marking the first signs of the 2025 football season.
Campers sharpened their fundamentals all while getting to learn from some of their favorite local athletes, under the direction of the Huskies’ coaching staff.
While the next generation of Huskies’ stars got a feel what it was like to be a part of the team, fans and spectators could sense how close we are to the return of the Friday night lights.
With high school football just a little over two short weeks away, there’s no better time to analyze what fans can expect to see on the field from our local teams.
Owatonna
The returning state semi-finalists were nearly impossible to stop on offense last season, but 2025 will force the program to find a new quarterback and replace nearly an entire receiving core.
The departure of Nolan Ginskey (wide receiver/defensive back), Luke Webber (wide receiver/defensive back), Seth Johnson (wide receiver/defensive back), Blake Fitcher (full back/linebacker), Jack Meneguzzo (center) and Zach Haarstad (tight end/linebacker) leave considerable holes in the team’s depth chart.
However, key returners include 2024 break-out running back Tristan Graham and rising-senior linemen Kaden Keller, Logan Risser and Max Flemke, amongst others.
The defense will also be without legendary defensive coordinator Marc Achterkirch, who stepped away this off-season after 30 years with the program.
In light of the change, head coach Jeff Williams will take over the defense and leave the offense in the hands of 20-year veteran coach, Matt Skala.
Blooming Prairie
The Awesome Blossoms will start a quarterback without the last name “Kittelson” on the back of his jersey for the first time in five years when the team takes the field this season.
Front-runner to be the team’s field general is standout athlete. Gabe Staloch.
The rising junior has already been a key contributor in the school’s basketball and baseball teams, and been featured as both a starting wide receiver and back-up quarterback for the football team.
There will be questions to answer in the trenches for the Awesome Blossoms as well, with the team losing vital athletes in Owen Krueger and Cooper Cooke to graduation.
Defensively, Blooming Prairie should be strong in the secondary and have capable linebackers to back-up a relatively inexperienced defensive line.
Medford
The Tigers haven’t found much success in recent years, and early indications point toward another potentially trying season with a tough schedule ahead.
Medford’s key offensive returner is quarterback Landon Seiler, who figures to have more confidence and experience after leading the Tigers last season.
However, he will have to do so after watching some critical linemen in Mason Degrood and Cain Johannes graduate this spring.
Small numbers and a lack of experience will be tough to overcome for the Tigers, but the team’s never-say-quit attitude could result in some stellar upsets.
NRHEG
The Panthers took potentially the biggest hit of any local team this season, relative to roster size and two-way starters.
NRHEG will be without Alden Dobberstein (quarterback/defensive back), Aidan Schlaak (wide receiver/defensive back), Owen Bartlett (wide receiver/defensive back), Harbor Cromwell (running back/linebacker), Jace Ihrke (two-way lineman), Carter Martens (two-way lineman), Jayden Flemming (two-way lineman), and Cole Hutchens (two-way lineman.)
All of the aforementioned athletes graduated in the spring and finished their senior seasons with a 3-6 record.
Panthers Head Coach Marc Kruger will have his hands full replacing nearly the entirety of his starting lineup in time to be competitive in a week one matchup against St. Clair/Loyola.