Minnesota prep football teams will tee it up for the first time starting tomorrow, with all six local teams opening their seasons Thursday or Friday.
Proctor opens Thursday at Eveleth-Gilbert.
Friday, Duluth Marshall plays host to Cook at 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. games pit Duluth East against Princeton at Public Schools Stadium, Denfeld at Hermantown and Duluth Central at Chisago Lakes.
Six-foot-four, 285 OT/DT Chris Parrent, a borderline Division I prospect, will lead the 3A Rails against the Golden Bears. Proctor will throw plenty of beef at its opponents this season: FB/LB Travis Olson is 6-3, 220, NG Brian Johnson is 5-11, 260, OG Corey Brinkman is 6-1, 245 and OG Brady Kensrud is 5-11, 220. HB Matt Ogston is chasing a second team rushing title.
The Rails are playing primarily a 4A schedule this fall, and not by their choice. Depth is a concern with only 37 players in grades 9-12.
"We need to keep people healthy," said Proctor coach Dave Hylla.
Marshall shared the Polar League South title with Moose Lake-Willow River a year ago, and lost to the Rebels in the Section 7AA finals. All-state MLB/OG Kasey Yoder is back to lead the Hilltoppers, and RB/LB Josh Rudolph expects to pile up a lot of yardage this season. Quarterback is a major question mark heading into the opener, with promising sophomores Dave Mennes, Pete Lien and Carlin Page competing for a starting job.
Duluth East expects to have a big season. However, a brutally-tough independent schedule could make or break the Greyhounds, who return 30 seniors from last season's 5-4 club. And RB/S Ed Kaiser is on the shelf with a torn ACL ligament, and WR/S Tony Roman is recovering from a preseason injury.
"On paper, this team has the potential to be my best team ever," said 10-year Greyhounds' coach Bill Cortes.
The Denfeld-Hermantown matchup should be a war. The Hunters are quietly rebuilding after finishing 7-3 a year ago, and Hermantown is still smarting after a 5-6 finish last season. Plus, Hermantown will dedicate its new Corey Veech Field at halftime.
HB Dennis Jacobson, OT Justin Davis (6-3, 280) and QB John Borich will lead the Hunters to Hermantown, which returns most of its key starters from a year ago. QB B. J. Radovich, WR/S David Bjorlin and HB Thad Epperly are Hawks' stars.
Duluth Central was 0-9 last season in Coach Scott Forbort's first season, and Chisago Lakes might have its best team in a decade. It adds up to quite a challenge for the Trojans and co-captains FB/LB Ian McRae, DT/OT Neil Siegle, NT/G Bryan Lacore and especially-tough LB/RB Collin Davis.
Howie Hanson writes a regular sports column in Duluth Budgeteer News on the weekend. He can be reached at 624-4189 or by e-mail at Howie@duluth.com
