First Team

Jakob Nachreiner, QB, Sr., Springfield

Nachreiner led the Tigers to their second straight state title game appearance after leading the state in passing yards (3,431) and touchdowns (55) on 64.4 percent completions and a 125.4 passer rating. For his career, Nachreiner had 6550 yards and 95 touchdowns passing. Springfield head coach Adam Meyer said Nachreiner was a talented passer and a great decision maker, able to make any throw on the field to distribute the ball to all his receivers. Nachreiner was an All-District player and won the District Offensive Back of the Year this season.

Carter Olson, WR.,

Sr., Springfield

Described by Springfield head coach Adam Meyer as a game breaker on the field, Olson broke records during his time with the Tigers, finishing first in prep football state history in career catches (278), second in yardage (3,790) and fourth in touchdowns (45). On the season, the smooth route-running senior finished with 1,288 yards and 20 touchdowns on 88 receptions, all first in the state, in 12 games played.

Cooper Freitag, RB/QB, Sr., Cedar Mountain

A do-everything player for the Cougars, Freitag moved from quarterback to running back halfway through the season but remained the centerpiece of Cedar Mountain’s offense. The Co-Offensive Back of the Year for the District 9 South, West Subdistrict, Freitag finished the season with 1,120 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns on top of his 652 passing yards and nine touchdowns as he led the Cougars to their first-ever state tournament. Freitag was also a big contributor on special teams, making 11 of 13 PATs and punting the ball 14 times. Between rushing, passing, receiving, and extra points, Freitag totaled 1,852 yards of offense and 135 points scored. Freitag finishes his prep career with 5,829 yards of offense and 75 touchdowns.

Ayden Jensen, QB, Sr., New Ulm

Jensen was the leader of a New Ulm team that was over .500 for the first time since 2003, passing for 1,040 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for an additional 680 yards and 11 touchdowns. Jensen was named Co-Offensive Back of the Year in the South Central District, Red Subdistrict and was an All-District nomination for his season.

Brayden Sturm, WR.,

Jr., Springfield

A strong two-way player for the Tigers that also had five interceptions on defense, Sturm is a dynamic receiver that excels in creating space and playing with the ball in the air. Springfield head coach Adam Meyer said Sturm seemed to make a game-changing play almost every week. Sturm finished the season with 64 catches for 1,066 yards and 20 touchdowns, tied for most in the state with teammate Carter Olson.

Caden Evers, QB,

Sr., SEU

While the SEU offense boasted a strong rushing attack, Evers was more than a game manager for the team. Evers threw for 1,492 yards and 19 touchdowns to only three interceptions, consistently getting the ball into his playmakers’ hands. SEU head coach Brent Kucera said that Evers really grew into his role on the offense throughout the season as he led SEU to the Section 3A Championship game in their inaugural season.

Talan Helget. WR,

Jr., SEU

Helget was the player that SEU relied upon to get the offense going. Helget rewarded the team with 35 receptions for 678 yards and 11 touchdowns, along with taking one carry 80 yards for a touchdown. SEU head coach Brent Kucera said Helget was probably United’s most valuable player on offense.

Kaden Peterson, QB,

Jr., MVL

Peterson’s first full season at quarterback for the Chargers saw him put up 1,425 yards passing and 16 touchdowns, seven of which came in one game for a single-game record for MVL. Chargers head coach Jim Buboltz said Peterson was an accurate passer that showed improvement running the ball in the option, adding 274 yards and two TDs on the ground. Buboltz is looking forward to seeing Peterson’s play next year.

Conner Martens, WR., Sr., Nicollet

Martens was the unquestioned first option of the Nicollet offense, racking up 60 receptions, 855 yards and 10 touchdowns, all most in the district. Martens also had 22 carries for 315 yards and four touchdowns, totaling 1,170 yards of offense.

Evan Thompson, OL, Sr., SEU

Thompson’s contribution won’t show up on the box score, but his Offensive Lineman of the Year award speaks to his importance to SEU’s offense. Thompson helped SEU average 126 yards on the ground per game and 4.42 yards per carry for a season total of 1,392 yards as a team.

Blake Steffl, WR,

Jr., Cedar Mountain

The top receiver for the section-champion Cougars, Steffl finished the season with 54 catches for 650 yards and 10 touchdowns, one shy of a team record. The team’s most improved player, Steffl showed an ability to make big plays out of nothing, both in running after the catch and as a deep threat. Steffl was described as a fierce competitor who plays with tremendous confidence and great intensity by the coaching staff as he helped take Cedar Mountain to their first State Tournament.

Honorable Mention

Bradyn Kube, WR, Sr., MVL

Kube’s 50 receptions ranks third highest for a season in Charger football history, totaling 485 yards and five touchdowns through the air. He was the possession receiver for MVL this past season and finished with over 1,000 career yards. Kube finished his senior season as an All-District player.

Lane Guggisberg, WR, Sr.,

Cedar Mountain

A deep threat on the Cougars offense, Guggisberg dealt with nagging injuries throughout the season, but still managed 510 yards and six touchdowns, despite missing three games. He posted those number on only 17 catches, a credit to his ability to capitalize on the long ball.

Branndon

Pendleton,

WR/RB, Sr.,

Cedar Mountain

A two-year starter for Cedar Mountain, Pendleton was a flexible threat for the section-champion Cougars. Pendleton had 50 catches for 455 yards and four touchdowns while rushing the ball for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Pendleton’s season highlight was his three-touchdown performance against New Ulm Cathedral in the Section Semifinals.

James Osborne, WR., Sr., New Ulm

Osborne was the Eagles’ primary receiving weapon this past season. He totaled 33 receptions for 411 yards and six touchdowns, while also contributing 117 yards and three scores on 22 carries. Osborne was given an All-District nomination this season.

Jaden Helget, RB, Jr., Cathedral

An All-District player, Helget had 98 rushes for 830 yards and five touchdowns as the leader of Cathedral’s rushing attack. Helget also had two 2-point conversions and averaged 16 yards on kickoff returns.