MVL sets new standard, looks to reach higher
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NEW ULM -- Minnesota Valley Lutheran head football coach Jim Buboltz felt that the past season was a step in the right direction.
"To go from one win last year to five wins this season, plus four is definitely a positive step," Buboltz said "I think that we were able to win some games against some teams that we did not last year [breaking a 14-game losing streak to Pipestone and a last year’s loss to Windom Area] so we were able to turn those losses around. But I think that in the big picture though our guys see what the next level looked like and when you talk about the great competition that we played."
All five of the losses in a 5-5 season came against teams that have a current combined record of 36-4.
"I have to be honest, but never in my entire career of coaching have I seen four teams [Minneota, Jackson County Central, Luverne and twice to Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial] like that that are on your schedule,” Bubotlz said. "You see a bunch of teams with eight and nine wins already, so our kids see what that next level looks like and the biggest thing that we can take away from that is what it is it going to look like for us to get to that level."
Buboltz felt that even in a loss to Luverne and their first meeting with LCWM was competitive.
"It gives the kids an idea of what direction we can go," he said. "We installed a whole new offense this year and rolled it back with the split back veer end. And you could see it take off with our running game - we had a couple of kids finish just shy of 1,000 yards for the year in Ben [Riesgraf] and Chase [Tweit]. And Ben had a remarkable season with 14 touchdowns with 12 rushing and two for kickoff returns. And Chase had eight touchdowns. You could see what we were able to do there - there is another level for that yet too"
Both Riesgraf and Tweit are juniors as well as quarterback Eli Schauland.
"My big push next year is to find complimentary defense to be able to go with that offense," Buboltz said. “And do that on a more consistent basis."
The Chargers can do that next year with a young team that loses just five seniors.
"But these are five incredible seniors - Blake Sexton who had 26 catches for just under 700 yards and we lose three big linemen in Jamis Stewart, Max Burger and Emmanuel Edwards and Andy Enter with his heart and passion for the game,” Bubotlz said. “They are all incredible leaders that we need to replace."
Buboltz said that his biggest concern next season is at wide receiver and tight end and have some compliment to the Chargers ground game.
"Chase, Ben and Eli are back and Noah Merseth had a stellar year at running back for our JV so we will have more weapons in our backfield next year," he said. "We know where the upper part of our conference is at and I think that we can take another step forward to move up even more. Our kids are excited - they want that - and the day after our season ended we were back in the weight room. The offseason often tells me the direction of where next season is going. "