The state-champion Minneota Vikings were well-represented in the 2023 Marshall Independent All-Area football teams. The Vikings led all area schools with four first-team selections and eight total selections. Marshall also had eight total selections, including a pair of first-teamers, while Tracy-Milroy-Balaton had all three of its selections on the first team.

Ryan Meagher headlined the Vikings’ first-team selections after leading the area in scrimmage yards and touchdowns on the season. Alongside him, Max Rost and Sawyer DeSmet both showed off elite abilities as pass catchers and defenders, albeit in different ways, while Parker Bradley anchored the stout Minneota defense and provided some stability for the run game on the offensive line.

Marshall sophomore defensive end JR Vierstraete finished the season second in sacks among area players to Sawyer DeSmet and led the area in tackles for loss. Also on the first team, fellow Tiger and district Player of the Year Gavin Schaefer was at the core of Marshall’s ground-and-pound offense and was a key component of the impenetrable defense that got Marshall to the section championship.

Jeret Ankrum and Trevor Smith were among the deadliest of the area’s passing attack duos. Ankrum led the area in receiving yardage and receiving touchdowns, setting a school record for single-game yardage along the way, while Smith’s 2,229 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns were both area highs.

Not to be left out, Alex Schuh led the Panthers’ rushing attack with nearly 1,000 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns.

Canby and Dawson-Boyd each had a single selection in Dylan Houseman and Brayson Boike. Houseman was one of just four 1,000-yard rushers in the area and led the Lancers with nine scrimmage touchdowns on the season while Boike was a dual threat as a 6-foot-7 red zone target that doubled as the team’s leader in interceptions.

BY THE NUMBERS

Jeret Ankrum, TMB, Sr., WR/DB — 56 rec, 1082 yds, 15 TD; 27 tackles, 3 INT, 2 FF

Parker Bradley, Minneota, OG/LB, Jr. — 87 tackles, 15 TFL, sack, 2 FF, INT, INT TD

Dylan Houseman, Canby, Sr., RB/DB — 171 att., 1015 yds, 9 total TD

Ryan Meagher, Minneota, Jr., RB/LB — 230 att., 2224 yds, 40 TD; 9 rec., 154 yds, 2 TD; 27 tackles, TFL

Gavin Schaefer, Marshall, Jr., FB/DE — 98 att., 725 yds, 12 TD; 34 tackles, 12 TFL, 1.5 sacks

JR Vierstraete, Marshall, So. DE — 67 tackles, 31 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 2 FF, INT

Max Rost, Minneota, Sr., WR/DB — 43 rec, 825 yds, 12 TD; 54 att., 373 yds, 8 TD; 53 tackles, 2 TFL, 3 INT

Trevor Smith, TMB, Jr., QB/DB — 135-220, 2229 yds, 25 TD, 7 INT; 83 att., 493 yds, 7 TD; 25 tackles, 2 TFL, sack, 5 INT

Sawyer DeSmet, Minneota, Sr., DE/TE — 12 sacks, 45 tackles, 11 TFL, 3 FF; 20 rec, 433 yds, 8 TD

Brayson Boike, Dawson-Boyd, Jr. WR/DB — 39 rec, 486 yds, 5 TD; 40 tackles, 4 INT, INT TD, KR TD

Alex Schuh, TMB, Sr., RB/LB –138 att., 932 yds, 18 TD; 15 rec., 294 yds, TD; 48 tackles, 4 TFL, INT, FR TD

SECOND TEAM

Ashton Blomberg, Marshall, Sr., WR — 18 rec., 407 yds, TD

Coby Brownlee, Marshall, Sr. LB — 42 tackles, 9 TFL, 2.5 sacks, FF

Dawson Chappuis, Sr., LB — 52 tackles, 20 TFL, 4 sacks, 2 FF; 5 rec, 114 yds, TD

Tate Condezo, Marshall, Sr. LB — 63 tackles, 6 TFL, FF, INT

Ryan Dalager, Minneota, Sr., QB — 93-161, 1763 yds, 24 TD, 8 INT; 2 rushing TD;

Alex DePestel, Minneota, Sr., OG/DT — 42 tackles, 8 TFL, 5 sacks, FF

Ross Engelkes, MCC, Sr., RB/DB — 135 att., 642 yds, 10 TD; 45.5 tackles, INT

Destin Fier, Minneota, Jr., RB/LB — 67 att., 845 yds, 13 TD; 5 rec., 65 yds, TD; 64 tackles, 6 TFL, INT

Dylan Haney, Marshall, Sr., DB — 7 INT, 34 tackles

Nathan Hansen, Dawson-Boyd, So., WR/DB — 24 rec, 329 yds, 5 TD; 62 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 INT

Jack Meier, Marshall, Jr., LB/TE — 64 tackles, 14 TFL, 2 sacks, FF

Carter Therkilsen, RRC, So., RB/LB — 171 att., 1,048 yds, 10 TD; 39 tackles, 8 TFL, sack

THIRD TEAM

Boston Brand, Wabasso, Sr., LB — 118 tackles

Brady Dahlager, YME, Jr., RB/LB — 148 att., 772 yds, 7 TD; 5 rec, 106 yds, 2 TD; 43 tackles, TFL, INT, TD

Tucker Fiene, Lakeview, Sr., OL/LB — 120 tackles, 2 TFL

Eli Gruenes, Minneota, OT/LB, Jr. –56 tackles, 6 TFL, sack

Ethan Hess, Marshall, Sr. K — 33-34 XP, 3-6 FG

Gunner Liebl, Dawson-Boyd, So., QB — 98-185, 1198 yds, 16 TD, 8 INT; 90 att, 387 yds, 5 TD

Teague Meyer, MCC, So., QB/DB — 48-116, 562 yds, 4 TD, 10 INT; 147 att, 786 yds, 6 TD

Holland Schacherer, Dawson-Boyd, So., LB — 42 total tackles, 10 TFL, 3 sacks

Quintyn Vold, RRC, Sr., WR/DB — 28 rec, 346 yds, 7 TD

Nick Wagner, Canby, Sr., QB/DB — 57-140, 868 yds, 8 TD, 8 INT; 127 att, 687 yds, 4 TD; 71 tackles FF, 2 INT, INT T

Drew Werkman, RTR, Sr., TE/DE –19 rec, 262 yds; 16 tackles, sack