Photo by Brian Jeremiason. The 2025 Minneota football team includes Ian Myhre, Easton Johnston, Tristen Sussner, Samuel Myhre, Owen Dalager, Landon Esping, Owen Myrvik, Evan Jerzak, Aiden Jerzak, Gage Johnston, Quinton Anderson, Sawyer Bradley, Landon Pohlen, Kaden Christensen, Randy Sorensen, Adam DeVlaeminck, Eli Faris, Kellen Bradley, Brock Fier, Gavin Jerzak, Beckham Gaalswyk, Blayze Hulzebos, Joey Lacek, Derek Fier, Simon Gruenes, Bryce Gorecki, Chase Renken, Easton Sheik, Brody Anderson, Hudson Thostenson, Lane Shoultz, Beckham Norby, Connor Boerboom, Kyson Arndt, Brycen Myhre, Thomas DeSmet, Noah Jerzak, Caleb Bottelberghe, Cole Swedzinski, Wyatt Moorse, Colton Bitker, Dalton Orvis, Mason Moorse, Hunter Carstensen, Timothy DeSmet, Silas Malone, Carter Pesch, Bekkem Gillund, Logan Pohlen, Logan Esping and Bryce Becker.

MINNEOTA — Coming off its third consecutive Class A state football championship and fifth consecutive section title, the Minneota Vikings will look to put together another dominant season in 2025 with a new cast of characters.

Last year’s state title team graduated 12 seniors. Among the biggest losses from that group was Ryan Meagher, the two-time reigning Independent Player of the Year. He ran for 1,960 yards and 40 touchdowns as a senior, 2,224 yards and 40 touchdowns as a junior, and tied the Prep Bowl rushing touchdown as a junior before breaking it as a senior as Minneota defeated Springfield in the state championship game for the third straight season. 

The Vikings also graduated their second- and third-leading rushers after last season, with Destin Fier and Lucas Rybinski rushing for 788 and 411 yards, respectively. The offensive line also lost captain Parker Bradley, Kyler Lozinski and Noah Gorecki on the offensive line. 

Kellen Bradley enters this season as the lead back for the Vikings. In limited reps as a junior, Bradley averaged 7.1 yards per carry, taking 37 attempts for 263 yards and three rushing touchdowns.

In terms of the passing game, the Vikings also graduated Brody Larson last season, who threw 21 touchdowns and five interceptions on 137 attempts. Junior Tristen Sussner will be the signal caller this season after completing eight of his 10 pass attempts for 176 yards and a touchdown last year. In his starting debut against Minnesota Valley Lutheran on Thursday, Sussner completed 7 of 15 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. 

Brock Fier is the team’s leading receiver returning from last year after catching four passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. The team graduated its five leading receivers in Fier, Rybinski, Eli Gruenes, Lincoln Jerzak and Ryan Meagher, leaving plenty of opportunity for younger players to break out. Senior Joey Lacek and junior Landon Esping will also be in line for increased workloads.

The Vikings enter the season on a 33-game win streak, dating back to their October loss to Dawson-Boyd in 2022. The Vikings closed out that season with six straight wins after that loss and haven’t looked back since. 

Defense has been the Vikings’ calling card in recent years. Minneota held opponents to an average of 12.8 points per game last season with a total of seven shutouts. 

In particular, Minneota was strong against the run, limiting opponents to 43 yards per game on the ground. The Vikings forced more fumbles (6) than they allowed touchdowns (6). 

While the losses of Parker Bradley and Gruenes at linebacker hurts the team after they each contributed six sacks last season, they have the personnel to contribute again.

Kyson Arndt returns for his senior season at defensive end as the focal point of the defense this season. He led the team in sacks last year with seven, and his nine tackles for loss tied Kellen Bradley for third on the team behind only Gruenes and Parker Bradley.

The Vikings took a hit in their secondary with the graduation of Lincoln Jerzak and his five interceptions, as well as three from Chase Johnson, but Easton Johnston gives the team some experience in the secondary. Johnston finished his junior season with three interceptions, including a pick-6 in the Vikings’ state quarterfinal win over Parkers Prairie.

Minneota started this season the same way that it left last season, dominating Minnesota Valley Lutheran 42-7. The Vikings will play one more non-district game on Friday when they host Eden Valley-Watkins at 7 p.m. From there, the Vikings’ schedule will also include Canby, Lakeview, MACCRAY, Lac qui Parle Valley, Yellow Medicine East and Dawson-Boyd.