The Vikings have revealed their annual All-State football team and Coach of the Year and will recognize the athletes and coach Saturday before their game against Indianapolis at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The team is made up of seniors from all classes of football, and it was selected with participation by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association.
The Vikings have selected an All-State team annually since 2002.
Vikings All-State players: Sam Backer, Chatfield; Ryan Bengtson, Becker; Corey Bohmert, Mahtomedi; Eli Fletcher, Sauk Centre; Kade Gilbertson, Rosemount; Carson Hansen, Lakeville South; Cole Hentges, Sartell; Jaxon Howard, Robbinsdale Cooper; Nolan Israelson, Andover; Greg Johnson, Prior Lake; Kellen Johnson, Pipestone; Jacob Kilzer, Maple Grove; Ryan King, BOLD; Tate Link, Dassel-Cokato; Reese Littlefield, Centennial; Max McEnelly, Waconia; Marques Monroe, Bloomington Kennedy; Cade Osterman, Elk River; Eli Paulson, Anoka; Kaiden Peters, Plainview-Elgin-Millville; Tanner Scheevel, Lester Prairie; Chisum Schmiedeberg, Kittson County Central; Sawyer Seidl, Hill Murray; Max Shikenjanski, Stillwater; Jonathan Shrum, Farmington; Owen Sikkink, Stewartville; Jordan Summers, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton; Reese Tripp, Kasson-Mantorville; Dan Tschida, Roseville; Chase Ullom, Wayzata; Keenan Wilson, Eagan; Asher Zubich, Mountain Iron-Buhl.
Vikings Coach of the Year: Chris Mensen, Simley
Northfield names new coach
Northfield promoted from within its baseball program, hiring assistant coach Josh Spitzack to take over as head coach.
Spitzack was an assistant coach under Mark Auge the past seven seasons. He has been the Northfield American Legion baseball coach the past five years.
Auge served as an assistant coach and head coach for the Raiders for 25 years. They are coming off an 8-17 season in 2022.
The Raiders were the consolation champions in the Class 3A state tournament 2016. It was the most recent of their five state tournament appearances.
Stepping down
Eastview boys soccer coach Scott Gustafson announced his retirement after 20 years at the helm of the program. He has had a hand in the program since the school opened in 1997.
Gustafson guided the Lightning to three consecutive Class 2A state tournament finals (2011-13), winning the championship in 2012 and finishing as runner-up the other two years. Eastview also advanced to the state tournament in 2019.
The Lightning finished 15-3-1 this past season, losing to Rosemount in the Class 3A, Section 3 championship.
By the numbers
4:01: Time when senior defenseman Kylie Scott scored in overtime as Champlin Park/Coon Rapids overcame a three-goal deficit to beat Centennial 4-3 in a Northwest Suburban Conference girls hockey matchup.
4:59: Time when junior forward Murray Marvin-Cordes scored in overtime, capping Warroad's comeback from a two-goal deficit for a 3-2 victory over Grand Rapids in boys hockey. The Warriors are ranked No. 2 in Class 1A by Let's Play Hockey.
13:08.3: Time registered by Prior Lake junior Thomas Simmonds to earn medalist honors in a South Suburban Conference 5.4K Nordic boys ski meet at Hyland Park Reserve.
14:40: Time posted by Forest Lake junior Jacob Kensy in winning the Suburban East Conference 5.3K Nordic boys ski meet at Battle Creek.
15:07.5: Winning time posted by Eastview/Rosemount junior Emily Percival in the girls portion of the South Suburban Conference Nordic ski meet.
15:56: Time in the third period when sophomore forward Connor Williams scored, giving New Prague's boys hockey team a 4-3 victory over Faribault.
16:48: Time Mounds View eighth grader Linnea Ousdigian posted to earn medalist honors in the girls portion of the Suburban East Conference Nordic ski meet.
26: Goals scored this season by Warroad senior forward Rylee Bartz in girls hockey. She also has 15 assists for the Class 1A No. 1 Warriors.
35.425: All-around score posted by Mankato West senior Zoey Hermel to win the Mankato East seven-team gymnastics invitational. The Scarlets won the team title with a score of 142.100.
60: Saves made by Rochester Lourdes junior goaltender Xander Carter-Kleven in a 6-3 triumph over St. Paul Academy in boys hockey. It was the first win of the season for the Eagles. … Points scored in the first half by Burnsville's girls basketball team in an 81-35 victory over Apple Valley.
165: School record total of career wins reached by Marshall junior wrestler Dylan Louwagie at 138 pounds.
175: Career wins by Crookston senior wrestler Ethan Boll at 220 pounds. He is the Class 1A defending state champion in the weight class.
.965: Save percentage for Mounds View boys hockey senior goaltender Aidan Petrich through four games. He is 3-1 this season and has turned aside 138 of 143 shots.
