Foundations of greatness: All-Journal Area Football

BY JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM - If you were going to start to build a football team, you would need first of all to start with a solid foundation.

And you could not have a more solid foundation than McLeod West's Tyler Evans, the All-Journal Area Offensive Player of the Year and Charles Ganske of New UIm High School, the All-Journal Area's Defensive Player of the Year.

Evans, a repeater from last year's All-Journal Area team, is the most prolific running back in Minnesota high school history with 7,336 yards (prior to the Falcons' state Class "A" title game against Pillager on Friday). This year, the senior has already ran for 3,513 yards and 45 touchdowns.

Charles Ganske, the Defensive Player of the Year, is also a repeat performer from last year's team. The three-time All-South Central Conference selection totaled 76 tackles along with 45 assists. He caused three fumbles, recovered two fumbles and broke up four passes. For his career, the 6-foot 1, 216 pound linebacker ended with 231 tackles and added 104 assists. He added eight interception returns for a total of 102 yards.

Evans is a repeat winner of the All-Journal Player Offensive Player of the Year.

This year, he led the Falcons to the Class "A" state title rushing for 175 yards and two touchdowns as he tied a Prep Bowl record with 34 carries.

For his career, Evans rushed for an eye-popping 7,486 yards, a Minnesota state record.

This year,he ran for 3,663 yards and scored an amazing 47 touchdowns.

"He is a once in a lifetime player," said co-head coach Curt Strand. "He is a real gregarious kid; he gets along well with other players on other teams. Before games, they will come over to talk to him." That is probably the closest defensive players get to the senior running back as he is almost unstoppable in games.

"He is just a real nice kid," said Strand.

"He makes great plays each game and it gets to the point of where you expect him to make a new great play each game. It is just unbelievable. He has that combination of power and speed. He is not the fastest runner in the world; he runs a 4.6 (40yard dash) . He can run over you or run around them."

Strand recalls one of many "big plays" made by Evans when the Falcons took on Goodhue in the semi-finals at the Dome.

"He came up the hole and we missed a block and they had a player right there. He stopped, dipped it to the outside, turned the corner and outran people who had the angle on him."

Strand also said that Evans worked hard this off-season lifting weights. "He also worked hard in an exceleration clinic in Plymouth. He worked hard and that is something that he does each day."

Strand said that it was a bittersweet day when the Falcons won the state crown. "It has been a long, fun time with Tyler. We will miss him, definitely."

"I try to go out and do my job and make sure that I don't let the players around me down," Ganske said. "I try to lead by example at linebacker."

And his coach Rick Van Roekel said that Ganske has done just that for three seasons. "He is someone special. Having a player like him for the last three years was one of the cornerstones for our defense. He was very intense and has a great work-ethic. We won the (South Central) Conference the last two years."

But VanRoekel also said that Ganske is far more than just a football player. "He is a fine young man off the field. He is a great role model for the younger kids; that is something that you may not get in this day and age."

Ganske carries a 4.0 GPA in the classroom and scored very high on his ACT.

"He was a player that you wanted on the field every play and he wanted to be there,"VanRoekel said. "He made our defense better. He is a very smart player. With him and Rob Geistfeld (who played linebacker two years ago) I don't think that we have had any two smarter linebackers playing at the same time than Rob and Charles. They learned off each other."

Ganske has many colleges after his talents both on the football field and in the classroom. "Right now, i am looking at the University of North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Princeton, Dartmouth, Minnesota, Northwestern and Northern Iowa," said Ganske. "The coaches there have said that I will be playing linebacker for them."

Here are the remaining players chosen for the 2002 All-Journal Area squad. Two others are repeaters from last year.

ISAAC FORSTNER, NEW ULM HIGH SCHOOL:The senior defensive end for the Eagles as an All-South Central Conference pick for the second straight year. He had 38 tackles, 20 assists and four quarterback sacks.

BRANDON ROLLOFF, NEW ULM HIGH SCHOOL: The senior wide receiver latched onto 12 passes for an average of 21.8 yards per catch and scored six touchdowns.

ANDY BERNARD, NEW ULM HIGH SCHOOL: The All-Conference fullback had 91 carries for 386 yards and six touchdowns. Bernard was also a key to the Eagles' defense.

CHRIS DAUER, NEW ULM HIGH SCHOOL: The 6-foot 4, 291 pound offensive tackle is a two-time All-South Central Conference selection.

JOEL RUSSOW, MINNESOTA VALLEY LUTHERAN: Russow holds two season school records at MVL with 176 tackles and 14 quarterback sacks. His 17 career sacks is also a school record. "Joel is one of those very special players that a team, a conference or an area can hope for," commented his coach Jim Buboltz. "He has raised the bar high for other Charger teams to follow."

AARON MADSON, MINNESOTA VALLEY LUTHERAN: Madson is a player that coach Jim Buboltz said is "a very valuable source to have with his great athletic ability around the ball either defensively, offensively or on special teams." That translated to five interceptions this year and a school record nine picks for a career. He totaled 103 career tackles and was an All-Southern Minnesota Conference pick.

ANDY BEILKE, MINNESOTA VALLEY LUTHERAN: The sophomore defensive back was second on the team with 69 tackles. He also picked off five enemy passes. "He is an exceptional player for a sophomore. He is a very good player right now and will be a great one when his career is over."

LUKE SCHMITZ, NEW ULM CATHEDRAL: Schmitz totaled 671 yards on 82 carries this year and scored four touchdowns. He also caught six passes for 87 yards and two scores. Cathedral coach Denny Lux said "Luke was a very steady offensive and defensive player for us."

JACOB MERTZ, NEW ULM CATHEDRAL: The senior caught 24 passes for 308 yards and four touchdowns. On defense, he had 20 solo tackles and and 21 assists. "He is a leader on and off the field," said CHS coach Denny Lux.

TONY HULKE, NICOLLET: Hulke, a junior, led the Raiders in rushing with 942 yards and eight touchdowns. He also caught 15 passes for 40 yards and returned 24 kicks for 518 yards and three scores. He had 2,130 all-purpose yards and now has over 3,800 all-purpose yards for his career.

JAMIE WAGNER, NICOLLET: Wagner led the team in tackles with 102 while rushing for 45 yards. He also caught five passes for 80 yards. "He is our best tackler, " said head coach Tom Murphy. "And he is the best tackler that I have coached; he is technically sound." The junior is a three-year letterwinner and a two-year All-Valley Conference pick.

COLBY PACK, RED ROCK CENTRAL: The senior saw his career end with a dislocated ankle in a loss to McLeod West. Pack rushed for 1,144 yards this year and scored 17 touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for another 456 yards and three scores. He is also a winner in the classroom as he is All-Academic.

COREY FISCHEL, RED ROCK CENTRAL: The senior signal-caller passed for 1,294 yards this year along with eight touchdowns. For his career, he threw for 2,330 yards and 16 scores.

NATHAN STRAND, MCLEOD WEST: The quarterback for the Falcons has quietly passed for 713 yards and 10 scores and has rushed for 275 yards.

JEREMY GETTEL, MCLEOD WEST: Gettel is one of the reasons for the success that Tyler Evans has. Gettel is not only a great blocking back but also is a solid defensive performer. He has 65 solo tackles, 55 assists in addition to five quarterback sacks.

BRENT PICHOTTA, MCLEOD WEST: Pichotte has 57 solo tackles and 52 assists along with six tackles for losses of yardage.

MATT MAIERS, MCLEOD WEST: Maiers has eight interceptions this year and has a career 12 picks. He also has 48 solo tackles and 36 assists.

CHAD ARMBRUSTER, SLEEPY EYE ST. MARY'S: The senior quarterback was one of the best in the area throwing for 1,796 yards and 17 touchdowns. He has 2,079 yards for his career and 19 touchdown passes.

DARRIN HAALA, SLEEPY EYE ST. MARY'S: The senior wide receiver caught 35 passes for 710 yards and four touchdowns for a 20.3 average per catch.

PAUL FUCHS, SLEEPY EYE ST. MARY'S: Fuchs totaled 558 yards on 30 catches and six touchdowns. He returned 18 punts for 150 yards. On defense, Fuchs totaled 90 tackles and had a career 107 tackles.

JJ HELGET, SLEEPY EYE ST. MARY'S: Coach Jason Jund calls Helget "one of the smartest players that i have ever coached." Helget has played every position on the offensive line. On defense Helget ended with 98 tackles, 12 of them for losses of yardage. He was an All-Southern Minnesota All-Conference pick last year.

COLE ALTERMATT, WABASSO:The junior running back ran for 725 yards and seven touchdowns.

STEVE PEICHEL, GFW: The linebacker amassed 40 solo tackles and 98 assists this year. For his career, he ended with 90 solo tackles and 213 assists and had eight fumble recoveries.

ROSS FISCHER, SLEEPY EYE PUBLIC: FIscher was voted the Division 2001 Lineman of the Year in the Southern Minnesota Conference. The 6-foot 4, 280 pounder "was an outstanding blocker and dominated as a defensive tackle" said coach Dean Deibele.

JOSH HADLEY, SLEEPY EYE PUBLIC: Hadley had 14 catches for eight touchdowns and ended with 45 tackles and five interceptions on defense.

CODY WALTER, SLEEPY EYE PUBLIC: Walter rushed for 693 yards and 11 touchdowns. For his career, he ran for 2,063 yards and 25 touchdowns.

JOSE SAENZ, SLEEPY EYE PUBLIC: The junior fullback came close to his second straight 1,000 yard season with 932 yards on 143 carries. He scored eight touchdowns. For his career, he has 2,161 yards and 21 touchdowns.

RYAN STURM, SPRINGFIELD: Sturm passed for 1,776 yards and 18 touchdowns. For his career, Sturm threw for 2,574 yards and 26 touchdowns.

HONORABLE MENTION: Matt Lang, Springfield; Bryce Belseth,Sleepy Eye Public; Jim Frank, Patrick Irbeck, Brent Baune,Steve Wood, Wabasso; Lee Schaffran, Tim Johnson, Red Rock Central;Darrin Genz, Reggie Vacek, McLeod West; Andy Wagner, Clint Mack, Dusty Mangen, Sleepy Eye St. Mary's;Tom Hazuka, Jimmy Vancura, New Ulm Cathedral; Brady Lux, Paul Ibberson, MVL; Matt Suess, Matt Furth, Dan Kitzberger, New Ulm High School.