The 2025 Fall Sports season is here! Once again KRWC Radio will have all the best Wright County Area sports coverage. Today we are focusing on Football. Below is some of the key story lines for the 2025 Fall Sports season. Good luck to all teams and athletes this fall.
Teams are listed in alphabetical order.
Back to the championship?
The Annandale Cardinals played for a state championship in Class AAA just two seasons ago and reached the state quarterfinals last season. This season many have the Cards as the preseason #1 team in the state in AAA, and a serious title contender. The Cards have two experienced QBs in Michael Kovall, and Braylon Fobbe, and they get to throw to possibly the deepest WR group in the state led by Gabe Westman, and Isiah Turner. Cam Ergen is back at RB, both offense and defensive lines are huge, and athletic, led by Jr, Adam Klatt, and Sr, Owen Peterson. The linebackers attack from all angles, and special teams should also be solid. Biggest question is if secondary can hold up and they stay healthy. Last year injuries ruined their chances to go back to the championship. This team has everything it needs to win it all, if it can stay healthy.
Predicted Record: 8-0. Little Falls in week one could be tricky. Foley is much improved and game at Holy Family will determine if they can go undefeated.
Section 5AAA Prediction: Foley looks like the only team that can challenge Annandale this season in 5AAA.
The Cards, above, have one of the deepest WR groups in the state. Pictured above, left to right. #5 Jack Newman, #3 Cooper Broman, #41 Isiah Turner, #1 Gabe Westman and #6 Colton Purcell.
So, you say there’s a chance!
For the Buffalo Bison basically the last ten years they knew they had no chance to compete at the 6AAAAAA level in the playoffs. It was all about the regular season, but this season there is an opening! Buffalo moved down to Class AAAAA and now legitimately can compete for state. They are in a tough section with Armstrong, and Spring Lake Park, but at least now they know they can compete. The Bison have one of the best D linemen in the state in Hans Pederson who is headed to Army next year, and a young coach Jackson Litterer in his third year that has them motivated. Grant Benson returns at QB and the receiving room is deep with Matthew Jordan, Jackson Coss, Hendrix Gatz, and Thomas Jordan. Besides Pederson, the Bison are looking for players to step up on D. Two major questions for Buffalo. Can they find a running game? And how improved will their defense be against elite competition? At least now it’s just not about the regular season anymore!
Predicted Record: 4-4. Lots of toss up games. Monti, Spring Lake Park, and Armstrong will determine their seed in their section.
Section 6AAAAA Prediction: The Bison should win their first-round matchup, but Spring Lake Park and Armstrong are the favorites.
Hans Pederson, above, is committed to play for the Army after graduation from Buffalo.
The tradition continues.
Last season the Dassel-Cokato Chargers reached the state championship before losing to Stewartville last fall, and the year before lost to Annandale in the state semifinals. This season it will be a whole new look for the Chargers as they lose their top two rushers in Thelen and Smock. Defense will have to carry the day early until their powerful running game gets in gear. Defensively there is strength at every level, led by 6’3 Sr. LB Damien Kasanezsky, LB Elijah Torola and D back Chase Luthers. DC will be strong again this year, but the young guys will need to step up.
Predicted record: 6-2. Lots of tough games! Howard Lake WW, New London Spicer, would be big wins. Morris, Holy Family and Litch will be tough games.
Section 2AAA Prediction: Holy Family and Howard Lake WW will be the top competitors to knock out DC. I think Holy Family is the slight favorite.
DC, above in blue, reached the state championship game last year, losing to Stewartville in the finals. It was the Tigers second straight championship in AAA.
Fixing the problem?
Let’s be honest, despite the passing game connection of Bryce Peterson to Jake Schultz, last year was a disaster for Delano, ending in a 47-0 first round playoff loss to Mound. This season the Tigers have a new coach, and a new direction. They have a nice returning group that includes RB’s Damon Clare, 400 yds rushing last season and six TD’s, and Carter Van Benskom, who avg. 4.6 ypc. On defense the Tigers can lean on Noah Wentzel who led the team with 82 tackles last year, and So., Grant Bruett who registered 32 tackles last season. It won’t be easy this season for Delano, but if they rely on their running game and improve on D, they should be much improved.
Predicted record: 3-5. Another gauntlet. Detroit Lakes in week 1 will be pivotal. Zimmerman, Marshall, Orono and Stewartville would all be upset wins.
Section 6AAAA Prediction: A very balanced section. If Delano gets an identity before the playoffs begin, they could be a Darkhorse.
The Delano Tigers, above, warm up before a recent practice at Delano.
On the Rise!
Last year Howard Lake WW went 2-4 to start the season and had problems on both sides of the ball, but at the end of the year the Lakers caught fire, winning four straight before losing a heartbreaker to Litchfield, 44-27 in the Section 2AAA semifinals. This season the Lakers will break in a new QB in So., Hunter Bush to run the show and feature three athletic backs in So., Jaxson Ewert, Jr., Timmy Webber and Sr., Raydon Graham. On defense the front seven should be stout, led by the return of Sr, Zach Murphy who should be a menace at end, after missing the last two years due to injury. This team is a sleeper to reach state.
Predicted record: 4-4. Extremely tough schedule. Could start 1-4 with DC, Holy Family, Morris and Litch all tough matchups in week 2-5.
Section 2AAA Predictions: Howard Lake WW is the dark horse and has a great chance to slip into state, but DC and Holy Family could stand in their way.
After missing two years with injuries, Zach Murphy is back to lead the Lakers defense.
When will it end?
The Maple Lake Irish just want a win, any win! The Irish have not won a football game since the 2021 season! That’s thirty straight losses! Maple Lake has been losing enrollment over the last few years, and kids simply aren’t coming out for football. They have no depth, limited size and a brutal schedule every season. This season, the Irish do return 5’11 Sr, RB Landon Salmela, who avg. 74 yards per game on the ground last season. This season will truly be about picking up that one elusive win. Luckily for the Irish, they could get it right away in Week 1. They will host Menahga, who went 1-8 last season, on Thursday, August 28th. How sweet would it be if the Irish started 1-0!
Predicted record: 0-8. First three games are all winnable but need to prove it.
Section 4AA Predictions: If Maple Lake is competitive in the first round it would be a win for the Irish.
The Irish, above in green, will look to end their thirty-game losing streak with an opening night win over Menahga on August 28th.
Magic Run?
Monti started last year 0-2, and showed no signs of an efficient offense, then it all changed! The Magic won eight straight before losing to Elk River, 36-29 in the Class AAAAA state quarterfinals, and this season the Magic could go further. True, they lose Luke Emmerich to the University of Wisconsin, and that will hurt, but they return, Jr, QB, Carson Deibele, who completed 63% of his passes last fall and threw 9 TD’s. Cale Holthaus who rushed for over 1100 yards and 14 TD’s last season is back, and the defense will be tough to penetrate. 6’3 Trevon Bodell, 6’2 Will Kuhn, and Sr, Grant Bauer all return to anchor an excellent defense. Monti is a legit threat to reach state and go further than last year this fall.
Predicted Record: 7-1. First two are tough, plus rivalry game with Buffalo. Elk River in game 7 will be litmus test.
Section 7AAAA Predictions: It’s Elk River vs. Monticello period! I like the Magic chances this year!
Cale Holthaus, above, will lead a rugged run game that returns for the Magic this fall.
Big Questions all over.
The Rockford Rockets started the season strong last year, behind 6’4 QB Tim Houghton, winning two out of their first three games, but then hit a wall. The Rockets lost four of their last five games, including a first-round playoff heartbreaker to Howard Lake WW, 14-13. Houghton has graduated along with other key players from last year’s team. What’s left? Well, there is the 6’5 LB/RB Bradley Graunke, who can be a game wrecker on both sides of the ball. Last season Graunke amassed 104 tackles and nine tackles for loss on defense. This season he will also be relied on heavily at RB. Sean Asangwe, a 6’2 WR is also back and can stretch the defense with his speed and size. This should be a very interesting year at Rockford, and it will be interesting to see which direction they go.
Predicted record: 2-6. Weeks two thru five are winnable, last three are incredibly tough. Annandale, Pierz and Holy Family is tough way to end regular season.
2AAA Section Predictions: Tough section, just winning in the first round would be a win for Rockford.
The Rockford defense, above in green, will rely on LB Bradley Graunke to lead the way this fall. Graunke had over 100 tackles last fall for the Rockets.
Bounce back needed.
The last few seasons have just felt weird to STMA. Where was the offense? Where was the defense? Where was the winning? We became so used to the Knights dominating year after year, that the last few years have been a big surprise. Take last season. The Knights went 4-6 and lost 42-6 to Shakopee in the second round. Can they bounce back this season? Honestly, it’s hard to tell. The Knights lost a ton from last year’s team, including their top two running backs. The good news for STMA is Ty Harring is back at QB and he is two dimensional, he can beat with both his arm and feet. Elijah Lewis could be Harring’s top target this season, and on defense, 6’5 200 LB, Zach Marble returns. Marble posted 47 tackles last fall. Just like Rockford, hard to tell which direction this program is headed.
Predicted record: 2-6. Week one vs. Champlin Park and week 8 vs. Hopkins must win. Rest of schedule is brutal.
State AAAAAA Predictions: STMA is always tough in October, but one upset win would be a surprise this year for the Knights.
Ty Harring is the catalyst for the Knights offense, leading by both his passing ability and his running ability.
