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Friday, September 4, 2009
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Defense should be Warriors' early strength FALL SPORTS PREVIEW: Brainerd High School football Sports Editor Six starters return on defense, which should be the early strength of the Brainerd Warriors as they open the season Friday night against archrival St. Cloud Tech.
Lineman Aaron Pavek returns with linebackers Sam Pagel, Taylor Main and Jordan Goos, cornerback Kyle Crocker and free safety Tate Rusk.
Offensively, the Warriors have two full-time starters back in Crocker at wide receiver and tight end Cole Stegora. Lineman Kurt Phalen was a part-time starter.
Warriors football
Head coach: Ron Stolski, 48th season (35th at Brainerd, 4 at Park Center, 6 at Princeton, 1 at Slayton, 2 at Kensington).
Career record: 311-143-5 (.685).
Brainerd record: 239-108 (.687).
2008 finish: 4-2 CLC, 7-3 overall.
Returning starters: Kyle Crocker (WR-CB), Cole Stegora (TE), Kurt Fahlen (OL), Aaron Pavek (DL), Sam Pagel (LB), Taylor Main (LB), Jordan Goos (LB), Tate Rusk (FS)
Captains: Taylor Main, Kurt Fahlen, Tate Rusk, Kyle Crocker.
Assistant coaches: Aron Anderson, Bob Brakke, Scott Parsons, Deryl Ramey, Chet Stevenson, Troy Nelson, Joe Pohlkamp, Wade Haapajoki, Jason Freed.
Schedule
Sept. 4, St. Cloud Tech 7 p.m.
Sept. 11, at Bemidji 7 p.m.
Sept. 18, at Willmar 7 p.m.
Sept. 25, Moorhead 7 p.m.
Oct. 3, St. Cloud Apollo 2 p.m., homecoming
Oct. 9, at Alexandria 7 p.m.
Oct. 14, Fergus Falls 7 p.m.
Oct. 22, at Sartell 7 p.m.
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Brainerd will have size in the trenches and will be inexperienced at many positions.
"Certainly, I think we have the tools, in terms of skills," Warriors head coach Ron Stolski said. "We've got some good size. We've practiced very hard, like Warrior teams have in the past.
"I do think this is a team that will grow, but when you have inexperience at quarterback, the offensive line and in the secondary, those are areas that can be vulnerable. The more experience those kids get the better off we'll be.
"With all of that said, it isn't like these kids haven't played football before, or haven't been coached before."
In 2008, Pavek had 57 tackles and two quarterback sacks. Goos was the team's third-leading tackler (106) and had two sacks. Pagel was fourth in tackles (104) and also had two sacks. Main had 53 tackles and two sacks.
"(Graduate Colby) Ring played one of (the inside spots), the other three alternated and became pretty good linebackers," Stolski said. "If there's a strength of the team it's at inside linebacker."
Rusk had 94 tackles and two interceptions. Crocker had 44 tackles and two pickoffs.
Offensively, Crocker had 22 catches for 346 yards and five TDs. In addition, he averaged 22.7 yards per punt return and 26.1 per kickoff return.
The Warriors will have depth at tight end.
"Cole is one of our returning kids who played most of the season," Stolski said. "Pavek is going to see an awful lot of time there. The third tight end is a junior, Adam Paulson. We expect tight end to be one of our stronger positions."
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Captains of the Brainerd Warriors football team, which hosts St. Cloud Tech in its opener Friday night, include Taylor Main (32), Kurt Fahlen, Tate Rusk (11) and Kyle Crocker. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
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Fahlen (5-11, 255), who played guard, moves to center this season. Mitch Weidemann (6-7, 308), who played guard last year, moves to left tackle.
"Weidemann, who we think has a chance to be a really good player, had a great offseason," Stolski said. "He may be the story of our team. He's worked hard, and he's large."
Senior Reid Mimmack will start at quarterback with juniors Kevin Peterson and Mason Fussy in reserve. Mimmack, who backed up the graduated Scott Ramey, attempted three passes last season and carried the ball 12 times.
"Reid has a strong arm, good presence, and we expect him to be a fine quarterback," Stolski said.
"Peterson has been a real pleasant surprise, he has a lot of tools," Stolski added. "Fussy has never played quarterback before, but he's come along. He's got some skills as well."
At running back, the leading candidates are seniors Carsten Nelson and Jaron Hanson. Last season Nelson carried 24 times, Hanson five. Juniors Daniel Lauer, Jordan Hayes and Jack Luke are in the mix with Main and sophomore Matt Pohlkamp.
Other candidates
Line: Seniors Kris Garin, Chad Ohman, Dan Wheeler, Lewis Paulson; junior Sam Lastovich.
Outside linebacker: Rusk, Main, seniors Caleb Goodew and Barry Nelson; junior Tyler Kohlmeier.
Inside linebacker: Senior Jaime Barry; juniors Cayle Winkler and Bruce London.
Secondary: Senior Logan Stall; juniors Nate Gervenak, Nate Parsons and Mitch Bzdok.
Wide receiver: Senior Dylan Wheeler, Rusk; juniors Nick Belgum, Taylor Babineau, Jesse Zahn and Rusk and Kevin Peterson.
Guard: Senior Taylor Hradsky ; junior Charles Kassulker; sophomore Jake Kassulker.
Tackle: Juniors Joe Haeg, Josh Mattson.
Center: Hradsky, junior Aron Nicklaus.
Punter: Main or Bzdok
Kicker: Zach Cadwell or Pohlkamp.
Warriors roster
Number, name, position, grade
2, Solid, Matt, DB, 11
5, Bzdok, Mitchell, WR, 11
7, Peterson, Kevin, QB, 11
10, McLain, Mitchell, QB, 10
11, Corner, Jacob, QB, 10
11, Rusk, Tate, DB, 12
12, Kohlmeier, Tyler, DB, 11
14, Stanfield, Jordan, DB, 11
15, Borlaug, Dustin, QB, 10
16, Fussy, Mason, QB, 11
17, Luke, Jack, RB, 11
18, Howieson, Mitchell, TE, 10
18, Mimmack, Reid, QB, 12
20, Crocker, Kyle, WR-DB, 12
21, Ryan, Fletcher, DB, 10
21, Parsons, Nathan, DB, 11
22, Nelson, Barry, LB, 12
23, Lauer, Daniel, RB, 11
24, Hartman, Jessie, LB, 10
24, Hayes, Jordan, RB, 11
25, Welch, Nicholas, RB, 10
26, Dols, Jackson, RB, 10
26, Dukowitz, Trevor, DB, 10
27, Mick, Tyler, RB, 10
27, Dixon, Joshua, DB, 12
28, Gervenak, Nathan, DB, 11
30, Meyer, Cody, DB, 10
30, Klinger, Benjamin, DB, 11
31, Stall, Logan, DB, 12
32, Main, Taylor, LB, 12
33, Dziedzic, Justin, DB, 11
34, Hanson, Jaron, RB, 12
35, London, Bruce, LB, 11
35, Tollefson, Dylon, LB, 10
36, Nelson, Carsten, RB, 12
37, Troberg, Justin, DB, 11
37, Becket, Spencer, DB, 10
38, Goodew, Caleb, LB, 12
40, Pohlkamp, Matthew, RB, 10
41, Goodew, Jacob, LB, 10
41, Stall, Benjamin, DB, 10
42, Goos, Jordan, LB, 12
43, Ohman, Chad, DL, 12
44, Wicklund, Kyle, LB, 10
44, Dondelinger, Maxwell, LB, 11
45, Heath, Garret, LB, 11
45, Peppers, Dallas, LB, 10
46, Wanous, Robert, LB, 10
46, Aakhus, Cooper, LB, 12
47, Barry, Jaime, LB, 12
48, Anderson, Austin, TE, 10
50, Kassulker, Jacob, OL, 10
51, Titus, Erik, OL, 11
52, Gapinski, Tyler, LB, 11
53, McAllister, Logan, LB, 10
54, Pagel, Samuel, LB, 12
55, Winkler, Cayle, LB, 11
56, Barrett, Dain, OL, 10
56, Kassulker, Charles, OL, 11
57, Niklaus, Aaron, OL, 11
58, Wilkins, Ronnie, LB, 11
58, Jourdan, Sam, OL, 10
60, Anderson, Josh, DB, 11
62, Tautges, Caleb, OL, 10
63, Sypnieski, Adam, OL, 11
64, Cadwell, Zachary, OL, 11
65, Rude, Robert, OL, 10
65, Torgerson, Mark, OL, 11
67, Garin, Kristopher, DL, 12
67, Hoskins, John, DL, 10
68, Keller, Adam, OL, 10
68, Eggen, Jack, OL, 11
70, Mattson, Josh, OL, 11
71, Davis, Michael, DL, 10
72, Huesmann, Matthew, OL, 11
73, Hradsky, Taylor, OL, 12
73, Dwire, Ethan, DL, 10
74, Haeg, Joseph, OL, 11
75, Fahlen, Kurt, OL, 12
76, Peterson, Logan, DL, 10
76, Webb, Austin, OL, 10
77, Tomte, Stephen, OL, 12
78, Weideman, Mitchell, OL, 12
80, Stegora, Cole, TE, 12
81, Zahn, Jesse, WR, 11
82, Aldous, Tyler, TE, 10
82, Belgum, Nicholas, WR, 11
83, Paulson, Adam, TE, 11
84, Olson, Thomas, WR, 10
85, Kline, Riley, WR, 10
85, Babineau, Taylor, WR, 11
86, Truesdell, Ronald, WR, 11
86, Swenson, Dakota, DL, 10
87, Giese, James, WR, 10
87, Lundgren, Chris, OL, 10
88, Pavek, Aaron, DL, 12
89, Wheeler, Dylan, WR, 12
90, Matthies, Cody, DL, 11
91, Wheeler, Daniel, DL, 12
92, Swenson, Austin, DL, 10
92, Clark, Joseph, DL, 11
93, Lastovich, Samuel, DL, 11
94, Bahr, Joe, DL, 11
95, Marcil, Myles, DL, 11
96, Brown, Zachary, DL, 11
97, Paulson, Lewis, DL, 12
99, Stone, Luke, DL, 11
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