All-Area Player of the Year: Numbers speak for themselves for Pierz's Kapsner

Reese Kapsner did not return a fumble for a touchdown.

He didn't even return a blocked field-goal attempt for a score.

It's what he did do, however, that earned him the Brainerd Dispatch All-Area Player of the Year award as he helped the Pierz Pioneers to an 11-1 record and a trip to the Class 3A state semifinals at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Kapsner also earned high praise from his coaches.

"First off, as great of a football player Reese is, he is a better person," Pierz offensive coordinator Dave Rocheleau said. "He is a great teammate and a very coachable kid. He is one of the best running backs to come through Pierz. His balance is unbelievable and he has the heart of a warrior.

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Reese Kapsner

• Year: Senior
• School: Pierz
• Sport: Football
• Position: RB-OLB
• Season stats: Rushed for 1,796 yards on 162 yards (11.1 yards per carry) and 24 touchdowns. He caught seven passes for 147 yards (21.0 yards per reception) and 1 touchdown. He returned seven punts for 187 yards (26.7 yards per return) and a touchdown. He returned four kickoffs for 126 yards (31.5 yards per return) and a touchdown. Defensively he finished with 56 tackles (37 solo, 19 assists), 1 tackle for loss, 1 fumble recovery, 5 pass breakups and 6 interceptions returning 2 for touchdowns.

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"He is a very versatile player. He can be a finesse back staying behind his blocks and then exploding or a speed back and just outrun you. If you need 1 yard, he can be a power back and get you that yard. It was my pleasure having coached him."

Kapsner led the Brainerd lakes area with 1,796 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns on 162 carries. He averaged 11.1 yards every time he rushed the ball. He scored one touchdown on a pass as he finished with seven catches for 147 yards.

Yet, Kapsner praised Pierz's reputable offensive line for making his job easier.

"Our line, we only had one guy returning, but the new guys did a fantastic job," Kapsner said. "Week by week you could definitely tell they were getting better because the holes were getting wider and staying open longer because they were sustaining their blocks more. They were learning to work together and they just knew what was going on by midseason and by the end of the season they were just as good as any other Pierz line.

"They played great, I thought."

While his offensive numbers caught the attention of the Minnesota Football Coaches Association, which landed him a spot in the All-Star Game, Kapsner was just as vital to the Pioneers' defense.

He finished with 56 tackles, one tackle for loss, one fumble recovery, five pass breakups and six interceptions. He returned two of his interceptions for touchdowns.

"No matter where you put the kid, he was a playmaker," Pierz defensive coordinator Dan Saehr said. "He was asked to do so many things for us. The outside linebacker probably has more responsibilities than anybody on defense. He's asked to blitz. He's asked to cover the other team's better players much of the time. He's got to be a tackler. He's asked to come off the edge at times.

"We put him all over and put him in spots to make plays for us and he was very good at that."

Saehr said Kapsner is a quiet kid who led by example. He was also a good listener. Before Pierz's Section 6-3A game against New London-Spicer, Saehr picked up a strange tendency the Wildcats' offense showed on film. He told Kapsner what to look for and what might be coming if he saw it.

During the game, Kapsner saw what Saehr was talking about. Kapsner then intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown and a 14-0 Pierz lead.

"That is a true story," Kapsner said. "Coach Saehr watches a crazy amount of film and him and our whole coaching staff picking up on tendencies just shows how good they are. They want us to win almost more than the players do. That play just shows how determined and focused our coaching staff was. It helps a crazy amount. It's just a huge advantage to our team. We're able to play fast and that helps us."

Kapsner also played a critical role on special teams for Class 3A's top-ranked Pioneers. He returned seven punts for 187 yards and a touchdown. He returned four kickoffs for 126 yards and another touchdown.

"He is a very special player who could do it all," Pierz head coach Leo Pohlkamp said. "How many different ways can you score other than kicking field goals? Whether it was a strong-side linebacker, weak-side linebacker or strong safety, we got a lot of mileage out of Reese.

"He's a good kid, too."

All told, Kapsner finished the season with 30 touchdowns.

As a junior, he helped Pierz win the Class 3A state title. He rushed for 1,120 yards and 18 touchdowns last year. He caught four passes for 80 yards. Defensively he added 71 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries, three fumble recoveries and 12 pass breakups.

The three-sport athlete helped Pierz win 24-straight football games over his final two seasons.

"Coming into the year, we had a lot of expectations to live up to," Kapsner said. "We had a lot of guys who needed to fill in on some new roles and everybody did a great job filling in and stepping up. It was just a good season. It didn't end quite the way we wanted to, but it was a pretty satisfying season."