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The new 11A class is another difficult one to predict because we’re about to see a lot of programs compete against one another for either the first time or the first time in a long time. Fargo North, Fargo South, Grand Forks Red River, Grand Forks Central and Dickinson have always competed in the same division as the biggest schools, but this year they’ll be in the second tier for the Class A schools. It’s a change that’ll take a lot of getting used to, but ultimately, I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

The twelve-team class will be separated into two divisions. The east region will include seven teams (Devils Lake, North, South, Red River, Central, Valley City and Wahpeton) and the west will include five teams (St. Mary’s, Dickinson, Jamestown, Turtle Mountain and Watford City). As for playoffs, the top five teams from the east and the top three from the west determined by region record will qualify for the postseason. From there, the QRF from NorthDakota-scores.net will seed teams one through eight for the quarterfinal round of the playoffs. The interesting part is that some of the schools will play some 11AA opponents and some won’t. That’s where the playoff picture at the end of the year could get interesting.

So, with all of that in mind I took a stab at ranking the top five teams in Class 11A. Maybe it’ll end up being something to chuckle at halfway through the season, or maybe I can re-share it in mid-November saying, “I told you so!” Either way, it’s a great way to drum up discussion – and luckily, the games are decided on the field and not via this preview blog! Here we go!

1. St. Mary’s

The Saints have reached at least the semifinal round of the state playoffs in eight consecutive seasons, a run that includes five state championships. Last year, Dan Smrekar’s team ran the table by defeating Beulah 17-7 in the Dakota Bowl for a perfect 11-0 record. The Saints march into 2021 with five returning starters on offense and four on defense. St. Mary’s has some good continuity up front with four returning starters on the offensive line. That’ll be a strength along with the team speed according to Coach Smrekar. Defense was the calling card for the Saints last year as they only allowed two teams to score multiple touchdowns on them all year. They allowed just over five points per game on the season and opened the season with four consecutive shutouts. With a beefed-up schedule, I don’t expect numbers like that to happen again – but I do anticipate St. Mary’s to have a great shot at returning to the Fargodome. 

Impact Players

The Saints return a trio of all-state picks, led by Senior WR/LB Brit Senftner who made 22 catches for 328 yards and 3 touchdowns last year in addition to making 46 tackles on defense. Senftner’s big 6’3” frame not only helps him a lot as a pass-catcher, but on defense too. Senior linebacker Isaac Felchle was another big contributor to the state’s top defensive unit, registering over 100 tackles in 2020. Senior Jack Weikum returns to anchor the offensive and defensive lines, and his strength will be very noticeable on Friday nights. The keys to the offense will be turned over to Nick Schumacher who replaces Jackson Uhler. Schumacher played sparingly at quarterback last season, but did pass for a pair of touchdowns. He’s also a starter in the secondary on defense and handles kicking/punting duties. Isaac Vandal is the team’s top returning rusher, and the senior should step into a bigger role this fall.

2. South

Fargo South might be the hungriest team to get back on the field. That’s because for the first time since 1984, the Bruins didn’t reach the playoffs. I have a feeling that drought will be short-lived as the Bruins make the transition from the old Class AAA to 11A. Even though South hasn’t been as dominant as it once was, the Bruins have still handled the likes of fellow Class AAA to 11A movers Fargo North, Red River and Central. In fact, they’ve swept that trio eight consecutive seasons for 24 straight wins. Head Coach Tyler Kosel returns four starters on offense and six on defense. A small senior class is a concern, but Kosel remains optimistic due to the team’s overall talent and some key players are back to lead the defense. It won’t take long to figure out if I ranked my top two teams incorrectly. The Bruins open the season with a home game against my preseason #1 St. Mary’s. That game will tell us a lot about how this class will eventually shape up.

Impact Players

Senior RB/LB Kolby Jones will be one to watch. Jones had a great year at linebacker last season for the Bruins and displayed a lot of speed and physicality. He put in the work during the offseason, and should be a key contributor on both sides of the ball. Senior Jack Korbel is the lone returner in the secondary, and will be asked to lead that group in addition to making plays at wide out. South is going young at quarterback by starting sophomore Kolby Nissen, but after watching some of his HUDL tape I think he’s going to raise some eyebrows. Nissen has a strong arm, and isn’t afraid to escape the pocket and hurt you with his legs. The offensive line will be anchored by Christian Skiple and Tyler Christianson. Defensively, Jones is joined by junior Zack Thomasson and sophomore Dorian Sandness, both of whom earned playing time a season ago.

3. Jamestown

A new division and a new turf field await the Blue Jays in 2021. This season can’t come fast enough for Jamestown, who started out the 2020 campaign with a 4-0 record before COVID-19 struck the team. Playing shorthanded at times, they lost their final three contests and eventually had to forfeit their playoff game at Sheyenne. Blue Jays Head Coach Bill Nelson has been able to shake off some of those memories, though, as he scans a practice field full of nearly 100 players. It’s evident that the passion for football is on the rise in the Buffalo City. Jamestown graduated 15 seniors from last year’s successful team, but it’ll have that same amount of experience in the 2022 class. Jamestown proved a lot of toughness to me last year by winning some tight games in the first half of the season, and then slugging it out with Bismarck in a shootout late in the year. I think good things are in store for the Blue Jays in 2021.

Impact Players

Jamestown featured a wide-open offense last year led by all-state senior quarterback Ty Monson, who passed for over 1,200 yards and 12 TD. But Monson is now a freshman at the University of Jamestown, leaving some big shoes to fill. Junior Payton Hochhalter threw a pair of touchdown passes last season and started the final game of the season following a hip injury to Monson. Whoever ends up the starter at quarterback will have a reliable target in senior WR/DB Preston Kroeber. Kroeber caught a team-high 26 passes for 332 yards and 3 touchdowns last year. Other key returners include Jakob Schempp, Adam Kallenbech, Thomas Allmer and Brode Hillstrom.

4. Dickinson

Their 1-6 record didn’t reflect it, but the Midgets played some good football in 2020. Three of those losses were decided by 10 points or fewer. Head Coach John Tuchscherer saw plenty of positives: “We had a lot of underclassmen who played a lot last year and gained valuable experience. We were playing our best football at the end of the year.” The challenge this year will be to take that next step forward and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2015. The region schedule will certainly look different having made the move away from Class AAA, but the Midgets will still play non-region games against the three big schools from Bismarck. The hope for Tuchscherer is that those games help build the toughness they’ll need to compete in the postseason at the 11A level.

Impact Players

The Midgets likely have the most experienced offensive backfield of any team, no matter the class, in the state. FB/LB Luke Mavity and RB/LB Troy Berg are a pair of seniors that have been taking significant varsity reps since they were freshmen. Berg won’t blow you away with his size, but he’s quick and tough to bring down. Mavity has done a great job of leading the way for him the last few years as the team’s fullback. Last season, Berg rushed for 642 yards and five touchdowns while adding 64 tackles (45 solo) on defense. Mavity led the team in total tackles with 65 of them including 13 TFL. Those guys will be the tone setters all season for DHS. Senior Taik Larsen and junior Max Wilkinson are a couple of big boys that’ll start both ways up front for the second consecutive season.

5. North

Much like Dickinson, the 2-5 record for North doesn’t tell the entire story of their team last season. The Spartans were a 2-point conversion away from forcing overtime against West Fargo in the season opener, and late in the season they lost a one-point thriller to rival South. This year, Adam Roland is expecting the record to look much different with seven starters back on offense and another five back on defense. Not many teams can say they return their starting quarterback and entire offensive line, but that’s the case for North. That’ll be a huge advantage, and I know that coach Roland is excited about some of the playmakers he has in the junior and sophomore classes. North hasn’t finished with a winning record since 2008; I believe that drought ends this year.

Impact Players

Senior Danny Boutain returns under center as a good dual threat quarterback. His comfort in the system should make for a more consistent offense. The ground game is in good hands with Mason Lockwood, who earned more and more touches as the season wore on last year. He has the skillset to be a dynamic weapon at the 11A level. Carson Shultis and Nathaniel Fritel are another couple of senior weapons that should help North find the endzone more often than they have in years past. As for the other side of the ball, the hope is to build off last year’s defensive effort. The Spartans had the third best scoring defense in the EDC trailing only Sheyenne and West Fargo. Adam Jarski, Alex Wegner and Jalen May should be difference makers on that side of the ball.

The Bubble Teams

Red River

The Roughriders were winless in 2020, but they were also an extremely young team. Vyrn Muir is hoping those growing pains result in winning games in 2021. Red River has a trio of seniors that have been logging significant varsity time since their sophomore years. Adam McMullin has been a mainstay on the offensive line, while Garrin Sattler should lead the rushing attack. Outside linebacker Paine Parks has been receiving quite a bit of recruiting interest from the D1 and D2 schools in the region. Junior TE/LB Logan Arason is another player with big potential for the Roughriders.

Wahpeton

The Huskies have just one win over the last two seasons, but I believe the program is getting close to being a playoff contender again. Wade Gilbertson enters his third season as head coach and returns a pair of all-state players in senior QB Blake Schafer and junior wide receiver Caden Kappes. Schafer passed for nearly 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns last season, while Kappes turned 41 catches into 696 yards and five scores. Those two will help lead the charge into a season full of promise. Keep this in mind: last year Wahpeton lost three games by two points or less. Those are tough lessons to learn, but the Huskies won’t have to search hard to find motivation when they’re playing in close games this fall.

Class 11A Preseason Player of the Year

Troy Berg, Dickinson

10 Players to Watch in Class 11A

• Kolby Jones, South
• Caden Kappes, Wahpeton
• Preston Kroeber, Jamestown
• Luke Mavity, Dickinson
• Paine Parks, Red River
• Blake Schafer, Wahpeton
• Colton Schneider, Devils Lake
• Brit Senftner, St. Mary’s
• Sam Strandell, Central
• Jack Weikum, St. Mary’s