“Obviously, there are plenty of unknowns ahead of us this season with the new co-op,” commented Coach Johnson. “So far, we are seeing the team camaraderie grow with each practice and we're gaining a better idea of the roles each member of our team can fill. Our senior leadership has been great in helping us navigate through some of the obstacles we have faced with bringing together Ashby and Brandon-Evansville. We have 43 players on our roster and only 11 of those players are a junior or senior. Fortunately, we have an entire season to develop two additional offensive linemen from our sophomore class as we transition from 9-man to 11-man at the end of the season. It will be exciting to see which of our younger linemen develops the most and earns the chance to be a contributor at playoff time.”

Returning starters and letter winners are seniors Jake Norby (WR/LB), Logan Haburn (RB/LB), Stephen Hamilton (WR/LB), Fred Schlotfeld (WR/DB), Solomon Wales (WR/LB), Ben Seifert (OL/DL) and Jace Barry (OL/DL), juniors Micah Fuller (QB/DB) and Dustin Gillespie (OL/DL), and sophomores William Englund (OL/DL), Landon Stich (OL/DL), Colton Breitkreutz (WR/DB) and Landon Sullivan (WR/LB).  Norby, Haburn, Hamilton, Schlotfeld, Wales and Seifert will serve as team captains.

“Ottertail Central and Border West seem to be the top teams in our district,” said Johnson.  Both Hancock and Rothsay return some athletic skill players that puts them in the top half of the District.  Breckenridge and West Central Area appear to be the top teams in Section 6A.”