Colfax Vikings get back to gridiron basics in preparation for 2017 season

By Cara L. Dempski

COLFAX — Colfax football, players and fans included, had a rough go of it last season.

The Vikings finished 1-8 overall in 2016, and went 0-6 in the Dunn-St. Croix to land at the bottom of the conference. 

Repeated yells of “get low” at defensive linemen going for tackles, and reminders to offensive players to pay attention to the play caller were frequent in last season’s games, prompting head coach Matt DeMoe to go back to the drawing board with his team in 2017.

“Right now, we’re focusing on the basics: blocking and tackling,” DeMoe noted. 

The team has set goals this year of nabbing three conference wins, and making it into the playoffs. DeMoe’s attention to the game’s fundamentals combined with the team’s hard work might just pay off considering a few shifts in skill positions on the 2017 roster.

The Colfax squad lost just four seniors last year, but those included quarterback Brad Kamp, who completed 29 passes for 504 yards total in just five games, receiver Tyler Snyder, who led the Viking corp with 20 receptions and 280 yards, and defensive linemen Austin Dressel and Bryce Kragness, who combined for 50 tackles.

The first shift in position is with former quarterback Treyton Teige, who sat out the latter half of 2016 after suffering a concussion. The six foot, two inch senior will be stepping away from play calling in 2017 in favor of using his height to nab passes over the heads of opponents as a receiver. Teige was good for 26 completions and 271 yards last year as QB, and rushed 102 yards on 52 attempts.

He will be joined by classmates Brett Schindler at linebacker and running back, and Spencer Herrick as center and a defensive lineman. Schindler led the 2016 Vikings with a whopping 99 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions for touchdowns. Herrick will use his size to good effect on defense, where he racked up 12 tackles last season.

Adam Pretasky is back for his senior year after picking up 185 yards last season as a receiver and nailing 23 tackles and a sack on defense. Other seniors looking to help the Vikings in 2017 are Alex Sykora, Dylan Everett, JJ Charlesworth and Jon Welk.

Juniors Tommy Anderson and Dalton Schotter lead off the Class of 2019 for this year’s Colfax football squad. The duo return to the field this year to work on both offense and defense. Anderson bested Schotter in rushing with 99 yards to Schotter’s six, but Schotter topped Anderson as a receiver with 14 yards to Anderson’s four. 

Both will be joined again on defense by Jackson Hellmann and Wyatt Olson and their combined 33 tackles. Juniors Brett Foyt, Thomas Jenson and Jeremy Artist will also be available to fill in this year.

Sophomore Noah Albricht will head up this year’s offense as Colfax’s starting play caller. DeMoe says the second-year player has a good arm and a great work ethic, which the Viking coach is hoping bodes well for the Vikings’ chances this season.

Mitchel Harmon and Marcus Drees are also back in 2017 for their second year. Harmon played in just six games last year, but logged 25 tackles. DeMoe has also marked Harmon as a player to watch offensively at running back. 

Drees completed 10 tackles in just four games in 2016 and returns to the group this year with classmates Noah LaNou, Mykiah Young, Trey Hovde and Dan Zons.

Freshmen Hunter Rebak, Austin Schindler, Durran Pederson, Greg Schulze, Julio Hernandez, Seth Korevaar, Tanner Hoffman and Asher Black also join the team for their first taste of high-school level competition and will be vying for spots.

DeMoe is in his second year as head coach at Colfax High School and will be joined by assistants Chad Evenson, Joel Steinke, Kirk Secraw and Adam Davison. He has a 1-8 record.

The Viking head coach is pointing to Durand, Elk Mound and Glenwood City as the conference’s top competitors again this season.

“Durand is well coached and has a good returning crew,” he said. “Elk Mound has a good returning crew of kids and great depth, and Glenwood City has a solid program.”

The Vikings kick off their 2017 season with a trio of road games. They will head to Ellsworth for the season opener against the Panthers this Firday, August 18 before traveling to Eleva-Strum August 25 for a match against the Cardinals. 

Colfax opens its Dunn-St. Croix season with a September 1 trip to Spring Valley before playing its home opener September 8 against Glenwood City.

Roster

Seniors: Adam Pretasky, Brett Schindler, Alex Sykora, Treyton Teige, Dylan Everett, Jon Welk, JJ Charlesworth and Spencer Herrick.

Juniors: Brett Foyt, Tommy Anderson, Wyatt Olson, Jackson Hellmann, Thomas Jenson, Dalton Schotter and Jeremy Artist.

Sophomores: Noah LaNou, Mitchel Harmon, Noah Albricht, Mykiah Young, Trey Hovde, Cole Kiekhafer, Marcus Drees and Dan Zons.

Freshmen: Hunter Rebak, Austin Schindler, Durran Pederson, Greg Schulze, Julio Hernandez, Seth Korevaar, Tanner Hoffman and Asher Black.