Commitment Report: Nick Dengler (Mahtomedi-2020)
Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota is a Northern Sun (D2) competitor that recently hired successful ex-University of La Crosse Head Coach Mike Schmidt in an effort to turnaround the program and become a powerhouse Division II opponent that…
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Continue ReadingNorthern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota is a Northern Sun (D2) competitor that recently hired successful ex-University of La Crosse Head Coach Mike Schmidt in an effort to turnaround the program and become a powerhouse Division II opponent that is able to compete for a national championship every year. Hiring Coach Schmidt was the first step – as the young HC has a proven track record at every program he’s worked for – and the team is already working on step two: bringing a state-of-the-art weight room and practice facility to its campus in Aberdeen.
These two factors, coupled with the teams talented roster that includes former Western Illinois (FCS) RB and Mound Westonka grad Isaiah Cherrier- who was named NSIC Second Team this past fall – makes for a heckuva recruiting pitch that Coach Schmidt used to land Mahtomedi Zephyr ’20 graduate olineman Nick Dengler. The 6’4, 295 lb. Northern State commit just finished his senior season with Mahtomedi and was kind enough to sit down with Northstar Football News to tell us a little bit about the commitment process with NSU, Mahtomedi’s 2019 season, and more! I hope you enjoy. Senior Season Hudl
NFN: Hello and congratulations on the decision and commitment, Nick! Begin by telling us a little bit about your personal recruiting process. What stood out to you, what were some of your favorite parts, and did watching former teammates play in college influence your decision at all?
Dengler: “The whole recruiting process has been very fun but some times very stressful. I started to hear stuff from colleges in about mid February and March of my junior year, it has felt amazing because it showed me that colleges are actually interested in me and really wanted me. My favorite parts of the recruiting process is probably the junior days and the spring ball games those brought a lot of energy. I also like talk to the players that are going there right now and asked them what are there favorite things and something they did not like. And once senior year came around it was fun to experience the game day visits and watch how the team and coaches act when the game is going on and all of the energy. They were a couple of my past teammates that committed somewhere some were D1 and D2 but most were going to play D3. Of all the players that committed somewhere it gave me motivation to work harder and be like one of them.”
NFN: What made you commit to Northern State and Coach Schmidt? What did you like about the program and made them stand out for you? And what do you like about playing football in MN and did that factor into your decision at all?
Dengler: “For me the main reason that I wanted to play at northern state was the future of the program because the are building all these new facilities. They are building a new stadium that will be one of the biggest in D2 and there new athletic center and all there new building that just finished. The last thing I like about Northern State is the whole community. The whole town of Aberdeen all loves Northern State and will do anything to make it one of the best and how the whole community cares by donating to all things like the new stadium. Northern State stands out from other colleges now the NSIC because they have probably the nicest campus in the whole division and even some division one schools. Some other teams that I was thinking about were River Falls, St Thomas, Moorhead, UMD and Saint Cloud but they were cut. Because all these schools had a good business program that would help me out in the future. I love playing football in Minnesota because of all the competition in between all classes. Also it doesn’t matter what your record is you will always have good competition. It kind of factor where I wanted to play, I wanted to play in the upper Midwest.”
NFN: Last but not least, tell me about your season as well as Mahtomedi’s ? What were some big games and how was your season personally? What should we expect from the Zephyrs in 2020?
Dengler: “For me my season went very well. Our team had a bad start at the beginning of the season but got on track at the last game. Some of are big games were at the end of the season. The first one was against Simley we played them in the last regular season game and we were 2-5 and they were 7-0. That’s when we started to play as a whole team, we started to run the ball more with our senior back josh Praml he started to help our team out a lot. But we only lost by a touchdown but that sparked us into the postseason we were the 3rd seed and beat North St. Paul and then played the 2nd seed team Minneapolis Washburn that was a tough game for us but our defense played there life’s out and they had a couple of key interceptions and helped us win 15-12. Then the next week we played our rivals Tartan they previous beat us 14-41. So no one believed that we were going to win but that week of practice was the best practice of the year. In that game I think that Tartan wasn’t ready for us because they were ready to play the team that they beat 14-41. But during that game are whole o line worked has a whole and we kept pounding it to them. But we had a good passing game too with the big connections to senior Tyler Tangwall that got two big touchdowns and I big catch at the begging of the game. And at the end of the game our defense held there ground by stopping there 2 point conversion at the end of that game. We won 28-27 That was my favorite football moment when we got that section champs plaque because no one thought that a 2-6 team can come and win the section and go to state. In the first round of state we played Chaska and they later on to win state. The Zephyrs in 2020 will have big potential because at the end of the season some sophomores and freshman step up and helped us win those key games. Also that our o line next year will be pretty good because we will have our 3 year starter come back Jake Schetinski and some sophomores too. And if they all stay in the weight room they will be something special next fall.”
Congratulations again on the decision and best of luck in the NSIC, Nick!