Preseason Preview: Mankato West
The numbers don’t lie, and our data and analytics point towards our lovely subscribers enjoying Preseason Previews from high school programs around their state, and I wanted to get in on the action. To kick things off I figured there…
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Continue ReadingThe numbers don’t lie, and our data and analytics point towards our lovely subscribers enjoying Preseason Previews from high school programs around their state, and I wanted to get in on the action. To kick things off I figured there wasn’t a better place to start than with the defending state champions, and after publishing the 6A Lakeville South Cougars last night we are now into the 5A ranks and the Mankato West Scarlets. A perennial contender in 5A the past decade, West is coming off their best season in school history last year and are looking to repeat in 2022. PrepRedzoneMN is going to take you into the depths of their roster going into the fall and bringing you some Players to Step Up, returning Top Dogs, Breakout Candidates, a team recruiting review, and more. Get to know the Mankato West Scarlets as they roll into 2022 below, and stay tuned for following previews of Hutchinson, Dassel-Cokato, Chatfield, Mayer Lutheran, and LeRoy-Ostrander. It’s as good of a time as ever to be a PRzMN subscriber!
Team Review
Mankato West has been a fixture in Minnesota prep football since before I was a young freshman entering high school in 2009, as they won a 4A state championship in 2008 when Phillip Nelson was just a young buck himself before winning AP Player of the Year honors after a state semifinal run that almost won the Scarlets a ring in 2011. The Scarlets faithful didn’t have to wait long for another state final win, as hometown hero Ryan Schlichte found paydirt again in 2014 for their fourth state title in school history before staying in Mankato and leading the Mavericks to DII glory. Despite that supremely loaded ’14 roster and storybook playoff run with Schlichte at the helm, Mankato West found a way to top it last season in 2021 with a 13-0 DOMINANT 5A run that included seven shutouts and a playoff point margin of 87-31. One thing the Scarlets have always possessed as long as I can remember is playmaking receivers, and West graduated a great one in their 2022 class in NDSU commit Mekhi Collins, as well as their other big-time player in RB/LB and Mr. Football finalist Ryan Haley, a Brown University commit. The now-graduated 2022 class was also deep and talented across the board, with DE Gannon Rosenfeld (Wisconsin wrestling), QB Zander Dittbenner (SJU football/baseball), LB Hayden Hartman (Carroll football), RB Walker Britz (Augustana football), DE Gibby Blackstad (Gustavus football), K Drew Smook (Northern St. football), WR Peyton Goettlicher (Sioux Falls football), RB Ben Harpestad, RB Brady Haugum, and OT Brock Leider all moving on from high school ball, that loaded graduating class is going to require a lot 2023s and 2024s to step up and contribute at a high level from the jump, as week in and week out Southern MN opponents are going to want a crack at the defending champs. Let’s get into the meat of the returning roster and highlight some names to know.
Big games include:
Week Three @ Owatonna. September 16th
Week Five @ Rochester Mayo. September 30th
Week Eight vs. Mankato East @ MSU-Mankato. October 19th
Players to Step Up
Bart McAninch Bart McAninch 6'1" | 210 lbs | QB Mankato West | 2024 State MN – QB. Co 2024. 6’1, 205 lbs.
A PrepRedzoneMN Showcase veteran and standout, thick and sturdy McAninch saw solid varsity action in 2021 and like his predecessor Zander Dittbenner, showed an ability to get the ball downfield at the flick of his wrist on back shoulder passes or into intermediate zones at the second level of the field. He also brings an X-factor to the table in his legs, where he can pound the rock through contact and read the field well. He also played a lot of JV, but I think if push came to shove right now and I would have to guess I’d say his junior varsity days are behind him and he’s riding the bus as the likely QB1 front-runner going into the season. Fellow 2024er Brody Koberoski also got reps in non-varsity action at QB, but he also played DB, but it’s worth mentioning that there are more than one QB on the roster.
Elijah Green Elijah Green 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH Mankato West | 2023 MN – RB. C/o 2023. 5’10, 180 lbs. @GreenElijah_
Lacking in junior film with only one game of highlights versus Rochester JM, where he fought and clawed for every yard on every carry given his way and broke up a pass as a corner. He has some large shoes to fill and a ton of production to replace in the absence of Ryan Haley & co. Luckily, Green has been working hard in the weight room, repping 415×3 in March, and also reports a 285 bench press and 22″1′ long jump. Could be a big year for the rising senior if he’s up to the task.
Greg Meidl Greg Meidl 6'4" | 250 lbs | OL Mankato West | 2024 State MN – DE/OL. C/o 2024. 6’4, 225 lbs.
Good stature on tape who overwhelms and envelops opponents at the point of contact, Meidl is a must-watch name in the 2024 class out of West with upside and experience going into his junior season. I like him as a DE in particular, where he shows off lateral agility and the strength to hold blockers at bay while he finds and seeks out the ball. He can also rip off blocking attempts with ease, and was a run stuffer at the B or C gap if offenses dared run his way. Meidl was also a dangerous puller and with a couple of DEs gone and graduated from his elder ranks, it’ll be up to the 6’4, 225 pounder to step up his disruption in the run and pass games. It looks like he has the size and strength to do it, now it’s just time to level up.
Trenton Fontaine Trenton Fontaine DL Mankato West | 2023 MN – DL. C/o 2023. 6’1, 250 lbs.
The meat and marrow of the iDL last season who ate up double teams and halted RBs in their tracks, Fontaine can get off the ball quickly for his size and shows balance and the ability to make and finish the play when given the chance. He’s got the strength to not get blown back by single or double teams initial blows and can get upfield and in the QB’s grill to disrupt passing plays and has the COD skill to turn around and pursue the ball. If he’s added weight and strength this offseason he’ll be a tough one to game plan against for opponents in 2022.
Jackson Froderman – RB/LB. C/o 2023. 5’10, 175 lbs.
Shows some good burst from his RB spot, especially between the tackles, as well as some contact balance and physicality for a smaller RB. Primarily a non-varsity contributor last season, he’ll need to step that burst and vision up a notch to handle defenses from Rochester, Owatonna, and the rest of the 507.
Top Dogs
Ty Neils Ty Neils 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Mankato West | 2023 State MN – LB. C/o 2023. 6’3, 205 lbs.
Previously mentioned a few times in 2022 PrepRedzone features, long and rangy Neils holds two NSIC offers at the time of this publishing and will surely hear from a few more programs before things are all said and done. H’s got sideline-to-sideline pursuit ability and explodes into the backfield and through contact like a 220 lber., and can stuff RBs in their tracks and diagnose plays quickly from his ILB spot. He’s got some big cleats to fill in the wake of Haley’s absence, but with the speed he brings from his skillset and a year of state championship experience under his belt I think he’s got the makings to do it. Neils’ production should be off the charts in 2022!
Damian Riewe Damian Riewe 5'10" | 175 lbs | DB Mankato West | 2023 State MN – RB/DB. C/o 2023. 5’10, 165 lbs.
A RB/safety hybrid, Riewe posted 52 tackles, 4 TFLs, 4 INTs, and a sack defensively and 19 rushes for 113 yards and 2 TDs as a running back. A light-footed and speedy player who can impact all three phases of the game, I really like how much velocity he can produce when coming up N/S or across field when closing on the ball as a defender. He’s also proficient at reading the QBs eyes, playing the ball at the catch point, and tackling in space against larger runners. His nimbleness also aides him as a runner, and his playmaking ability is going to be a huge asset to the Scarlets in this 2022 campaign. Big year for Mr. Riewe!
Gage Schmidt Gage Schmidt 6'4" | 290 lbs | OL Mankato West | 2024 State MN – OT/DE. C/o 2024. 6’4, 250 lbs.
Only a rising junior, Schmidt has now moved onto his upperclassman campaign and goes into his second season starting on varsity against competitive Southern MN rivals and potential playoff opponents. With zero sacks allowed last season, Schmidt was heavy-handed as a run blocker and an efficient finisher upon his second effort and hand readjustment. He was easily able to wash down opponents in the run game and also comfortable and experienced out in space in the screen game and in pass pro. He’s only gotten bigger, faster, and stronger since last season as well.
Breakout Candidates
Elijah Bollman Elijah Bollman WR Mankato West | 2023 MN – WR. C/o 2023. 6’1, 195 lbs.
Bollman did a little bit of everything for Mankato West last season and with all of the attention given to the 6’5, 200 lb. Mekhi Collins as a wideout for the Scarlets, he was a quieter but still dangerous WR2 on the offensive side of the ball. The 2021 Special Teams MVP for West who totaled 12 tackles and a FF on kickoff coverage, Bollman is very fun to watch run down the ball on KO and is a heat-seeking missel on returners. He’s more of a possession WR, but runs good routes and brings size to the table, and as a LB he’s comfortable coming up and tackling in space while maintaining outside leverage. He’s got a balanced game and now that more will be asked of him I think he’s experienced enough, big enough, and ready for the challenge. If only he had a Twitter!
Ethan Johnston Ethan Johnston 5'11" | 170 lbs | WR Mankato West | 2023 MN – WR/CB. C/o 2023. 5’11, 180 lbs.
Johnston may be an X-factor for this 2022 team and played an important role in the 2021 state championship run. He is only going to see more production and opportunity come his way now that the WR room has thinned out, and is a smooth operator out of the slot possessing ball skills, elusiveness and comfortability in space, and the threat of always making the first man miss. He’s just as dangerous running deep downfield as he is with the ball in his hand, and Johnston is poised to make even more would-be tacklers miss as a senior. Big time player ready for his chance as a #1 option.
Brody Koberoski – DB/QB. C/o 2024. 5’11, 165 lbs.
Briefly mentioned in the Players to Step Up section above, Koberoski has experienced reps at QB in non-varsity action but most likely sees his future come primarily at DB as an upperclassman. He’s got a knack for coming downhill and shutting down a runner in the open field from his safety spot and shows that can he move the ball downfield in chunk passes and bring some juice as a ball carrier. I’d reckon he’ll be roaming the varsity defensive backfield in 2022 but you never know!
Jalen Smith Jalen Smith 6'1" | 175 lbs | WR Mankato West | 2024 State MN – WR. C/o 2024. 6’1, 180 lbs.
A JV playmaker as a wideout last fall, Smith was able to turn routine slants and outs into splash gains and kept CBs honest enough to take advantage of lengthy cushions to break off his routes and get chunk gains at the first down marker. His speed was too much for JV DBs last season and will help him transition to the varsity level in no time.
Team Recruiting News
A far different recruiting situation than less year, West has a ton of DII talent but there hasn’t been a discernable “Top Dog” in terms of recruiting status and projection. Despite some NSIC schools already pulling the trigger on some defensive prospects from West, there isn’t a distinguished suitor or suitors as of right now. That will surely change as the 2023 class asserts themselves this fall, but there are also some really interesting 2024s who could possibly play at a higher level than DII once the dust settles, Schmidt and Meidl are two in particular I’ll be keeping a close eye on, but having seen McAninch in-person as only a rising sophomore I know he’s got some interesting physical traits and upside. It’ll be a fun year to watch both for on-field performances and recruiting status. I think Mankato West will be busy as always this fall with college coaches and recruiters. Stay posted for the latest with PrepRedzoneMN.
Other Players to Know
Ethan Bartell – OLB. C/o 2023. 6’1, 185 lbs.
Michael Lauer Michael Lauer WR Mankato West | 2023 MN – TE/OLB. C/o 2023. 6′, 170 lbs.
Kaleb Corcoran – CB. C/o 2023. 6’1, 170 lbs.
Garret Donkin – RB. C/o 2023. 6′, 205 lbs.
Zach Kammerer – LB. C/o 2023. 5’10, 170 lbs.
Chris Nelson Chris Nelson ATH Mankato West | 2023 MN – OL/DL. C/o 2023. 6′, 250 lbs.
Carter Mihm – OLB. C/o 2023. 6′, 180 lbs.