Owatonna Huskies

12 Grant Achterkirch I Middle Linebacker I Senior

2021 Stats (8 games) I 75 tackles (51 solo), 2 FR, 1 FF, 2 BK, 145 defensive points

Honors, Notes & News I Minnesota All-Star Game invitee, 2x All-District, 2-year starter, 3x letter winner, preseason all-state by Minnesota Prep Red Zone, team captain 

Player Profile I Achterkirch broke two bones in his right hand prior to the team’s annual preseason scrimmages and didn’t take the field until Week 3 against Mankato West. He rang up a dozen stops against the Scarlets and officially launched a super-productive 8-game campaign that saw him average 9.3 tackles per contest. Achterkirch has drawn a significant amount of interest from the college level and will likely sign with one of the numerous regional Division II programs that have offered him a spot on their roster since last summer.

From coach Jeff Williams I “Grant was the heart and soul of our defense the past two years. He led our team in tackles both seasons and provided tremendous leadership as well. He has a great nose for the football, pursues quickly, and always comes with a punch. After injuring his hand early in the season, he became a weapon for us at fullback as well. Grant was a great lead blocker and had a few explosive runs and catches. He is a great all-around football player.”

 

 

5 Nick Williams I Wide Receiver I Senior

2021 Stats I 35 receptions, 599 yards, 6 TD, 66 YPG

Honors, Notes & News I 1x All-District, 2x letter winner, 2-year starter, team captain 

Player Profile I There might be a few players in the Big Southeast District with hands equal to Williams, but none are better. Transforming from a sporadically-used backup fullback/tight end at the beginning of his junior year to one of the best pure receivers in the Red Division in 2021, Williams made up for his lack of elite speed by simply catching everything thrown in his vicinity. He was excellent in the air and adept at finding open space and making defenders look silly with his superb footwork and tackle-breaking ability.

From coach Jeff Williams I “Nick was our most reliable and explosive receiver this fall. He drew considerable attention from opposing defenses, who often shadowed him with their best cover guy or provided help over the top. Nick possesses great hands and the ability to be elusive in space. He often turned short catches into long touchdowns and provided a spark for our offense with his big play ability.”

26 Caleb Vereide I Defensive Back I Senior

2021 Stats I 56 tackles (41 solo), 1 FR, 1 FF, INT, 105 defensive points

Honors, Notes & News I 1x All-District, 2x letter winner, 2-year starter

Player Profile I The quintessential strong cornerback in Owatonna’s physical man-to-man defense, Vereide roamed the second and third levels and played with the physicality of a linebacker and the finesse of a defensive back. Transitioning to defense on a full-time basis for the first time in his career this season, the versatile senior finished second on the team in tackles and was just as adept at setting the edge in the run game as he was covering a receiver 45 yards down field.

From coach Jeff Williams I “The Strong Corner position is one of the most demanding roles on our team. It requires the ability to cover the opposition’s most elusive receivers while also being a primary run-stopper. Caleb really grew into the position this fall and excelled in both roles as the season progressed. He is a tough, hard-nosed kid who is always disciplined in his responsibilities and possesses the athleticism to take away a team’s best inside receiver. Strong Corners are hard to replace and next year will be no exception.”

64 Eli Spurgeon I Offensive Line/Defensive Line I Senior

2021 Stats I 16 tackles (13 solo), 2 BK, 43.5 defensive points; started all 10 games on offensive line

Honors, Notes & News I 1x All-District, 1x All-District Honorable Mention, 2x letter winner, 2-year starter, team captain

Player Profile I The fulcrum of the defensive line and unquestioned leader of the offensive front, Spurgeon’s impact stretched far beyond his statistical output. He was a space-eating defensive tackle and imposing blocker in both the pass and run games and started at filled in at multiple spots along the o-line before the Huskies finalized their regular rotation. The senior jumped directly into the starting lineup last fall and didn’t’ miss a game in his two-year career.

From coach Jeff Williams I “Eli was a force in the lines on both sides of the ball. He consistently shut down the opposition’s running game and often demanded a double team. This freed up other defenders to make plays. Offensively, Eli was a bulldozer and provided running lanes to the back and time to throw for the quarterback. He was the lynchpin of our lines.”

19 Drew Henson I Kicker I Junior

*District Special Teams Player of the Year*

2021 Stats I 49 KO for 2,745 yards, 28 touchbacks (56.0 AVG, 2nd in school history), 9-for-10 FG (90%, long of 44 yards), 29-for-31 PAT (93.5%)

Honors, Notes & News I 1x Big Southeast District Special Teams POY, 1x All-Big Southeast District, 2x letter winner

Player Profile I An absolute weapon…that’s the only way to describe what Henson was for the Huskies in his breakout 2021 season. Combining a booming leg with bulls-eye accuracy, the junior not only connected on 38-for-41 (92.6%) of his combined field goals and extra points, but routinely forced the opposition to take the field 80 long yards from pay dirt after sailing the ball deep through the end zone on kickoffs. He was named the Special Teams Player of the Year in a district that houses one of the top kick returners in the state, Cayden Holcomb, and a bevy of superb placekickers. Quite simply, Henson possesses every mandatory tool to play at the Division I level in college and will have another full year to fine-tune his already formidable skills.

From coach Jeff Williams I “Drew has worked tirelessly to become a great kicker. He has a naturally strong leg, and has coupled that with outstanding accuracy and the ability to perform in pressure situations. He became a real weapon with his ability to put the ball in the end zone on kickoffs, and to turn stalled drives into three points.”

 

 

17 Collin Vick I Free Safety I Junior

2021 Stats I 28 tackles (27 solo), 2 INT, 68 defensive points

Honors, Notes & News I 1x All-District, 1x letter winner

Player Profile I As the literal last line of defense for the Huskies, Vick quietly manufactured an excellent rookie campaign this fall. Opposing quarterbacks quickly discovered that throwing in his direction was counterproductive, and the junior still led the team in interceptions. Vick’s second pickoff came on an acrobatic diving play against Northfield in the section semifinals where he tipped the ball in the air with one hand and snatched it on his way to the ground with the receiver breathing down his neck.

From coach Jeff Williams I “Collin really rose to the occasion this fall. He led the team in interceptions and was outstanding in pass coverage all season. He was also not afraid to insert himself into the box and make tackles and became a real leader in our secondary.”

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ALL-BIG SOUTHEAST HONORABLE MENTION

4 Dylan Maas I Running Back I Senior

2021 Stats I 215 carries, 991 yards, 9 TD; 12 receptions, 102 yards, 3 TD

Honors, Notes & News I 1x All-District Honorable Mention, 2x letter winner

Player Profile I Ringing up almost 45% of his total rushing yardage in two postseason games (442 yards), Maas somehow found a way to surpass 1,000 yards from scrimmage despite beginning the season with just 75 total rushing yards in Weeks 1-3. As unquestionably one of the two fastest guys on the team, Maas didn’t need much room to bust a huge run, racking up three touchdowns of at least 60 yards and escaping for seven total runs of at least 40 yards

From coach Jeff Williams I “Dylan was a workhorse for our offense and carried the bulk of our rushing load. He showed some real explosiveness throughout the season and that culminated in his final game in a blue jersey.”

51 Ryley Glassmaker I Defensive End I Senior

2021 Stats (7 games) I 22 tackles (14 solo), 1 FF, 4 sacks, safety

Honors, Notes & News I 1x All-District Honorable Mention, 2x letter winner

Player Profile I One of the true breakout stars of the 2021 season, Glassmaker emerged from a second-string two-way lineman, to a singular pass-rushing beast in the span of about 10 months. Lightning-quick off the ball, his ability to apply pressure in the backfield without the aid of blitzing linebackers was an unsung advantage for a team that went just 1-3 in games in which he either missed or left early with injury.

From coach Jeff Williams I “Ryley is one of the fastest defensive linemen we have ever had. He was difficult to keep out of the offense’s backfield because he was so quick off the ball. He was constantly running around in the other team’s backfield and disrupting the quarterback.”

63 Trever Schirmer I Offensive Tackle/Defensive End I Junior

2021 Stats I 15 tackles (7 solo), 4 PB, 34 defensive points; started all 10 games on offensive line

Honors, Notes & News I 1x All-District Honorable Mention, 1x letter winner

Player Profile I As one of only two players that started every game on the offensive line and too versatile and strong to keep off the field on the defensive front, the junior found a way to shine playing alongside two other all-district teammates. He bookended the formidable front three alongside fellow defensive end Ryley Glassmaker and was crucial in setting the edge against the run. He’s already north of 6-foot-2 and roughly 230 pounds and has another full offseason to add to his already solid frame.

From coach Jeff Williams I “Trever was a steady performer on both offense and defense. He anchored the left side of our offensive line and provided outstanding pass protection and opened holes for the run game. Defensively, he improved tremendously in his discipline and did not allow offensive tackles to climb to our linebackers.”

33 Drew Kretlow I Linebacker I Junior

 

2021 Stats I 38 tackles (27 solo), 2 FR, 4 sacks, 89 defensive points

Honors, Notes & News I 1x All-District Honorable Mention, 1x letter winner

Player Profile I Pegged as one of the newcomers expected to absorb a pivotal role from Day 1, the junior didn’t disappoint. Kretlow complemented all-state teammate, Grant Achterkirch, in the middle of the Huskies’ formidable defense and was the only linebacker to start all 10 games. He is a balanced athlete with great lower-body strength and quickly established himself as one of the leaders in the Class of 2023.

From coach Jeff Williams I “Drew grew a lot in the first two games playing without Grant next to him. He was forced to become the leader of the defense and step up as the primary run-stopper. He proved to be a solid linebacker against the run and was an impact player when he blitzed. He will be counted on to continue to develop and help anchor our defense next season.”