Warriors open football season at Stanley County

By Dan BechtoldEditor

Winner High School football team is happy to be preparing to play football during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are following certain rules put in place by the South Dakota High School Activities Association. The team’s first game will be Aug 21 when they play Stanley County in Ft. Pierre. The Warriors finished last year with a perfect record in the regular season and made it to the state championship game with Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan.

In an exciting state championship, Winner fell 21-14 after the score had been tied at 14-14. The Warriors ended last year with an 11-1 record. That loss left a bitter taste in the team’s mouth and one they would like to erase and turn their fortunes around this year. “Our juniors and seniors are pretty motivated to work hard and try and get back to that spot and see something different,” said coach Dan Aaker, who is starting his 19th year at the helm of the Warriors.

There are 44 athletes out for football this year including 10 seniors. Returning lettermen for the Warriors will include: Aaron Monk, Aaron Gilchrist, Michael Olson, Tayden Mathis, Owen Duffy, Zach Bohnet, Achilles Willuweit, Kaleb Osborn, Jack Kruger, Ethan Bartels, Jack Peters, Evan Farner, Bosten Morehart, Jackson Hanson, Charlie Pravecek, Kaden Keiser, Jace Brazelton, Riley Orel, Blake Volmer, Dalton Peterson, Kaden Bennett, Landon Thieman, Preston Norrid, Jackson Vesely, Adam Bohnet, Brady Fritz, Sam Kruger, Ashton Klein, Joey Cole, Owen Monk, Hunter Osborn and Finn Bartels.

The Warriors lost 10 seniors due to graduation including four all-state players in Phillip Jorgensen, Trevor Peters, Oscar Pravecek and Joren Bruun. The Warriors will return six starters on both sides of the ball. Winner has three linebackers returning, Preston Norrid, Landon Thieman and Sam Kruger. When Aaker looks at his offensive line he has most everyone back with the exception of Oscar Pravecek who graduated.

Senior Brady Fritz will be in his third year as the starting quarterback. “He is a good athlete and brings some things to the table with his running and throwing ability. He has good athleticism,” explained Aaker.

Lost in the backfield are Trevor Peters and Phillip Jorgensen who both had great seasons a year ago. The team is heavy on running backs and lots of people for Fritz to hand off the ball. Sam Kruger had a good year last year carrying the ball and will be called on this year. Norrid may play some fullback. He played that position as a sophomore and then was moved to guard. Currently, he is working at both positions.“There may be times he is on the line and the next series he is fullback. He is a power guy who can moved pretty good,” said the coach.

Evan Farner has played a lot at running back and started a couple of games last year when Sam Kruger was injured. Aaker says younger guys like Kaden Keiser, Aaron Gilchrist and Riley Orel can also carry the ball. He says there are six guys the team can shuffle in and out at running back.

Some of the players battling for a position on the team are Zach Bohnet, Jackson Hanson and Ashton Klein. Aaker says Ethan Bartels has looked good at tight end.“I feel we have good depth already and we have to continue to build on that.”

The Warriors will again be strong on defense. The front seven have a lot of returners.The secondary is a little different with the loss of Trevor Peters at strong safety and Bruun as an all state corner.

The coach says one place where the defense is in-experienced is in the secondary. Fritz, Farmer, Orel, Keiser and Blake Volmer are good athletes who the coaches can rotate in and out in the secondary.

Aaker likes the numbers on the team with 35 athletes sophomores on up. “We are excited. Some years you have to build a team from scratch but this is one of those veteran years where I feel we are ahead of where we would be most other years because so many kids have experience,” said Aaker.

Winner will be competitive from the very first game as the Warriors have a lot of quick hard running guys. Aaker says if there was one Achilles heal last year, especially in the playoffs, it was big plays over the top. He wants to eliminate that this year.

Football will be different this year with COVID-19. “The whole COVID thing is a challenge. I look at it this way: we are playing and a lot of things were taken away from these kids last year. I remind our guys that we are playing now and I remind them to take advantage of every day they have.” Each day before practice the temperature is taken of each player.

When they get on the bus to travel to out of town games they will have their temperature taken and they will wear masks and have assigned seats.

There is no sharing of water bottles and no driving out of the water fountain during practice breaks. Each player brings their own water bottle.

Assistant coaches will be Trent Olson, Kevin Keiser, Austin Calhoon and Sam Olson with Glenn Carlson helping from time to time.

The 2020 Winner High School football schedule includes:

Aug. 21—at Stanley County

Aug. 28—at St. Thomas More in Rapid City

Sept. 4—Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central, home

Sept. 11—Wagner, home

Sept. 18—Valentine, Neb., away

Sept. 25—Mt. Vernon/Plankinton, away

Oct. 2—Chamberlain, home (Homecoming)

Oct. 9—Miller/Highmore-Harrold, home