Joe Gillis, Sr.,

LB, Cathedral

Gillis is a two-time All-District player, and for good reason — this year he racked up 100 solo tackles, 147 total, with a sack and an interception. Gillis set the all-time tackle record in a career at Cathedral with 421 in 3 1/2 years starting for the Greyhounds defense. Gillis was a big reason that Cathedral finished the season as section runners-up.

Nick Slater, Sr.,

LB/DL, Nicollet

Also a state tournament wrestler, Slater was a force to deal with on the defensive side of the football field. Slater totaled 91 tackles, 54 solo, with seven sacks, two forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries as the heart of the Raiders’ defense.

Brayden Sturm, Sr.,

CB, Springfield

Despite missing a large chunk of the middle of the season, Sturm was one of the most impactful pieces of the Springfield defense, getting 54 tackles from his cornerback position, three for loss, and intercepted opposing quarterbacks six times. Sturm was far from just a top defensive player for the Tigers, however, as he was also Springfield’s leading receiver on offense, catching 53 passes for 785 yards and seven touchdowns.

Aiden Moriarty, So.,

DE/LB, Springfield

In just his sophomore season, Moriarty proved to be key for a Springfield team that went to its third straight state title game. Moriarty had 89 tackles, second on the team, along with two sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception.

Madden Lendt, Fr.,

FS, Springfield

Lendt was a key contributor for Springfield secondary, getting 67 total tackles with six interceptions, returning two for touchdowns. Lendt also was a red-zone threat on offense, hauling in eight touchdowns on just 10 receptions.

Jackson Guetter, Jr.,

LB, Cedar Mountain

Guetter was the heart of the Cedar Mountain defense, finishing the season with 70 tackles. He also had nine tackles for loss and three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. For his career, Guetter has 100 total tackles after putting on 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason, a testament to his work ethic.

Cody Schultz, Sr.,

LB, SEU

Schultz led Sleepy Eye United’s defense in tackles this season, wrapping up opposing players for 69 tackles, including 46 solo tackles. On top of that, Schultz had seven tackles for loss and one fumble recovery as he helped lead United to a 6-4 record.

Ian Brudelie, Sr.,

LB, New Ulm

A dominant ball hawk for New Ulm, Brudelie led the team in tackles (57) tackles for loss (8) and sacks (5). Brudelie earned a KNUJ Player of the Week in Week 3 and was nominated as an All-District player.

Luke Merseth, Jr.,

DE, MVL

Merseth had a strong season on the defensive line for the Chargers, getting a team-high 11 pass deflections, eight sacks and 20 tackles for loss. Merseth was also second on the team with 48 total tackles and was named as the team’s best lineman.

Tucker Haala, Sr.,

LB, SEU

Haala had a strong season in his final year at Sleepy Eye United, racking up 52 tackles with three interceptions, including one to seal the game against Murray County Central during the regular season.

Adiel Trevino, Jr.,

DE/ILB, Springfield

Trevino was a force for Springfield on the defensive line, finishing the season with 62 tackles, seven for loss, as well as collecting three sacks and two fumble recoveries.

Honorable Mention

Wyatt Pollard, Sr., DE, SEU (32 tackles, 8 TFLs, 5 sacks)

Mason Kampsen, Jr., LB, Wabasso (52 tackles)

Joe Nachreiner, Sr., DE, Springfield (70 tackles, 10 TFLs, 1 sack)

Sam Zeug, Jr., LB, Wabasso (44 tackles, 2 sacks)

Tyson Horkey, So., ILB/DE, Springfield (52 tackles, 12 TFLs, 1 sack)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Only players nominated by coaches were eligible for All-Journal honors. No nominations were provided for Madelia.