The Osakis football team is confident that it has the pieces in place to be right there competing for a Section 6AA championship at the end of this season.
The Silverstreaks won that section championship in 2019. They also went 3-2 in last fall’s shortened season due to the pandemic.
About half of the starters on this upcoming team are returners from that group who enter the season opener on Sept. 2 at Crookston with high expectations.
“We’re confident,” 12th-year head coach Bill Infanger said. “I think we have enough guys back from last year in key positions. We also on the flip side of that have guys who have to come in and prove themselves...we think the guys who are stepping in are ready. They put their time in in the weight room, and they’re talented athletes.”
Senior Bauer Klimek and sophomore Kyle Mages are expected to split time at quarterback. The Silverstreaks like to have good athletes at quarterback with the ability to run the ball too, and both guys fit that description.
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It will be a new backfield around the quarterbacks after the graduation of 2020’s leading rushers, Isaac Hetland and Duncan Vandergon. Infanger named Drew Imdieke, Tyson Hagedon, Jack Petrich and Tyler Bailey -- a junior fullback who is new to the program after moving to the community from Park of Cottage Grove last year -- as guys who should see carries this fall.
There will be some new faces along much of the offensive line this year, but Infanger is impressed with the guys he is working to fill in those gaps early in practice.
A mix of returners and newcomers the coaching staff feels are ready to step in has Osakis feeling like it should be right there with the likes of West Central Area-Ashby and others as teams that can compete in Section 6AA by season’s end.
“There’s a lot of competition in that section, but we’ve been very competitive in it the last couple years,” Infanger said. “We certainly don’t want to take a step back. Our goal is to get back to the Fargodome and compete for that championship again.”
2021 OSAKIS FOOTBALL
SENIORS - Caleb Goodwin, Tyler Hagen, Carsten Jacobson, Bauer Klimek, Brady Mages, Chayce Meyer, Aaron Nack, Ethan Wiggins, Carter Watnaas
JUNIORS - Ian Adolphsen, Tyler Bailey, Owinn Cimbura, Tyson Hagedon, Aaron Kallstrom, McCarter Kirksey, Jack Petrich
SOPHOMORES - Tyler Baumgartner, Ben Berger, Blake Bouldin, Gaven Cimbura, Noah Goodwin, Mekai Hoelscher, Drew Imdieke, Jacob Johanson, Kyle Mages, Grant Mages, Eddie Schmidtbauer, Wyatt Sell
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FRESHMEN - Logan Betsinger, Kole Bogenrief, Austin Dickinson, Lukas Duchene, Reggie George, Bryler Gustafson, Kaleb Helberg, Caiden Knox, Micah Moore, Clayton Niehaus, Seth Staloch, Mikkel Steinert, Grant Winkle, Zain Wright, Andrew Ziesmer
OSAKIS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 2 at Crookston, 6 p.m.
Sept. 10 at Hawley, 7 p.m.
Sept. 17 vs. Staples-Motley, 7 p.m.
Sept. 24 vs. Barnesville, 7 p.m.
Oct. 1 at Parkers Prairie, 7 p.m.
Oct. 8 vs. Perham, 7 p.m.
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Oct. 15 vs. West Central Area, 7 p.m
Oct. 20 at Pillager, 6 p.m.
