GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Most high school football players and coaches are ready to put 2020 squarely in the rear-view mirror, and looking forward to playing under the Friday night lights, with stands full of cheering fans and pep bands blasting.
Yes, teams are practicing, the season is fast approaching and Randy Shaver is gearing up for his 38th season of presenting the KARE 11 Prep Sports Extra. Each year he talks with coaches and scours rosters to identify returning stars and lesser-known names who are ready to break out.
In what has become a prep tradition, Randy crunches all the names and numbers and then compiles a pre-season list of the metro's best. He and sidekick/football fanatic Craig Norkus took the wraps off this year's squad Wednesday in a special edition of the Prep Sports Preview on KARE 11's YouTube channel.
Here is the 2021 KARE Preseason All-Metro Football Team:
THE OFFENSE
Quarterback
- Joseph Russell - Robbinsdale Cooper, Sr.
Running Backs
- Emmett Johnson - Holy Angels, Sr
- Camden Royal - Cooper, Sr.
- Hunter Karlson - Totino-Grace, Sr.
- Mitchel Jaskowiak - Glencoe-Silver Lake, Sr.
Receivers
- Mario Sanders - Mpls North, Sr.
- Rashad McKinley - Hill-Murray, Sr.
Tight Ends
- Chase Androff - Lakeville South, Sr.
- Jaxon Howard - Cooper, Jr.
Athletes
- Eli Gillman - Dassel-Cokato, Sr.
- Max McEnelly - Waconia, Jr.
Offensive Line
- Lucas Heyer - Hill-Murray, Sr.
- Martin Koivisto - Shakopee, Sr.
- Xavier Peltoma - St. Michael-Albertville, Sr.
- Zach Cochnauer - Farmington, Sr.
- Brett Kelzenberg - Wayzata, Sr.
Kicker
- Leyton Simmering - Rosemount, Sr.
THE DEFENSE
Defensive Line
- Chase Carter - SMB Wolfpack, Sr.
- Tommy Hamann - Wayzata, Sr.
- Spencer Alvarez - Columbia Heights, Sr.
- Logan Larson - East Ridge, Sr.
Linebackers
- Zach Juckel - Lakeville South, Sr.
- Toby Anene - East Ridge, Sr.
- Charlie Boucher - Mpls Southwest, Sr.
- Colton Gregersen - Burnsville, Sr.
Defensive Backs
- Tre Hollomon - Cretin-Derham Hall, Sr.
- Micha Vayee - Maple Grove, Sr.
- Jordan McClom - Armstrong, Sr.
- Joey Gerlach - Woodbury, Sr.
- Darius Givance - Champlin Park, Sr.