Local talent highlights 2017 recruiting class for Tiger football

MITCHELL, S.D. – Entering his sixth season as the Dakota Wesleyan University football head coach, Ross Cimpl looks to continue the momentum and add a sixth straight winning season under his belt. Cimpl has an overall record of 38-16, tied second for most wins in program history. The Tigers finished last season with an overall record of 8-3 and were 6-2 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. DWU has won at least seven games in each of the past four seasons.

 "The recruiting class of 2017 is a very special group," said Ross Cimpl, head football coach at DWU. "Our coaches have done a phenomenal job of targeting our local talent and meeting the needs of this class. Our goal for this class was to add some big athletic bodies to our offensive and defensive lines and we overachieved in those areas. We were also able to add some extremely talented players at our skill positions."

 The class features 21 recruits from South Dakota including six from Mitchell, five from Nebraska, two from Minnesota and one from Wyoming, Nevada, New Mexico, Florida and Michigan.

 Rasmussen led the Tigers to a state championship game in 2016. He was named All-State Honorable Mention and team captain his senior year. The 6-foot-2 tight end recorded 23 catches for 290 yards and two touchdowns. He plans to major in business management. 

 Michael Engebretson 

 Freshman, 6-1, 225, Clear Lake, S.D., Deuel High School, Linebacker/Defensive Lineman

 Engebretson was named Offensive Lineman of the Year, All-Conference ECC and NEC Honorable Mention All-Conference. He notched 64 tackles and 12 for a loss. He lettered four times in football and was named to the honor roll. Engebretson will major in business management. 

 Devin Dethlefsen 

 Freshman, 6-0, 210, White Lake, S.D., White Lake High School, Offensive/Defensive Line

 Dethlefsen joins the Tigers from White Lake, S.D., where he led his team to the playoffs three out of four seasons. He recorded 50 solo tackles, 64 assisted tackles, three sacks and one blocked punt. He was also named CBH and Missouri Valley All-Conference Honorable Mention. Dethlefsen was a four-year honor roll student. He plans to major in accounting. 

 Dayne Clark 

 Freshman, 6-0, 270, Merritt Island, Fla., Merritt Island High School, Defensive Line

 The First Team Space Coast All-Star comes to DWU from Merritt Island, Fla. Clark finished his career with 133 tackles, six tackles for a loss and five sacks. He was also named Second Team All-Conference and was District Champion in 2014 and 2015. He will major in criminal justice at DWU. 

 Chandler Diede 

 Freshman, 6-0, 200, Scotland, S.D., Scotland High School, Linebacker

 The Offensive Player of the Year looks to add depth to the Tiger roster. He was also named Defensive Player of the Year his junior season and Special Teams Player of the Year his freshman year. Diede was named All-Conference linebacker his junior and senior seasons. He notched 159.5 tackles, 19 tackles for a loss and seven sacks on the defensive side. On the offensive side of the ball, he had 214 carries for 1,206 yards and 24 touchdowns. Along with being a four-time letter winner in football, he lettered in basketball four times and track three times. Diede plans to major in criminal justice. 

 Luke Novak 

 Freshman, 5-11, 175, Mitchell, S.D., Mitchell High School, Safety

 Novak joins the Tiger football team and looks to add depth to the defensive backfield. He was a three-year starter for the Kernel soccer team and played for six years. He recorded 444 saves as a goalkeeper for the Kernels. Novak was a three-time letter recipient in soccer. He will major in sports management. 

 Cobe Porter 

 Freshman, 5-9, 185, Wisner, Neb., Wisner-Pilger High School, Linebacker

 Porter joins the Tiger roster from Wisner, Neb., where he was a three-year starter for the Gators. In his junior season, Porter recorded 113 tackles followed by seven touchdowns his senior year. He helped set the record for most team yards in a game in Nebraska with 777. Porter was also a National Honor Society member. Along with football, he wrestled and competed in track and field. He will major in biology education. 

 Joshua Taylor 

 Freshman, 5-11, 165, Geneva, Neb., Fillmore Central High School, Cornerback

 After leading his team to a District Championship in 2014, Taylor looks to add depth to the DWU defensive backfield. On the defensive side of the ball he registered 67 total tackles including 10 for a loss. He also holds the school record with a 97-yard kickoff return and brought two returns back for touchdowns. His senior season he finished with 1,003 all-purpose yards. Taylor was also an All-State Honorable Mention in 2016. The 5-foot-11 defensive back made his mark on the track as well. He was the 2015 and 2016 conference and district 4x100-meter relay champion, two-time state qualifier and medaled at the state meet. He was an honor roll member and won the NESA Writing Award. Taylor plans to major in elementary education. 

 Cody Reichelt 

 Freshman, 6-2, 200, Mitchell, S.D., Mitchell High School, Linebacker

 Reichelt helped the Kernels win the 2016 AA State Championship. He was an All-ESD and All-State member at the linebacker position and won Defensive MVP. He lettered three times in football. Reichelt was also a member of the basketball team where he lettered twice. He plans to major in criminal justice at DWU. 

 Cade Cody 

 Freshman, 5-9, 225, Cody, Neb., Cody-Kilgore High School, Defensive Line

 Cody helped the Cowboys reach the 2016 Six Man State Championship Game after a 10-1 season. In 2015 he was named to the All-State Second Team and in 2016 he was Honorable Mention. Defensively, Cody notched 41 tackles and two forced fumbles. Offensively, he rushed for 645 yards, 104 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns. He was a three-year team captain for the Cowboys. He was also a standout in the classroom as a member of the National Honor Society, Honor Club member four years, Academic All-Conference First Team and Academic All-State. The Cody, Neb., native plans to major in athletic training. 

 Hayden Schmidt 

 Freshman, 5-10, 165, Plankinton, S.D., Plankinton High School, Cornerback

 Schmidt comes to DWU as a ball-hawking defensive back looking to add depth to the cornerback position. He recorded 108 tackles and 10 interceptions on defense and rushed for 1,471 yards, passed for 1,942 yards and 54 total touchdowns. He was a three-time Cornbelt All-Conference member, Honorable Mention All-State quarterback, Team MVP and Defensive MVP. Schmidt made honor roll throughout his high school career and was named to the National Honor Society. He was also a member of the Titans basketball and track teams for six years. Schmidt plans to major in secondary education. 

 Dawson Kerzman 

 Freshman, 6-4, 250, Dell Rapids, S.D., Dell Rapids Public High School, Offensive Line

 Kerzman was a two-year starter for the Quarriers and adds depth to the Tiger offensive line. He helped his high school team to an 8-3 record his senior season. The Dell Rapids, S.D., native was also a member of the track and field team for two seasons. He plans to major in criminal justice at DWU. 

 Caden Milmine 

 Freshman, 6-0, 215, Buffalo, Wyo., Buffalo High School, Defensive Line

 Milmine was a three-year starter for the Bison, and joins the Tigers on the defensive line. He registered over 15 quarterback hurries, over 12 tackles for loss and six sacks. He was a two-time All-State and All-Conference Team member and Wyoming Super 25 Third-Team member. Milmine was an Honor Roll and National Honor Society member and won the Leadership Award. He will major in business. 

 Jaden Withrow 

 Freshman, 5-10, 165, Kimball, Neb., Kimball Jr.-Sr. High School, Athlete

 Withrow comes to DWU from Kimball, Neb., where he was a two-time Conference Honorable Mention. He started for the Longhorns for four seasons in football. He was the 2016 triple jump state champion in track and field. Withrow plans to major in business while at DWU. 

 Cade Schmitt 

 Freshman, 6-4, 240, Epiphany, S.D., Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan High School, Offensive/Defensive Line

 Schmitt joins DWU from Epiphany, S.D., where he was a 9AA football state champion in 2013. He blocked for 2,400 rushing yards as a team including 211 rushing yards per game. He also tallied 67 tackles and a sack his senior year. Schmitt was a four-year letter winner and two-year starter in football. He won the Most Outstanding Lineman Team Award and was named Academic All-State. The 6-foot-4 lineman was a four-year Honor Roll member and National Honor Society member. He plans to major in athletic training. 

 Alexander Hall 

 Freshman, 5-10, 180, Farmington, Minn., Farmington High School, Defensive back/Running back

 Hall was a two-year starter and three-year letter recipient for his high school football team. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry and 1,000 all-purpose yards. He was an All-Conference Honorable Mention running back. Along with football, he wrestled for three seasons where he was a state participant. Hall plans to major in exercise science. 

 Samuel Kretschmur 

 Freshman, 5-10, 197, Huron, S.D., Huron High School, Linebacker

 The All-State linebacker joins the Tigers from Huron, S.D. He recorded 104 tackles and three sacks his senior season. Kretschmur was also an Argus Leader Elite 45 Honorable Mention and All-Conference Offensive Lineman. He lettered in football three times and started for two seasons. In the classroom, he was named to the Honor Roll and National Honor Society. 

 Tanner Johnson 

 Freshman, 6-0, 235, Harrisburg, S.D., Harrisburg High School, Defensive Line

 Johnson adds another weapon on the defensive front for the Tigers in the 2017 season. He helped Harrisburg to a state championship last season and a 9-3 record. He holds a school record for most sacks in a game. Johnson ended his career with 80 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss and seven sacks. He started two seasons and lettered in football three years. He plans to major in athletic training. 

 Seth Paulson 

 Freshman, 6-2, 180, Mitchell, S.D., Mitchell High School, Punter/Kicker

 Paulson helped kick the Kernels to a state championship in 2016. He holds various state records for kicking including 68 extra points in a season, 89 total points in a season and 13 points in a single game. He was 68-of-71 kicking extra points including 41 consecutive to end the season. He was also 7-of-9 in field goals with a career-long of 44 yards. Paulson was named First Team All-State and First Team All-Conference as a kicker. He was also named Second Team All-State his sophomore season, First Team All-Conference his junior year and First Team All-Conference his senior season in soccer. 

 Tre Hobbs 

 Junior, 5-10, 179, Detroit, Mich., Concord University, Wide Receiver

 In high school Hobbs helped lead his team to the state semi-finals and an 11-1 record. He returned five kick returns for a touchdown with 13 total touchdowns and led the team in receptions. He was named Offensive Player of the Year. Hobbs attended Concord University for two seasons and was a two-year starter. He caught 13 receptions in a game along with a 180-yard game. He plans to major in web design. 

 Xavier Armijo 

 Junior, 5-10, 200, Belen, N.M., Belen High School, Running Back

 Armijo was a member of the Tiger football team during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He recorded 212 total yards his freshman season followed by 158 yards his sophomore season. He looks to add depth to the running back position for the Tigers in the 2017 season. 

 Luke Peterson 

 Freshman, 5-11, 195, Sioux Falls, S.D., Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School, Wide Receiver

 Peterson joins the Tigers from Sioux Falls, S.D., after redshirting his freshman year with DWU during the 2015 season. He was a two-time letter winner with the Rough Riders and was the State Championship Runner-up his senior season. He will major in elementary education. 

 Devin Seeger 

 Sophomore, 6-3, 290, Redfield, S.D., Redfield High School, Offensive Line

 Seeger comes to DWU from Redfield where he helped his high school rush for over 2,000 yards and recorded over 15 pancakes. He was named All-State Offensive Line, received the Most Valuable Lineman Award and Hustle Award for his efforts. Seeger maintained over a 3.0 GPA during high school in the classroom. He will major in accounting at DWU. 

 Jamison Dolezal 

 Freshman, 5-10, 180, Omaha, Neb., Omaha Burke High School, Cornerback

 Dolezal led his team to the quarterfinals in the Class A State Playoffs in 2016. His team ranked fifth at the end of the season. He is a three-time letter winner in football and a three-year starter for the Bulldogs. Dolezal helped lead his team to an 8-3 record his senior season. He will major in sports medicine at DWU. 

 Joshua Garry 

 Freshman, 5-10, 175, Sioux Falls, S.D., Sioux Falls Washington High School, Linebacker

 An All-City Team Captain, Garry brings three years of varsity experience to the DWU squad. He recorded two interceptions, an interception for a touchdown, a blocked field goal and four fumble recoveries for Sioux Falls Washington. He helped his senior class to a 46-3 record and back-to-back state championships. Garry was also an All-Conference Honorable Mention, two-time varsity Hero of the Week and All-State selection. In the classroom, he was a member of the 4.0 Honor Roll, National Honor Society, Academic All-State and student of the month. He plans to major in business marketing. 

 Brady Odom 

 Freshman, 6-2, 275, Reno, Nevada, Damonte Ranch High School, Defensive Line

 Odom lettered three times for Damonte Ranch High School and was a First Team All-Region, while helping his team to a regional championship. The Reno, Nev., native was also a First Team All-League and RGJ All-North honoree. Odom plans to major in criminal justice at DWU.

 "The expectation of this class is to be the winningest class of all-time at DWU and to lead us to places we have never been," Cimpl said. "There is that much talent in this class. We cannot wait to work with these guys."

 Cimpl and Co. take the field against Dakota State University on Aug. 24 in Madison, S.D.