Football preview: NLS Wildcats are ready for another run to the top in 2023
Aug. 29—NEW LONDON — The
2022 Class AAA state champions
are back and ready for more in
football
in 2023.
The
New London-Spicer Wildcats
, who had an 11-2 overall record and a 6-2 regular season, return plenty of familiar faces to their lineup this year despite the loss of 15 seniors.
NLS returns seven starters on both offense and defense. The Wildcats also receive a boost from a handful of players who were on the junior varsity team that had a 6-1 record in 2022.
"We've got good experience back," said Chad Gustafson, who enters his second season as the head coach of the Wildcats and is in his 35th season overall. "We will see how the team blends together. The seniors got a good taste from last year and are pretty determined."
The Wildcats' entire backfield returns. That includes junior quarterback Blake Schultz, senior running back Mason Delzer and senior fullback Lucas Swenson.
Schultz, listed at 6-foot, 165 pounds, was an All-Wright County Conference pick. Delzer, 6-1 and 200, was the East Central South District's Most Valuable Back, a
West Central Tribune All-Area Football Team
pick and an All-WCC selection. Swenson, 6-3 and 250, was an All-Section 6AAA selection.
Grant Paffrath, an All-Section 6AAA pick, also returns at tight end. He's a 6-2, 190-pound senior who was the Wildcat who caught Schultz's heave in the Prep Bowl before he dished the ball to Brycen Christensen for the game-winning touchdown as time expired.
The Wildcats' offensive line returns three starters in seniors Marshel Johnson, Jack Hanson and Myles Macik. NLS' defensive line has everybody back: Johnson, Swenson, Brody Duke and Chi Schneider. Paffrath at linebacker, Luke Knudsen at safety and Delzer at defensive back round out the starters who return on defense.
NLS must fill the void of some key losses on both offense and defense, highlighted by Christensen and Gabe Rohman.
Christensen, a wide receiver and defensive back, was a WCT All-Area Football Team pick and owns NLS school records for career catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Rohman, a wide receiver and safety, was a WCT All-Area Football Team Honorable Mention.
"We will miss all 15 seniors and they will be tough to replace in different capacities," Gustafson said. "Hopefully, we can put together a good year. We have great kids."
Of the eight teams NLS plays this season, six rank in the top 25 in the Class AAA rankings by MaxPreps. Three of them rank in the top 10. "It's going to be a tough schedule," Gustafson said. "Running the gauntlet will be a little tough. The first game of the year against Albany will tell a lot."
NLS beat Albany 20-14 in the Section 6AAA championship a season ago.
Aug. 31 at Albany
Sept. 8 at Foley
Sept. 15 vs. Dassel-Cokato
Sept. 22 at Litchfield
Sept. 29 vs. Watertown-Mayer
Oct. 6 at Glencoe-Silver Lake
Oct. 13 vs. St. Cloud Apollo
Oct. 18 vs. Annandale
