Sports writer Roger Merriam lists some of his favorite Watertown football players since 1984

Editor's Note: Sports writer Roger Merriam is compiling a "20 Favorites" series highlighting some of his favorite athletes in a variety of high school sports since he started working at the Watertown Public Opinion in December of 1984. The series is about northeastern South Dakota athletes, but some played at colleges all over the state and others have moved to other areas.

This is a good time for a reminder that yes, this series does take a look at many of the best high school athletes I've got to watch play these past 39 years in Watertown, but it's more than that.

It's called "20 Favorites" so I can have the liberty to throw in a few others who left a lasting impression on me or at least my memory. So don't scratch you're head. Some kids I just got the chance to get to know a little better than others.

The leaders of the "20 Favorites" for Watertown High School's football team are Marty Kranz, Heath Rylance and the Fjeldheim brothers.

Next up in the series will be area volleyball and Watertown volleyball.

As for Arrow football, let's get started.

20. Others

Believe me, when I can say the list could have been 100 or more. I wanted to mention Tim Silliman, a two-way starter on Watertown's 1992 state Class 11AA runner-up team. He earned All-State honors as a receiver with 44 catches for 818 yards and 12 touchdowns.

In all these years, I always wondered why Watertown didn't have more players play college football. We had some good players play at the bigger schools, but not so many at the others. That's changed in recent years with players like Adam DeJong, Garrett Determan and Hunter and Mason Cordell at Dakota Wesleyan and many others at Northern State and Dakota State, etc.

How about Brian Norberg and his son Drew Norberg playing quarterback for the Arrows nearly three decades apart (Brian in the 1990s and Drew in the 2020s). Dale Heiden and Jeff Hegge were defensive backs at South Dakota State. Also sets of brothers the Gabriels (Logan and Brennan each started at QB and I believe Jordan also played), Derek and Trevor Jutting, and Alex and Eric Gauer. I'm cutting myself off, I've missed so many.

More: A look at some of Roger Merriam's top prep football players in northeastern SD since 1984

19. Matt David and Matt Mahowald

It doesn't seem right to have the two guys who quarterbacked Watertown High School's state Class 11AA championship teams in 2001 (David) and 1996 (Mahowald) listed this low, but I'm telling you not to worry about the listing order except for the final few spots.

As you'll learn or be reminded of as you read on, Watertown was a quarterback factory for top South Dakota colleges for much of this timeframe and these two might not get mentioned when people discuss the greatest quarterbacks in Watertown history. Yet, David threw for 1,472 yards and 15 touchdowns while leading the 2001 Arrows to a 12-1 record and a state championship and Mahowald passed for 1,050 yards and double-digit TDs while guiding the 1996 Arrows to a 10-2 record and a state title.

18. Nate VanLaecken and Kale Stevenson

Want to talk about quarterbacks who might get lost in the shuffle when talking about WHS signal-callers, here's two more. Nate and Kale probably would agree with me and may not give two cents about it.

I put them on this list for one big reason: toughness. Nate passed for 998 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior in 2008 and 458 yards and six touchdowns as a senior while running for his life. Not very big, Nate was never afraid to take a hit or deliver one.

In 2020, Watertown's coaching staff decided it was their best option to move Stevenson, a running back, to quarterback. He also spent most of the season running for his life. Like VanLaecken, he was fearless. He rushed for 674 yards and passed for 1,294 with 15 scores.

17. Harrison Jones

The 2014 Watertown High School graduate just might be one of my all-time "favorite" high school athletes that I've ever covered and I'll tell you why. As a baseball umpire in the summer, I spent a lot of time visiting with "Harry", a first baseman who was also a pretty decent baseball player and basketball player.

In the 2013 state Class 11AA semifinals, I got to interview Harry after the senior two-way starting linemen picked up a fumble and returned in 10 yards for a touchdown. A lineman's dream and even in a big game.

Harry was pumped. I was pumped. Jim Norton took a photo of me interviewing Harry and it spent a lot of years on my office wall. Thanks Harry and Jim. I won't forget it.

More: Roger Merriam's look at some of best Watertown High School boys basketball players since 1984

16. Ben Althoff

I'm sure when I get around to doing my "20 Favorites" for Watertown High School wrestling, there will be plenty written about the program's greatest family: the Althoffs.

Ben was more than just a wrestler, starring on the football field and is now pursuing a college baseball career at Northern State.

The 180-pound linebacker earned Class 11AA All-State honors with a ridiculous 147 tackles in 2021. The two-year starter finished his career with 237 career tackles.

15. Aaron Jung and Alex Kjellsen

Jung, a chiseled specimen who went on to play nose guard, and Kjellsen, a less-imposing figure, were two of four 2008 Watertown High School players (Josh Hanson and Keith Newman were the others) as members of the Augustana College football team.

I was always amazed that Kjellsen could not only play high school football but also college football while not being much bigger than I was in my younger days.

The quartet, by the way, helped lead the 2007 Arrows to a 10-2 record and the Eastern South Dakota Conference title.

14. Keith and Vance Newman

Big Vance, who was 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, played tight end and safety for the Arrows before graduating in 2001. He was recruited to play football for former Arrow head coach John Austin at the University of South Dakota.

I don't think he did, but he earned All-State honors as a safety and also caught 21 passes for 330 yards as a senior. He's one of the best tight ends that Watertown has through these years.

Little brother Keith, who wasn't as big as Vance but still wasn't tiny, also played tight end as well as linebacker for the Arrows and eventually becoming a starter at outside linebacker at Augustana.

More: Some of the top northeastern South Dakota Class A, B boys basketball players since 1984

13. Lucas Glaesman and Kenny LaFramboise

Running backs who rush for 1,000 yards aren't as common as they used to be for Watertown and quite a few other teams as passing becomes a much bigger part of the offense.

These two guys were the biggest runners on Watertown's state championship teams. LaFramboise rushed for more than 1,200 yards and 17 touchdowns in 1997 while adding 643 yards and four touchdowns as a junior in 1996.

I figured Glaesman did the same for the 2001 champions. The Eureka transfer, only a junior, ran for 578 yards and 10 touchdowns including a six-TD game in the playoffs. The next year, he ran for 1,205 yards and 12 touchdowns.

12. Dawson Schmidt and Jon Ryan

It's time to talk about wide receivers and here's two of the better ones I remember for the Arrows.

Schmidt was huge in 2020, earning All-State honors with 38 catches for 790 yards and 12 touchdowns. As a junior, he made 39 catches for 943 yards and six TDs. Dawson, who was 6-foot-4, definitely had skills.

So did Ryan, who managed 60 receptions for more 1,100 yards in two season with the Arrows in 2004 and 2005 before becoming a big-time receiver for NAIA national power (the University of Sioux Falls). He even drew some attention from pro scouts.

More: Roger Merriam's look at some of his favorite Watertown High School girls basketball players

11. Patrick Schuster, Ryan Berry and Jason Sutherland

OK, I'm guilty. I hate the National Football League because it's all about the QBs, but apparently so is my "20 Favorites" story.

Sutherland, likely the best all-around athlete in Watertown High School history, quarterbacked Watertown's state runner-up team in 1992. He passed for 1,379 yards and four TDs and also ran for eight more scores. After a college basketball career at the University of Missouri, he played some semi-pro football as a QB.

Berry was a sophomore defensive back on Watertown's state championship team in 2001 before becoming a two-way starter at QB. He passed for more than 2,600 yards and 21 touchdowns in two seasons before enjoying a successful career at South Dakota State.

Schuster spent parts of three seasons as a quarterback for the Arrows, eventually becoming a full-time starter in 2010 in which he rushed or passed for around 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns. The Arrows couldn't afford to let him play defense because they didn't want to risk injury to their much-needed QB, but Schuster did eventually play defense (as a linebacker) at SDSU.

10. Shay Bratland

Shay Bratland was huge for the 2013 Arrows, who made a run at a state Class 11AA title before falling to Pierre. Watertown's offense basically came from the standout running back, who rushed for 1,565 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also scored four receiving TDs and returned a kickoff for a score in the state championship game.

Shay, whose father Scott was a standout receiver for Watertown in the early 1980s before playing at Augustana, had his college career at the University of South Dakota derailed by concussion issues.

9. Josh Hanson

My apologies to Josh for listing him this low, but like I said, don't pay attention to the order. He was just another stellar athlete who was good at just about everything.

In two years as a starting QB for the Arrows, he passed for more than 2,200 yards and 25 touchdowns and also was a big threat as a runner.

Those same traits led him to have a standout career at Augustana.

More: A look at some of northeastern South Dakota's best girls basketball players since 1984

8. Nathan Lake

I know a few people, maybe quite a few, who would put Lake right up there with just about any player who ever played defense while wearing a Watertown Arrow uniform. The talented linebacker was a a three-year regular for the Arrows in 1991, 1992 and 1993 before continuing to excel at the University of South Dakota.

I didn't cover the Arrow football team in the early 1990s but I was fortunate to watch Watertown's homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 8, 1993. Huron pulled within 18-17 on Jerad Sammons' 1-yard TD run with 2:03 remaining.

The Tigers went for the two-point conversion and the win and ran into a roadblock (the 205-pound Lake), who knocked Sammons out of bounds short of the goal line to spark a big celebration.

7. Nathan Lamb and Jim Jensen

Lamb and Jensen were two of the stars on the 1996 state championship team, Lamb as an offensive and defensive lineman and Jensen as a linebacker.

Lamb, or "Lambo" as I prefer to call him, is one of the nicest people you will ever meet but there are probably a few Watertown football opponents who don't carry the same feeling. He later played at South Dakota State.

I owe Lambo a debt of gratitude as he filled in quite often as a base umpire on Watertown amateur baseball teams I was the player-manager before. Plus he's fashioned a notable career as a high school coach, helping Waverly-South Shore win a state Class 9B title in 2011. He's now turning around a Deubrook Area program that had slipped in recent years.

What you need to know about Jensen is that he was a big kid who was a very good athlete. He not only excelled in football, but also started in basketball and was a great hitter and catcher and baseball. He's on this list, so we won't call him underrated anymore.

6. Blake and Cole Holden

You want to talk about a big "boy" with some athletic talent, then we need to talk about Blake Holden. He also had a combination of football, basketball and baseball skills and is now playing defensive line for the University of South Dakota at 6-3, 290.

Blake played all over for the Arrows, first at fullback or H-back as a junior in 2017 (446 yards rushing and 66 tackles on defense) and as more of tight end (20 catches for 326 yards and a team-leading 326 tackles) as a senior in 2018.

Then comes younger brother Cole, who is only 5-11 and 200 pounds and appears to have given up a good share of his meals to his older brother. Just kidding.

Nobody played harder or competed harder. His 2021 football season was one to remember when he earned All-State honors with 49 receptions for 1,121 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was a human highlight reel who is now playing at Dakota Wesleyan.

5. Bobby, Brent and Jeff Sheehan

The brothers were all standout athletes for the Arrows in the 1980s and early 1990s. Dave, a fourth brother and a 1986 graduate, golfed but didn't play football.

Bobby, a 1984 graduate, was technically out of high school when I arrived but was the Arrows' leading receiver in 1983 (37 catches for 841 yards and 11 touchdowns) and started at defensive back for Northern State.

Brent, a 1989 graduate, had 26 catches for 506 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior before taking it to another level at Northern State where he set 23 program records for receiving and even got some attention from pro scouts.

Jeff, the youngest brother, played defense on Watertown's state runner-up team as a sophomore in 1992 before eventually taking over as the staring quarterback in 1994. He rushed for 751 yards and 14 touchdowns and passed for 726 yards and 10 scores before becoming a punter at North Dakota State. He is now Hamlin High School's head football coach and has guided state championship teams in both North and South Dakota. His son Xander was a starting quarterback at Hamlin for at least two years.

4. Dan, Brent, Eric and Adam Fjeldheim

Four brothers. Four sons of Terry and Barb Fjeldheim. All four played quarterback for the Arrows.

Dan, a 1998, graduate, was the backup to Mahowald in 1996 and missed a good portion of his season with an injury in 1997. He passed for 673 yards, but proved his talent by becoming a starter at South Dakota State.

Brent, a 2001 grad, was a backup as a junior and threw for 1,116 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior starter in 2000. He later played what is now the University of Sioux Falls.

Eric, a 2007 graduate, passed for 300 yards a junior and served as a backup to Hanson in 2006 before also serving as a backup at the University of Sioux Falls.

At the last minute, I was reminded about younger brother Adam, a 2012 grad, who passed for 1,387 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2011.

3. Spencer Waege

The 2017 Watertown High School graduate has a chance of reaching his dream of playing professional football, having signed as an undrafted free agent this spring with the San Francisco 49ers.

While playing for FCS power North Dakota State, Waege grew into his 6-foot-5 frame with weight in the 290 range. Another great young man who could be the first Arrow to play in the NFL.

He may not have been a star at WHS, but he's definitely earned his spot on this list.

1B. Heath Rylance

Waege might be the first Arrow to play in the National Football League, but he's not the first pro football player to come out of Watertown High School during my time here.

That honor belongs to Rylance, a 1990 graduate, who was a three-year varsity player for the Arrows. In his senior season in 1989, he rushed for 638 yards and 10 touchdowns and passed for 845 yards and seven touchdowns.

Things only went up for there, first at Augustana College and then in the Canadian Football League, where he spent four seasons (1995-99) with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Calgary Stampeders.

1A. Marty Kranz (and the Kranz brothers)

There has been no greater family for Watertown High School athletics since 1984 than the children of Matt and Judy Kranz. Brothers Marvin (1991 graduate), Mark (1993), Matti (1995), Mike (2001), Marty (2002) and Mitch (2006) all played sports for the Arrows.

The football players were Mark, Matti, Mike, Marty and Mitch. The centerpiece was Marty.

At least that's the way I feel when I look back at the fall of 2001 and the ride that Watertown High School's football team took to it second state championship under head coach Doug Schooley. Now, there were a lot of good players on that team, but in my mind, it was Marty who stepped up into a leadership role (especially on defense as a middle linebacker) that really made the difference.

He later continued to lead football players as a linebacker at South Dakota State. He had started a teaching and coaching career at Deuel when he died suddenly in 2008 at the age of 24.

Marty accomplished so much in his brief life that the sad part is wondering how many more great things he could have done.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on Twitter @PO_Sports

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: 20 Favs: Marty Kranz, Rylance, Waege and the Fjeldheims top Watertown football