Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

It may still feel like summer but fall and football Friday nights are right around the corner.

Prep football season opens around the state with the first official day of practice on Monday.

All seven Your Prep Sports area teams will kick off the season a few weeks later with their first games on August 27.

In the weeks leading up to the season Your Prep Sports will have plenty of coverage of area teams as we prepare for what expects to be another strong season for area squads.

That coverage starts with an initial look at 11 players that are worth watching this fall when the curtain raises on the 2021 season.

Liam Becher

Senior, West High

A North Dakota recruit, Becher is a road grader of an offensive tackle that enters his third season as a varsity starter.

The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Becher earned third team Class 4A all-state honors last season after paving the way for West High to average 386 total yards and 37.6 points per game.

Griffin Kraft

Senior, Liberty High

Kraft burst onto the scene a year ago leading the Lightning in tackles while emerging as one of the most productive linebackers in Class 4A as a junior.

In his first varsity season Kraft averaged better than 10 tackles per game from his inside linebacker sport while leading the Lightning in total tackles (50.5), solo stops (36) and tackles for loss (5).

Aidan Udell

Senior, Regina

Udell was a versatile piece of a Regina defense that held opponents to 17.5 points per game during an 11-game winning streak to end the season that was capped with a Class A state title.

The 5-8, 180-pound Udell led Regina with 63.5 tackles, including 56 solo stops and two sacks and also recovered a pair of fumbles while earning third-team all-state honors as a defensive utility player.

Gable Mitchell

Senior, City High  

Mitchell did it all for City High last season playing a prominent role for the Little Hawks in all three phases of the game.

On offense Mitchell caught 15 passes for a team-high 285 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass.

Defensively, the 5-foot-8, 170-pound Mitchell tied for the team lead with 41.5 tackles and picked off a pass and on special teams averaged 37.7 yards per punt, 20.8 yards per kickoff return and also returned three punts.

Andy Henson

Junior, West Branch

The latest on a long list of productive West Branch running backs Henson is poised for a big-time season following a breakthrough sophomore campaign.

Henson rushed for 893 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry last season but did a lot more than just tote the football.

The 6-2, 185-pound also caught 32 passes for 252 yards and a scored and ranked second on the team with 32 tackles from his linebacker spot.

Henson had six tackles for loss, two interceptions and recovered a fumble in eight games.

Blake Timmons

Junior, Solon

Timmons proved to be a true dual threat quarterback in his first season leading the Solon offense accounting for 1,717 total yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior.

The 5-10, 180-pound Timmons completed 54 percent of his passes for 1,078 yards and 14 touchdowns with five interceptions as a sophomore and was equally effective with his legs rushing for 639 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.2 yards per carry.

Harrison Rosenberg

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

Already a two-year starter Rosenberg is ready for a huge senior season after catching 39 passes for 586 yards and seven touchdowns over the past two years.

A key contributor on both sides of the ball, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Rosenberg caught 19 passes for 337 yards and four touchdowns last season and also made 18.5 tackles, picked off two passes and recovered a fumble.

Ben Kueter

Junior, City High  

Kueter is a difference maker on both sides of the ball but is a monster at linebacker where he led the Little Hawks in tackles last season as a sophomore.

A two-time state champion and nationally ranked wrestler, Kueter had a team-high 41.5 tackles last season including 31 solo stops, three tackles for loss and a sack in six games.

Kueter recovered a fumble and picked off a pass and also rushed for 94 yards and caught six passes for 43 yards and a touchdown.

Josh Gaffey

Senior, Regina

When replacing breaking in a nearly entirely new group of offensive skill position players like Regina will be this fall it helps to have a stalwart like Gaffey returning up front to lean on.

Gaffey was a third team Class A all-state selection last season as an offensive lineman after helping Regina to a state title.

The 6-3, 230-pound Gaffey ranked fifth on the team with 36.5 tackles including 1.5 for loss, recovered a fumble and picked off a pass from his defensive line spot.

Mason Applegate

Senior, West High

A uniquely talented athlete with an impressive blend of size, speed and strength Applegate excelled primarily on defense but should see his role increase on both side of the ball this fall.

The 6-0, 200-pound Applegate was a menace on the defensive line last season ranking third on the team with 32.5 tackles including 12.5 for loss and two sacks in seven games.

Gage Marty

Senior, Solon

A third team Class 3A all-state selection as an offensive lineman Marty will be an anchor for the Spartans up front on both sides of the ball this fall.

The 6-1, 240-pound two-way standout helped Solon rush for better than 234 yards per game as an offensive lineman and made 9.5 tackles, including three for loss and returned a fumble for a touchdown as a defensive tackle.

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