By Chad Koenen

Publisher

After posting four wins in each of the past two seasons, the New York Mills Eagles will turn the page on their football program with a new head coach and several new faces on the field. 

First-year head coach Zach Hocking will be making the transition from offensive/defensive line coach to the top spot in the program, while he looks to fill in the gaps left by several key contributors from last year’s team who played both ways on the field.

Hocking said the Eagles will need to find a way to replace a large portion of their offensive line who all graduated last year including the late Blake Unger, Joe Mann, Carl Peterman, Ayden Muscha and Ashton Lehmann. He said the team will also need to replace quarterback Braxton Ehnert, their linebackers and several spots on the defensive line, as well as skilled players Hunter Bosman and Cole Wilson.

In order to fill in those gaps, the Eagles will lean on senior letter winners Gage Brasel, Finn Roder, Eli Vaughn, Henry Oakes, Grady Roberts and Colson Keskitalo, as well as junior letter winners Isaac Geiser, Blake Hiltner, Jeremy Kopveiler, Creed Mursu, Tony Nichols, Brock Ruther, Everrett Ruther, Donovan Shepersky, Carson Thorsrud and Carlyle Tumberg.

The Eagles will also turn to a number of non-letter winners who could make an impact on varsity this season including: Wessten Simpson, Gavin Maunamaki and Ryder Davis, as well we the sophomore class who Hocking said will need to have a big impact on the team this season and fill in some key spots on the offensive and defensive side of the field. 

Hocking said he is unsure of what to expect this season with a new scheme and culture, but is hoping the Eagles can be at, or above, .500 when the season comes to an end.

“As a first year coach I’m not sure what to expect with a new scheme and new culture,” he said. “Looking at our schedule I think we can have a pretty successful season, but shooting for a .500 season is my initial goal.”

As far as preseason favorites, Hocking said Parkers Prairie and Breckenridge will be among the favorites in the conference and section.

The Eagles open their season on Thursday when they travel to Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, before hosting Otter Tail Central on Friday, Sept. 5 in their home opener in NY Mills.