BRANDON – The ABE football team enters the 2024 season with 18 athletes who played on the first team and looks to build on the 2023 season in which the team finished 4-5.
And head coach Dan Johnson believes this could be just the right time for the Bolts to start building something special.
“For the first time in each of our players’ college football experience, we have continuity from one year to the next,” Johnson said. “Our BE seniors had the old coaching staff in year one, a new coaching staff in year two, and a new co-op in year three. Our Ashby players had to go back and forth between co-oping with WCA in 2021 and 2022 and co-oping with BE in 2023. There is a refreshing level of comfort in our program this year as we have familiar schemes and teammates.”
Although many first-team players return from past seasons, the Bolts are in the unique position of having only three seniors on the roster, but Johnson expects big minutes and moments from many of his juniors and sophomores.
“Our players approach training with a high work ethic and growth mindset, so it’s realistic to believe we can dig deeper into our roster than ever before,” Johnson said.
He expects Border West, Underwood and Otter Tail Central to be the top contenders in ABE’s District 9 – West (South) battle and suspects Parkers Prairie and Breckenridge will be the teams to beat in Section 6A.
2024 Ashby-Brandon-Evansville Football
2024 ABE FOOTBALL ROSTER – SENIORS – Micah Fuller, Dustin Gillespie, Hudson Saxton; JUNIORS – Andrew Scott, Bryce Froemming, Colton Breitkreutz, Breckin Zwilling, Justin Thoennes, Zachary Crane, Bradley Schroeder, Royce Aasness, Landen Peters, Maison Barry, Jacob Sorenson, Landon Stich, William Englund; SOPHISTICATED – Seth Thoennes, Trace Pieschke, Jack Kelly, Eric Dusing, Vienna Johnson, Sam Seifert, Eric Sperr, Ben Larson, Evan Allen, Mason Olson, Wyatt Bitzan, Nathaneal Wagner; FIRST-TIME – Evan Dingwall, Lance Boesl, Simon Quinn, Gunnar Sletto, Carver Rylander, Jackson Vanderweyst, Matthew Fuhs, Parker Buchholz, Trayashton Davis, Tayten Nelson, Jonas Johnson, Eli Jeppesen; COACHES – Head Coach – Dan Johnson – 3rd Season; Assistant Coaches – Peter Nelson, Andy Peterson, Kellen Traphagen, Adam Wagner, Tom Gasser, CJ Marotto
August 29 – at Win-E-Mac, 7pm
6 September against Rothsay, 7pm
September 13 against Underwood, 7 p.m.
September 20th in Hancock, 7pm
Sept. 27 vs. Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 vs. Otter Tail Central, 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 in Ortonville, 7 p.m.
16 Oct. against Border West, 7pm
Jake covers sports in Alexandria and the surrounding area.
