Rieder chooses Rochester

By Dan Tracy, BRCFootball.com Reporter/Blogger

Commitments from the BRC Class of 2011 continue to come in as Eau Claire North wide receiver has decided that he will play his college ball at Rochester Community and Technical College.

The BRC’s leading receiver in 2010, Rieder hauled in 60 catches for 887 yards and eight touchdowns. In addition to the interest from RCTC, Rieder was also in contact with Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota-Crookston, St. Thomas, UW-Stout, UW-LaCrosse and UW- Platteville.

Rieder will join Menomonie’s Jonny Koehler and Travis Welch, both 2010 graduates, who were on the 10-2 and Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC) State Championship winning Yellowjackets this past season. The Yellowjackets are 95-19 over their last ten seasons.

Recruiting Notebook: Ross, Krier, Rieder, Ayres

By Dan Tracy

BRCFootball.com

On the eve of National Signing Day, here are a few recruiting quick hitters which include a commitment, two updates from undecided recruits and an update from a top prospect for numerous Ivy League schools.

Zack Ross

Chippewa Falls and Menomonie have had quite a rivalry over the last four years atop the BRC. Chippewa Falls offensive lineman Zack Ross has battled Menomonie players in games throughout his varsity career, but now he will battle them in practice and will fight for victories with them as he has committed to UW-Stout for the 2011 season.

A 2nd team All-BRC selection in 2010, Ross chose the Blue Devils over interest from UW-Platteville, UW-Stevens Point and St. Scholastica.

The UW-Stout roster boasts four current BRC players, three of which are Menomonie grads. The BRC players on the Blue Devils’ roster include 2010 graduates Cody Siebert of Menomonie and Eau Claire Memorial’s Bobby Nyland.

Name: Zack Ross
Nickname(s): Rosco, Rossy
Height: 6’4
Weight: 230 lbs.
High School Position(s): Left tackle, tight end, defensive end
Potential College Position(s): Offensive tackle and defensive line
40 Time: 5.10 sec.
Greatest High School Football Accomplishment: Getting 2nd-team All-conference.
Best BRC player that you played against: Chippewa Falls RB Brad Huempfner and DB Tyler Kinderman
Personal Motto/Quote: “Winning isnt everything, its the only thing.”
One word that describes you: Competitive.

 

Matt Krier

Head coach Adam Kowles and the Hudson Raiders have boasted the biggest and always one of the best offensive lines in the BRC over the last three seasons. 2010 first-team All-BRC selection Matt Krier was a big part of that successful unit as they cleared lanes for the Hudson spread option attack. Krier plans to take his talents to the Division III level next season.

“I have not made my college decision yet however I do plan on continuing my football career,” Krier said. “I have narrowed it down to either the University of [Wisconsin] Eau Claire or Lacrosse.”

Krier will visit UW-Lacrosse this Saturday and hopes to make his decision soon after the visit. Krier has also received interest from UW-River Falls, Valparaiso, Bemidji State, St. Thomas, Gustavus, Upper Iowa, St. Scholastica, Winona St., Augsburg and Macalaster.

Name: Matt Krier
Nickname(s): Krier
Height: 6’2
Weight: 265 lbs.
High School Position(s): Offensive guard, Special Teams
Potential College Position(s): Offensive or defensive line
40 Time: 5.30 sec.
Max Bench Press: 270 lbs
Max Parallel Squat: 460 lbs
Max Power Clean: 260 lbs
Greatest High School Football Accomplishment: Being the only junior to start on our Big Rivers Conference championship team.
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: “If you want something go get it . . .Period.”

 

Austin Rieder

How many teams in Northwest Wisconsin run pass-heavy offenses? Well, there’s Eau Claire North. And when you have a pass-heavy offense, you get receivers with huge receiving numbers.

So is the case with 2010 1st-team All-BRC and honorable mention All-State wide receiver Austin Rieder.

Reider hauled in a conference-leading 60 receptions for 887 yards and eight touchdowns. Defensive coordinators took notice during the season and now college recruiters are taking notice in the off-season. Rieder is now weighing interest from Division II Minnesota-Duluth and Minnesota-Crookston as well as Division III schools St. Thomas, UW-Stout, UW-LaCrosse and UW- Platteville. Rieder hopes to make his decision “sometime soon.”

Name: Austin Rieder
Height: 5’11
Weight: 175 lbs.
High School Position(s): WR
Potential College Position(s): WR, DB
40 Time: 4.52 sec.
Max Bench Press: 260 lbs.
Max Parallel Squat: 375 lbs.
Max Power Clean: 190 lbs.
Greatest High School Football Accomplishment(s): Setting receiving records at North and getting named honorable mention All-State.
Best BRC player that you played against: Eau Claire Memorial RB Ricky Caldwell
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: “Anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that’s true strength.”
One word that describes you: Dedicated

 

Chuck Ayres

Notre Dame, Texas, Ohio State.

Three of the largest dynasties in college football.

MIT, Princeton, Harvard.

Three of the largest dynasties in college academics.

Not many college football recruits have the latter three schools in there final three schools to decide on, but Chuck Ayres does.

The three-year starter at defensive end for the Eau Claire Memorial Old Abes is being courted by a host of schools across the country but most notably from the academically-prestigious Ivy League.

Along with MIT, Princeton and Harvard, Yale, Penn, Dartmouth and Brown have all shown interest in the 6’4 225 lb. Ayres. In addition to the Ivy League interest, Ayres has received mail and calls from Wisconsin, Air Force, Lawrence University, Macalester, Augsburg, Upper Iowa, St. Thomas, Concordia St. Paul, Lakeland College, Winona State, Gustavus Adolphus and North Dakota State.

“I would love to play college football, but my education is more important to me,” Ayres said. “Ideally, I would love to play football at a college where I can excel academically.”

Ayres, a 2010 first-team All-BRC selection at defensive end, hopes to pursue Biomedical Engineering with a pre-med concentration at college. So far Ayres has been accepted into Purdue, Michigan and Wisconsin’s engineering schools.

“I want to play, I’d do almost anything to play even if that means walking on and getting redshirted,” Ayres said. “I love the game and would love to continue competing.”

Ayres will be flying out to Boston on Feb. 19 to spend the weekend with the MIT football team. Whether he plays or not, Ayres is working hard both in the classroom and in the weight room to prepare for his college career.

“Strength and body mass are my two points of emphasis,” Ayres said. “I believe that if I am going to compete at the next level I need to ramp up my training and put some more size on my frame. I know I can do it, it’s just a matter of time and putting in the work.”

Ayres is also finding success on the rink as he is a co-captain along with 2010 quarterback Mark Munger on the 19-1-0 and No. 1 ranked Eau Claire Memorial hockey team.

Name: Charles Ayres
Nickname(s): Chuck
Height: 6’4
Weight: 225 lbs.
High School Position(s): DE,OL
Potential College Position(s): DE
40 Time: 4.71 sec.
Max Bench Press: 225 lbs.
Max Parallel Squat: 315 lbs.
Max Power Clean: 225 lbs.
Greatest High School Football Accomplishment: Honorable Mention All-State as well as 1st Team All Northwest at defensive end.
Best BRC player that you played against: Rice Lake QB Kody Novinska
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: BTA
One word that describes you: Intensity

Schorr and Benrud: Gridiron Grapplers

By Dan Tracy
BRCFootball.com

If there is any sport that rivals the physicality of being in the trenches of a high school football game, it’s good-old freestyle wrestling. No other sport gives you the opportunity to outmuscle, outwork and outperform your opponent in attempt to bring them to the ground.

Cole Schorr and Jimmy Benrud know all about both the trenches and the mat.

Offensive All-BRC 1^st teamers on the football field, both Superior offensive lineman Cole Schorr and Menomonie tight end Jimmy Benrud have transitioned from blocking defensive lineman to grappling with opposing wrestlers. Schorr, a captain for the Spartans, now wrestles at 189 pounds and Benrud wrestled at 152 pounds before his senior season ended a few weeks ago due to injury.

Another transition that both are now preparing for is the transition to college. Schorr will attend the College of St. Scholastica to play football and study nursing while Benrud will head to UW-Lacrosse for solely academic purposes.

Cole Schorr

The 5’10 205 lb. Schorr started each of his varsity football seasons at a different position. However, by the last game of each season, Schorr’s reliability as a blocker landed him back on the offensive line each season.

Schorr started his senior season at fullback and at linebacker for the Spartans, accruing 43 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving on three catches in non-conference losses to Stevens Point and D.C. Everest. The highlight of Schorr’s season came against Stevens Point as he caught a screen pass and rumbled his way down the field for an 80-yard receiving touchdown. Schorr was moved to the offensive line as they opened up BRC play, but continued to switch in from time to time at defense and finished the season with eight total tackles. The Spartans were never able to recover from key injuries to senior starters Cody Kitch at center and Rob Dembroski at quarterback as they finished the season 0-9 for the first time since 2005.

“Every game we wanted a win more than anything but we just couldn’t pull it together,” Schorr said.

Despite the winless season, Schorr achieved two individual goals that he had aspired for since starting his career with Superior.

“Ever since I was a freshman I wanted to be a captain of the football team, and also be on the first team All-Conference list,” Schorr said. “I achieved both of those goals this year.”

Schorr will now take a path often traveled by former Spartans as he will continue his football career at Division III St. Scholastica. The Saints currently have seven former Spartans on their roster along with former Eau Claire Memorial kicker Taylor McGinnis.

“I want to earn a starting spot as soon as possible as a defensive starter and be a captain on that team along with being an all-league player,” Schorr said. “Academically, I want to achieve my bachelor’s degree in nursing.”

Schorr visited the campus on Nov. 6 when the Saints beat Northwestern College (MN) 10-7 in their home finale. Schorr is expecting to play linebacker for the Saints.

As a wrestler, Schorr has dealt with two season-ending injuries. He dislocated his shoulder three matches into his sophomore year and just recently tore his MCL in his fourth match on the mat for the Spartans. Schorr, a captain on this year’s squad, finishes his high school career with 30 wins.

Name: Cole Schorr
Height: 5″10
Weight: 205 lbs.
High School Position (s): LB
Potential College Position (s): LB
40 Time: 4.80 sec.
Max Bench Press: 240 lbs.
Max Parallel Squat: 350 lbs.
Max Power Clean: 245 lbs.
Greatest High School Football Accomplishment: First team All-BRC offensive linemen.
Best BRC Player that you played against: Rice Lake DE Eric Elwood.
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: “Pain is just weakness leaving the body.”
One word that describes you: Driven.

Jimmy Benrud

Even after the triple-threat of Kasey Kruse, Austin Berend and Levi Kraft graduated in 2009, the Menomonie offense still managed to light up the scoreboard in 2010. They led the BRC in scoring for the second consecutive season and finished as the 63^rd highest scoring team in the state. Year in and year out Joe Labuda and his staff are able to put together a balanced offensive attack that can explode on any given night. The funny thing is, for some of those players, football isn’t even their best sport.

A perfect example is Menomonie tight end Jimmy Benrud.

The 1^st Team All-BRC tight end in 2010 flourished in Labuda’s offense this season as he hauled in 11 catches for 248 yards and two touchdowns as well as rushing 11 times for 33 yards and a pair of touchdowns. As good as he was on the football field, the 180 lb. Benrud was most dangerous when he weighed 30 pounds less and he was in a singlet.

Benrud compiled 90 wins in his career to go along with two regional titles and twice being named 1^st team All-BRC in wrestling. He was recruited by Division III schools for both football and wrestling but a recent injury will most likely keep him off the mat and off the field throughout college.

“I recently injured my back and am done for this season,” Benrud said. “I broke a vertebra so I will most likely not be doing a sport in college.”

Benrud has narrowed down his college search to UW-Lacrosse where he believes he’ll find a great academic atmosphere. Despite his injury, Benrud has still received interest for football via mail from Division III St. Thomas, visits by coaches from Augsburg and UW-Platteville and on Jan. 18 he received a call from a coach at UW-Lacrosse.

Name: Jimmy Benrud
Nickname (s): Jimbo
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 180 lbs.
High School Position (s): TE/WR
Potential College Position (s): WR/TE/FB
40 Time: 4.70 sec.
Max Bench Press: 265 lbs.
Max Parallel Squat: 365 lbs.
Max Power Clean: 190 lbs.
Greatest High School Football Accomplishment: Solo BRC champs in 2010 (thanks River Falls!).
Best BRC player that you played against: Rice Lake DE Eric Elwood.
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: “Confidence is contagious, so is lack of confidence.”
One word that describes you: Tough.