One look at this fall’s football schedule tells you all you need to know about how the Park Wolfpack will do this season.

Nobody really knows.

On the one hand, the home opener against Lakeville South may very well be the toughest test on the schedule. The Cougars went undefeated and won the Class 6A section championship last season. In 2019 Lakeville South was the 6A state runner-ups. Senior tight end/defensive end Chase Androff committed to Nebraska over 13 D1 offers.

Prior Lake at the end of the season will likely be another tough out. The Lakers played in nine straight state tournaments prior to last season’s 4-4 record.

On the other hand, Eagan, Eastview, Burnsville and Anoka won a total of three games between them last year. Old conference rival Woodbury returns to the football schedule with a date at Cottage Grove on Oct. 8.

Upset the Cougars in the opener –or merely survive the first game — and clearly there are opportunities for Park to notch numerous wins this season, despite moving up in class.

“I think they’re very willing to step up to the challenge that us 6A,” said Park head coach Rick Fryklund. “Obviously that is a big jump but these seniors are willing and excited for that opportunity to compete against some of the best football in the state of Minnesota.

“We do have expectations and I’ll say that we expect to go out there and every game we play against every opponent we’re going to give our absolute best on the field as hard as we can,” Fryklund added.

Park went 2-3 last season in a Pandemic-shortened fall and welcomes several key players back.

But how the Wolfpack will fare against an upgrading 6A schedule is impossible to predict. The 6A opponents have more students to draw from, and that means greater depth, and teams with more bigger, faster and stronger players than most 5A teams can field.

“It will be a good challenge, I think we’re ready for it,” said senior offensive lineman/tight end and kicker Treyton Bammert-Mueller.

All district players returning are senior running back Micah Runion, junior wide receiver Brady Perryman and Bammert- Mueller. Two other Park returners earned all district honorable mention last season: senior quarterback Evan Bearth and senior linebacker Dominic Valladares.

“We do have some returning players that we’re excited about,” said Fryklund. “Micah Runion we’re excited about at linebacker and running back, Evan Bearth at quarterback is returning for his second year. He had a great year last year, we’re excited to see what he can do. Juan Orozco-Sanchez and Treyton Bammert-Mueller are two linemen that play on each side of the ball that we’re excited about as well.

“Our slogan for this year is Sharpen the E.D.G.E. The acronym stands for energy, discipline, grit, and execution,” noted Fryklund. “We chose that because we can control those things each and every week, and we know that if we do our best to “Sharpen the E.D.G.E.” then we will put our team in the best position to be successful.”

Park’s players are optimistic about the season.

“I’m expecting a winning season, said Bammert-Mueller. “I expect for us to end up having a good season, good team chemistry, we’ve got that up. I think we’ll have good effort throughout the whole season.”

Senior offensive and defensive lineman Orozco-Sanchez is bullish on the Park lines.

“Our line is going to have an attitude,” said Orozco-Sanchez. “Our O-line and D-line will have attitudes. We’ll have a good attitude, like a nasty attitude, right? They’re not going to touch our quarterback.”

Park offense

Wolfpack quarterback Bearth had a fine season as a sophomore in five games, completing 75 of 109 passes for 790 yards and eight touchdowns. His completion rate was just a shade below 70 percent.

Running back Runion had 37 rushes for 184 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore, averaging five yards a carry.

“I think our strength this year is our physicality and everyone just has a nasty attitude,” said Runion.

The top three pass catchers from last season all return. Perryman caught 18 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Runion had 14 receptions for 206 yards and a touchdown. Treyton-Bammert hauled in 10 passes of 82 yards and a score.

Park defense

Runion led the team in total tackles last season with 34. Other returners back on defense include linemen Orozco-Sanchez, Will Smoot, Jack Theis, linebacker Amarion Washington and defensive backs Perryman and Blake Johnson.

Park schedule

Park will play five games against Maroon South district opponents: Eagan, Eastview, Hopkins, Burnsville and Woodbury, missing East Ridge this season. Two of the three crossover games will be tough tests in 6A powers Lakeville South and Prior Lake.

The Wolfpack will have several top performers returning this fall, including quarterback, running backs, linemen and receivers. Photo by John Molene