Vikings Coach of the Week

Brainerd Coach Jason Freed is beginning his fourth season as Warrior football's head coach and his fifteenth season with the program. Prior to taking the reigns as head coach, he was the defensive coordinator for the Warriors. Freed also coached at Houston High School from 2004-2008, where he turned the program around and led them to two state tournaments – including a 9-man State Title in 2008. Born and raised in Iowa, he played at Luther College where he was a 4-year starter, team captain, and all-conference player. Off the field, Freed is an educator at Brainerd High School. The Brainerd Warriors kicked off their season by beating Mahtomedi. 

Freed's favorite part of coaching is helping his athletes reach their full potential both on and off the field. He has created a culture utilizing the five-pronged PRIDE concept that enables his team to build a foundation that they can take with them into their future beyond Brainerd High School. He attributes the success of the program to his staff and team, saying, "Any recognition as a coach is a direct reflection of my staff and team as well." Freed places importance on building relationships and continually finding ways to improve.

Coach Nelson has been coaching for 22 years and became the head coach of the Storm in 2019, where he has a 27-10 record. The Chanhassen Storm opened their season with a 34-28 win over defending state champions Elk River, followed by a 35-14 win over Owatonna. Nelson went to Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter where he was a student coach. He was also a member of the 1997 Northfield High School state championship team. Nelson is student-centered, hardworking, and passionate about developing "quality young people, win[ning] championships and lead[ing] a program the community is proud of and wants to be a part of." Off the field, Nelson teaches social studies at Chanhassen High School.

Coach Chris Mensink is the Athletic Director, Dean of Students, and Head Football Coach at Fillmore Central. Mensink is coaching in his 17th season and has a 24-3 record over the past three seasons. Last year, Fillmore Central earned the program's first section title and first state tournament victory. Mensink values the life lessons learned through football. "You're teaching kids how to handle different life circumstances through sport and it's a great outlet for kids," Mensink said. He preaches the importance of how you respond to situations in life, because that is where you have the power. Mensink said it was "powerful to see" his team emulate that message all year long in 2022.

Coach Jason Marsh has led the Cherry High School Tigers to an impressive 4-0 start this season. Marsh took over coaching in 2015 and fielded the first varsity team at Cherry in 2019. In 2015, only 4 players signed up to play on the 9-man football team – that increased 12-fold over the next 8 years, with 29 players on varsity and 20 players on the junior high team this season. In the 2022 season, Cherry's only two losses came to Mountain Iron-Buhl, the eventual state champion. Marsh credits his assistants and the ability to have a consistent coaching staff as a contributor to success. He has built an impressive program through five core values which are posted in their locker room – hard work, commitment, respect, team, and school. Off the field, Marsh is a science teacher at Cherry. He and his wife have three children and reside near Esko.

Coach Halder has led the Byron Bears to a 5-0 start this season after a 6-4 season last year. They have outscored their opponents 220-21 this season and have allowed just three touchdowns in five games. They are currently ranked #3 in the state in class 4A. He has been the head coach at Byron since 2016, and is in his 23rd season of coaching. Each week, Halder challenges his team to get better – every week is an opportunity to take one step forward. Halder graduated from Mankato State University where he played football. He currently teaches fitness at Byron Intermediate School in addition to coaching.

Coach Matt Lombardi is coming off a state title for Maple Grove last season and won his 100th career game last week. In the past four seasons, Maple Grove has a record of 33-4, and they are currently ranked #5 in Class 6A. Lombardi is currently in his 14thseason with the Maple Grove Crimson, and credits his and his team's success to all involved in the program. Last year, he was named the Class 6A Coach of the Year by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association. He said this is "a program award, so the credit goes out to all my assistant coaches, parents, community, and most importantly, the kids." Off the field, Lombardi is a math teacher at Maple Grove High School.

Coach Sam Thompson is in his second year at St. Agnes after being a longtime assistant under former coach Tom Flood. While working with Flood, Thompson played a large role in the growth in success of the St. Agnes program. In 2017, the program had 26 players and now dresses 65. Thompson has been doing a great job in making high school football a valuable experience for his student athletes on and off the field. Thompson also teaches physical education and is assistant athletic director at St. Agnes.

Coach Mike Empting has been the head coach at Alexandria Area High School for the last 16 seasons. Last season, they finished 4-6. This year, they are 8-0 and coming off a 34-30 win over defending state champion Elk River.  Empting preaches that football is the ultimate team game. Alexandria has three teams that work together to make playing football a great experience for all involved, resulting in a successful season. "The players on the field put so much into being great athletes and creating a successful team. Our parents do so much to make every season a memorable one for our kids," said Empting. Empting believes that coaching football is as much of a team effort as playing the game is. He said, "I have an outstanding team of coaches that care tremendously about the development of this team and our players. This recognition is a program recognition and a recognition for the entire Alexandria football coaching staff!" Empting is also a Physical Education teacher and head track and field coach at Alexandria.

Coach Matt Walter is in his 24^th season of being the head coach of the 9-0 Annandale Cardinals. Walter's attention to detail prepares his team to be as competitive as possible. "Friday nights, in the fall, are special in Annandale. Our community is so supportive of everything we do. Our atmosphere is unmatched on game nights. I've been very fortunate to have a great coaching staff and remarkable players that I get to be around each and every day. Our football program is truly a "FAMILY" and we strive to be our best on and off the field," said Walter. He also serves as a physical education teacher at Annandale.

Coach Robert Reeves is in his 4^th season as head coach at Hill-Murray. Reeves led the Pioneers to their first conference title since 2006 when they beat South St. Paul earlier this season. They have won the last 8 games in a row, including a 42-36 win over Chisago Lakes to win the Section 3 Championship. Reeves said that his group is consistently "focused on being 1-0 each week. It's what we talk about – who's next? Being 1-0."