Here’s an action-packed edition of Lots O’ Stuff:
Hall of Famer
Jackson County Central coach Tom Schuller was among inductees into the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame last weekend.
Schuller’s Huskies won the second state championship under his guidance as they won the state Class 2A title in November. Schuller also led the 2001 Huskies to the state Class 3A championship.
Other inductees this year were:
Head Coach Division
Craig Anderson, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton
Clay Anderson, Kimball
Andy Rostberg, Hutchinson
Dave Louzek, Moose Lake/Willow River
Assistant Coach Division
Greg Clough, Minnetonka
Schuller has coached against three of the other four head coaches among this year’s inductees.
More on that can be found later.
JCC had its first unbeaten season in school history as the Huskies were 13-0 and won the state Class 2A title.
Schuller is 40th in career victories in Minnesota with 224.
Mike Mahlen of Verndale is the leader in career wins with 437. Becker’s Dwight Lundeen became the second coach in state history with 400 career wins with a win in the season opener and now has 412 wins as the Bulldogs won the state Class 4A title.
Among coaches with 60 or more career wins, Schuller is 10th in win percentage with a 224-64 record for a .778 percentage. Only seven coaches are at .800 or above.
As mentioned, Schuller has coached against three of this year’s other inductees, going 5-3 in those games.
JCC defeated Clay Anderson’s Kimball Area team in the state semifinals in 2024. Schuller is 4-2 lifetime vs. Anderson, who coached at Pipestone from 2015-2019. Schuller was 3-2 vs. Anderson’s Arrow teams.
Also, JCC defeated Craig Anderson of Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton in the 2015 state Class 3A semifinals and lost to Dave Louzek of Moose Lake/Willow River in the 2012 state Class 2A semifinals.
Jackson/JCC connection
Schuller is the fourth coach with a Jackson High School or JCC connection to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The others, with year he was inducted:
1965: Lewis Swearingen
1998: Wes Wistrom
2003: Jim Mader
2010: Dennis Hale
2012: Tyrone Wacker
Most career victories
Through 2024 Season
The top 50 coaches in state history in terms of career wins. Listed are rank, W-L-T record, name, school and percentage.
1. 437-137-3 Mike Mahlen, Verndale .760
2. 412-167-3 Dwight Lundeen, Becker .710
3. 393-84-0 Mike Grant, Eden Prairie .824
4. 389-182-5 Ron Stolski-r, Brainerd .680
5. 315-158-0 Merrill Pavlovich-r, Delano .666
6. 307-66-6 George Larson-r, Cambridge .818
7. 304-150-0 Carl Lemke-r, St. Croix Lutheran .670
8. 291-78-0 Steve Solem-r, BOLD .789
9. 287-66-2 Ken Baumann-r, Mahnomen .811
10. 286-112-0 Terry Bahlmann, Marshall .719
11. 285-69-2 George Thole-r, Stillwater .803
12. 279-89-0 Jon Bakken-r, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown .758
(tie) 279-151-0 Karl Deis-r, Mora .649
14. 277-89-1 Grady Rostberg-r, Hutchinson .756
15. 276-84-0 Leo Pohlkamp-r, Pierz .767
16. 275-133-2 Stuart Nordquist-r, International Falls .673
17. 269-115-2 Jim Roforth-r, Osakis .699
18. 267-124-0 Dave Nelson-r, Minnetonka .683
19. 266-160-0 Don Seipkes-r, Ottertail Central/Henning .624
20. 263-86-2 Neal Hofland-r, Chokio-Alberta .752
21. 260-132-10 George Smith-r, Mahtomedi .659
22. 259-102-9 Les Dreschel-r, Red Lake Falls/Crookston .712
(tie) 259-105-13 John Hansen-r, Osseo .704
(tie) 259-143-0 Larry Thompson-r, Lakeville South .644
25. 256-114-0 Dean Aurich, Mayer Lutheran .692
26. 256-94-8 Tom Mahoney-r, Fairmont .726
27. 251-84-0 Don Henderson-r, Triton .749
28. 246-137-0 Terry Karlsgodt-r, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City .642
29. 241-91-0 Dave Nigon-r, Totino Grace .726
30. 238-112-0 Randy Strand-r, Adrian .680
31. 236-79-0 Gerhard Meidt-r, Rothsay, Minneota, Big Lake .749
32. 233-108-3 Buz Rumrill-r, Glencoe/Silver Lake .682
33. 232-58-0 Andy Rostberg, Hutchinson .800
34. 231-59-0 Dave Louzek, Moose Lake/Willow River .797
35. 230-65-0 Jim Mader-r, Albany .780
36. 230-84-0 Gary Sloan-r, Grand Meadow .732
37. 230-138-1 Roger Lipelt-r, Wayzata/Providence .625
38. 227-41-0 Chad Johnston, Minneota .847
39. 227-47-0 John Clark Jr., Mahnomen/Waubun .828
40. 224-64-0 Tom Schuller, Jackson County Central .778
41. 223-91-1 Jim Simser-r, Fairmont, New Richland-Hartland .710
42. 222-91-0 Stan Olson-r, LeRoy-Ostrander .709
43. 221-97-0 Dave Brokke-r, Granite Falls, Yellow Medicine East .695
44. 220-74-0 Clark Bergloff-r, Mora .748
45. 220-127-1 Don Stueve-r, Fergus Falls .634
46. 218-87-0 Jeff Williams, Owatonna .715
47. 218-147-0 Jeff Erdmann, Rosemount .597
48. 217-138-0 Joe Scoblic, Lester Prairie .611
49. 216-130-6 Billy Beck-r, Lac qui Parle Valley .622
50. 214-141-0 Bob Jackson-r, White Bear Lake/Spring Lake Park .603
Win percentage
The top 10 coaches in state history in terms of career wins. Minimum of 60 wins. Listed are rank, W-L-T record, name, school and percentage
1. 227-41-0 Chad Johnston, Minneota .847
2. 227-47-0 John Clark Jr., Mahnomen/Waubun .828
3. 393-84-0 Mike Grant, Eden Prairie .824
4. 307-66-6 George Larson-r, Cambridge .818
5. 287-66-2 Ken Baumann-r, Mahnomen .811
6. 285-69-2 George Thole-r, Stillwater .803
7. 232-58-0 Andy Rostberg, Hutchinson .800
8. 231-59-0 Dave Louzek, Moose Lake/Willow River .797
9. 291-78-0 Steve Solem-r, BOLD .789
10. 224-64-0 Tom Schuller, Jackson County Central .778
Vs. HOF coaches
Here is Tom Schuller’s record in games against coaches in the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Listed in order of number of wins.
Randy Kuechenmeister, Blue Earth Area 17-5
Dennis Hale, Worthington 7-4
Clay Anderson, Pipestone, Kimball 4-2
Terry Bahlmann, Marshall 4-4
Terry Turek, Le Sueur-Henderson 2-1
Dean Aurich, Mayer Lutheran 1-0
Carl Fruechte, Caledonia 1-0
Craig Anderson, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 1-0
Terry Karlsgodt, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 1-0
Ivan Kroulik, Kasson-Mantorville 1-0
Dwight Lundeen, Becker 1-0
Steve Solem, BOLD 1-0
Dave Dose, Glencoe-Silver Lake 1-1
Dave Louzek, Moose Lake/Willow River 0-1
Leo Pohlkamp, Pierz 0-1
Total 42-19
Championships
Titles won by Tom Schuller-coached teams.
Southwest Conference (6)
2000
2001
2003
2009
2010
2013
District (5)
2016
2019
2022
2023
2024
Section
2001
2012
2013
2015
2016
2019
2022
2023
2024
State
2001
2024
Golf tournament
Staying with JCC football, the third annual JCC Huskies Football Open is scheduled for Saturday, June 28 at Jackson Golf Club. Funds raised help the JCC football program.
The tournament uses a four-person best shot format. Registration the day of the tournament is at 2 p.m., with a shotgun start at 3 p.m.
For more information and to get registered, contact either Nolan Schuller (507-841-1155) or Carrie Schuller (507-840-0218), You can also email schuller@alumni.uni.edu.
Wrestling camp
Martin County West graduate Katie Lange will conduct a girls wrestling camp at Ironhawk Wrestling Academy in Spirit Lake.
Dates are June 2 (2nd-7th grade) and June 3 (8th grade-high school). Both days will have two sessions, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.n. A light lunch will be provided.
Lange is a two-time NCWWC champion. She won the 138-pound with Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich. this year and was also champion at 143 pounds with Augsburg in 2023.
She was a 2024 Olympic Trials participant, 2023 U23 national champion, and 2021 Junior Pan Am Games champion.
For more information, contact Larry Wajda at 712-330-4518.
College athlete updates
Jackson County Central grad Peyton Hanson, a sophomore with the University of Sioux Falls women’s track and field team, tied for first place in the pole vault at the Wildcat Classic in Wayne, Neb., clearing 11-11.75. The Cougars go to Vermilion for the USD Earlybird Friday and Saturday.
JCC grad Evan Paplow, a freshman at Iowa Central, placed fifth out of 11 runners in the 10,000 meters at the Emporia State Relays with a time of 34:16.54. The Tritons will be at USD this weekend.
Martin County West graduate Hunter Schmidt, a freshman with the Mid America Nazarene University men’s golf team in Olathe, Kan. tied for 15th place out of 99 golfers at the Oak Tree Invitational hosted by Oklahoma Christian in Edmond, Okla.
Schmidt had rounds of 73, 73 and 78 for a 224 total. The medalist shot 208. The Pioneers are at the Road-Runner Classic in Dalton, Ga. April 7-8.
Jackson County Central graduate Brittany Tufvesson is a sophomore outfielder with NJCAA Division II 19th-ranked Iowa Central. She’s played in eight games for the Tritons, starting one. Tufvesson is hitting .429 (3-7) with two doubles, two runs batted in, three walks and four runs scored. ICCC is scheduled to play two at Marshalltown Tuesday.
Fairmont grad Eli Anderson is a junior outfielder with the Purdue baseball team. He had a pinch-hit RBI single in a Boilermakers loss to UCLA Sunday.
He’s played in 20 games this season, starting seven for Purdue, which is 20-8 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten. Anderson is hitting .276 (8-29) with one double, one triple, one walk, one hit by pitch and is 7-10 in stolen bases.
The Boilermakers play three games at Washington this weekend.
Fairmont graduate Lincoln Becker is a redshirt freshman infielder at NIACC. He’s started all 29 games for the 12-17 Trojans. Becker is hitting .346 (37-107) with seven doubles, two triples, three home runs, 26 RBI, 11 walks, one hit by pitch and is 10-13 in stolen bases.
Another Fairmont graduate, Jacob Crissinger, redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher at NIACC. He’s made eight appearances, has a 1-3 record and 3.72 ERA. In 19.1 innings he has allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 17 hits, walked five and struck out 29.
The Trojans are scheduled to host Ellsworth in a doubleheader Wednesday and Des Moines Area for three this weekend.
Dordt hockey
Three Windom graduates completed their seasons with the Dordt University club men’s hockey team earlier this month.
The Defenders qualified for the American Collegiate Hockey Association tournament at Centene Community Ice Center just outside of St. Louis in Maryland Heights, Missouri. The facility is the main practice rink of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues.
Dordt went 1-2 in pool play at the national tourney, losing 7-2 to Grand Valley State and 9-0 to eventual national champion Hope College before a 4-3 overtime win over Michigan State.
Windom grad Zach Espenson, a junior defenseman, scored the tying goal vs. Michigan State at 19:15 of the third period. Dordt won the game at 9:48 of overtime.
Zach finished the season with 10 goals and 19 assists for the Defenders, who had a record of 24-6-1.
Alex Espenson, a senior forward totaled 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points, while sophomore defenseman Brady Espenson had 3 goals and 10 assists for 13 points.
Kalen DeBoer
Steve Williamson recently passed along an interesting note on Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer, who we’ve written about a couple of times recently.
Alabama Football lost in the Initial Eight of Random Bracket Challenge V, but of more importance, has made a scholarship offer to Jackson County Central junior Roman Voss.
DeBoer is a graduate of Milbank S.D. High School and was an outstanding wrestler for the Bulldogs.
Steve’s first cousin, Grant Garrison, was a teammate and great frend. Grant’s parents were Sherburn and Granada graduates.
I hope I got that all right. Thanks, Steve.
Wilber named Northern State coach
Matt Wilber is the new head men’s basketball coach at Northern State University in Aberdeen, S,D.
He’s married to Heron Lake-Okabena-Lakefield graduate Lindsay (Voss) Wilber, daughter of Tub and Amy Voss. Lindsay is head volleyball coach at Dakota Wesleyan.
Matt spent last season as an assistant coach with the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, where he coached the legendary Diana Taurasi. She had high praise for Wilber:
Lindsay and Matt have four sons, AJ, Ben, Nathan and Tyson, and one daughter, Lizzie.
Twins Ben and AJ were all-Cornbelt Conference selections this season for Hanson High School, located in Alexandria. Ben was a first-team choice and AJ was named to the second team.
The Beavers were 14-8 advanced to the Class A SoDak 16.
Fun fact
In his first game with the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 18, 1974, center Nate Thurmond recorded the NBA’s first quadruple double as the Bulls beat the Atlanta Hawks 120-115 in overtime at Chicago Stadium.
There have since been three more official quadruple-doubles with all positive statistics.
Here are the four quadruple-doubles.
Listed are player, team, opponent, date and statistics.
Nate Thurmond, Chicago vs. Atlanta, Oct. 18, 1974: 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, 12 blocks.
Alvin Robertson, San Antonio vs. Phoenix, Feb. 18, 1986; 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals.
Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston vs. Milwaukee, March 29, 1990: 18 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, 11 blocks.
David Robinson, San Antonio vs. Detroit, Feb. 17, 1994: 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 blocks.
I’m assuming you’ll need a room that is bigger than the one you currently use to watch TV, but something to consider doing during commercials:
Legendary Jackson Coach of the 60’s and 70’s Wes Wistrom was also inducted in the HOF. He was in the Class of 1998. Thanks for doing all this work…we had a fun night on Saturday!