A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
Minnesota Gophers head football coach PJ Fleck posted this photo of his star recruit, Koi Perich, center, on his X feed after the Esko standout was named the MVP of the All American Bowl in San Antonio last Saturday. The game is a showcase for those considered the best college football prospects in the country. Perich was flanked by Team West teammates Brett Carroll, left, and Riley Sunram, who both have also been recruited to play at Minnesota.
Playing safety, Esko's Koi Perich earned the most valuable player award in Saturday's high school football All-American Bowl in San Antonio.
Perich created havoc on defense and special teams, intercepting a pass and breaking up two others, blocking a punt and making another tackle for loss, according to NBC Sports, which organizes and broadcasts the game.
Playing both offense and defense, Perich led Esko to three straight unbeaten regular seasons in his varsity career. He committed last month to play at the University of Minnesota this fall.
The All-American Bowl features the top 100 senior football players from across the country and makes its regular home in San Antonio. NBC touts that the All-American Bowl is the most-watched and highest-attended high school sporting event in the country.
Perich is a consensus 4-star recruit, according to the University of Minnesota. He was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in Minnesota by On3, 247Sports and ESPN, and No. 3 safety in the nation by On3, which also listed him as the No. 53 overall recruit in the country.
Perich wore No. 3 for the Eskomos, but No. 21 in the game last weekend.
He was coached by Scott Arnston at Esko and was responsible for 27 total touchdowns in the 10 games that he played in as a senior.
He is expected to play safety for Minnesota. Perich was joined in the game by two fellow University of Minnesota signees, Brett Carroll and Riley Sunram.
Barnum QB honored
Barnum senior quarterback Hayden Charboneau was honored by the Minnesota Vikings last month when the Gatorade All-State Team took the field at a game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The All-State team was composed of seniors from all classes of football in the state, and selected in conjunction with the Minnesota Football Coaches Association.
Charboneau was also one of 42 nominees for Mr. Football, an honor that went last month to Maxwell Woods, a running back and defensive back from Chanhassen High School.
Last month, Charboneau committed to play college football at the University of Minnesota-Morris. He led Barnum to its first unbeaten regular season in decades, and three straight section title games.
