MOORHEAD, MINN. – Monday marked the dawn of the Class 6A era for a Moorhead football team still stung from its 48-44 loss to Alexandria in last year’s 5A, Section 8 championship game.
The Spuds will soon play a district schedule that includes games at Minnetonka, Eden Prairie and Edina, with visits from Wayzata and defending 6A state champion Maple Grove.
But on the first day of practice, Moorhead players and staff embraced the challenge, especially with four players who have drawn Division I offers. That list includes junior quarterback Jett Feeney, who led the state with 48 touchdown passes last season.
The loss to Alexandria “hurt a lot right away,” Feeney said, “but I think it just gave our team a lot more motivation for the offseason in the weight room. I think we’ll be really good this year.”
The Spuds were 9-0 before that loss and had defeated Alexandria 36-34 just three weeks earlier. There won’t be a rematch now that Moorhead is in 6A, with the 23rd-biggest enrollment in Minnesota.
“We’ve kind of done our farewell tour on the 5A side because our enrollment is doing nothing but growing, which is an awesome situation to have as a community,” Moorhead activities director Dean Haugo said. “… There’s no pity party. There’s no woe is us.”
It helps having talent like Moorhead has, and all four players with DI offers are juniors:
- Feeney completed 71.5% of his passes and threw just six interceptions last season. He has drawn offers from Montana State and North Dakota State.
- Wide receiver David Mack had 18 touchdown catches last year and has offers from the Gophers and South Dakota State.
- Running back Taye Reich averaged 8.7 yards per carry last season and has offers form the Gophers, Kansas State and North Dakota.
- Defensive back Zak Walker has an offer from NDSU.
Spuds coach Kevin Feeney, Jett’s father, said the junior foursome has been playing together since third or fourth grade.