Thunder Football Ready For Kick-Off Classic Game

Wes Vork-NSO

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Aug 24

Northland Sports Online

CLOQUET, MN– With almost three weeks of practice and training camp activities behind them, the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Thunder Football team is ready for game action. The team travels to St. Cloud on Saturday, August 27, to open their 2011 season against nationally ranked Central Lakes College. The 8:00 p.m. game is the final clash of the annual Kick-Off Classic that features all of the teams in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference. The Thunder game will be held at St. Cloud State University.

Coming off a 5-4 season last year, second year Head Coach Keith Turner has assembled the largest team in school history with 56 student athletes on the roster. More importantly, the 2011 squad includes 15 returning players who will provide needed leadership and experience on and off the field.

“Our returning players will be one of the keys to our success this season, ” said Turner. “ We don’t have a lot of time to get everyone together, to get to know each other, to learn our strategies before we start playing games. Having a solid group of second year players really helps to get a jump on putting things together because they know our expectations and can help the new recruits along.”

The Thunder have ten returning starters, five each on defense and offense. Key to this group is starting quarterback Michael Davis of Norfolk, VA, who was a 2010 All-Conference First Team Selection. Davis led the MCAC Northern Division statistics with 1,744 yards and 20 touchdown passes. Placekicker Anthony Wood of Cloquet also returns after posting 100% conversion percentages on both field goal attempts and extra-point attempts. Wood is the only community college kicker among 50 collegiate-level kickers to earn a spot on the official Watch List for the Fred Mitchell Award.

Returning to lead the Thunder defense are linebacker David Hjelle of Saginaw/AlBrook High School, defensive back Kevin Eugene of Miami, FL, defensive lineman Justin Robinson of Opalocha, FL, and defensive back John Green of Miami, FL. All four earned All-Conference Team honors in 2010.

Newcomers to the Thunder squad that the coaching staff expects to step right in and contribute include defensive end Andrew Youngren of Barnum, linebacker Josh Hogan of Barnum, defensive lineman Ronald Johnson of Detroit, and linebacker Chris Mixson of Jacksonville, FL.

The Thunder have to quickly find replacements for several key team leaders from the 2010 squad. All-Region 13 linebacker standout Kyle Grimm of Barnum graduated from FDLTCC and is now playing for defending Division II national champion University of Minnesota-Duluth. Also at UMD this season after graduating from FDLTCC is All-Conference lineman Eric Makitalo of Proctor.

“We have a similar game schedule as last season,” said Turner. “We start right off with nationally ranked and the second place team in our league last year, Central Lakes College. Like all first games of a season, it will be a good test and measurement as to where we stand at this very early point in this season. Of course, we’ll work to improve throughout the season and will always put forth our best effort, every day in practice, in every game, in every class.”

This is the fifth season for the Thunder Football program and as a member of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference. The MCAC is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association. The MCAC football conference includes 10 teams which are divided geographically into Northern and Southern Divisions. More information about the conference is available from the league’s website located at http://www.mcac-sports.com.

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