Herald selects 12 to watch for 2023 North Dakota high school football

GRAND FORKS – After 14 years of not winning more than three games in a season, the Grand Forks Central football program fielded a much more competitive team in 2022 and won four games for the first time since 2007.

The new era of Central football was sparked by a deep group of skill players.

The Knights bring back a strong core of those skill players, and that was reflected in the Herald’s 12 Players to Watch for the 2023 North Dakota high school football season.

Central landed three players on the list: Tight ends Tray Kuntz and Erick Paye and wide receiver Jack Simmers.

Kuntz and Paye are UND football commitments.

In total, five Grand Forks players were selected to the team. In addition to the Central trio, Red River quarterback Pearce Parks and offensive lineman Lawson Lotysz were also selected to the Players to Watch list.

One other Class A player was selected in Devils Lake’s Drew Hofstad, who was named to the Players to Watch list for the second year in a row.

Two 9-man programs landed a pair of players on the list. North Star’s Reuben Clay and Garrett Westlind made the team, along with North Prairie’s Blake Mattson and Nate Tastad, a North Dakota State offensive line commitment.

Nelson County’s Ross Thompson and Four Winds’ Deng Deng rounded out the team. Deng is a UND football commitment.

Reuben Clay, North Star: The 6-foot-2, 205-pound linebacker was an all-state 9B second team choice last season after finishing with 97.5 tackles including 67 solo tackles and 5.0 tackles for loss.

Deng Deng, Four Winds: Already a big name in basketball, the 6-foot-4 senior wide receiver committed to UND football this summer. Deng had 32 catches for 666 yards and eight touchdowns for Four Winds last season.

Drew Hofstad, Devils Lake: A two-time all-state pick, the senior wide receiver had 16 catches for 211 yards and five touchdowns. He also had 20 tackles and an interception on defense.

Lawson Lotysz, GF Red River: The senior offensive lineman was a first-team all-state pick after anchoring the offensive and defensive lines for a Red River team that won eight games for the first time since 2012.

Tray Kuntz, GF Central: The 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior tight end committed to UND this offseason as a preferred walk-on. In 2022, Kuntz had 36 catches for 490 yards and three touchdowns as the Knights made the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

Blake Mattson, North Prairie: The senior was an all-state 9B first team defensive back last season. On offense, Mattson rushed 180 times for 1,764 yards and 20 touchdowns. He added 299 receiving yards and six scores. On defense, he had 49 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and two interceptions.

Pearce Parks, GF Red River: The junior quarterback was a second team all-state choice in his first season as starter as a sophomore. In 2022, he was 91-for-140 passing for 1,217 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also ran 79 times for 379 yards and nine touchdowns.

Erick Paye, GF Central: The raw football prospect, new to varsity football last fall, committed to UND in the offseason. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Paye could develop quickly into a pass-rushing standout. He excelled in basketball last winter, scoring 18.8 points per game and setting a school record by grabbing 10.6 rebounds per game.

Jack Simmers, GF Central: The senior was an all-state choice after playing all over the field last season. Simmers had 45 catches for 660 yards and six touchdowns. He ran 48 times for 124 yards and three scores. Simmers also returned two kicks for touchdowns.

Nate Tastad, North Prairie: The senior offensive lineman, who has committed to North Dakota State, was an all-state 9B first team choice last year. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound Rolette, N.D., native paved the way for North Prairie’s 4,197 yards rushing. Defensively, he had 53 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss and four sacks.

Ross Thompson, Nelson County: The senior was a repeat all-state pick as a 6-foot-4, 215-pound defensive end-offensive lineman. Thompson had 16 solo tackles and 50 assisted tackles. He added 9.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and 17 quarterback hurries. On offense, he helped a Nelson County team rush for 1,714 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Garrett Westlind, North Star: The 6-foot, 175-pound senior wide receiver was an all-state 9B second team selection last season. In 2022, he had 176 carries for 1,081 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also caught 18 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns. Westlind added four interceptions on defense.