By Mike Drooger –

Edgerton Flying Dutchmen football began in the fall of 1940 when EHS played 6-man football. Eighty-one years later, Dutchmen Head Coach Andrew Fleischman, with a record of 150-56 in 19 seasons, would probably like to return to 6-man football rather the 9-man variety they currently play. Then Fleischman would need to put three fewer players on the field, which would make his job much easier in 2021, thanks to a limited roster.

Last season the Dutchmen had 22 players out for football when the season began six weeks late, thanks to COVID. Nine of those 22 players were seniors—Keegan Fey, Austin Roskamp, Gabe Gilbertson, Austin Vanderby, Mason Gilbertson, Jalen De Jong, Jacob Ockenga, Brady Rolla, and Donald Bistline. Vanderby injured his knee in the second game at Hills and missed the rest of the season, but the other eight seniors played nearly every play on offense and/or defense for the 3-5 Dutchmen. Their departure leaves a gaping hole in the Dutchmen football program.

It was rumored a few weeks before 2021’s football practice was scheduled to begin, there might not be a Dutchmen football season because there wouldn’t be enough players. Athletic Director Eric Schultz reached out to the male athletes at EHS and their parents to make sure the Dutchmen would have adequate participation. “I received commitments from parents of upperclassmen that enough intended to go out. So, yes, we plan on having a team, however, injury or a couple of kids deciding not to go out can change that, which is often the case in any year,” Schultz reported a few days before practice was slated to start.

It’s difficult to get a firm number concerning football players because practice begins 23 days before the first day of school. Some possible players are still in vacation mode and not ready for summer to end, but it appears likely Coach Fleischman will have 18 players at best with 11 of them being 8th and 9th graders.

No matter who comes out for football and who sticks it out, one thing is for sure—senior Nolan Buckridge will be the team’s cornerstone. Buckridge was named All-District 9 South last season and the Worthington Globe All-Area team as a fullback and linebacker. He’s a bruising runner and a hard hitter defensively. Junior Carter Amundson and senior Jacob Fischer saw a lot of playing time last year and will play even more in ’21.

If there is good news for Edgerton and Coach Fleischman, it comes when looking at the upcoming schedule. Edgerton’s eight foes finished just an accumulative 23-25 last season. Seven of those 23 wins came from one team—the Hills-Beaver Creek Patriots who went 7-0. The Pates could be called Minnesota’s 2020 mythical nine-man football state champs in the absence of a state tournament last year.

The Dutchmen will open the 2021 campaign on September 3 at home vs. Madelia. The Blackhawks went 1-6 in ‘20. The always-tough Patriots will visit Edgerton on October 20, which will be the season’s final regular season game.