Simplified: The Brandon Valley Lynx look to return to the DakotaDome for the third straight year, and they’ve clearly got the pedigree to do it. Brandon Valley is in a unique position where their quarterback, running back, tight end and lead wide receiver all played significantly last year on a team that went 11-1 and won a state title. There’s little doubt the Lynx will have a say in this year’s championship.

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For the first time since 2020, Brandon Valley enters the season as the defending Class 11AAA state champions.

And they did it last year in convincing fashion.

The Lynx averaged nearly 40 points per game in 2025 and held opponents to just 13.5 per game, the best in Class 11AAA.

Although they enter this season in defense of their title with some gaps from last year’s championship roster, Brandon Valley will reload and no doubt be a contender again this year.

Strong returners on offense, despite losses

Gone this season is quarterback Briggs Knutson, who’s now playing collegiately at Dakota Wesleyan. Unfortunately for Knutson, he missed five games last year as he dealt with mononucleosis. Fortunately for the Lynx, his absence gave backup quarterback Will VanLeur plenty of reps.

Now a senior, VanLeur will still have plenty of weapons on offense.

SDSU-commit and 2025 All-State selection Austin Dowd will anchor a receiving corps at Brandon Valley that will put up big numbers. The tight end had 190 yards receiving last year on 11 catches with two touchdowns. He’ll join senior wide receiver Jack Blomgren, also an elite baseball pitcher, who last year finished with 475 receiving yards on 35 catches with six touchdowns.

“He’s a match-up problem for a lot of DBs because of his size and athleticism,” Brandon Valley head coach Matt Christensen said of the 6-foot-2 Blomgren.

The Lynx also lost USF-bound running back Levi Veskrna from last year’s team. Veskrna was named the Joe Robbie MVP in last year’s title game victory over Sioux Falls Lincoln after rushing for 260 yards and three touchdowns. But like the quarterback position, Veskrna also missed games last season due to an ankle injury, opening the door for Ryder Mueller, who rushed for 600 yards and eight touchdowns last year during his sophomore season.

Ryder Mueller rushed for 600 yards and eight touchdowns last year for Brandon Valley as a sophomore. Photo credit: Brandon Valley Journal

But unlike last year, Mueller likely won’t have the massive holes to run through that he became accustomed to. The Lynx offensive line in 2025 was a menace to opponents as Brandon Valley rushed for 252 yards per game, and every carry last year was a bruising experience. But this year, that entire group is gone, leaving an obvious area of concern for Christensen.

“It’s a chasm of experience lost," he said. "It’s a major point for us. But we’ve got some guys coming up who are real monsters.”

Gone is Hudson Parliament, a sure-bet headliner in the coming seasons for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Also lost to graduation is Parker Coughlin, Callister Wiese, and Isaac Mitzel.

One of those monsters Christensen is high on is Landon Voigt, a sophomore this season who’s already been offered to play at SDSU. 

Some holes need to be filled on defense

The Lynx also have some gaps to fill defensively, especially in the defensive backfield. They lost three DII collegiate players in Chase Leary (Augustana), Nolan Pudwill (Northern State) and Bryton Stroh (USF baseball).

“We’re trying to replace three all-time great Brandon Valley DBs. That’s a big ask,” Christensen said. “You can’t ask kids to magically turn into D2 safeties, but you have to ask them to produce as fast as they can.”

The Lynx also lost a little on the defensive line and in the linebacker position. Defensive end Mekhi Zacher is now at the School of Mines, and linebacker Dylan Williams is now at USF. To help fill some of that loss is Miles Fokken and Cooper Veld at linebacker, along with Gavin Johnson at free safety and Gage Mandery at defensive back.

About Brandon Valley

Head coach: Matt Christensen (5th year, 43-14)

School record all-time: 516-239-3 

2025: 11-1 (Class 11AAA Champions)

Conference: Metro and ESD 

Returning Starters: Two offense/three defense 

State championships since 1981: 9 (1984, 1985, 1988 - 11A; 1989, 1990, 1998 - 11AA; 2018, 2020, 2025 - 11AAA).

Assistant coaches:

  • Mike Zerr(OC/HY), Tim Sylliaasen (STC/WR), Dylan Briest (DC/DB), Kent Anderson (DL), Jeremy Risty (LB), Mark Stadem (QB), Brennin Aguirre (DB), Jason Bisbee (OL), Joe Krivarchka (RB), Matt Mueller (9th), John Flint (9th), Cole Sylliaasen (9th), Kelly Meeker (9th), Riley Pletten (9th).

Strengths: Despite losing some starting talent from last year’s championship team, as it goes at Brandon Valley, the Lynx have reloaded with experience on both sides of the ball. Will VanLeur at quarterback and Ryder Mueller at running back both played significantly last year, which will no doubt play into Brandon Valley’s favor. 

Weaknesses: The loss of the entire bruising offensive line from last year will be significant. But the Lynx have a sophomore class up front that should all see significant playing time to fill that gap.

Top returners:

  • WR Jack Blomgren (sr., 6-2, 185);
  • TE Austin Dowd (sr., 6-4, 235);
  • LB Miles Fokken (sr., 6-0, 210);
  • FS Gavin Johnson (sr., 5-10 185);
  • CB Gage Mandery (sr., 5-9 180)

Opener: At Bellevue West (NE), Aug. 28.