Pillar of the program: Howard’s Luke Koepsell named 2024 Mitchell Republic football player of the year

Nov. 29—HOWARD, S.D. — Disciplined, hard-nosed, hard-hitting football. That’s the Howard way, according to Luke Koepsell.

As a freshman, Koepsell witnessed that pouring into the program often yields sustained success, as the Tigers won a state football title led by a standout crew of seniors. That experience left a lasting impression on Koepsell, who settled into a leadership role of his own in the seasons that followed as he borrowed from the examples set by upperclassmen ahead of him.

So when the time came for Koepsell and his eight senior classmates to take the reigns of the program this season, they, too, reaped the rewards.

“I go back to my freshman year with the seniors we had, those guys bought into that, and they showed us how to do it. Football here is kind of a big deal, and if you’re gonna play, you’ve got to be fully invested in it,” Koepsell said. “We just have that mindset of, ‘We don’t care about what the other team does, we’re just gonna go out there and do what we do. It’s gonna work, and we’re gonna beat you.'”

And beat everyone is exactly what Koepsell and the 2024 Tigers did.

For his part in helping pave the way to a perfect 12-0 season and a Class 9A state championship as the Joe Robbie MVP and most outstanding lineman of the title contest, Howard senior Luke Koepsell earned the Mitchell Republic’s 2024 football player of the year award. Along the way, Koepsell also collected Class 9A All-American and all-state tight end honors in addition to being named Cornbelt Conference MVP and all-conference defensive end.

Koepsell recorded 26 receptions for 378 yards and nine touchdowns on offense, including four catches for 100 yards and two scores in the Class 9A championship, and helped clear the path for the Tigers’ 4,000-yard rushing effort as a team. Defensively, the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder compiled 69…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/pillar-program-howards-luke-koepsell-004600764.html

Author : The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.

Publish date : 2024-11-30 00:46:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Check Also

Want to go to IU vs. Notre Dame CFP game? It costs more than triple other Playoff games.

The College Football Playoff field is set and Indiana will play Notre Dame for the …