Feb. 19—GRAND FORKS — A No. 24 Grand Forks Red River football jersey disappeared after the Roughriders’ run to the 2024 North Dakota Division AA state championship game.
But, on Wednesday afternoon in the lobby of the Red River Performance Hall, the red jersey reappeared, signed by the Red River senior football players and framed for coach Vyrn Muir, who was named the Division AA football coach of the year after the title game on Nov. 15.
“We found the jersey number 24,” said Blake Riedy, one of 18 seniors who gathered to honor Muir with the jersey. “We just thought about how good of a season we had this year. Got all the boys together and signed it — just one last hurrah before the book’s finally closed.”
The Riders went 11-1 in 2024 under Muir, who wrapped up his 21st year as head coach.
“I don’t like being the center of attention,” Muir said, “but coming from these guys … They’re high school kids, and sometimes high school kids aren’t quite thinking about those things. Pretty cool that they thought me worthy of something. Now I get to bring something home, and look at my wife and say, ‘Where can we hang this?’ And hopefully it’s not the garage.”
Red River’s state championship appearance was years in the making, coming as the group of 29 seniors wrapped up their high school careers.
“He took us in as sophomores,” senior quarterback Pearce Parks said of Muir. “He put a lot of trust in all of us. He had 29 guys walk through his door and he welcomed all of us. It’s like a big family, and the last few years have been awesome with him. He’s a big reason why our team has been so successful.”
Parks was named to the Division AA all-state football team for the third consecutive season. Seniors Cameron Klefstad, JB Walters and Jake Foss were also first-team picks on offense.
Standout running back Thomas Kraft made the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/red-river-football-seniors-honor-045900986.html
Author : Grand Forks Herald
Publish date : 2025-02-20 04:59:00
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