Meet Cam, the can-do football star from southern Minnesota

FOOTBALL ACROSS MINNESOTA | Week 10

Cam Hungerholt leads the state in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, ranks fourth in touchdown passes and has thrown for over 2,000 yards.

Impressive stuff, but the LeRoy-Ostrander senior quarterback hasn’t returned any of his five takeaways on defense, including four interceptions, for a touchdown yet.

What a slacker.

“I know, right?” Hungerholt said with a laugh.

No problem, he still has time. The do-everything Hungerholt has led his team to the Nine-Player semifinals, and the Cardinals take the field again Thursday against Fertile-Beltrami at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Getting to play in the Vikings stadium is a goal of every high school player in Minnesota, a cool reward for 28 teams from seven classes still alive. They are one win from the Prep Bowl. This big step is also a treat for fans in the Twin Cities who hear about teams or star players from greater Minnesota all season and now get to see them perform on the biggest stage.

Hungerholt’s season deserves recognition among the best by an individual in state history: 2,694 yards rushing, 35 rushing touchdowns, 2,183 yards passing, 31 passing touchdowns, 84 tackles on defense, 10 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and five takeaways.

“I think he’s the best football player in Minnesota — especially in Nine-Man,” LeRoy-Ostrander coach Trevor Carrier said.

Hungerholt is committed to sign with Minnesota State Mankato as a defensive back. But he might be moved to wide receiver. He plays quarterback and middle linebacker this season. He also could play running back if needed.

“Wherever Coach wants me to play,” he said, “I’ll go out there and play.”

His versatility has allowed the Cardinals (the co-op team includes Lyle and Pacelli high schools as well) to remain undefeated with an offense that averages 51.4 points per game. Hungerholt relies on his experience as a three-year starter at quarterback to dissect defenses by either running or passing to his deep, experienced receiving corps.

“There are zero selfish kids on the whole squad,” Carrier said. “Cam is a stud, but he’s got a great group around him to support him.”

The Cardinals will face a similar talent on the opposite sideline, too. Fertile-Beltrami’s Isaiah Wright, who averages a staggering 16 yards per carry, ranks third in the state in rushing yards (2,067) and is tied for third in rushing touchdowns (32). Fertile-Beltrami is undefeated, too, setting up a heavyweight clash in the semifinals.

Hungerholt added 20 pounds in the offseason — he’s 6-2, 190 now — in anticipation of a long playoff run and moments such as this one. He played defensive back on the LeRoy-Ostrander team that won the state title in 2021, and he wants to bookend his career with another one playing alongside teammates who have been friends since kindergarten.

“We knew this team was going to be special,” he said. “We’ve known that for a long time.”

There is one other big goal: Hungerholt has his sights on finishing as school valedictorian.

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INSIDE THE GAME

One by one, Holy Angels football players stepped onto a device that looked like a scale. With hands on their hips, they jumped as high as possible three times. Coach Jim Gunderson sat in a chair next to them, operating an iPad connected to the device.

This exercise took place every Monday morning during the season. The Stars suffered a season-ending 35-15 loss to unbeaten Becker in the Class 4A quarterfinals this past Thursday, but Gunderson believes this routine served a valuable role in helping his team advance that far.

“I can tell you we gave ourselves much better odds by doing this,” he said.

Holy Angels partnered with an Edina-based company called Human Powered Health that provided weekly testing and performance assessments that helped coaches monitor fatigue and guard against injuries.

Here’s how it works: Players jumped three times on force plates that measure different metrics. HPH performance physiologist Evan Strewler collected the data, analyzed it and sent results to Gunderson within a few hours. Each player received a color code: Red, yellow or green.

Red indicated severe fatigue or potential injury. Yellow instructed coaches to monitor the player’s workload in practice. Green was ready for full participation. Gunderson adjusted practice schedules based on the assessments.

Gunderson said he hears this a lot: “Coach, I’m fine. I can play.”

“It’s allowed for me to say, ‘Well, that’s not what the data is saying. It doesn’t lie.’” the coach said. “It’s not just me saying, ‘Hey, you don’t look right.’”

Football at all levels has come a long way in understanding player safety and adjusting behaviors accordingly. Gunderson noted that when he played high school football, “I don’t think I was ever fresh for a Friday night football game.”

Thankfully, times have changed, and grueling practices are no longer viewed as a necessary means of preparation. Coaches are more willing to embrace performance science in finding the right balance between getting a team ready and keeping players as healthy as possible.

For instance, Maple Grove coach Adam Spurrell noted that his team doesn’t tackle in practice. The Crimson are undefeated and ranked No. 1 in Class 6A with a defense that is second to none.

“I would rather have an undertrained healthy athlete than an overtrained unhealthy athlete because I think he will just perform better,” Gunderson said.

Gunderson relies on two-way players because of the Stars’ roster size. In recent years, injuries and a competitive schedule have caused his team to run out of steam late in seasons. Now, players felt fresher and stronger, and the team has had fewer soft-tissue injuries.

“I think our kids feel healthier,” he said. “They look healthier and they’re more aware of their health.”

Junior Gavin Coughlin was a two-way player this season at receiver and defensive back. He played both ways as a sophomore as well, but even though his playing time increased this season, he felt stronger because of the maintenance plan.

“I’ve seen a lot of endurance in my legs,” he said. “It’s made my stamina go up in games, too.”

Gunderson values the educational component in the marriage of technology and performance. His players used the data to adjust their own routines and habits for nutrition, rest and recovery.

“It’s changed our kids’ perspective of how they take care of their bodies and what their health really means to be ready for Friday,” he said.

That awareness was especially important during a demanding stretch in the schedule when Holy Angels played three games in 12 days from Oct. 5-16. The Stars went 2-1 with wins over Benilde-St. Margaret’s and Hutchinson.

“That’s when we really used the data to individualize,” Gunderson said. “There was one week we didn’t even put pads on. This really has been an educational experience for myself. It’s made me a better coach, and I think it led to a lot better results this year.”

. . .

WEEKEND REWIND

The five best things we saw on social media this weekend:

“We’re still 100 percent confident in Sam. It’d be craziness not to be. But at the same time, it’s a great opportunity to figure out exactly what happened.”

— Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, sticking with Sam Darnold after his quarterback threw three interceptions against Jacksonville.

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UP NEXT

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DAILY DELIVERY + FAM

For our video chat this week, Michael Rand and I talked about the smart and modern ways Holy Angels is keeping its roster healthy. Watch our video right here.

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A FAM FINAL WORD

The Gophers had an error-filled performance Saturday at Rutgers and lost. Sam Darnold’s three interceptions Sunday at Jacksonville nearly cost his team a win against an inferior opponent. This weekend was not easy on the eyes for Minnesota fans hoping to see cleaner performances.

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Thank you for reading Football Across Minnesota (FAM), my weekly column that tours football topics in our state from preps to pros. I’ll publish this column on Tuesday mornings. I appreciate feedback, so please reach out anytime. Thanks again — Chip (@chipscoggins on X; email me at anthony.scoggins@startribune.com)

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Want more Football Across Minnesota? Chip’s previous columns are here: