Jul 21, 2007 - 04:04:13 CDT
Adam Tescher had a solid 2006 football season.The 6-foot-4, 260-pound tackle from St. Mary's played well on both sides of the ball, earning all-West Region honors at offensive tackle.
Even so, he didn't expect to be invited to play in the 2007 Shrine Bowl all-star game.
To his surprise, an invitation arrived by mail later in the school year. Today, Tescher and the West all-stars will take on the East all-stars in the 11-game at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks.
"I was really excited when I got that letter," Tescher recalled. "Football's my favorite sport, and I'll take any opportunity to play. To be honest, I really didn't expect to play in any all-star games because we had a down year ... so being here is quite an honor. Being around so many good players makes you feel pretty special."
Veteran St. Mary's football coach Dan Smrekar wasn't surprised. He said Tescher's selection was well deserved.
"I was the one who nominated him, so yes, I definitely thought he deserved to go," Smrekar said. "I coached him for four years and he was a very solid player for us. We struggled his junior and senior years and that's probably why he didn't get the recognition we thought he deserved. But he was a fine player. I think he'll make a great college player someday."
Tescher was a starter on the St. Mary's offensive line his sophomore season and was a two-way starter in 2005 and 2006. He will play only offense today, which suits him just fine.
"Defense is okay, but there's something about playing on the offensive line," he said. "I like the control you have and the feeling you get when you throw a good block ... like one that leads to a big play. I just like throwing blocks and hitting people."
Smrekar said Tescher's size and athletic ability are best suited to the offensive line.
"Adam's a big, strong, sturdy kid with good quickness," the St. Mary's coach said. "For a kid his size, he's so good on his feet. He moves so well and in a run-oriented offense, that's one thing you want to see in an offensive lineman.
"The great thing about Adam is he hasn't reached his full potential, yet," Smrekar continued. "I think he'll be a mountain of a man in college."
Speaking of college, Tescher will take his talents to the University of Mary this fall.
"I always dreamt about playing college ball and I worked hard to make that happen," said Tescher, whose older brother Jeff is a long-snapper and linebacker at the University of North Dakota.
"(The University of) Mary was the right fit for me. It has a great atmosphere and it's a good school. And they have a good football program there. They're committed to winning."
Tescher said the west all-stars are committed to get a win today.
"It's an all-star game and it's mostly for fun, but we're all competitive and we want to do our best to get a win," Tescher said. "No matter what, winning is something you expect to do every time you take the field. And we don't like the east, either. There will be a pride thing going."
Tescher's west teammates include several former rivals, including Jesse Schuchard and Brandon Feser of Bismarck High, Josh Johnson and Tom Kraft of Mandan, and Tyler Schmidkunz of Century. The team also has players from Minot, Dickinson, Williston and Jamestown.
Tescher has enjoyed working with those players, rather than against them.
"It's kind of funny. ... I played against those guys for so long and I wondered sometimes if I'd get along with them," he said. "But we've had a great week together. It's been a lot of fun. We can relate to a lot of things ... like football. We all love the game."
West roster
Nakoa Baker, 6-3, 185, Dickinson. Scott Murphy, 5-10, 160, Dickinson Trinity. Tyler Zacher, 6-2, 180, Beulah. Kyle Schmaltz, 6-0, 200, Hazen. Tyson McArthur, 5-10, 160, Mahnomen, Minn. Richard Fuller, 5-9, 160, Minot. Alex Provo, 5-8, 175, Detroit Lakes, Minn. Levi Weber, 5-10, 175, New Rockford-Sheyenne. Brock Sandy, 6-2, 190, Harvey. Jesse Schuchard, 6-0, 175, Bismarck.
Eric Henke, 5-7, 160, Velva. Justin Mack, 6-3, 185, Velva. Brian Marsh, 5-10, 185, Trinity. Mitch Kudrna, 6-1, 185, Dickinson. Brady Meyer, 5-10, 175, Minot Ryan. Alex Schmaltz, 5-10, 175, Velva. Alex Mock, 6-0, 185, Williston. Dan Carr, 5-10, 200, Trinity. Matt Achtenberg, 6-4, 210, Grant County-Flasher. Aaron Esquibel, 6-0, 210, Velva.
Arren St. Vincent, 5-11, 200, Turtle Mountain. Paul Meyer, 6-4, 205, North Border. Scott Thingstad, 6-2, 240, Jamestown. Ben Duchsherer, 6-4, 190, Velva. Grant Galvin, 6-4, 350, Hazen. Nathan Svihovec, 5-11, 185, Watford City. Tyler Schmidkunz, 6-0, 200, Bismarck Century.
Zach Gaugler, 6-3, 210, Killdeer. Josh Johnson, 6-1, 240, Mandan. Adam Tescher, 6-4, 260, St. Mary's. Ryan Kamrowski, 6-2, 210, Minot. David Juhnke, 6-1, 240, Hawley, Minn. Jamall Wold, 5-11, 180, Watford City. Brandon Feser, 5-9, 165, Bismarck. Zach Boldt, 6-2, 185, Williston. Tom Kraft, 5-10, 190, Mandan. Preston Bauer, 5-10, 160, Velva.
Head coach: Larry Sandy, Velva.
Assistant coaches: Bill Cahill, Jamestown. Scott Faul, Bottineau. Brad Sandy, Harvey.
East roster
Zach Wold, 5-11, 191, Hatton-Northwood. Alex Yaggle, 6-0, 190, Thief River Falls, Minn. Catlin Solum, 5-10, 190, Fargo South. Jacoby Duff, 6-1, 175, Rugby. Paul Hoplin, 6-8, 205, Grand Forks Red River. Pat Coyne, 6-1, 215, Wahpeton. Brandon Larson, 6-0, 188, Fargo South. Sam Hager, 5-11, 160, Larimore. Kevin Leier, 6-1, 180, Rugby. Brad Just, 6-0, 160, Red River.
Jake Hoffert, 5-10, 155, Wyndmere-Lidgerwood. Rob Gibson, 6-0, 180, West Fargo. Seth Schmitz, 6-1, 209, Red Lake Falls, Minn. Josh Asp, 5-11, 160, Hankinson. Mike Schmaltz, 6-2, 175, Rugby. Joey Dawson, 5-11, 185, Fargo South. Luke Hvidston, 5-8, 155, Fargo Oak Grove. Jordan Flaten, 5-8, 153, Mayville-Portland-Clifford-Galesburg. Cody Brekken, 5-11, 170, Crookston, Minn. Blaine Kemp, 6-0, 185, Cavalier.
Ben Kaspari, 6-0, 187, Lisbon. Michael Mack, 6-0, 190, Devils Lake. Tom McCann, 6-0, 200, Grafton. Adam Yoney, 6-1, 240, Northern Cass. Sam Hellekson, 6-2, 245, Red River. Tim Schempp, 6-3, 240, Larimore. Broc Bellmore, 6-1, 265, West Fargo. Jesse Wahl, 6-0, 195, Hankinson. Tony Mitterling, 5-11, 260, Wahpeton.
Nathan Duchscher, 6-0, 266, Rugby. Travis Fritel, 6-0, 200, Rugby. Ryan Hillesland, 6-1, 235, Hatton-Northwood. Greg Larson, 5-11, 282, Lisbon. Ryan Bosch, 6-3, 250, Linton-HMB. Andrew Kennedy, 6-1, 273, Grand Forks Central. Sean Spiker, 6-0, 200, West Fargo. Andrew Ebertowski, Grand Forks Central.
Head coach: Jay Gibson, West Fargo.
Assistant coaches: Justin Foss, Hatton-Northwood. Mike McCall, Wahpeton. Scott Strenge, Wyndmere-Lidgerwood.
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