COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Five incoming Saint John's football student-athletes participated in the Minnesota state high school all-star game June 25 at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The North squad defeated the South, 17-7.
Four future Johnnies were on the 45-man North team: St. Cloud Cathedral linebacker Blake Bellefeuille, Totino-Grace offensive lineman Alex Jarosz, Stillwater Area linebacker Andrew Rose and Totino-Grace defensive lineman Joe Zrust.
Hopkins quarterback Bill Gregg was SJU's lone representative on the 45-player South team. He completed eight of 14 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 19 yards on four carries in the game. Gregg (6-1, 190) threw for over 2,700 yards and 31 touchdowns for the Royals last fall.
Rose (6-2, 205) led the North defense with six tackles (four solo) on the night. He was named the Suburban East Conference Defensive Player of the Year and finished as the Ponies' all-time leading tackler after posting 92 tackles his senior season, including 16 for a loss.
Bellefeuille (6-1, 220) totaled 190 tackles (99 solo), including 12 sacks and four forced fumbles as a senior.
Jarosz (6-4, 285) and Zrust (6-0, 300) were both instrumental on the line of scrimmage during the Eagles' Class AAAA state championship season last fall. Zrust made two tackles (one solo), while Jarosz started on the offensive line.
Gregg, Jarosz, Rose and Zrust were all named to last fall's 17-player KARE-11 All-Metro Team. Jarosz and Rose were both named to the Associated Press' All-State first team, while Zrust was named to the second team and Gregg honorable mention.
Players report to Collegeville on Saturday, Aug. 13, with the first practice scheduled for the following day. John Gagliardi officially begins his record 63rd season as a collegiate head football coach and 59th season in Collegeville against Northwestern Sept. 3 at Clemens Stadium. College football's all-time wins leader, Gagliardi ended the 2010 season with a 478-129-11 (.782) career record and a 454-123-10 (.782) record at SJU.
