MFCA All-Star Game
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Seven incoming Saint John's football student-athletes will participate at training camp June 24-30 at Clemens Stadium in preparation for the 39th Annual Minnesota High School All-Star Football Game, sponsored by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association (MFCA).
The players are scheduled to report Sunday, June 24. The first practices begin with the North squad at 6 p.m., followed by the South team at 7:30 p.m., in Clemens Stadium.
The 39th annual North versus South All-Star game is at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 30, at Husky Stadium on the campus of St. Cloud State University. The game was originally scheduled to be held at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis, but the NCAA passed a bylaw in September that prohibits all-star games from being held on Division I campuses.
The seven All-Stars is the largest group of incoming Johnnies since nine played in the 1997 All-Star game.
The 88 players will be the first to practice on the new Sprinturf surface in Clemens Stadium and will utilize SJU's field house, The Donald McNeely Spectrum, during inclement weather.
Paynesville Area running back/wide receiver Josh Bungum, Albany defensive lineman Ben Eli, Cook County wide receiver Dylan Quaife and Ogilvie offensive lineman Doug Welch will suit up for the North team. South St. Paul defensive back Reid Bjorklund and running back Sam Sura, and New Ulm Cathedral defensive back Nick Simon will play for the South team.
Sura was named to last fall's KARE-11 All-Metro Team, as well as The Associated Press' All-State first team. Bungum, Eli and Quaife were named honorable mention.
Sura was a two-time all-conference, all-metro, all-state and Classic Suburban Conference Offensive Most Valuable Player. The 2011 St. Paul Pioneer Press Player of the Year, Sura rushed for 1,666 yards and 22 touchdowns as senior. He rushed for 1,947 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior.
The 2011 St. Cloud Times Player of the Year, Bungum rushed for 2,539 yards and 30 touchdowns, passed for 1,299 yards and 13 touchdowns and caught two touchdown passes for the Bulldogs last fall.
Eli was named the 2011 West Central Conference Most Valuable Lineman after tallying 32 tackles and six sacks on defense while anchoring the offensive line and serving as the Huskies' long snapper.
Quaife was a three-year starter for the Vikings and was named all-conference all three seasons. He averaged 36 yards per catch and scored a total of seven touchdowns as a receiver and return specialist last fall in being named the 2011 Great Polar Alliance Offensive Most Valuable Player.
Bjorklund, Simon and Welch were all three-year starters and two-time all-conference selections at their respective high schools. Simon played a key role in the Greyhounds' 2010 Minnesota Class A state championship, while Bjorklund will likely see time at the Johnnies' “plus” position as a strong safety/outside linebacker. Welch follows brothers Jacob '09 and Brock '12 to the SJU football program.
The seven All-Stars and the rest of the 2012 SJU team report to Collegeville on Saturday, Aug. 11, with the first practice scheduled for the following day. Head coach John Gagliardi officially begins his record 64th season and landmark 60th season in Collegeville against Northwestern Sept. 1 at Clemens Stadium. College football's all-time wins leader, Gagliardi begins the 2012 season with a 484-133-11 (.779) career record and a 460-127-10 (.779) record at SJU.
