July 30—STEWARTVILLE — Just like Stewartville teammate and fellow senior Caleb Bancroft, Parker Wangen seemed destined to be an eventual college basketball player.
Both were big names on the AAU circuit from a young age and were seemingly two of the top prospects in southeastern Minnesota as eighth graders and freshmen.
But football, for both, gradually became their ultimate desire. It also became the game that best suited their skill sets.
Finally, it doesn’t hurt that Stewartville has had enormous recent success in football, winning the Class 3A state title a year ago and finishing with just two losses the past two years.
In late June, Bancroft made it official. He wouldn’t be playing basketball in college. He was headed to football, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound tight end verbally committing to the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Now it’s Wangen’s turn. The 6-4 senior — with his rare athletic abilities (4.5 in the 40-yard dash and a vertical leap of approximately 34 inches) — said yes to the football program at Minnesota State University, Mankato, on Monday. fair.
As with Bancroft, football now seems ideal.
Wangen will bring all of his game-breaking ability to the Mavericks, one of the top Division II programs in the country.
“Football is the game I enjoy most now,” Wangen said. “I love spending time on the field. It’s not that I don’t like basketball. But everything related to football, I love.”
It’s easy to see why. There is so much talent oozing from that 6-4, 205-pound body. He finished last year with 675 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. This was on a team that had weapons everywhere as the Tigers marched to an undefeated season and the school’s first state title (defeating Annandale 43-13 in the championship).
“Parker is a very special and unique talent,” Stewartville coach Garrett Mueller said. “His combination of size, speed and athleticism allows him to do a lot of different things and make it look easy. Anything he tries, he seems to succeed.”
Wangen, a three-sport athlete (soccer, basketball, track and field), especially shined in the state football semifinals when he ran past anyone trying to guard him. He totaled 90 receiving yards and scored on touchdown receptions of 9 and 50 yards.
Wangen not only used his speed to do this, but also his height and reach. It’s hard to hang with a guy who is 6-4 and also among the fastest guys on the field.
“Mankato likes my speed, my jumping ability and the multiple things I can do (Wangen is also an excellent defensive safety and a skilled punter and kicker),” said Wangen, who also considered going to St. Louis University. Thomas and the University of Sioux Falls.
It’s his range and ability to get past defenders that Wangen says sets him apart most.
“I can jump higher than them to catch the ball,” Wangen said. “When you can get past them and create space (by jumping), it creates a lot of space to open up.”
Wangen is part of a wave of Stewartville football players over the past two years who will now play the sport in college.
His incoming senior class includes Wangen, Bancroft and Graysen Schneider (Montana State). The Class of 2024 includes Helder (University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire), Caleb Jannsen (Winona State University), Blake Turner (Kansas State) and Jack Buntrock (Luther College).
Football has evolved into the No. 1 activity for many Stewartville boys.
Winning played a role in that. After all, in two years, there has been only one loss for the Stewartville football teams. There was also this state title.
No one enjoyed all these victories more than Wangen. It’s what makes Minnesota State, Mankato, an ideal choice. The Mavericks are a perennial top-20 team in the country.
“Winning means a lot to me,” Wangen said. “Knowing I’m going to a similar culture in Mankato will make me feel at home.”
