Meet the All-Metro football defensive team; 35 of the Twin Cities' stingiest players

FIRST TEAM

Linemen

Jide Abasiri, senior, Prior Lake

Hulking presence (6-5, 290 pounds) possesses great speed, strength, quickness and length. Made 57 tackles, including five for loss, and two sacks. College: Minnesota

Wyatt Gilmore, senior, Rogers

The most highly recruited player in Rogers program history. The Sooners will get a 6-4, 255-pound dynamo that many teams prefer to run away from. College: Oklahoma

Antonio Menard, senior, Lakeville North

A Panthers program known for great defensive linemen produced something special in Menard. A tremendous athlete with a great motor, Menard led North in tackles (78) and tackles for loss (13). College: Air Force

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Mo Saine, senior, Eden Prairie

Major cog in a defense that carried the Eagles into the Class 6A semifinals undefeated. A 6-5, 270-pounder, he had 36 tackles and three sacks. College: Minnesota

Linebackers

Evan Hatton, senior, Mounds View

Two-time district defensive player of the year dominated from his outside spot. The 6-1, 212-pound Hatton recorded six tackles for loss and 10½ sacks. College: undecided

Dominic Heim, senior, Eden Prairie

Perhaps the state's strongest pound-for-pound football player. Holds school records in bench press (415 pounds) and deadlift (585). On the field, the 5-11, 219-pound Heim racked up 44 tackles in the middle of the Eagles defense. College: undecided

Sam Macy, senior, Chanhassen

The pulse of the Storm defense. Measures 6-4 and 220 pounds. Brings 43 tackles and 3½ sacks into Saturday's Class 5A Prep Bowl. "He's a bad man," Storm coach Cullen Nelson said. College: Minnesota

Mark Rendl, senior, Forest Lake

Lakeville North coach Brian Vossen, a former linebacker, praised the 6-3, 225-pound Rendl as "the biggest hammer we saw all year. He's got a concrete forehead." Led the Rangers with 83 tackles. College: undecided

Defensive backs

Luke Dehnicke, senior, Andover

The 6-5, 205-pounder jumps off the film. Made 71 tackles and four interceptions. Also excelled as a receiver for the Huskies, who went to overtime in the Class 5A semifinals. College: undecided

Terae Dunn, senior, Eden Prairie

The 5-11, 175-pound cornerback takes away his assigned receiver game after game. Housed an interception against Wayzata. College: undecided

Owen Kemper, senior, Edina

Credited with 121 tackles, many a result from hustling his 6-1, 185-pound frame into the box. Also grabbed five interceptions, including one in the Class 6A semifinals against Eden Prairie. College: undecided

Will Peroutka, senior, Rosemount

Ranks among the finest safeties in Rosemount program history. The 6-0, 180-pound Peroutka posted a team-best 81 tackles, four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, an interception and a blocked kick. College: undecided

Specialists

Luke Ryerse, junior, East Ridge, kicker

Finished 4-for-6 on field goals and 30-for-33 on point-after attempts. Elite athlete who also excels as a baseball pitcher. College: undecided

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Reese Lentsch, senior, Norwood Young-America, punter

Averaged 41.2 yards per punt and placed 11 inside the opponent's 20-yard line. College: undecided

SECOND TEAM

Linemen

Anaise Dotson, junior, Minneapolis North

Howie Johnson, sophomore, Forest Lake

Brady McPherson, senior, Orono

Dennis Rahouski, senior, Eden Prairie

Marcus Whiting, senior, Centennial

Linebackers

Matthew Heinen, senior, Champlin Park

Joe Hager, senior, Lakeville South

Adam Hernandez, senior, St. Agnes

Gage Kracht, senior, Orono

Wyatt Osterbauer, senior, Buffalo

Cole Saenger, senior, Mahtomedi

Zach Welch, junior, Anoka

Maki Whelan, senior, Rosemount

Defensive backs

Hunter MacGillivray, senior, Prior Lake

Dan Plamann, junior, St. Agnes

Quinn Power, senior, Lakeville North

Zashon Rich, senior, Minneapolis North

Malachi Sorenson, senior, Bloomington Jefferson

Simon Seidl, senior, Hill-Murray

Specialists

Declan Wilson, senior, St. Thomas Academy, kicker

Zach Bengtson, senior, Becker, punter

How they were selected

The Star Tribune's All-Metro teams and Metro Player of the Year were chosen based on nominations from metro-area coaches, conversations with coaches and staff observations.