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Senior linebacker Adam Gemuenden represented the Wildcats in last week's Minnesota All Star Football Game, played Saturday, June 30 in St. Cloud. Gemuenden's Metro team, coached by Mike Fritze of Apple Valley, lost to the Outstate team 27-14.

Gemuenden, the son of Bill and Heidi Gemuenden of Center City, was only the third Chisago Lakes player to be selected to play in the game. Jake Ford, an offensive lineman, represented the Wildcats in 1983, and, after a long drought, fullback Aaron James played in the game in 2004.

Gemuenden started the game for the Metro All-Stars and played about every other series. He made several tackles and also played of special teams. "Adam did well," said Wildcat head coach Bill Weiss, who attended the game. "He held his own, made some plays and had a very solid game."

The players from both the Metro and Outstate teams stayed in dorms at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minneapolis for the week prior to the game. They had two-a-day practices from Sunday through Friday. "I really had a lot of fun," said Gemuenden. "In our free time, we went to movies, played Xbox in the dorm and went swimming. It's an interesting experience to go to a movie with a bunch of 300-pound guys and watch them jump up and down during the exciting parts. And we had fun watching the guys who didn't have girlfriends try to hit on the lifeguards."

"I think it's great experience for the kids," said Weiss. "Unlike all-star games in other sports, the players in this game practice and hang out together every day for a week. They really develop a sense of camaraderie."

Weiss is the one who nominated Gemuenden for the Metro All-Star Team. "This game is so selective that a coach should only nominate a serious candidate for it," said Weiss. "The player has to be both talented and well-deserving of the honor. I don't submit a player every year. Once nominations are complete, the selection committee then goes through the players position-by-position, discusses the information on the nomination forms and contacts coaches that each player played against. They go through the whole process to select the best of the best. Running back and linebacker are two of the toughest positions to crack." Gemuenden was one of only seven linebackers selected to be on the Metro team.

Gemuenden was also one of two representatives (the other being Jeff Hollister) selected from Chisago Lakes to play in the Lions All-Star game, the baseball all-star game for the top seniors in the state. Said Weiss, "It's a great honor for Chisago Lakes to have one player who can represent our school and our athletic programs at all-star games in two different sports."

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