NAIA football champ includes former Colony High standout on roster

PALMER — Morningside College used a late touchdown to beat Benedictine 35-28 in the NAIA Football Championship game in Daytona, Florida. The Iowa power has three Alaska products on the roster, including freshman wide receiver Jon Pomrenke, a former Colony High School standout.

“It’s been awesome,” Pomrenke said by phone last week as the Mustangs prepared for the title game.

Pomrenke, a 2018 graduate of Colony High School, is a reserve receiver and was not one of the 55 players who dressed for Morningside, the top-ranked NAIA team in the nation. But the Alaska all-state standout said he’s soaked everything in, has concentrated on learning and has taken advantage of his time on the field on special teams. He’s also made the adjustment to a season about twice as long as what he was accustomed to as a prep standout.

“We’re going on 15 (weeks). This many weeks of football is definitely something new, but something I definitely enjoy,” Pomrenke said.

Pomrenke said he’s spent his freshman season getting used to the playbook and learning from some of the top offensive players in NAIA football. Morningside quarterback Trent Solsma has rewritten the NAIA record book, throwing for 5,391 yards and 72 touchdowns during the Mustangs perfect 15-0 season. Wide receiver Connor Niles finished with 153 catches, 2,639 yards and 34 touchdown catches in 15 games.

Pomrenke, who committed to Morningside as a senior in high school, said he knew the program had this type of potential.

“Definitely the culture here, you can tell has been established through a long period of time,” Pomrenke said. “They’re super serious about everything they do.”

Pomrenke said he’s looking forward to his future with the Mustangs program.

“It feels really good knowing that I am able to help this team out. Even though I am not playing I am making an impact on the scout team in practice,” Pomrenke said.

Pomrenke, a 2018 Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman/Mat-Su Seahawkers Student-Athlete of the Year, said he’s also been able to make the adjustment to life as a student-athlete in college.

“It isn’t as bad as I thought, it’s definitely harder,” Pomrenke said. “School’s not that bad. I’ve always been educationally motivated.”

Former Bartlett standout offensive lineman Otto Ducasse and former Barrow standout Sione Tuifa are also on the Morningside roster, and dressed for the championship game. All-Alaska Football Camp director and founder Randy Klingenmeyer played a role in the decisions of Pomrenke and Ducasse to play at Morningside. Tuifa’s head coach at Barrow, Chris Battle, played for Morningside head coach Steve Ryan earlier in Ryan’s career.

“I’m really happy for those kids,” Klingenmeyer said of the Alaska products’ chance to be part of a national championship.

Ducasse was a standout at Bartlett, and is now one of Morningside’s top six offensive lineman. He was a starter before an injury, and continues to contribute at multiple positions.

“He’s making the most of his opportunity. I’m really proud of him,” Klingenmeyer said.

Both teams that played for the NAIA title have long connections to the All-Alaska Football Camp, which debuted in 1992.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.