Two Homestead Highlander football players have committed to take their talents to the Division II powerhouse St Cloud State University: Jake Bruner at free safety, and Matt Winters at running back. The two seniors both played Cardinal football starting in the fifth grade, and both took part on the varsity football team since their freshman year of high school.

Through the years, their friendship on and off the field has grown, and today on national signing day, they will officially commit to continue their football careers at the same university, and the two will even room together next year.

Head Coach Dave Keel says this is the first time that two players from the same class have received offers and financial assistance to play for a Division II school.

Winters and Bruner both got attention from schools across the midwest. Winters decided between UW-Whitewater, St. Thomas, Bemidji State and St. Cloud State, and Bruner was looking at various schools as well. Both of them, however, credit their picking of St. Cloud to their official visits.

“St. Cloud felt like home. The coaches and the teammates that I spent time with on my visit really made me want to be a part of that program, and I couldn’t be happier that Jake will be there with me next year,” Winters said.

St. Cloud was Bruner’s first official visit, and he did not have to go anywhere else to know the Huskies’ football program was the right fit for him.“After my first visit which was to St. Cloud, I knew it would be the last visit I would have to do. There was an overwhelming sense of family and comfort on campus that I knew couldn’t be matched by any other school,” Bruner said.

The two of them both made a huge impact on the state championship team this year. Bruner was First Team All-Conference, and Winters was named the offensive player of the year in the North Shore Conference in addition to his First Team spot at running back. Winters also made honorable mention for the all-state team. Both of them were leaders on and off the field, something that is not found in every athlete.

“Jake’s impact on the team this year was huge. His impact didn’t always show up in the score book in the form of tackles and interceptions, but it was immeasurable. If the opposition predominantly threw the ball regularly, Jake was tasked with covering the opposition’s best wide receiver. If the opposition predominantly ran the ball, he was often moved into a safety or LB position. Jake did whatever we needed him to do and it led to great team success. He will be difficult to replace,” Coach Matt Wolf, defensive coordinator, said.

As an example of his desire to do whatever it takes for the team to win, Bruner was put in as a linebacker in the team’s third round playoff win against Brookfield East. Bruner had 19 tackles on that day. He was able to step up when the team needed him to the most, a quality that will ensure success at the collegiate level.

“Jake has fantastic focus. He has a special ability to concentrate on his specific responsibility and get the job done,” Coach Keel said.

Coach Wolf believes that with the dedication, athletic skill, physicality and feel for the game that Bruner posses, he will be able to play either safety, outside linebacker or even cornerback for the Huskies.

Winters was one of the strongest weapons that the offense had, stacking up 1609 yards on 275 carries, both being highs for the team. An even more staggering statistic is the fact that with all the carries he had, he only put the ball on the ground once.

“I think Matt’s ability to work hard in the offseason will give him a tremendous chance to be successful at the next level. Matt’s ability to use his vision to avoid tacklers and his ability to break tackles will help him tremendously,” Coach Drake Zortman, offensive coordinator, said.

Winter’s hard work has made him the athlete he is today. He likes pushing himself to become a better football player, and with his determination to succeed, he will be quite the asset to the St. Cloud program. “Matt is an incredibly hard worker who will take that commitment and apply it to the next level,” Coach Keel said.

In addition to his talent on the football field, Winters possesses a sort of presence that makes him a well-liked and admired teammate for both the players and the coaches. “The biggest thing that I will miss the most is how much fun Matt was every day on the practice field and in the meeting room…I am going to miss that.  Everybody on the team loved seeing him do his thing on Friday nights, but what stands out to me the most is all the fun we had behind the scenes,” Coach Zortman said.

The two future Huskies are in the weight room every day after school to better prepare themselves for their college careers, but it also serves as a way for them to still be a part of the football team.

It has been both Winters’ and Bruner’s dream and goal to continue onto the college level in football, and now they get the chance to continue playing the sport they love, together.

“It has always been a dream of mine to play college football. Ever since I was a little kid that was something I wanted to do. Adding on the fact that I get to continue playing with one of my best friends only makes everything that much more special,” Bruner said.

“The coaching staff at Homestead have been incredible in shaping both Jake and I into the football players we are today. We are both excited to see what our future as Huskies will bring us,” Winters said.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Molly Ryan

Bruner awaits in the backfield for the play against Nicolet to unfold.