International Falls Broncos Football Team

From all of us at Bronco Football, we want to wish every mom, grandma, stepmom, and mother figure a very Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you for the endless rides, cheering from the stands, late-night talks, support through every season, and unconditional love you give each and every day.

Bronco Football wouldn’t be the same without the amazing women behind our players and program. Today we celebrate YOU! 💜🏈💛

Congratulations to the 2026 International Falls Broncos Football Team Cheer Squad!

🤔 🏈 💭
InteGRITy

Dear Community,

After 10 seasons with the program, (six as head coach), this decision is a difficult one to accept. I provide to you my resignation from the position of Head Coach of the International Falls Broncos Varsity Football Program.

It took years of dedication, patience, sacrifice, and heartbreak to create, or better reignite, the Bronco Football Program back to The Standard as it stands today. We now celebrate years of winning seasons, a slew of publications acknowledging this team in the north - All-State top 25 players, Mr. Football nods, All-State Academic Awards, and recording breaking games, seasons, and careers. While graduating a great group of leaders, I also see the great opportunities in front of the program, and the next steps of Bronco football.

I emphasize to get here, the sacrifices were immense. To coach correctly is a year round job. That’s what it takes to build a successful culture, develop new players, push experienced players, to be successful in the locker room, classroom, community, and therefore be successful on the field. It’s taken a great amount of time and love away from those off of the field. They’ve sacrificed too. Every summer and fall - late practices, phone calls, emails, meetings, film review, practice plans, call sheets, play scripts - dads missed many dinners, tuck ins, and moments of laughter and sadness. My family allowed me in turn to dedicate my time, energy, and love to the program, because that’s what it took. I've come to realize that I can’t take that from them. We will always have many life roles and right now my role as a father and husband is what is needed most.

I’ve been transparent with our staff and appreciate their guidance, acceptance, and mentorship as I step away. These coaches built this with me - they lead the program too. As I noted above, I see the great opportunities in front of the program. Now more than ever, I ask the underclassmen and their families to have faith. We’ve taught them accountability, leadership, and I want to emphasize our core values to them and all one more time.

When I stepped into the roll I identified three values to guide the program. Values to either embrace, or strive for: Respect, Grit, and Blood. These would stand as foundational pillars for our culture:

Respect - We have respect. We have pride. Respect and pride in ourselves, in our team, teammates, coaches, and captains. To our fans, boosters, and all involved. Respect our gear, respect our facilities. While we will not like our opponents, we will respect them. We will respect them so much that every moment we have we will be planning how to beat them physically, mentally, and emotionally - and in turn we expect them to do the same. That’s mutual respect. At the end of it all, we are going to shake their hands and give a nod to the competition they provided. We will respect our school and our school will be proud of us. We have respect. We have pride. The program is first and foremost. It is greater than any one individual.
Grit - We have grit. We do not quit. Blood in the mouth, sweat in our eyes, we will not quit in the face of adversity. Bent, broken, tired, or cold when our team needs us, we will be strong.
Blood - We shed blood. We sacrifice. Far too many forget what that means.

At the end of the day a good man, a good person, presents these timeless traits of respect, grit, and sacrifice, and if he loses them, fails others and fails themselves.

Finally our mantra - Stampede - the program needed a war cry, a distinguished call, individual to us and our history. Upon the concession stand at Sports Stadium and even now on the trophy case in the high school lobby, you’ll read the following quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The task ahead of us, is never as great as the power behind us.”

This resonated, and as I’ve said before two-fold. One, every challenge and success that we’ve had in our lives, brought us to this shared moment and the next challenge, and that through the past challenges we’ve suffered or successes we’ve achieved provided us with the skills we need to overcome the next challenge. The other perspective, perhaps the more obvious, is that of the program. That it is a ‘Stampede’. That all of the program, its rich history, every coach, player, cheerleader, manager, parent, family, teacher, and fan is a part of that Stampede - That the program remains strong in it’s past, remains strong in it’s present, and remains strong in it’s future.

One last time,

Stampede,

Seth Ettestad

🏆 2025 ALL-DISTRICT HONOR
Hayden Swenson

Hayden had a monumental Bronco Football career. He was a steadfast play caller and calm when the pressure was built. He created an explosive deep threat and was extremely accurate in his throws. He was awarded an All State Academic Award by the Minnesota Football Coaches' Association and received a MN Football Nomination by the Northeast Football District.

🏅Program Records:
Career:
• 5,262 Career Passing Yards
• 422 Career Completions
• 699 Career Attempts
• 60.37% Career Pass Completion Percentage
• 59 Career Passing Touchdowns
Season:
• 1,971 Season Passing Yards
• 25 Passing Touchdowns
Game:
• 90.91% Single Game Pass Completion Percentage
• 6 Passing Touchdowns in a Single Game

~Stampede~

🏆 2025 ALL-DISTRICT HONOR
Kane Thompson

Kane was awarded a Minnesota Star Tribune All-State Player Nod (Top 25 in the State) after leading the state in tackles in back-to-back seasons (149 tackles in 2025).
Kane led the team as a captain in both 2024 and 2025 wearing both #13 and #65 as needed on the line this year.
🏅He leaves the team ranked second in career points in our Program's Defensive Point system used to track forced fumbles, tackles, and other defensive achievements and accolades. This system began tracking statistics in 1989.

~Stampede~

🏆 2025 ALL-DISTRICT HONOR
Zach Youso

Zach wore both #27 and #3 this year... Number #3 was Bronko Nagurski's number. We honor his legacy and the namesake of the team by awarding #3 ( #73 for linemen) to a player that represents the GRIT and LEGACY our team is named after.
Zach was awarded the Program's 2025 Bronko Nagurski Most Valuable Player of the Year.

🏅He leaves our program ranked:
First in Career Receptions: 104 Rec
First in Season Receptions: 51 Rec
Second in Career Reception Yards: 1,350 Yds (14 Touchdowns)
Third in Receiving Yards Per Season: 618 Yds
.. and a greater impact beyond the field.

Stampede

🏈👏Congratulations to our All District Honorable Mention Players: Andrew Eide, Carter Line, and Logan Nordby!
🏅
Proud of the work, discipline, and commitment each of you brought to Bronco Football. STAMPEDE!

📚💪 All-District Academic Team Awards 💪📚

Congratulations to the following Broncos for earning recognition for excellence on the field and in the classroom! These players achieved a 3.70 GPA or higher 📈 and earned a Varsity Letter 🏈

🏈 Carter Line
🏈 Emmitt Olson
🏈 Hayden Swenson
🏈 Zach Youso
🏈 Brennen McClanahan
🏈 Carson Crandall
🏈 Ezekiel Homere
🏈 Grae Shikowsky
🏈 Nick Schultz
🏈 Kingston Jean

Your dedication and discipline embody the 🐎 Bronco Standard 💛💜 —
RESPECT. GRIT. BLOOD.

STAMPEDE! 🐎🔥

‼💥Our Touchdowns & Turnovers charity raised $7,636 this season! (Bringing the grand total in our 7 years to upwards of $80,000 back into our community.)

A huge thank-you to our sponsors— International Falls Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Trustar Federal Credit Union, Rainy Lake Oil, Hasbargen Customs, Packaging Corporation of America, and Rainy Lake Medical Center—and to every single fan who donated after a touchdown or turnover at our home games.

Together, we used our platform for a greater purpose. We are THANKFUL TO ALL!
STAMPEDE! 💜💛

THIS 👇