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Local Multi-Sport Athlete Has Incredible Senior Year

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - It may be impossible to have a better senior year than the one Nathan Brinker is having.

He's a human highlight reel from a town of just over 600, having won state in football, wrestling and True Team track.

And he's got a chance to win two more titles at the state track meet Saturday.

"It's definitely unexpected," Brinker said. "Football, most definitely, because we were the underdogs coming into the whole thing."

In the Class 2A Prep Bowl, Nathan threw a touchdown pass and ran in another as Holdingford upset Bold.

He also played linebacker and didn't take a play off the entire game. In wrestling, he started off undefeated but missed two weeks due to asthma, and he was seriously worried he may not finish the season.

"It was stressful," he said. "Yes, I was afraid of that."

But he rallied, and won the Class-A, 195-pound state title.

This spring he became Holdingford's version of Deion Sanders, so to speak.

He batted .500 on the baseball team and also decided to go out for the track team.

He was part of a True Team state title in track, and in his first year throwing shot-put, he's ranked No. 1 in the state.

His 4 X 1 team also has a chance at a state title.

"In 1981 when we won the football state championship, I was the ball boy on the team," said athletic director Jason Bruns. "So I've seen a lot of athletes come through here. And I can't think of somebody who has had as much success as Nathan Brinker has had this year."

While coaches cite his natural athletic ability and determination, Brinker also credits his parents and his farm kid roots as big reasons for his record-breaking year.

"Hard work never hurts," he said. "Living on a farm, you always know what you have to do and you do it 100 percent."

Brinker was offered a chance to play football at NDSU, but he turned the offer down in order to play football at St. John's in the fall.

He wanted to stay closer to home, and he'll play linebacker for the Johnnies.

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