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Sports

Woodbury's Wahlo Part Of NDSU's National Championship Run

Former Woodbury football star Wahlo says he relishes being part of Bison football history.

Former football standout Cooper Wahlo, Jr., can look back on his young college career and say he made history.

The North Dakota State sophomore wide receiver helped the Bison (14-1) win their first NCAA Division I Football Championship Series crown on Saturday. They beat Sam Houston State (SHSU) 17-6 in a tight defensive battle.

Wahlo—one of 36 Minnesotans on the Bison squad—had a standout prep career at Woodbury, with nine touchdowns in his all-state senior season. He helped the Royals reach the 2008 section championship game and was on the Royals relay team that won a state track title in 2008.

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Wahlo saw regular playing time with the Bison this season as a second-string receiver. He had three receptions and 24 yards and appeared in all 15 games.

Wahlo, a 2009 Woodbury graduate, is an exercise science major at NDSU. He is the son of Cooper and Nancy Wahlo.

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He took some time out to visit with Woodbury Patch about the recent national championship.

Woodbury Patch: Your team was 3-8 in 2009 and reached the national quarterfinals in 2010. What was winning the national championship like?

Cooper Wahlo: It was incredible being part of a team that will be remembered forever in Bison history.

Patch: In the first half, SHSU claimed a 6-3 halftime lead, how did your team adjust for the second half?

Wahlo: As a team we played with a lot of effort and energy but we made some mistakes that our coaches corrected us on in the locker room. After halftime we came out and just executed better.

Patch: How challenging was it to play against SHSU’s pass defense?

Wahlo: SHSU had really good corners that played really fast. We as a receiving group had some mistakes as well that were corrected at halftime. Once we did that, our coaches put us in the right position to make plays.

Patch: The seniors went through the trials of 10-1, 6-5, 3-8 and 9-5 seasons. What does it mean to see them go out on top, and how does it inspire you and your fellow upperclassmen for the coming years?

Wahlo: I can't explain how much these seniors did for NDSU football over the years. This group of seniors has been through the ups and downs and couldn't be more deserving of this national championship title. They showed us that with focus and hard work anything is possible.

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