St. Charles North grad Mikes finding end zone often

Josh Mikes came ready to play this season.

Mikes, a 2011 graduate of St. Charles North, enjoyed a record-breaking September afternoon in Winona State University's opening game against Northern State (S.D.).

During the Warriors' first offensive possession of the 2014 campaign, the junior wide receiver caught a 50-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jack Nelson.

By halftime, Mikes had already topped the 100-yard receiving mark - with 3 touchdowns.

In the third quarter, Mikes scored his fourth touchdown of the contest on a 30-yard pass from Nelson.

The 6-foot-3 standout finished the game with video game-like numbers that included 13 receptions for 224 yards and 4 touchdowns - all personal bests.

He tied a school record for most TDs in a single game. His 13 receptions are tied for second on the school's all-time list and he is now ranked fifth for single-game receiving yards.

Not a bad way to begin the season.

"I can't think of a better start," said Mikes. "I certainly can't complain about that one."

Incidentally, Winona State won the game, 47-13.

"It was a great start for the team foremost," said Mikes, who not surprisingly earned Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors Sept. 6.

Mikes was quick to deflect praise to his teammates after the accomplishment.

"We've got a great quarterback in Jeff Nelson," said Mikes. "He's one of the best in our league and at the (NCAA) Division 2 level.

"He makes my job a lot easier downfield."

At St. Charles North, Mikes made a name for himself as a superb 2-sport athlete, playing football and basketball.

He set a program record with 732 receiving yards during his senior year that included 29 receptions, 9 touchdowns and a 25.2-yard average per catch.

After the 2010 season, then-North Stars head coach Mark Gould praised Mikes for his athleticism.

"With his speed, he can get open deep, and if he catches a short one he has the possibility of breaking it," said Gould.

Upon his arrival at Winona State, Mikes planned to make an immediate impact on the field.

Warriors head coach Tom Sawyer had other ideas.

"Coach Sawyer is big on redshirting," Mikes said of the process where a true freshman sits out a season yet retains his 4 years of playing eligibility.

In retrospect, Mikes realizes the decision was the correct one.

"At first, I wanted to be on the field," he said. "Looking back, I think it definitely helped me. It helped me mature both physically and mentally.

"College football is such a complex game compared to back when I was in high school. I would have been swimming, asking questions all the time if I had played my first year. This way, I got to know the playbook better and I got to know my way around school."

Mikes admits he also had to make a few adjustments in the classroom.

"I was not the best student in high school - and it carried over into my first year at college," he said. "I learned pretty quickly that I had to turn that around. Coach (Sawyer) sat down with me and basically told me that I needed to focus on academics."

Now, Mikes is a Dean's List student majoring in communication studies at Winona State.

As a redshirt freshman in 2012, Mikes caught 19 passes for 451 yards and scored 6 touchdowns. His first collegiate reception was a 9-yard TD catch against Minnesota-Crookston.

In addition to leading the conference with a 23.7-yard average per reception, Mikes caught a touchdown pass in each of the Warriors' last 4 games. He also hauled in a 73-yard TD pass during Winona State's 41-21 Mineral Water Bowl victory over Lindenwood as the Warriors completed a 10-2 campaign.

As a sophomore last season, Mikes finished with 26 receptions for 584 yards and 6 touchdowns and earned second team all-conference honors. He posted the first 100-yard game of his collegiate career with 5 catches for 136 yards against Sioux Falls.

However, Mikes missed 3 of the last 4 games due to injury.

"I suffered a high ankle sprain right before halftime of our homecoming game," he recalled. "I was reaching out for the end zone when I got tackled. The top of my foot landed flat on the ground and I landed on my back."

Mikes returned for the Warriors' final game of the 2013 season - a 23-13 loss to Concordia-St. Paul at the since-imploded Metrodome.

"I probably shouldn't have come back but I wanted the opportunity to play in the Metrodome," said Mikes, who caught 1 pass for 7 yards. "I believe we were the last college to play in the Metrodome."

Mikes, the son of Jay and Karen Mikes, currently leads the Warriors (3-2) with 28 receptions for 557 yards and 7 touchdowns.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound junior averages 111 receiving yards per game with a 19.9-yard average per catch.

Winona State, which cracked the NCAA Division 2 national rankings after a 3-0 start, suffered a heartbreaking 28-21 decision to No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth 2 weeks ago before last Saturday's 27-7 loss to Wayne State.

Other than the losses, Mikes is enjoying life these days in southeast Minnesota.

"Winona is a decent-sized town," he said. "I like it. It's a tight-knit community. I don't have any complaints about my (collegiate) career so far. It has been a great experience."

Local fans will get an opportunity to watch Mikes in action Thursday night (7 p.m. kickoff) when Winona State takes on No. 3-ranked Minnesota State-Mankato (5-0) at Warrior Stadium. The Division 2 Game of the Week will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.

You can reach Craig Brueske at csb4k@hotmail.com