Casa football standout going to Iowa college

Aaron Krupinsky rebounds from injury to find a home in Iowa|

It has been an up-and-down senior year at Casa Grande High School for Aaron Krupinsky, but it is definitely ending on an up beat.

Krupinsky has signed a Letter of Intent to study and play football at Luther College in Iowa.

His senior year definitely started well for the senior, who established himself as one of the best defensive football players in the Redwood Empire. Playing defensive back (more a rover in the Casa system), he led the team in tackles with 54, 30 solo. He also tied for the team lead with 10 passes defended.

But, the football season also cost him his final season of wrestling when he tore up his knee in the fall’s final game, a North Coast Section playoff game against Vintage, and had to undergo surgery.

He is recovering from his injury and expects to be fully cleared to play football by September.

Although sidelined, he was definitely a part of the Casa Grande wrestling team. He still served as team captain from the sideline, but it wasn’t the same. “I really wanted to wrestle,” he said, “I am really close to a lot of my teammates, and I was looking forward to wrestling one more season.

“My main sport has always been wrestling. I almost didn’t play football, but I’m glad I did. I learned a lot and grew up a lot.”

Krupinsky said his focus in college will be on football.

Luther College is a private liberal arts college in the small town of Decorah, Iowa. According to the college website, the community is centered around the college.

Luther coaches came to know about Krupinsky through a coach at El Molino High School and reached out to the Casa player. It only took one visit for him to know it was the place for him.

“I loved the campus and I loved the community,” he said. “Iowa reminds me of Northern California with its rolling hills.”

He heads to Iowa with many fond memories of football and wrestling at Casa Grande, especially this year’s Egg Bowl, won by his Gauchos, 37-36, over rival Petaluma on a last-minute touchdown and two-point conversion.

“That was the most exciting game I’ve ever played in,” he said. “It was awesome to be playing in a game like that in front of so many people.”

It has been a busy senior year for the 17-year-old, who has balanced academic work and sports with a part-time job.

When he has time, he enjoys hanging out with his friends, something that is made easier because most of them are wrestlers.

Krupinsky is the son of Alisha and Ted Krupinsky and has a twin brother, Greg, a lacrosse player who is headed to the University of Nevada-Reno after graduation.

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