Mahtomedi’s durable Bohmert proving to have plenty left in the tank
by Mike Sonntag
Some football players gain success beginning at a very young age and eventually live up to the hype they have created for themselves by the time they finish playing in high school or even college. That was not the case for Mahtomedi senior running back Corey Bohmert, who needed to patiently wait to play a sport he loved going outside to play with friends as a youth.
“My mom wouldn’t let me play until 6th grade,” said Bohmert who finished the regular season eighth in state with 161 carries, sixth with 1,490 rushing yards, and tied for fifth with 20 rushing touchdowns according to Minnesota Football Hub.
“I had two nephews that suffered injuries playing football, so he could not start until middle school, that was my rule” Corey’s mother Tracey Bohmert said.
Thankfully for the 7-1 Zephyrs, ranked No. 10 in the state’s class 5A QRF ratings, the patient and obedient Bohmert got his opportunity and has made the most of it.
“My mom motivated me and is always there for me,” he said. “I was never upset I had to wait to play football.”
After growing up playing hockey and being a left-footed kicker in soccer, Bohmert got his first taste of football as a tight end and safety in the 6th grade.
“At first I didn’t like to hit or get hit, but we would run a tight end reverse and I would gain like 40 yards every time so in 8th grade Mr. Rollinger, my buddy Nick’s dad, and youth coach moved me to running back.” Corey said.
“He’s just a great humble and quiet kid who works his tail off, but also someone who everyone knows has your back.” Said Mahtomedi head coach Dave Muetzel.
Bohmert, who is a two-sport athlete says he loves how football works like a puzzle, needs everyone to fit together to make it work.
“My offensive linemen deserve credit for all the yards I get,” Bohmert said.
His coach agreed that it starts up front with the offensive line for Bohmert, but added “Corey has great vision, first he finds an opening, trusts it, and then he explodes through it” Muetzel said. “He’s the first kid who will compliment someone for a good block.”
Following his junior football season in 2021, a season that ended with a 24-10 loss in the state 5A championship game to Mankato West, Bohmert was challenged by coach Muetzel to bulk up during the off-season.
“He started at safety for us, then got banged up with a sprained ankle and never got back to 100 percent. We wanted him on the field and bulking up helps that from a durability standpoint” Muetzel said.
Now a senior at 5’10” and 180 pounds, Bohmert has proven to be a durable workhorse for the Zephyrs.
Both his mom and football coach point to his other favorite sport, hockey, as an example of what sets Corey apart in today’s world.
“For example, in his junior year he was fourth line on varsity and first line on JV which meant he skated two practices every day. He does not complain, he just works, and by the end of his junior season he was first line on the Zephyrs varsity team that finished third in state.” Muetzel admired.
“He is a super kind team player who always gives 100 percent,” Tracey Bohmert said.
One may consider Corey Bohmert a throwback as he focuses fully on football before turning his attention to the winter sport.
“Our team t-shirts say LEGACY because we know what it felt like to finish second place and we want to do what we need to do to win a state football championship.” Corey Bohmert said.
Mahtomedi last won a state football championship in 2005.
Bohmert says he is considering playing more football in college after high school graduation likely at the small college level.
“He certainly deserves an opportunity to play at the next level,” Muetzel said.
Based on his success since the 6th grade, Bohmert has quietly but surely created his own hype and would be a great addition to a college football team’s offense.