Reusse: Cambridge-Isanti fighting back from football oblivion

CAMBRIDGE, MINN. – Ben Geisler was working in a basement, pounding nails into various locations, working up a full sweat even on a winter day, and a thought occurred to him not for the first time.

“I didn’t mind construction work, and I was busy enough with it, but I kept saying to myself, ‘Why are you not doing something that you love and you know you’re good at?’ ” Geisler said. “That was coaching football.”

Geisler and his wife, Aminta, had four children — college-age Alivia and Ezekiel, and then two young boys, Truett and Ty. One reason for being out of coaching in 2023 was to keep up with all the adventures involving those two youngsters.

The Geislers are strongly religious. Ben and Aminta had developed a tradition of marking a new year with a 21-day January fast.

“Not a ‘eat-nothing’ fast … just eat very simple with no treats," Geisler said.

There was much discussion during those three weeks as to whether it was a wise idea for Ben to seek a return to coaching and teaching.

“On the 21st day of our fast, I received a call asking if I was interested in applying for the head coaching job at Cambridge-Isanti,” Geisler said. “The Bluejackets … the legacy of George Larson. If you want to get back into football coaching, what better place to start than getting to interview to be the coach at Cambridge-Isanti?"

“It is not often that a coach with Ben Geisler’s background would be available,” Braaten said at the time of Geisler’s hiring in May 2024 — and made that point again this week in his crowded office in the high school building.

For decades, with the legendary coach Larson and his relentless wing-T offense, the Cambridge Bluejackets were among the state’s more storied programs — trampling traditional rivals, wining back-to-back state titles in 1986 and ’87, and again in 2000 when Larson made a brief comeback from retirement.

Highway 65 is the direct route to Cambridge, with Isanti to the south. For decades, Isanti was mostly open spaces and it didn’t get a hyphen in the school’s title. Isanti has grown and it’s now called “C-I,” which is not to be confused with the real “C-I,” Crosby-Ironton, to the north.

Cambridge now has nearly 1,600 students in the top four grades — a number somewhat reduced in the Minnesota State High School League’s accounting with the reduced fees for lunch.

What matters for football is that the Bluejackets are now Class 5A, and nearby locales such as Andover have gone from drive-bys to huge and dynamic athletic powerhouses.

The Bluejackets were last competitive in 2018, when they went 7-4 and made the 5A tournament. That ended rather emphatically with a 51-15 loss to Bemidji in the quarterfinals.

Cambridge-Isanti went 12-33 over the next five seasons, Shane Weibel resigned as coach and the search landed on Geisler.

And for the first time since starting football with a three-game schedule in 1911, Cambridge was winless (0-9) in 2024. This was against a schedule that included Andover, Elk River (still does), Monticello — other booming, football-mad locales.

“We had to start developing a roster,” Geisler said. “We went strictly two platoons to get more players on the field. The standout player that could help on both sides … we had him play one way."

Geisler wasn’t suggesting a few two-way players would have changed the results against that gauntlet of opponents. Just that no team sport requires more physical commitment than football — and getting on the field is the reward.

As for increased commitment, it would help if the citizens show that Nov. 4, when a two-tiered bond issue goes before voters. The first tier would be to improve aging facilities throughout what has been a growing school system. The other would be to build a fieldhouse to take care of athletes in 26 sports in first-class style.

As a player, Geisler was a defensive reserve for Steve Johnson at Bethel. He became a head coach at Irondale at 25 and had a good nine-season run.

Geisler landed at his alma mater, Blaine, in 2018. Won 11 and lost one, that being to mighty Eden Prairie in the state 6A semifinals.

Looking like he was back home for a long run, but Giesler and the Blaine administration had different ideas on what was required to be a successful coach. He quit.

Geisler spent four years as an assistant, then one year pounding nails full-time. Then came the January fast and the phone call on Day 21 offering a job interview.

“The older crowd still talks about George and his wing-T,” Geisler said. “Great offense, when you have the right athletes to run it. We’ve had to spread it out. I don’t know what the old-timers are saying about that in the stands.”

Probably this: “Win one soon, coach.”