'That was one of the coolest moments of my life'

Esko grad Koi Perich was on top of the world last Saturday after the Minnesota Gophers defeated No. 11 University of Southern California in Minneapolis. Perich nabbed the game-sealing interception and was celebrated afterwards. He called the crazy scene of fans storming the field at Huntington Bank Stadium and being carried by teammates one of the greatest moments he's experienced.

Perich indeed has arrived. Because of injuries, he has been returning kicks and got a lot of time against USC as a defensive back, getting six tackles and creating a forced fumble along with the key interception. He has six punt returns for 135 yards this season. The Gophers returned only 11 punts for 55 yards all of last year. One of Perich's returns was a 60-yarder that helped the Gophers put a scare in Michigan the week before.

Perich received national honors for "freshman of the week" along with notice as a scholar athlete. Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck, who watched Perich play several times in Esko, was ebullient about a player he hopes will inspire other state standouts to consider playing for his team.

"We want kids from Minnesota to see this," Fleck said on KFAN radio early this week.

Fleck added that it is Perich's personality that led to the carrying scene Saturday night, just six games into his collegiate career. "He's got a smile on his face all the time," Fleck said.

In a rarity for a first-year player, Perich was part of the postgame press conference.

"That was awesome," he said when asked about being carried off the field by fans. "I was in the middle and I don't know who lifted me up, but I could see everybody on the field at the same time. That was one of the coolest moments of my life."