PERHAM, Minn.– Three Perham Yellowjacket seniors will continue their athletic careers at schools in the prestigious Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference after signing their National Letter of Intent on Nov. 12 at Perham High School.

Kaia Anderson will continue her basketball career with Southwest Minnesota State University out of Marshall, Minn. Drew Ellingson will continue his baseball career at the University of Minnesota-Crookston, while Reid Wokasch will continue his cross country and track career at Crookston as well.

Perham Activities Director Erin Anderson said this is a great day for the students as well as their families, as these student athletes will continue to represent Perham at the next level.

“This is an exciting time for these students and their families individually, but it is also very exciting for our whole school and our community to think about how each of them will go on to represent the Yellowjackets in their future years,” Perham Activities Director Erin Anderson said. “I’m excited for them, but also excited personally to continue to follow what they do.”

Kaia Anderson

Anderson burst onto the Yellowjacket basketball scene as an eighth grader, where she played a prominent role in helping the Yellowjackets win back-to-back Section 8AA Championships.
Anderson became the 15th Yellowjacket girls’ basketball player to eclipse the 1,000-point mark when she drained a 3-pointer against Staples-Motley on Feb. 11 at the Hive. Currently, Anderson sits 10th on the All-Time scoring list for the Yellowjackets with 1,113 points. She is also closing in on the career 3-point shooting mark for the Yellowjackets as well. Anderson said she was excited to finally make it official. She verbally committed to SMSU in the fall of 2024.

“I truly believe that when you know, you do know,” Anderson said. “It felt like home. The people and community around Southwest felt like a family, and it was a community I wanted to be in.” Perham Yellowjacket head coach TJ Super said Anderson is an amazing athlete and person.

“She has been a constant for our program on the court, but just as importantly, she is a great person off the court,” Super said. “We are so excited to see her head off to a new team next year and watch her at that level.”

Anderson said her time with the Yellowjackets has been great, and she is looking forward to her senior season.

“It has meant so much and has taught me so much,” Anderson said. “Our community that we have here and the relationships that you get to build in Perham are just amazing.”

Drew Ellingson

Ellingson has shone on the mound for the Yellowjackets over the past two seasons. During his two seasons, he has posted an impressive 11-1 overall record with one save. He has allowed
just 17 runs, seven earned runs, during the two seasons. Ellingson has pitched 63 innings, while posting earned run averages of .824 and .761 with 69 total strikeouts.

Ellingson said it feels awesome to find a home at UM-Crookston and is excited for the opportunity to play four more years of baseball.

“The town has a lot of hobbies that I have,” Ellingson said about Crookston. “Their baseball program has been good the last few years, and the school is nice. It was a great fit.”

Perham Yellowjacket Head Coach James Mulcahy praised Ellingson’s competitive nature.

“Ellingson is a passionate and competitive player who has a desire to play at the highest level possible,” Mulcahy said of Ellingson.
Ellingson said his time with the Yellowjackets has been amazing. Ellingson has played a key role in the Yellowjackets’ making three straight Class AA State Tournament appearances.

“Everyone just supports each other,” Ellingson said. “It feels like home.”

Reid Wokasch

Wokasch has played an instrumental role in the Perham Yellowjackets’ Cross Country running success. He helped the Yellowjackets earn their 23rd consecutive trip to state by placing 11th in the Section 8AA championships and contributed to the Yellowjackets’ third straight Class AA runner-up finish. Wokasch finished in 50th place during the Class AA Championships.

“It feels amazing. I have been waiting for this day for a long time, since I committed,” Wokasch said. “It was pretty exciting to come here and sign today.”

Yellowjacket head coach Jeff Morris said the coaching staff was extremely proud of Wokasch. Wokasch did not begin his cross-country career until his sophomore year for the Yellowjackets.

Morris was quick to praise the leader Wokasch was for the program.

“To be a scholarship Division II athlete and participate in cross country for only three years on a team that is one of the best programs in all classes in the state is truly incredible,” Morris said. “I remember when he did not make varsity his first year, getting beat out by one spot. He told me he was going to come back and be not only a varsity runner, but also help us win a state title. We were just a half a second away from winning a year later with him running consistently in our top seven all year.”

Wokasch said it was the team and the coaching staff that drew him to UM-Crookston.

“The coach really brought out the true team. He coaches just like Jeff Morris,” Wokasch said. “He really brings the team together as a family, and I really enjoy that. It is a good environment that I can see myself being in for the next four years.”

For Wokasch, it has meant a lot to put on the Yellowjacket jersey and represent Perham.

“It has helped me in every aspect of life, growing as a person. The community has really supported me in everything,” Wokasch said. “I’m going to miss being a Yellowjacket for sure.