Posted at: 10/14/2009 8:36 PM

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Tyler Kressin

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- The Southland Rebels football team is ranked fourth in Class 2A, and they're on the road taking on top-ranked Caledonia Wednesday evening.

One key for the Rebels has been a sophomore getting his first time on varsity.  ABC 6 Sports Reporter TJ Werre introduces us to the Male Prep Athlete of the Week.

He is the self-proclaimed smallest guy on the field, but Southland's sophomore running back Tyler Kressin has been hard to stop this season.  He's been able to do this even though he suffers from asthma.

"I didn't notice something was wrong until seventh grade.  That's when someone noticed my breathing wasn't right," Kressin said.  "Anytime I get a long run or something I'll have to sit out the next play and take a couple puffs of my inhaler."

He was hard to stop last week against Rushford-Peterson.  Kressin ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns, but he and his coach both say the credit goes to the five guys up front.

"Our blockers, they were great that night.  They were letting me see everything.  I could see downfield every time," Kressin said.

"Any time any running back has any success, they better be thanking their offensive lineman because they're the ones who do it up front," Southland Coach Shawn Kennedy said.

But Kressin has done his part as well, and as a sophomore playing his first year on the varsity, he's played a key role on this undefeated Rebels team.

"Tyler's a shifty little guy.  He's gotta be shifty because he's not very big.  So he know's he's gotta do the little things right.  He's gotta run by his lineman as long as he can and then he vacates and gets upfield as fast as possible," Kennedy said.

"If they hit me I'm gonna keep my feet moving.  Keep my knees up to my head and pound through them," Kressin said.

Tyler Kressin ... the ABC 6 Sports Male Prep Athlete of the Week.