Northwestern A lands 16 all-staters in football
The Daily Inter Lake
The Northwestern A football conference put 16 players on the Class A all-state team, which was released Tuesday.
The conference had 10 players named all-state on offense and six on the defensive side.
Conference champion Libby took top honors by putting six kids on the team. Polson and Whitefish each had three kids. Columbia Falls had two and Eureka and Ronan each had one.
Sophomore quarterbacks Craig Bagnell and Joel Fuller headed the team. Fuller of Libby completed 61.7 percent of his 128 passes for 1,544 yards and 18 touchdowns. Bagnell of Polson completed 50.3 percent of his 173 passes during the regular season for 1,195 yards and six touchdowns.
Senior running Luke Fennelly of Whitefish and sophomore running back Josh Wilson of Columbia Falls earned honors. Fennelly led the league with 12 rushing touchdowns and had 1,008 yards at 6.6 yards per carry. Wilson led the league with 1,119 rushing yards. He had 10 rushing touchdowns and averaged six yards per carry.
Offensive tackles for those two running backs also made the team. Seniors Keith Catt of Columbia Falls and Chris Kirkemo of Whitefish were recognized.
Senior wide receivers Kyle Baker of Libby and Isiah Linnell of Eureka were also named. Linnell led the league in receptions and yards with 32 catches for 606 yards. He also scored six touchdowns. Baker, who didn't play full-time at receiver for about the first three weeks, finished second in the conference with 25 catches and 552 yards. He topped the league in receiving touchdowns with eight.
The conference put two fullbacks on the team. Polson senior Bryce Picard rushed for 709 yards and 10 touchdowns at seven yards per carry. Ronan senior Tylar Espinosa led the league in rushing through the first half of the season and finished with 873 yards and nine touchdowns with a 6.6 yards-per-carry average.
Libby's stout defense, which held opponents to 87 yards rushing, 88 yards passing and 8.4 points per game, had four players make the team. Junior defensive tackle Josh Chumley, senior defensive end Jake Graham and senior outside linebackers Steve Bertelsen and Richard Brumbaugh were all awarded honors.
Whitefish senior defensive end Scott Yogodzinski and Polson senior outside linebacker Ted Morigeau also made the team.
Class A all-state football
As announced by the Montana Coaches Association
ALL-STATE OFFENSE
Quarterback-Craig Bagnell, soph, Polson; Joel Fuller, soph, Libby; Josh Link, sr, Hardin; Zach McRae, sr, Dillon; Matt Ritter, jr, Butte Central.
Running back-Luke Fennelly, sr, Whitefish; Adam Fine, jr, Butte Central; Kyle Finneman, jr, Havre; Josh Hyde, sr, Hardin; Ryan Turley, jr, Hamilton; Josh Wilson, soph, Columbia Falls.
Wide receiver-Kyle Baker, sr, Libby; Josh Ewalt, sr, Miles City; Tieg Gibbs, sr, Stevensville; Spencer Jenne, sr, Dillon; Brett Kamrud, sr, Butte Central; Isiah Linnell, sr, Eureka.
Fullback-Tylar Espinosa, sr, Ronan; Evan Hinebauch, sr, Havre; Jake Orrino, sr, Anaconda; Jake Pelczar, jr, Billings Central; Bryce Picard, sr, Polson.
Center-C.J. Berberet, sr, Belgrade; Stephen Frazee, sr, Stevensville; Brandon Marsch, sr, Frenchtown.
Guard-Chris Buskirk, sr, Havre; Kelly Deeks, sr, Anaconda; Steven Sanchez, sr, Miles City.
Tackle-Keith Catt, sr, Columbia Falls; Mike Erickson, sr, Havre; Tanner Heringer, sr, Billings Central; Chris Kirkemo, sr, Whitefish; Ross Torske, sr, Hardin.
Tight end-Josiah Norby, sr, Hardin; Brad Smith, sr, Belgrade.
ALL-STATE DEFENSE
Defensive line-Josh Chumley, jr, Libby; Mike Erickson, sr, Havre; Tucker Hoge, jr, Frenchtown; Adam LaPierre, jr, Dillon; Casey McMillan, jr, Billings Central.
Defensive ends-Jake Graham, sr, Libby; Brooks Rabold, jr, Billings Central; Zane Roberts, sr, Miles City; Brad Smith, sr, Belgrade; Scott Yogodzinski, sr, Whitefish.
Outside linebackers-Jackson Berkram, jr, Dillon; Steve Bertelsen, sr, Libby; Richard Brumbaugh, sr, Libby; Tanner Crevier, sr, Miles City; Bridger Chambers, sr, Stevensville; McClain Heringer, sr, Billings Central; Ted Morigeau, sr, Polson; Kyle Rummel, sr, Havre.
Inside linebackers-Evin Hinebaugh, sr, Havre; Jake McGinley, jr, Dillon; Kole Passes, sr, Hardin; Nick Weller, sr, Frenchtown.
Defensive corners-Jake Chilton, jr, Billings Central; Nate Harada, sr, Havre.
Strong safety-Beau LaSalle, sr, Havre; Tucker Vezina, sr, Dillon.
Free safety-Jordan Heringer, jr, Billings Central; Nathan Lebsock, sr, Frenchtown; Matt Ritter, jr, Butte Central.