Locals honored for prowess on the court
Four local boys and one girl have been named to the All-State basketball team, capping a tremendous 2011-12 season.
Columbia Falls’ Austin Barth and Parker Johnson, along with Whitefish’s Gage Vasquez and Polson’s Tyler Krell, were named to the Class A All-State team this week. Barth and Johnson led the Wildcats to the state championship game this season, dominating the game from inside and out. Vasquez led the conference in scoring, averaging more than 18 points per game and Krell was dominant for the Pirates, scoring nearly 13 points a game before suffering a season-ending injury midway through the year.
Polson’s Riley Kenney was named with two Frenchtown players to the girl’s All-State team. Kenney was a prolific scorer this season, averaging nearly 20 points a game, leading the Pirates to the state tournament.
On the guys side, Anthony Correa of Columbia Falls and Jared Winslow of Libby joined the four All-State players on the All-Conference first team. The Wildcats’ Luke Kazlauskas, Whitefish’s Cooper Olson and Polson’s Zack Camel were named to the second team.
Whitefish’s Jake Slaybaugh and Jace Kalbfleish were named honorable mention alolng with Polson’s Cody Fischer and Libby’s Micah Germany.
Polson’s Mariah Hamel and Columbia Falls’ Madison Sandefer joined Kenney on the girls’ first team. The Wildkats’ Haley Belgarde and Hope Burlage, Whitefish’s Ashlee Brewer, Polson’s Heidi Rausch and Libby’s Kim Tangen were named to the second team.
Polson’s Mackenzie Banner and Anna DiGiallonardo and Columbia Falls’ Cortney White were named honorable mention.
2011-12 Northwestern A All-Conference
Boys
All-State
Austin Barth Columbia Falls Sr.
Gage Vasquez Whitefish Sr.
Parker Johnson Columbia Falls Sr.
Tyler Krell Polson Sr.
1st Team All-Conference
Austin Barth Columbia Falls Sr.
Gage Vasquez Whitefish Sr.
Parker Johnson Columbia Falls Sr.
Tyler Krell Polson Sr.
Anthony Correa Columbia Falls Sr.
Jared Winslow Libby So.
2nd Team All-Conference
Austin Blank Frenchtown Sr.
Luke Kazlauskas Columbia Falls Jr.
Cooper Olson Whitefish Jr.
John Chapman Frenchtown So.
Zack Camel Polson Jr.
Honorable Mention
Cody Fischer Polson Sr.
Jace Kalbfleisch Whitefish Jr.
Jake Slaybaugh Whitefish Jr.
Daniel Lebsock Frenchtown Jr.
Micah Germany Libby Sr.
Girls
All-State
Riley Kenney Polson Sr.
Sarah Lester Frenchtown Sr.
Emma Oostdyk Frenchtown Sr.
1st Team All-Conference
Riley Kenney Polson Sr.
Sarah Lester Frenchtown Sr.
Emma Oostdyk Frenchtown Sr.
Kayla Blood Frenchtown So.
Mariah Hamel Polson Sr.
Madison Sandefer Columbia Falls Sr.
Vanessa Stavish Frenchtown So.
2nd Team All-Conference
Haley Belgarde Columbia Falls So.
Ashlee Brewer Whitefish Jr.
Hope Burlage Columbia Falls Jr.
Holly Jacobs Frenchtown Jr.
Heidi Rausch Polson Jr.
Kim Tangen Libby Sr.
Honorable Mention
Mackenzie Banner Polson Jr.
Anna DiGiallonardo Polson Jr.
Abby Inderland Frenchtown Jr.
Angel Lowry Frenchtown Sr.
Cortney White Columbia Falls Sr.