2015 all area football

2015 News Tribune All-Area Football Team
OFFENSE
JAKE
MALEC
BRYCETON
BUTKIEWICZ
THOMAS
MADISON
NATE
PEARSON
JAXSON
TURNER
IYZAYA
GILL
Proctor
Moose LakeWillow River
Hermantown
Northwestern
Esko
Duluth East
Senior running
back
Senior running
back
Senior running
back
Senior
quarterback
Junior running
back
• Strong-armed slinger rewrote
Rails’ record book while completing
86 of 189 passes for 1,930 yards
and 20 touchdowns — against just
eight interceptions
• Punishing runner with breakaway
speed gained 1,386 yards, many
after contact, and scored 26 TDs,
including six in victory over Duluth
Marshall
• Three-time all-conference/all-district selection rushed for 680 yards
and 13 TDs as Proctor surprised
many by winning Section 7AAA and
returned to state tournament
• Averaged 7.5 yards a carry and was
named to all-district and all-section
teams after helping MLWR win eight
games and claim 10th consecutive
Section 7AA title
• Rails coach Derek Parendo called
Malec, who will attend North Dakota
State on a baseball scholarship,
“one of the best leaders I’ve ever
coached”
• Hauled in 15 passes for 360 yards
while racking up 2,150 all-purpose
yards and 33 total TDs; made 36
tackles, four interceptions and three
fumble recoveries at safety
• News Tribune’s All-Area Player of
the Year often was unstoppable,
rushing for 1,448 yards and 22 TDs
on 114 carries (12.7 average)
• Receiving interest from both
Division I and II college programs
after keying Hawks offense that
averaged 49.2 points per game en
route to Class AAAA state tournament
• Northeast Red sub-district’s top
offensive player had 12 receptions
for 224 yards and three TDs and also
recorded passing and punt-return
TDs
Senior wide
receiver
• Decorated Division I recruit
amassed a program single-season
record 1,615 rushing yards and 20
total TDs and departs as Tigers’
all-time leader with 4,157 yards
• Elusive playmaker rushed 131
times for 1,143 yards (114.3 per
game, 8.7 per carry) and 20 TDs and
caught 24 passes for 397 yards and
three more scores
• A big-play threat and wildly
athletic, 6-foot-2 Gill was East QB
Jack Rashid’s go-to target and
finished with 31 receptions for 823
yards and five TDs
• All-State honorable mention LB and
punter was tabbed all-region at those
positions, plus running back, and
named Heart O’North Conference’s
top defensive player
• Offensive MVP of Northeast Blue
sub-district, deemed “one in a
thousand” by Esko coach Bill
Hudspith, scored 28 total TDs and
averaged 17.6 points per game
• Finished near top of state
leaderboard in receiving yards and
yards per game (91.4) and is starting
to receive college interest, according
to Greyhounds coach Joe Hietala
• Physical player totaled 33 tackles
and five sacks and averaged 41.9
yards per punt to help Northwestern
claim share of HON crown
• Used quickness (4.55 seconds in
40-yard dash) at defensive back,
totaling 41 tackles and three
interceptions, and is being recruited
by North Dakota and North Dakota
State
• Postseason awards included
all-district, all-section and being
tabbed one of two best defensive
backs in North Central White
sub-district
BEAU
ADAMS
JAKE
FLATEN
TYLER
GROSE
TREVOR
HEAGLE
KEEGAN
STANLEY
BEAU
GIRARD
Proctor
Hibbing
Deer River
McGregor
Superior
Superior
Junior lineman
Senior lineman
Senior lineman
Senior lineman
Senior lineman
Senior utility
• “Dominating force,” according to
Parendo, anchored a unit that helped
Rails average 363 yards and 25.6
points per game and set numerous
school passing records
• Center was catalyst for an
offensive line that yielded just two
sacks in 205 pass attempts and
opened gaping holes for 800-yard
rusher Trevor Erickson
• Six-foot-3, 320-pounder was
named to All-Section 7AAA and
All-Northeast District Red teams
• Leader of a team that won five
games, matching combined total
from previous five seasons, and
earned No. 2 seed and a first-round
bye in Section 7AAAA playoffs
• Key cog for a team that went 7-4,
won Section 7AAA and reached its
second state tournament in three
years
• Recorded an impressive 70
tackles from the interior of
defensive line, including 11 for loss
and two sacks
• Center and three-year starter led a
line that cleared holes for Warriors to
average 39.1 points per night in 8-2
season
• Despite being built like a RB at 6-1,
190 pounds, four-year starter was
overpowering and helped pave way
for Mercuries’ gaudy rushing totals
• Six-foot-5, 270-pounder was a
beast up front and helped clear path
for Spartans’ high-scoring attack
past two seasons
• Voted Northeast District Silver’s
• Helped McGregor win six games,
most valuable lineman and selected was named lineman of the year in
Class A academic All-State
North White sub-district and, on
defense, posted 71 tackles, including
• Also played defensive end and long 13 for loss
snapper as Deer River nabbed a No.
• Said Mercuries coach Bob Staska:
2 seed for Section 7A playoffs
“He is one of the best linemen that I
have ever coached, if not the best”
• All-Big Rivers Conference
first-team, all-region and All-State
honorable mention pick has received
offers from NCAA Division I and II
schools
• Said Superior coach Bob DeMeyer:
“When we needed the tough yards,
we ran behind Keegan”
• Played at running back (429 yards,
seven TDs), receiver (12 catches,
188 yards), defensive back (31
tackles, two interceptions) and
punter (17 punts, 37.4 average)
• Garnered All-State honorable
mention and all-region honors and
was All-Big Rivers Conference
first-teamer at defensive back for
second straight season
• Athleticism and versatility has
Girard receiving lots of interest from
college coaches, especially those in
NSIC
DEFENSE
GARETT
SNIDARICH
WYATT
SUSA
ALEX
TECKER
TURNER
GREGG
CALEB
HOW
ZACH
JOHNSON
North Woods
Cromwell
Northwestern
Esko
Grand Rapids
South Ridge
Senior lineman
Junior lineman
Junior lineman
Senior
linebacker
Senior
linebacker
Senior
linebacker
• Two-year, two-way starter was
“our top lineman on offense and our
best defensive player,” North Woods
coach John Jirik said
• Two-time all-conference/all-district
choice made 63 tackles, four for
loss, and recovered two fumbles for
8-2 team
• Six-foot-1, 209-pound nose guard
had a team-high 92 tackles and rang
up 231 total over past two years as
Grizzlies went a combined 16-5
• Three-year starter is “one of the
best interior linemen I have coached
at Cromwell,” according to Cardinals
coach Jeff Gronner
• Chosen most valuable lineman of
North Red sub-district
• Has 183 career tackles and played
offense and defense, helping
Cardinals average 35.2 points per
game this fall
• Run-stuffer forced opponents to
think twice about venturing near him
and ended Tigers’ 8-3 season with
32 tackles, five for loss, and 3.5
sacks
• Six-foot-4, 270-pound All-Heart
O’North Conference first-team pick
also earned all-region recognition
• Athletic big man was vital as
Northwestern reeled off six-game
win streak to claim a share of HON
title and return to Division 4 playoffs
• Had 92 total tackles, good for a
per-game average of 9.2, including
18 — and a fumble recovery — in
an early October loss to Mora
• Gritty defender recorded 68.5
tackles, three for loss, and forced a
pair of fumbles for resurgent
Thunderhawks
• Added four sacks, an interception
and a blocked punt as Eskomos won
seven games and reached Section
7AAA final
• With 90 total tackles, five
interceptions and six forced fumbles,
and 1,248 rushing yards and 1,070
passing yards on offense, Johnson
was team’s heart and soul
• All-Northeast District Red performer
was tabbed sub-district’s co-most
• Recorded nine rushing TDs, 13
valuable defensive player
passing TDs and 2,545 all-purpose
yards in being voted District 9 North
• Played leading role in Grand Rapids’ White’s back of the year
• Two-way player, who excelled both dramatic turnaround, which featured
at inside and outside linebacker, was more wins (seven) than previous four • “He singlehandedly won several
named to All-Section 7AAA team
seasons combined
games for South Ridge,” McGregor
coach Staska said
ROSS
KENNELLY
JAMES
LINDBERG
CHRISTIAN
COMSTOCK
SPENCER
POTTER
ERIC
SODERBERG
JOSH
HEIMAN
Superior
Hermantown
Hermantown
GNK
Grand Rapids
Ely
Senior
linebacker
Senior
linebacker
Senior
defensive
back
Junior
defensive back
Senior
defensive back
Junior special
teams
• For second time in two years,
tireless two-time captain was picked
for both All-BRC and All-State first
teams and again earned all-region
honors
• Paced a stingy defense that allowed
11.9 points per game — six
opponents scored eight or fewer
points — and produced three
shutouts with 66 tackles
• Opposing QBs were wise to throw
away from this shutdown
cornerback, who returned three of
his six interceptions for
touchdowns
• North Dakota State recruit piled up
109 tackles, with a whopping 18 for
loss, three sacks and three fumble
recoveries in helping Spartans return
to Division 2 playoffs
• After Hawks’ 10-1 season and state
tournament trip, Lindberg was
recognized as Northeast District
Red’s top defensive player and was
an All-Section 7AAAA pick
• Added 43 total tackles for
Northeastern Minnesota’s best club
and also rushed for 535 yards and
10 TDs on 57 carries (9.4 average)
• Offensively, rushed for 870 yards
and 12 TDs, prompting Spartans
coach DeMeyer to say, “His value to
this team was immeasurable”
• Rushed for 513 yards and 11 TDs at
fullback and has made recruiting
visits to Minnesota Duluth and
Bemidji State
• Division I North Dakota is among
colleges interested in athletic
All-Northeast District Red and
All-Section 7AAAA performer
• Totaled 79 tackles, forced four
fumbles, recovered two and had an
interception as a safety who altered
opponents’ game plans
• Earned Northeast District White’s
offensive MVP award after amassing
1,658 rushing yards and 17 TDs
• Electric athlete’s defensive stat
line at safety featured 67 tackles
and a pair of turnovers
• QB rushed for 1,107 yards and 16
TDs, including 268 and four in a
mid-September game vs. Cloquet,
and also threw for 407 yards and
three more scores
• One of region’s best all-around
players is being recruited at safety by • Named to All-Northeast District
a number of Division II teams and a
Red team
few from Division I, according to GNK
coach Bob Schwartz
• Returned punts and kicks for a
squad that won its first 12 games
and reached semifinals of Nine-Man
state tournament
• One of state’s leading rushers
finished with 1,788 yards and 24
TDs for an offense that averaged
44.1 points a night
• Safety on defense was tabbed
North Blue sub-district’s back of the
year