Area Players Earn INA All State Honors
DES MOINES – Emetsburg’s E’Hawks, along with players from the Armstrong-Ringsted Mustangs and Graettinger/Terril Knights earned All State Honors for their play onthe gridiron this season. The Iowa Newspaper Association announced its 2008 All-State Football selections naming honorary captains in the six Iowa football classes, with two local players earning Captain’s roles in Class 1A and Eight-Man.
INA sports writers selected Emmetsburg running back Taylor Morris as captain of the 1A INA All-State team. Morris was part of the 1-2 punch of the Emmetsburg E’Hawk rushing offense during the championship season. Morris, a six-foot 215 pounder, didn’t run with the football, he carried it with authority, running past blockers, fending off tacklers and delivering punishing yards in every game the E’Hawks played. As a defensive end, Morris played the same way for the E’hawks and served as one of the team’s tri-captains, helping lead Emmetsburg to a perfect 14-0 season and the Class 1A State Championship, the ninth title for the E’Hawks.
Ridge Christiansen of Armstrong-Ringsted was named captain of the INA 8-man All-State team. Christiansen led the Mustangs to the state championship game for the past two seasons. He rushed 262 times for 1,788 yards and scored 29 times. He completed 48 of 92 passes for 896 yards and 18 touchdowns with only two picks. On defense as a linebacker, he made 104 tackles and caught two interceptions.
Class 1A First Team
Offense
TE Eli Groenendyk, Sr, Pella Christian
WR Matt Waters, Sr., CB St, Albert’s
WR Zach Steinhoff, Jr., Manson NW Webster
Line Josh Wolfe, Sr., Emmetsburg
Line Wil Van’t Hof, Sr., West Lyon
Line Dallas Hendrikson, Sr., St. Ansgar
Line Jack Rummels, Jr., West Branch
Line Tyler Klyn, Sr., Pella Christian
QB Jake Waters, Sr., CB St. Albert’s
Back Jon Elmore, Jr., Prairie Valley
Back Jordan Thompson, Sr., West Branch
Back Langston Jones, Jr., Emmetsburg
Kicker Derek Wood, Sr, Gladbrook-Reinbeck
Utility Andrew Jay, Sr., Maquoketa Valley
Defense
Line Kyle Kober, Dr., West Branch
Line Michael Wiegman, Sr., Aplington-Parkersburg
Line Andy Simons, Sr., West Lyon
Line Taylor Morris, Sr., Emmetsburg
LB Andrew Brown, Jr., CB St. Albert’s
LB Jordan Simon, Jr., Aplington-Parkersburg
LB Pat McLeod, Sr., Prairie Valley
LB Lucas Geneser, Jr., Woodward-Granger
DB Brian Sandvig, Sr., FD St. Edmond’s
DB Austin Steinkamp, Sr., Woodward-Granger
DB Trevor Tiefenthaler, Sr., Sioux Central
Punter Kyle Meints, Sr., West Fork
Utlity Jacob Batterson, Jr., Eddysville Blakesburg
1A Team Captain – Taylor Morris, Emmetsburg
Class 1A Second Team
Offense
TE Spencer Hurly-Boyd, Sr, Woodward-Granger
WR Drew Helle, Sr, Maquoketa Valley
WR Jordan Marks, Sr., Panorama
Line Josh Noble, Sr., Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn
Line Carter Steele, Sr., FD St. Edmond’s
Line Rich Defauw, Sr., Belle Plaine
Line Travis Clark, Sr., Guthrie Center
Line Justin Siefken, Sr., Nashua Plainfield
QB Kyle Twait, Jr., Manson-NW Webster
Back Mitch Fynaardt, Sr., Pella Christian
Back Brian Crow, Jr., Belle Plaine
Back Alex Hornbuckle, Jr., Aplington-Parkersburg
Kicker Matt Wellik, Sr., Emmetsburg
Defense
Line Colby Kirby, Sr., Pleasantville
Line Mitch Grose, Sr., Mt. Ayr
Line Adam Leuer, Sr., Emmetsburg
Line Matt Strope, Sr., Alburnett
LB Keith Rush, Soph, Griswold
LB Tommy Kuecker, Jr., Emmetsburg
LB Jason Koedam, Sr., West Lyon
LB Jake Young, Sr., Garner-Hayfield
DB Tyler Mosier, Sr., Griswold
DB Dakota Miller, Sr., Lawton-Bronson
DB Alex Maule, Jr., West Monona
Punter Brett Bengen, Sr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck
Class 1A Third Team
Offense
TE Max Miller, Sr., West Central
WR Scott Bacon, Sr., Pleasantville
WR Chase Meier, Sr., Iowa Valley
Line Dan Heiar, Sr., Northeast-Goose Lake
Line Nathan Lyman, Jr., Grundy Center
Line Billy Aukes, Sr., Aplington-Parkersburg
Line Justin Brinkman, Jr., Prairie Valley
Line Darin Adam, Jr., Pekin
QB Jordan Andera, Jr., South Winneshiek
Back Doug Williams, Soph, Clarinda Academy
Back Josy Treyba, Soph, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn
Back Jesse Silgeby, Jr., West Lyon
Kicker Levi Keleher, Jr., Lawton-Bronson
Defense
Line Trevor Port, Sr., West Branch
Line Spenser Fuller, Sr., Central Decatur
Line Steve Messerschmidt, Jr., Tri-Center-Neola
Line Matt Just, Sr., Belmond-Klemme
LB Jordan Stewart, Sr., Mount Ayr
LB Cody Millikin, Sr., Pekin
LB Brett Thomas, Sr., Alburnett
LB Joseph Atwell, Sr., Panorama
DB Ryan Krogman, Sr., Northeast-Goose Lake
DB Matt Hiscocks, Sr., Garner-Hayfield
DB Ryan Grolmus, Sr., Panorama
Punter Jordan Gradeless, Sr., Wayne
8-Man First Team
Offense
WR Tyler Pawletski, Sr, Ar-We-Va
WR Tyler Boeke, Jr, Coon Rapids-Bayard
Line Wille Beeler, Sr., Armstrong-Ringsted
Line Cam Lewellen, Sr., Stanton
Line Andrew Williams, Jr., West Central-Maynard
QB Chris Palmquist, Sr., Stanton
Back Tyler Tonderum, Jr., Armstrong-Ringsted
Back Alex Whigham, Jr., Stanton
Back Shane Nicholson, Sr., Melcher-Dallas
Kicker Ethan Eisenbacher, Jr., Armstrong-Ringsted
Utility Ridge Christiansen, Sr., Armstrong-Ringsted
Defense
Line Tyler Betz, Sr., Ventura
Line Seth Comply, Sr., Adair-Casey
Line Ryan Schroeder, Sr., Remsen-Union
LB Reggie Kock, Sr., Ar-We-Va
LB Nick Larson, Sr., North Sentral Kossuth
LB Nate Tool, Sr., Twin River Valley
DB Tyler Peterson, Sr., Lenox
DB Grant Focht, Sr., Stanton
Punter Nathan Lee, Sr., Woodbine
Utlity Alex Stork, Jr., CAM
8-Man Team Captain – Ridge Christiansen, Sr., AR
8-Man Second Team
Offense
WR Tyler Wedemeier, Sr., West Central-Maynard
WR Alex Cabbage, Sr., Stanton
Line Caleb Villarreal, Sr., North Sentral Kossuth
Line Jason Egan, Sr., Corwith-Wesley-Luverne
Line Matt Mayou, Sr., Harris-Lake Park
QB Johnny Schwaller, Sr., Coon Rapids-Bayard
Back Craig Ditzler, Sr., East Union
Back Caleb Byers, Sr., Murray
Back Trevor VanScoy, Sr., Glidden-Ralston
Kicker Jacob Esdohr, Soph, Coon Rapids-Bayard
Defense
Line Jeremy Oltmanns, Sr., Stanton
Line jay Nissen, Jr., Corwith-Wesley-Luverne
Line Lucas Dalton, Soph, Lenox
LB Austin Hughes, Jr., Preston
LB Ben Borland, Sr., Lenox
LB Grant McArdle, Sr., Stanton
DB Matt Rowley, Sr., Twin Cedars
DB Jaxson Armstrong, Jr., CAM
Punter Jake Bolton, Jr., East Mills
8-Man Third Team
Offense
WR Trey Seiser, Jr., Northeast Hamilton
WR Alex Bireline, Sr., Arair-Casey
Line Kody Kile, Jr., East Union
Line Scott Broten, Sr., Dunkerton
Line Ryan Kunkel, Sr., Remsen-Union
QB Sean Brandhorst, Sr., Central City
Back Brandon Bell, Sr., Lamoni
Back Levi Peters, Soph, Twin River Valley
Back Ryan Schurke, Jr., Ar-We-Va
Kicker Michael Ruba, Sr., Remsen-Union
Line Clayton Starckovich, Sr., Melcher-Dallas
Line Jon Meyers, Jr., Coon Rapids-Bayard
Line Craig Tigges, Jr., Armsrtong-Ringsted
LB Jake Edmundson, Sr., Tri-Center
LB Bo Marley, Sr., Janesville
LB Jake Hoffman, Sr., Graettinger/Terril
DB Mason Neilsen, Jr., Central City
DB Blake PEdersen, Jr., North Sentral Kossuth
Punter Jeremiah Hagen, Sr., Ventura