All-league HOA football released

Marion and Canton-Galva football athletes have received recognition from Heart of America league coaches.

For Marion, five Warriors received first-team recognition.

Senior offensive lineman Kyle Palic was Marion?s sole first-team selection on offense, anchoring a Warrior offense that put up 3,515 yards this season.

?Kyle has been one of the better players in the league for the past three years, and his recognition is very deserving,? coach Grant Thierolf said.

Senior defensive lineman Jacob Baldwin received first-team honors. He tallied 59 tackles this season, including six for loss.

Palic was also a first-team pick at linebacker. He contributed a team-high 144 tackles, including six for loss.

Senior defensive back Seth Snelling was a first-team pick, with 107 tackles this season, including one for loss.

?Seth Snelling played awfully big for us at safety and made so many plays for us all year,??Thierolf said.

On special teams, senior Adam Janzen received recognition as punter. He had 16 punts for 608 yards, averaging 38 yards per punt with a long of 57 yards.

Three Warriors were named to the second team, all on offense.

Janzen was a second-team pick at running back. He led Marion in rushing with 1,293 yards on 179 carries, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark for the second consecutive year. Janzen averaged 7.2 yards per carry and scored a team-high 22 touchdowns. He averaged 129.3 rushing yards per game.Marion?s Adam Janzen received all-league recognition from Heart of America league coaches on offense, defense and special teams. This season, he led Marion?s ground game with 179 carries for 1,293 yards and 22 touchdowns. Free Press File Photo

?Adam Janzen got caught in not playing enough HOA games due to our schedule,? Thierolf said. ?He had a great year at running back and was an outstanding punter for us.?

Sophomore Mason Pedersen was a second-team pick at wide receiver. He hauled in 20 catches for a team-high 371 yards and nine touchdowns and averaged 17.9 yards per catch. Pedersen averaged 37.1 receiving yards per game.

?Mason Pedersen had a nice year as a sophomore receiver, and we look forward to him being back for the next two years,? Thierolf said.

Baldwin also earned recognition as a second-team tight end.

?Jacob Baldwin was outstanding as a tight end and would have put up some huge numbers if not for moving to quarterback midway through the season,? Thierolf said. ?He deserved the recognition he received on both sides of the ball.?

Five Warriors received honorable mention.

Senior Nathan Cyr and junior Adam Kjellin received honorable mention on the offensive line.

?We were very pleased with Adam Kjellin in his first year of varsity football,? Thierolf said. ?He has a chance to be very good next year, and it will be fun to watch him progress as a player.?

Cyr also received recognition on the defensive line. He tallied 59 tackles, including three for loss.

?It was nice to see Nathan Cyr get some recognition on both sides of the ball,? Thierolf said.

Janzen was an honorable mention selection at linebacker. He had 85 tackles this year, including two for loss, and had two interceptions.

Senior defensive back Brad Stone received honorable mention. Stone had 36 tackles, including one for loss. He led the team with five interceptions.

Meanwhile, Canton-Galva, who competes in Class 8-man, Division I, had six players recognized.

Two Eagles were named to the first team.

Junior quarterback Travis Unruh rushed for 834 yards and threw for more than 1,300 yards this season with a total of 29 touchdowns.

?Travis Unruh had a tremendous year for us,? coach Jeff Savage said. ?His defense really improved from his sophomore season as well.?He played hard on both sides of the ball; very proud of his effort in every game.?

Senior punter Tanner Klingensmith was also named to the first team.

Three Eagles received second-team honors: Unruh at defensive back, senior offensive lineman Kendrick Bandy, and Klingensmith at wide receiver.

?Kendrick Bandy is the best pulling guard I have ever had,? Savage said. ?For a big guy, he did a tremendous job of getting out front of the play and was able to adjust to a block in space because his feet are so good.

?Tanner Klingensmith is just as hard of a worker as there is.?He gives everything his best effort and made some big plays in the passing game.?He really improved his route running and blocking as the season went along.?

Sophomore offensive lineman Hunter Pearson received honorable mention.

?Hunter Pearson did a heck of a nice job playing a difficult position,? Savage said. ?He often took on a much larger man at the nose guard and blocked very well against them all.?

2014 HOA All-League

First team

Quarterback: Brylie Ware, sr., Sedgwick; Travis Unruh*, jr., Canton-Galva.

Running backs: David Thibault, sr., Hutchinson Trinity; Elias Jasso-Cardenas, sr., Hutchinson Trinity; Cody Walters, sr., Ell-Saline.

Wide receivers: Nate Werner, jr., Sedgwick; Garrett Jacobson, sr., Ell-Saline.

Kick return: David Thibault, sr., Hutchinson Trinity.

Offensive line: Kyle Palic, sr., Marion; Joey Hale, sr., Hutchinson Trinity; Cole Bredemeier, sr., Hutchinson Trinity; Joey Laham, jr., Remington; Evan Morrical, sr., Ell-Saline.

Tight end: Michael Doeden, sr., Hutchinson Trinity.

Defensive line: Jacob Baldwin, sr., Marion; Trenton Olson, jr., Moundridge; Morgan Gardner, sr., Sedgwick; Hank Thiessen, sr., Inman; Evan Morrical, sr., Ell-Saline; Joey Laham, jr., Remington.

Linebackers: Kyle Palic, sr., Marion; Brice Horsley, sr., Sedgwick; Joey Hale, sr., Hutchinson Trinity; Cole Bredemeier, sr., Hutchinson Trinity.

Defensive backs: Seth Snelling, sr., Marion; Grant Hilliard, jr., Sedgwick; Dominic DeLuca, sr., Hutchinson Trinity.

Punter: Adam Janzen, sr., Marion; Tanner Klingensmith*, sr., Canton-Galva.

Kicker: Jordan Scarlett, jr., Sedgwick.

Second team

Quarterback: Louis Arceo, sr., Ell-Saline.

Running backs: Adam Janzen, sr., Marion; Wyatt Lear, sr., Remington; Montana Kane, sr., Sedgwick.

Wide receivers: Mason Pedersen, so., Marion; Dustin Stanley, sr., Bennington; Tanner Klingensmith*, sr., Canton-Galva.

Kick return: TJ Ragnoni, jr., Bennington.

Offensive line: Caleb Frye, so., Moundridge; Logan Scott, sr., Remington; Ben Murphy, jr., Sedgwick; Hunter Giffin, jr., Sedgwick; Hank Thiessen, sr., Inman; Zach Farrell, sr., Ell-Saline; Kendrick Bandy*, sr., Canton-Galva.

Tight end: Jacob Baldwin, sr., Marion.

Defensive line: Logan Scott, sr., Remington; Talon Adams, so., Sedgwick; Kyler Mick, jr., Bennington; Jarod Schafer, jr., Hutchinson Trinity; Daniel Bird, sr., Hutchinson Trinity; Sam Mailloux, jr., Hutchinson Trinity.

Linebackers: DeShawn Pfeiff, sr., Moundridge; Elias Jasso-Cardenas, sr., Hutchinson Trinity; Koby Ingalsby, jr., Ell-Saline; Dakota Came, jr., Ell-Saline.

Defensive backs: Dustin Stanley, sr., Bennington; Christopher Maldonado, sr., Hutchinson Trinity; Cody Walters, sr., Ell-Saline; Travis Unruh*, jr., Canton-Galva.

Punter: Ethan Counsel, sr., Inman.

Kicker: Alejandro Jimenez, sr., Moundridge.

Honorable Mention

Quarterback: Brenden Miller, sr., Hutchinson Trinity.

Running backs: Dominic DeLuca, sr., Hutchinson Trinity; Grant Hilliard, jr., Sedgwick; Chance Bowen, jr., Remington.

Wide receivers: Kenton Rocheford, so., Remington; Brad Jones, jr., Bennington.

Kick return: None.

Offensive line: Nathan Cyr, sr., Marion; Adam Kjellin, jr., Marion; Daniel Morales, so., Hutchinson Trinity; Pierce Billington, sr., Hutchinson Trinity; Marshall Rutchman, so., Sedgwick; Collyn Fouard, sr., Ell-Saline; Hunter Pearson*, so., Canton-Galva.

Tight end: Casey Westerfield, sr., Remington.

Defensive line: Casey Westerfield, sr., Remington; Nathan Cyr, sr., Marion.

Linebackers: Adam Janzen, sr., Marion; Gabe Vanek, so., Sedgwick; Montana Kane, sr., Sedgwick; Michael Doeden, sr., Hutchinson Trinity.

Defensive backs: Brad Stone, sr., Marion; Chance Bowen, jr., Remington; David Thibault, sr., Hutchinson Trinity.

Punter: None.

Kicker: None.

(* 8-man)

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