Local players honored in 8-man, 6-Man football

This past season, the Northern C of 8-Man football was well represented once again across the state with Great Falls Central reaching the state championship game and another team Shelby, reaching the semifinals.

Ultimately, Great Falls Central was defeated by Flint Creek in the state title game, so it was no surprise to see the Mustangs dominate the All-State and All-Conference teams from the A sub-division, while Shelby did the same in the B sub-division.

Yet, there were some local teams and players that were also honored. In the A sub-division, Chester-Joplin-Inverness finished third and came up one win short of making the playoffs. However, the Hawks had two players earn All-State and First-Team All-Conference honors in the sub-division as Jackson Diemert and Tyler Wanken, both seniors, were named to both teams. Diemert also earned Second-Team All-Conference honors on defense. He was joined by teammate Evan Dahinden.

As far as the B sub-division was concerned, more local football players were honored, starting with Chinook who had two players make the All-Conference First Team after a playoff season. Isaac Bell made it as a wide receiver, while Brenden Edwards made it as a defensive end. Garrett Diekhans also played his way onto the First-Team defense for the Longhorns.

Edwards was also named Second-Team All-Conference on offense in the B sub-division and was joined by teammates James Christensen at running back and Tye Mitchell, who made it as an offensive lineman. Christensen also earned Second-Team All-Conference honors on defense alongside Sam Dumas. Hayden Axtman and Connor Schnabel both earned Second-Team All-Conference honors for Fort Benton. Axtman made it as a fullback; Schnabel did the same as a linebacker.

It was no surprise that the North Division of Six-Man football had another strong season. Multiple teams made it past the first round of the playoffs and one of those was the Big Sandy Pioneers, who have made the Six-Man quarterfinals two years running.

Led by head coach Chuck Terry, the Pioneers also received plenty of recognition when the postseason awards were given out in the North Division as three of its top players earned First-Team All-Conference honors. One of those players was sophomore running back Kade Strutz, who had an incredible season for the Pioneers, rushing for just under 2,000 yards and scoring 30 touchdowns. In the Pioneers playoff win, Strutz ran for 234 yards and six touchdowns.

Joining Strutz on the North Division All-Conference team were Brock Proulx and Everett Sipler. Proulx is a fullback and also played linebacker for the Pioneers. He was another effective runner for Big Sandy and led the Pioneers in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Sipler, who is the only senior of the three players honored, was named to the All-Conference team for his play in the trenches on both sides of the ball. For their efforts, Strutz and Proulx also earned All-State honors out of the North.

Big Sandy finished with a record of 8-3. The Pioneers were eliminated by Wibaux in the Six-Man quarterfinals. The Longhorns eventually went on to win the Six-Man state championship.

Six-Man North All-State

Kade Strutz, Sophomore, Big Sandy; Brock Proulx, Junior, Big Sandy; Everett Sipler, Senior, Big Sandy; Jake Solomon, Senior, Denton-Geyser-Stanford; Kyle Lee, Senior, Denton-Geyser-Stanford; Mavrick McKinlay, Senior, Geraldine-Highwood; Joey Hale, Senior, Geraldine-Highwood; Zeke Davison, Senior, Geraldine-Highwood; Brady Duvall, Senior, Geraldine-Highwood; Bryce Birgenheier, Junior, Geraldine-Highwood; Renny Turner, Senior, Sunburst; Lane Lerum, Senior, Sunburst; Cody Smith, Senior, Sunburst; Mike Buckley, Senior, Sunburst; Joey Zylks, Senior, Power-Dutton-Brady; Jackson Wildhalm, Junior, Power-Dutton-Brady.

8-Man North

'A' sub-division

All-State

Offense - Noah Ambuehl*, QB, sr., Great Falls Central; Riley Dickinson*, RB, sr., Great Falls Central; Pete Henderson*, RB, sr., Choteau; Jackson Diemert*, FB, sr., Chester-Joplin-Inverness; Luke Marmon*, TE, sr., Great Falls Central; Ethan Vincent*, WR, sr., Great Falls Central; Kyler Crabtree*, WR, jr., Choteau; Casey Dane*, OG, sr., Great Falls Central; Bryan Ballard*, sr., Choteau; Tyler Wanken*, C, sr., Chester-Joplin-Inverness, Isaac Armstrong*, WR, sr., Great Falls Central.

Defense - Ethan Vincent, S, sr., Great Falls Central; Luke Marmon, OLB, sr., Great Falls Central; Kyler Crabtree, CB, jr., Choteau; Riley Dickinson*, ILB, sr., Great Falls Central; Pete Henderson, ILB, sr., Choteau; Tyler Wanken, DL, sr., Chester-Joplin-Inverness; Casey Dane, DE, sr., Great Falls Central.

First team

Offense: Noah Ambuehl, QB, sr., Great Falls Central; Riley Dickinson, RB, sr., Great Falls Central; Pete Henderson, RB, sr., Choteau; Jackson Diemert, FB, sr., Chester-Joplin-Inverness; Luke Marmon, TE, sr., Great Falls Central; Ethan Vincent, WR, sr., Great Falls Central; Kyler Crabtree, WR, jr., Choteau; Casey Dane, OG, sr., Great Falls Central; Bryan Ballard, sr., Choteau; Tyler Wanken, C, sr., Chester-Joplin-Inverness.

Defense: Ethan Vincent, S, sr., Great Falls Central; Luke Marmon, OLB, sr., Great Falls Central; Kyler Crabtree, CB, jr., Choteau; Riley Dickinson, ILB, sr., Great Falls Central; Pete Henderson, ILB, sr., Choteau; Tyler Wanken, DL, sr., Chester-Joplin-Inverness; Bryan Ballard, DL, sr., Choteau; Casey Dane, DE, sr., Great Falls Central.

Second team

Offense: Isaac Armstrong, WR, sr., Great Falls Central; Johnny Rappold, QB, jr., Choteau; Bryce Gramm, FB, jr., Choteau; Kaimen Evans, RB, sr., Belt; Shane Willekes, TE, sr., Choteau; Shamus McNeil, OG, sr., Choteau; Quinn Pray, C, jr., Great Falls Central.

Defense: Jackson Diemert, S, sr., Chester-Joplin-Inverness; Spencer Richter, OLB, jr., Chester-Joplin-Inverness; Evan Dahinden, ILB, sr., Chester-Joplin-Inverness; Shamus McNeil, ILB, sr., Choteau; Seth Duran, DL, sr., Box Elder; Kaimen Evans, DE, sr., Belt.

Honorable mention

Offense: Lane Fischer, RB, so., Chester-Joplin-Inverness.

Defense: Quinn Pray, DL, jr., Great Falls Central; Brandon Wall, ILB, jr., Belt; Matt Mendenhall, OLB, sr., Great Falls Central.

'B' sub-division

All-State

Offense: Carson McGuinness, QB, jr., Centerville; Wyatt Brusven, RB, sr., Shelby; Tanner Parsons, FB, jr., Shelby; Dillon Luly, TE, sr., Shelby; Cooper Davis, WR, sr., Centerville; Jadon Davis, OG, sr., Centerville; Mark Clark.

Defense: Carson Mcguinness, S, jr., Centerville; Wyatt Brusven, S, sr., Shelby; Cooper Davis, OLB, sr., Centerville; Damon Irvin, OLB, sr., Shelby; Tanner Parsons, ILB, jr., Shelby; Jadon Davis*, DL, jr., Centerville; Mark Clark, DL, jr., Shelby.

First team

Offense: Carson McGuinness, QB, jr., Centerville; Wyatt Brusven, RB, sr., Shelby; Tanner Parsons, FB, jr., Shelby; Dillon Luly, TE, sr., Shelby; Cooper Davis, WR, sr., Centerville; Jadon Davis, OG, sr., Centerville; Mark Clark, OG, jr., Shelby; Brock Landon, C, sr., Centerville; Isaac Bell, WR, sr., Chinook.

Defense: Carson Mcguinness, S, jr., Centerville; Wyatt Brusven, S, sr., Shelby; Cooper Davis, OLB, sr., Centerville; Damon Irvin, OLB, sr., Shelby; Tanner Parsons, ILB, jr., Shelby; Jadon Davis, DL, jr., Centerville; Mark Clark, DL, jr., Shelby; Jacob Kelley, DE, jr., Centerville; Brendan Edwards, DE, sr., Chinook; Garett Diekhans, ILB, jr., Fort Benton.

Special teams: Wyatt Brusven, P/K, sr., Shelby.

Second team

Offense: Damon Irvin, QB, sr., Shelby; James Christensen, RB, sr., Chinook; Hayden Axtman, FB, so., Fort Benton; Tucker Tustian, WR, sr., Shelby; Caden Smerker, WR, so., Simms; Brendan Edwards, TE, sr., Chinook; Tye Mitchell, OG, sr., Chinook.