Ark Valley News - 13 Hornets receive all-league honors

13 Hornets receive all-league honors
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: December 01, 2016

Thirteen Valley Center High School football players were chosen for 14 spots on All-Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League II postseason teams. The Hornets finished the season 9-2 overall and 4-1 in the league.

"I was happy with the number of guys we have on the list," said Valley Center coach Caleb Smith. "It's more than we've had in awhile and I think we still had a few others that were close to making the list."

On first-team defense were senior linebackers Jay Shank and Don Boone and junior cornerback Dalton Cross.

On first-team offense were junior center Payton Stoffel and senior wide receiver Keyon Saunders.

Junior kicker Aaron Coash also made first-team.

Shank led the Hornet defense with 148 tackles, averaging 13.5 per game. The middle linebacker had 2.5 sacks and deflected one pass. He also recovered a fumble and blocked four kicks, which was a school record.

Don Boone, outside linebacker, recorded a team-high five sacks. He averaged 6.8 tackles per game and recovered three fumbles, giving him the school record for career fumble recoveries (10). Boone also had one interception and deflected one pass.

Cross averaged four tackles per game and recorded five interceptions. He deflected 10 passes and recovered a fumble.

Stoffel led an offensive line that allowed the Hornets to rack up 1,827 rushing yards (166 per game) and 1,878 passing yards (170 per game). His snap delivery throughout the season was nearly mistake free.

Saunders was the Hornets' leading receiver, finishing the season with 684 yards and seven touchdowns on 32 catches. His biggest game was at Andover on Oct. 21, when he caught nine passes for 240 yards and scored five touchdowns, including a 90-yard kickoff return. Saunders was the leading point scorer for the Hornets, accounting for 62 (5.6 per game).

Coash missed just three kicks all year. He was 27-of-29 on PATs and 8-of-9 on field goals. His longest field goal was 47 yards in the final game against Great Bend. It was one yard shy of the school record. Coash accounted for 51 points for the Hornets, second on the list behind Saunders.

On second-team offense were junior running back Caleb Rains, junior wide receiver Tyler Brown and senior punter Zach Williams.

On second-team defense were senior lineman Chase Holle and junior defensive back Tyler Boone.

Saunders was second-team special teams.

Junior quarterback Wyatt Lange and senior linebacker Sam Weldon received honorable mention.

All-league selections

Coach of the Year — Scott Vang, Goddard.

Offense

MVP — Kody Gonzalez, Goddard.

First team — Blake Sullivan, quarterback, Goddard; Kody Gonzalez, running back, Goddard; Kade Remsberg, running back, Newton; AJ Vang, line, Goddard; Cooper Dreifort, line, Andover; Dylan Cook, line, Ark City; Cameron Bradley, line, Eisenhower; Payton Stoffel, line, Valley Center; Evan Bell, receiver, Andover; Keyon Saunders, receiver, Valley Center; Owen Beason, tight end, Goddard; Bryant Mocaby, running back/receiver, Goddard; Tanner King, running back/receiver, Eisenhower; Ty Trudo, punter, Eisenhower; Aaron Coash, kicker, Valley Center.

Second team — Chase Oberg, quarterback, Andover; Brock Dowler, quarterback, Ark City; Mason Madzey, quarterback, Eisenhower; Robert Bundy, running back, Andover, Dayton Driskill, running back, Goddard; Parker Wenzel, running back, Eisenhower; Caleb Rains, running back, Valley Center; Chod Morrow, line, Goddard; Aaron Valentine, line, Goddard; Ryan McGuire, line, Newton; Logan Butler, line, Ark City; Andrew Brautman, receiver, Ark City; Nathan Ahrens, receiver, Newton; Jordan Cooke, receiver, Goddard; Tyler Brown, receiver, Valley Center; Jacob Brown, tight end, Andover; Chase Oberg, punter, Andover; Zach Williams, punter, Valley Center; Gentry Cole, kicker, Goddard.

Honorable mention — Wyatt Lange, quarterback, Valley Center; Landon Moore, quarterback, Newton; Corbin Hockenbury, running back, Ark City; Will Valentas, line, Andover; Jackson Brunow, line, Eisenhower; Ben Smith, receiver, Andover; Matt Forbus, receiver, Goddard.

Special teams

First team — Kade Remsberg, Newton.

Second team — Keyon Saunders, Valley Center.

Honorable mention — Kaden Roy, Eisenhower.

Defense

MVP — Ethan Wright, line, Goddard.

First team — Ethan Wright, line, Goddard; Dominique Marr, line, Ark City; Cale Davidson, end, Goddard; Aidan Mills, end, Newton; Jay Shank, linebacker, Valley Center; Trenton Johnson, linebacker, Goddard; Teyton Loveland, linebacker, Eisenhower; Don Boone, linebacker, Valley Center; Dalton Cross, defensive back, Valley Center; Ian McSwain, defensive back, Goddard; Cole Caraway, defensive back, Goddard; Tanner Orand, defensive back, Eisenhower.

Second team — TJ Sisson, line, Andover; Jacob Mondragon, line, Goddard; Chase Holle, line, Valley Center; Connor Schillings, end, Andover; Adam Brown, end, Eisenhower; Austin D'Angelo, end, Eisenhower; Dayton Driskill, linebacker, Goddard; Justin Amaro, linebacker, Goddard; Casey Mayes, linebacker, Andover; Mason Flower, linebacker, Ark City; Kale Rishel, defensive back, Andover; Brent Alfaro, defensive back, Andover; Warren Dietz, defensive back, Newton; Tyler Boone, defensive back, Valley Center.

Honorable mention — Johnathan Nickum, line, Ark City; Chase Knackstedt, linebacker, Andover; Tanner King, linebacker, Eisenhower; Sam Weldon, linebacker, Valley Center; Trey Trudo, linebacker, Eisenhower; Myael Williams, defensive back, Goddard; Malik Lolar, defensive back, Ark City; Garrett Howard, defensive back, Goddard; Conner Garcia, defensive back, Newton.