Seven Norse named to All-DC first team

The Whitehall football team took up seven positions on the All-Dairyland Conference First Team, which was announced last week.

The Norse actually had the most first-team representatives in the county as DC champion Augusta and second-place Pepin/Alma both had six players named to the team. Augusta went undefeated at 7-0 followed by P/A, 6-1; Melrose-Mindoro, 5-2; Whitehall, 4-3; Blair-Taylor, 3-4; Cochrane-Fountain City, 2-5; Eleva-Strum, 1-6 and Independence/Gilmanton, 0-7.

Jonathan Thorn and Ian Pank were both named first-team on offense and defense. Thorn was selected as a utility player on offense and a defensive back on defense. Pank was an offensive lineman and defensive end. With the help of Pank’s blocking, Thorn was second in the conference in rushing yards per game at 100.7.

Also getting the nod for Whitehall’s offense was Devon McCune who led the conference in receiving yards and touchdowns. He had 134 more yards than second-place Wyatt Seibel of Cochrane-Fountain City. He had the second-most catches in the conference as Colton Lejcher and Evan Nehring of Blair-Taylor tied for the lead with 31 to McCune’s 28.

On defense, Colton Sluga was selected as a defensive lineman and Eric Kleinhans a linebacker. 

Kleinhans was also a second-team pick as a tight end/fullback. He was joined on the second team offense by Justin Fremstad. McCune was on the second-team defense as a punter, as was Isaac Skoyen as a utility player.

Cain Fremstad was the first-team pick at quarterback as he passed for 1,175 yards and 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions. He was second in passing yardage and tied for first in touchdowns. 

Gabe Armitage was B-T’s only other first-team pick, getting the nod at outside linebacker. 

Nehring earned second-team honors at receiver and defensive end for B-T. He was joined on the second-team offense by offensive lineman Isaiah Washington and on the defense by Dylan Elvaker, defensive line and Lejcher, defensive back.

Independence/Gilmanton’s only first-team pick was Hunter Guenther at punter. Carson Rieck made the second-team as an offensive lineman for the Indees. 

Other first-team members offense members include: 

P/A: Payton Bellerive, offensive line; Apolo Bergmann, tight end/fullback and defensive line; Riley Stiehl, running back; Logan Dusek, inside linebacker and Axel Noll.

Augusta: Hunter Kircholff, offensive line; Isaiah Waggoner, offensive line; Ben Dickinsen, running back; Logan Stenson, defensive end; Marcus Livingston, outside linebacker; Levi White, defensive back.

Mel-Min: Eddie Her, kicker; Ethan Stanton, utility.

Eleva-Strum: Sawyer Deetz, offensive line.

C-FC: Wyatt Seibel, wide receiver.

Additional second team members are:

P/A Evan Olson, wide receiver; Evan Creighton, kicker; Madox Stewart, outside linebacker

Augusta: Hunter Breaker, tight end/fullback and inside linebacker; Marcus Livingston, running back; Brennan King, quarterback and defensive end; Hunter Kirchoff, defensive line; Tyler Brixon, defensive back.

C-FC — Ayden Lisowski, offensive line; Austin Becker, quarterback and defensive back. 

Dairyland Conference football standings

                           DC        All

Augusta              7-0         9-1

Pepin/Alma         6-1         8-2

Mel-Min               5-2         5-5

Whitehall             4-3        5-4

Blair-Taylor          3-4        4-6

Cochrane-FC        2-5        2-7

Eleva-Strum         1-6       1-8

Indep./Gilm.          0-7      0-9