2017 News Tribune All-Area Football Team OFFENSE TIM POKORNOWSKI

TYLER KELLEY

SPENCER ROSS

REAGAN RUFFI

SPENCER WEHR

BRANDEN MATTEEN

Cloquet

Wrenshall

Two Harbors

Northwestern

Cloquet

Esko

Senior quarterback

Senior running back

Senior running back

Junior running back

Senior running back

Senior wide receiver

• Strong start gave way to explosive finish for All-Heart O’ North Conference first-teamer, who reeled off five consecutive games with at least 200 rushing yards to end season with a school-record 1,791 on 228 attempts (7.9 average)

• Physical fullback rushed for 1,136 yards and 19 TDs on 197 carries, and turned in a game for the ages in Section 7AAAA final, rushing for 221 yards and scoring seven TDs

• News Tribune’s first All-Area Player of the Year from Cloquet was definition of a dual-threat, completing 100 of 179 passes for 1,439 yards and 16 TDs and rushing for 1,156 yards and eight TDs • Northeast Red sub-district offensive MVP also was All-Section 7AAAA and will participate in Minnesota Football Showcase, an all-star game for state’s best seniors • Led Lumberjacks to Class AAAA Prep Bowl by erupting for 249 rushing yards on 30 carries in 40-21 semifinal win over South St. Paul

• Despite missing two games, feisty runner piled up 1,663 rushing yards on 153 carries, an average of 10.9 per attempt

• Averaged 8.2 yards per carry and 153.5 per game en route to a 1,535-yard fall, which pushed Ross’ career total to 3,901

• Touchdown machine and All-District 9 White performer reached end zone 28 times — 23 rushing, three receiving and twice on kick returns

• Ran for 20 TDs and leaves with four-year tally of 50 on the ground, and helped Agates go 8-2

• Finished with 2,127 all-purpose yards and led Wrens to eight wins and Section 5 title game a year after they went 3-6

• Postseason awards included repeating as Northeast White sub-district offensive player of the year and inclusion on sub-district and All-Section 7AAA teams for a third time

• Northeast Red sub-district and All-Section 7AAAA pick added 12 • Ran for 305 yards and four TDs vs. receptions for 68 yards and two Ladysmith, then went for 233 and more TDs three the next week in playoff win • Wehr, who helped Lumberjacks go over previously unbeaten 19-5 the past two seasons and twice Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau reach state tournament, has a • Scored 23 TDs — 21 rushing, one scholarship offer from Division II receiving, one via interception return Bemidji State

SAM GOODWIN

BRYCE KENNEDY

DYLAN LAUER

TYLER RONNING

AIDAN SZCZYRBAK

Barnum

Virginia

Cloquet

Northwestern

Junior lineman

Senior lineman

Senior lineman

Senior lineman

Moose Lake-Willow River Junior lineman

• Northeast Silver sub-district lineman of the year didn’t give up a single sack from his right tackle position • Played a big part in Bombers’ resurgence, which ended with seven wins and a showing in Section 7AA semifinals after going 1-8 last fall • Two-way standout anchored defensive line, as well, where he recorded 74 tackles, three sacks and seven quarterback pressures

• 6-foot-7, 300-pound tackle earned a full-ride scholarship to play at Division I South Dakota • Four-year starter, Northeast White sub-district lineman of the year and All-Section 7AAA selection notched more than 30 pancake blocks this season despite frequent double-teams • Athletic big man, who also plays basketball, is an especially effective pass blocker

• St. Cloud State commit was dominant on both sides of the ball and was tabbed lineman of the year in the Northeast Red sub-district

• One of HON’s top linemen was all-conference first team on offense and defense and helped open holes for a 1,791-yard rusher in Ruffi

• Helped pave the way for Lumberjacks to average 36.1 points and just shy of 400 yards per game

• Guard was chosen all-region by Wisconsin Football Coaches Association

• Made All-Section 7AAAA team and • Notched 37 tackles, including four selected for Minnesota Football for loss, and one sack as a defensive Showcase tackle for seven-win Tigers

• Interior game-changer blocked for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Colton Little and Trent Juhl as Rebels piled up almost 4,000 yards of total offense • Most valuable lineman of Northeast Blue sub-district helped MLWR reach Class AA state semifinals • Had 69 tackles, four sacks and two fumble recoveries on defense

• Athletic Eskomo was all over the field, catching 34 passes for 519 yards and six TDs while rushing for another 271 and three • Returned 14 punts for 267 yards and three TDs, plus 10 kickoffs for 352 yards and three TDs to finish with 1,409 all-purpose yards and 15 TDs • Northeast Blue sub-district and All-Section 7AAA pick was chosen to participate in Minnesota Football Showcase

JOSHUA DANIELSHANBURY Duluth East Senior utility • A year after catching 63 passes for 774 yards and seven TDs, Daniels-Hanbury once again was a rushing and receiving threat • Totaled 1,148 all-purpose yards and 10 TDs while landing on Northeast Red sub-district and All-Section 7AAAAA teams • As a safety, made 75 tackles and keyed East’s 5-4 record, one of Greyhounds’ best in recent memory

DEFENSE BEAU FOIX

BRODY HOLM

LOGAN LOISELLE

KALEB STEVENS

GUNNAR GRONSKI

KANNON KORPELA

Virginia

Grand Rapids

Two Harbors

Proctor

Superior

Senior lineman

Senior lineman

Senior lineman

Senior lineman

Senior linebacker

CromwellWright

• 6-foot-6, 230-pound defensive end collected 62 tackles, including seven for loss, and five sacks • Four-year starter made Northeast White sub-district and All-Section 7AAA teams, and will compete in Minnesota Football Showcase • Division II scholarship offers have come from Minnesota Duluth, Bemidji State, Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota State-Moorhead

• “A leader and a force on the defensive line,” according to Thunderhawks coach Greg Spahn, Holm finished with only 21 tackles as opponents opted to run away from him

• Bouncing between defensive end and safety, Northeast White sub-district defensive player of the year amassed 85 tackles, including 16 for loss, three interceptions and a fumble recovery he returned for a TD

• Named to Northeast Red sub-district and All-Section 7AAAA teams

• All-Section 7AAA performer was catalyst of a defense that allowed a Class AAA-best 8.8 points per game

• Also excelled at running back, where he racked up 1,036 of Grand Rapids’ 2,084 rushing yards and scored 20 of team’s 28 rushing TDs

• Added 11 catches for 260 yards and four TDs as a tight end

• One of Northland’s best defenders tallied 60 tackles, seven sacks, seven forced fumbles and an interception despite teams doing their best to avoid him • Tackle picked for Minnesota Football Showcase after garnering Northeast Red sub-district defensive MVP and All-Section 7AAA awards • Led Rails to 8-3 mark and Class AAA state tournament and has scholarship offers from Division II Bemidji State and MinnesotaCrookston

Junior linebacker

• Defensive leader made 52 tackles, including four for loss, while nabbing All-Big Rivers Conference first-team honors

• All-District 9 White player ranked among the Northland’s leaders with 141 tackles, good for a per-game average of 12.8

• Student of the game has “hardly come off the field for two seasons,” said Spartans coach Bob DeMeyer

• Added four interceptions and four fumble recoveries for a unit that allowed 12.4 points per game, third-best in Nine-Man

• On offense, he rushed for 866 yards • Offensive end had 14 receptions for and seven TDs on 152 carries (5.7 290 yards and three TDs, and also average) rushed 12 times for 140 yards and four more scores

DILON LOUZEK

TYLER PETERSON

NIC JOHNSON

LUCAS NORDQUIST

BRENDAN PARSON

Moose Lake-Willow River

Esko

Cromwell-Wright

Proctor

North Woods

Senior linebacker

Senior defensive back

Senior defensive back

Senior defensive back

Senior linebacker • Posted a team-high 176 tackles — 13.5 per game — which tied Rebels’ singleseason record

• Northeast Blue sub-district defensive player of the year and All-Section 7AAA pick finished with 102 tackles

• Versatile District 9 White back of the year will play in Minnesota Football Showcase as a cornerback

• All-Northeast Blue sub-district selection captained MLWR, which responded to a 2-5 record by winning five straight, during which Rebels yielded 9.6 points per game

• Stat line included four sacks and an interception

• Speedy Minnesota State-Moorhead commit earned a spot on North roster for Jan. 6 Blue-Grey All-American Bowl in Tampa, Fla.

• Contributed on offense, as well, blocking as a guard and fullback

• Talented running back helped Eskomos go from two wins last fall to eight and a spot in section final this time around

• Rushed 105 times for 1,351 yards and 21 TDs and set single-season and career program records for yards per carry, at 12.9 and 13.4, respectively

• “I believe he’s the best cornerback in Northeastern Minnesota,” Rails coach Derek Parendo said of Nordquist, who produced 66 tackles and three interceptions • Helped Proctor limit opponents to 57 passing yards per game and a 42 percent completion rate • All-Northeast Red sub-district and All-Section 7AAA choice was a big reason teams scored just 13.5 points a night against Rails, fourth-best in Class AAA

• Shutdown cornerback intercepted six passes — and tipped five others — to give him a career total of 11 • Made 39 total tackles and was named All-District 9 Blue after helping Grizzlies go 9-2 and reach their first state tournament • Offensively, Parson rushed 175 times for 1,455 yards (8.3 average) and 19 TDs