After winning their second straight MCL football championship the Phillipsburg Panthers had a league-high five players named to both the offensive and defensive first-teams Wednesday.
Running backs Kirk Coomes and John Gower are joined on the first-team by offensive linemen Chris VanKooten, Kasen Keeten and Jaret Shelton.
2-1A State Champion Smith Center had three players named to the first-team offense; Jesse Staples was a first-team pick at running back, Dalton Kuhn at offensive tackle and Brett Myer was a first-team selection at wide receiver.
TMP’s David McFarland was a first-team selection at quarterback after throwing for a MCL single-season record 2,913 yards this past season. Creighton Renz also earned first-team honors for the Monarchs are a wide receiver.
Also named to the MCL first-team offense was Norton running back Tevin Petrie, Plainville offensive lineman Hayden Gillum and Ellis tight end Ryan Herl.
On defense Phillipsburg also had five first-team picks. Chris VanKooten at defensive tackle, Kirk Coomes at defensive end, linebacker Jon Gower, defensive back Trey Thompson and kick Jon Hunnacutt.
Smith Center had four first-team defensive selections. Dalton Kuhn at defensive end, linebacker Avery Hawkins and defensive backs Jesse Staples and Colton Hutchinson.
Norton’s Collyn Auker was s first-team defensive tackle and joined on the first-team by linebacker Trenton Chisham and punter Jace Ruder.
Plainville also had three-first team picks; defensive tackle Hayden Gillum, linebacker Jared Casey and defensive back Chandler Cellmer.
Ellis’ Joseph Eck was a first-team pick as a kick returner.
First team Selections
| FIRST TEAM OFFENSE | ||||||||||||||||||
| QB | David McFarland | TMP | 12 | 6’1″ | 170 | |||||||||||||
| RB | Kirk Coomes | Phillipsburg | 12 | 6’1″ | 210 | |||||||||||||
| Jesse Staples | Smith Center | 12 | 6′ | 170 | ||||||||||||||
| John Gower | Phillipsburg | 12 | 5’10” | 190 | ||||||||||||||
| Tevin Petrie | Norton | 12 | 5’10” | 180 | ||||||||||||||
| OT | Dalton Kuhn | Smith Center | 12 | 6’4″ | 240 | |||||||||||||
| Chris VanKooten | Phillipsburg | 12 | 6’2″ | 230 | ||||||||||||||
| OG | Hayden Gillum | Plainville | 12 | 6’3″ | 260 | |||||||||||||
| Kasen Keeten | Phillipsburg | |||||||||||||||||
| C | Jaret Shelton | Phillipsburg | 11 | 5’10” | 230 | |||||||||||||
| TE | Ryan Herl | Ellis | 12 | 6’2″ | 220 | |||||||||||||
| WR | Creighton Renz | TMP | 12 | 6’3″ | 200 | |||||||||||||
| Brett Meyer | Smith Center | |||||||||||||||||
| FIRST TEAM DEFENSE | ||||||||||||||||||
| DT | Chris VanKooten | Phillipsburg | 12 | 6’2″ | 230 | |||||||||||||
| Hayden Gillum | Plainville | 12 | 6’3″ | 260 | ||||||||||||||
| Collyn Auker | Norton | 12 | 6’2″ | 240 | ||||||||||||||
| DE | Dalton Kuhn | Smith Center | 12 | 6’4″ | 240 | |||||||||||||
| Kirk Coomes | Phillipsburg | 12 | 6’1″ | 210 | ||||||||||||||
| LB | Jared Casey | Plainville | 10 | 6′ | 210 | |||||||||||||
| John Gower | Phillipsburg | 12 | 5’10” | 190 | ||||||||||||||
| Avery Hawkins | Smith Center | 12 | 6’2″ | 230 | ||||||||||||||
| Trenton Chisham | Norton | 12 | 6′ | 180 | ||||||||||||||
| DB | Trey Thompson | Phillipsburg | 12 | 6’1″ | 170 | |||||||||||||
| Jesse Staples | Smith Center | 12 | 5’11” | 170 | ||||||||||||||
| Chandler Cellmer | Plainville | 12 | 5’10” | 170 | ||||||||||||||
| Colton Hutchinson | Smith Center | 12 | 5’10” | 160 | ||||||||||||||
| K | Jon Hunnacutt | Phillipsburg | 12 | 5’11” | 180 | |||||||||||||
| KR | Joseph Eck | Ellis | 12 | 5’11” | 170 | |||||||||||||
| P | Jace Ruder | Norton | 12 | 6’3″ | 210 | |||||||||||||
| SECOND TEAM OFFENSE | |||
| QB | Jace Ruder | Norton | |
| RB | Trace Haven | Smith Center | |
| Treylan Gross | Phillipsburg | ||
| OT | Jaron Rathbun | Plainville | |
| Nate Tedford | Phillipsburg | ||
| OG | Austin Hobleman | Smith Center | |
| Collyn Auker | Norton | ||
| C | Nolan Jones | Plainville | |
| TE | Hayden Wiltfong | Norton | |
| WR | Chase Cellmer | Plainville | |
| Luke Ruder | TMP | ||
| SECOND TEAM DEFENSE | |||
| DT | Noah VanKooten | Phillipsburg | |
| Jaron Rathbun | Plainville | ||
| Ross Ifland | Smith Center | ||
| DE | Hayden Wiltfong | Norton | |
| Austin Hobleman | Smith Center | ||
| LB | Kasen Keeten | Phillipsburg | |
| Trace Haven | Smith Center | ||
| Kaleb Hagans | TMP | ||
| Ryan Herl | Ellis | ||
| DB | Kade Melvin | Norton | |
| Trey Sides | Phillipsburg | ||
| Joseph Eck | Ellis | ||
| Kade Hemmert | Oakley | ||
| K | Tanner Copeland | Plainville | |
| KR | John Gower | Phillipsburg | |
| P | Trey Sides | Phillipsburg | |
| HONORABLE MENTION – OFFENSE | ||
| QB | Trey Sides | Phillipsburg |
| RB | Gavin Schumacher | TMP |
| Ethan Peterson | Smith Center | |
| OT | Christien Hawks | Norton |
| OG | Mitch Topel | Smith Center |
| Colby Wells | Phillipsburg | |
| C | Joel Montgomery | Smith Center |
| Matt Vacura | Norton | |
| TE | Avery Hawkins | Smith Center |
| Noah Hansen | Plainville | |
| WR | Trey Thompson | Phillipsburg |
| Ryan Johnson | Norton | |
| HONORABLE MENTION – DEFENSE | ||
| DT | Oren Rhea | Norton |
| Cooper Mussman | TMP | |
| DE | Nolan Jones | Plainville |
| Jack Pakkebier | Phillipsburg | |
| LB | Noah Hansen | Plainville |
| Morgan Rains | Oakley | |
| Hesston Maxwell | Smith Center | |
| Brady Sumner | Norton | |
| DB | Chase Cellmer | Plainville |
| Ryan Johnson | Norton | |
| Nathan Moon | Phillipsburg | |
| Colby Benoit | Smith Center | |
| K | Jay Mulder | Norton |
| KR | Jesse Staples | Smith Center |
| P | Colton Hutchinson | Smith Center |
2017 MCL All-League Football – 8 Man
| FIRST TEAM OFFENSE | |||||
| PLAYER | SCHOOL | CLASS | HT | WT | |
| Ethan Hamel | Hill City | 12 | 5’9″ | 150 | |
| Keagan Shubert | Trego-Wakeeney | 11 | 6’2″ | 170 | |
| Garrett Handley | Hill City | 12 | 6’2″ | 150 | |
| Aaron McDowell | Hill City | 11 | 6’3″ | 190 | |
| FIRST TEAM DEFENSE | |||||
| PLAYER | SCHOOL | CLASS | HT | WT | |
| Trey Kuhlman | Stockton | 12 | 6’1″ | 190 | |
| Austin Kinderknecht | Trego-Wakeeney | 12 | 5’10” | 180 | |
| Jayce Hamel | Hill City | 9 | 5’10” | 170 | |
| Adson Day | Hill City | 10 | 5’9″ | 170 | |
| SPECIAL TEAMS | |||||
| PLAYER | SCHOOL | CLASS | HT | WT | |
| Hunter Price | Trego-Wakeeney | 10 | 6’2″ | 180 | |
| Dalen Journigan | Hill City | 10 | 6′ | 150 | |
| HONORABLE MENTION – OFFENSE | |||||
| PLAYER | SCHOOL | ||||
| Brady Beougher | Stockton | ||||
| Tate Pfannenstiel | Trego-Wakeeney | ||||
| Nathaniel Werth | Trego-Wakeeney | ||||
| Kody Odle | Stockton | ||||
| HONORABLE MENTION – DEFENSE | |||||
| PLAYER | SCHOOL | ||||
| Jalen Basart | Stockton | ||||
| Justin Turley | Trego-Wakeeney | ||||
| Ethan Hamel | Hill City | ||||
| Dalen Journigan | Hill City | ||||