Colony two-way standout among 15 Valley players named first-team all-conference

MAT-SU — With more than 1,700 total yards and 22 touchdowns, Collin Murphy was destined for all-conference status on the offensive side of the ball.

But as it turns out, the Colony senior is thought of just as highly as a defensive player.

Colony’s two-way standout was among three players named both first-team offense and defense by Railbelt Conference coaches during the annual selection meeting earlier this week.

Murphy — who was named first-team quarterback after rushing for 970 yards and 13 touchdowns, and throwing for 753 yards and nine scores — was also named first-team in the defensive backfield.

Juneau senior Alex Fagerstrom (running back and defensive back) and Juneau junior Jack Perkins (offensive tackle and inside linebacker) were also named to the first team on both offense and defense.

Fagerstrom, who was also named the conference’s offensive player of the year, was actually named first-team at three different positions, earning the honor at utility player as well.

North Pole senior Dane Ebanez (running back and punter) and Palmer junior Brennan Bohman (running back and punt returner) also were named to the first team at multiple positions.

Palmer is represented eight times on the first team, which is second to only the North Pole Patriots, who occupy 10 positions on the first team.

“We’re really well represented,” Palmer head coach Rod Christiansen said. “I’m really happy with it.”

Other than Fagerstrom’s honor, the Patriots — who won the Railbelt with a perfect 6-0 mark — dominated the major awards.

Senior defensive back Steve Wright was named the defensive player of the year and senior Jackson Collins was named the lineman of the year.

North Pole also swept the coaching honors, with Richard Henert earning coach of the year honors, and NPHS assistants Rusty Ham and Luke Balash each being recognized as assistant coach of the year.

“Coaches tend to lead toward the team that won the conference, especially a team like North Pole who finished the year undefeated,” Christiansen said. “And especially on defense and on the line where they were the strongest.”

North Pole allowed 80 points, best among large-schools teams.

Palmer is represented by a total of 18 positions on the all-conference lists.

The Moose placed eight on both the first and second teams, while two players were given honorable mentions.

Senior Mitch Swetzof (wide receiver), senior Dan Contini (offensive guard), senior J.D. Mitchell (linebacker), senior Kevin Priestley (defensive tackle), junior Zach Zegzdryn (kicker) and junior Johnny Daly (kick returner) were named to the first team for Palmer.

Swetzof had a tremendous second half of the season, with 19 catches for 337 yards and two touchdowns in Palmer’s final four games.

Zegzdryn, in his first season as a varsity kicker, converted 21-of-23 point after touchdown attempts, and also nailed four field goals.

Daly proved to be a consistent threat on special teams throughout the season, a returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown during a regular-season win over Juneau.

Contini helped pave the way for the Palmer running backs, who gained more than 2,000 yards in nine games.

Mitchell, a three-year varsity player, and Priestley helped the Moose rank third in the state in scoring defense.

Colony occupies 16 positions on the all-conference list, including six on the first team.

Joining Murphy on the first team are senior wide receiver Tim Jaronik, senior offensive tackle Matt Packa, senior center Balin Babcock and senior defensive end Chris Krieg.

Jaronik led the Knights with 286 yards receiving and three touchdown catches. He was also second on the squad with 21 receptions.

Packa and Babcock were key parts of a Colony offense that recorded more than 3,500 total yards.

Krieg helped the Colony defense allow only 91 points to conference foes.

Three Wasilla players were also named to the first team — senior running back Chris Crane, senior linebacker Casey Katchinska and senior Tim Orr at tight end.

Crane rushed for 814 yards and seven touchdowns, while Tim Orr grabbed 24 catches for 36 yards and two scores.

Katchinska captained the Warrior defense.

Representing Palmer on the second team are: Mitchell (tight end), Priestley (center), Swetzof (defensive back), senior Raymond Chapman (offensive tackle), senior Ransome Kelley (defensive tackle), senior John Church (long snapper) and junior Coleman Ahrens (fullback and linebacker).

Babcock (linebacker), junior Shane Duque (defensive lineman), junior Eric Fan (defensive lineman), senior Gino Paoletti (running back) and junior Matt Jaronik (wide receiver, defensive back and utility player) were named second-team for Colony.

Senior Chris Lafe (offensive guard), senior Tillerman Kroon (wide receiver) and sophomore Corey Mock (kick returner and punt returner) received second-team honors for Wasilla.

Palmer’s Daly (defensive end) and Bohman (defensive back); Colony’s Krieg (fullback), Packa (defensive end) and J.D. Mayo (long snapper); and Wasilla’s Kroon (defensive back, kicker and punter), Orr (long snapper), Crane (defensive back), James Langendorf (linebacker) and Jed Johnson (offensive guard) all received honorable mention.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

2008 All-Railbelt Conference

Offensive player of the year —

Alex Fagerstrom, Juneau.

Defensive player of the year —

Steve Wright, North Pole.

Lineman of the year —

Jackson Collins, North Pole.

Coach of the year —

Richard Henert, North Pole.

Assistant coach of the year —

Rusty Ham, North Pole; Luke Balash, North Pole.

First team offense:

Quarterback — Collin Murphy, Colony; Running back — Chris Crane, Wasilla; Alex Fagerstrom, Juneau; Brennan Bohman, Palmer; Dane Ebanez, North Pole; Fullback — Taylor Lewis, North Pole; Wide receiver — Tim Jaronik, Colony; Mitch Swetzof, Palmer; Tight end — Tim Orr, Wasilla; Offensive tackle — Matt Packa, Colony; Jack Perkins, Juneau; Clay Tidwell, North Pole; Offensive guard — Mike Sewell, North Pole; Matt Lehrbach, Juneau; Daniel Contini, Palmer; Center — Balin Babcock, Colony.

First team defense:

Defensive end — Chris Krieg, Colony; Philip Warwick, North Pole; Defensive line — Kevin Priestley, Palmer; Jackson Collins, North Pole; Matt Craft, West Valley; Enoch Fifita, Juneau; Inside linebacker — J.D. Mitchell, Palmer; Jack Perkins, Juneau; Kevin Ward, North Pole; Outside linebacker — Lincoln Maka, Juneau; Lee Jones, North Pole; Casey Katchinska, Wasilla; Defensive back — Alex Fagerstrom, Juneau; Collin Murphy, Colony; Steve Wright, North Pole; Vic Wisel, West Valley.

First team special teams:

Kicker — Zach Zegzdryn, Palmer; Punter — Dane Ebanez, North Pole; Kick returner — Johnny Daly, Palmer; Long snapper — Aaron Mabee, Lathrop; Punt returner — Brennan Bohman, Palmer; Utility player — Alex Fagerstrom, Juneau.

Second team offense:

Quarterback — Dakotah Smith, Juneau; Running back — Gino Paoletti, Colony; AJ Allen, Lathrop; Eric Antesberger, North Pole; Jacob Claypoole, West Valley; Fullback — Coleman Ahrens, Palmer; Wide receiver — Tillerman Kroon, Wasilla; Matt Jaronik, Colony; Tight end — J.D. Mitchell, Palmer; Tight end — Matt Craft, West Valley; Jackson Collins, North Pole; Raymond Chapman, Palmer; Aaron Mabee, Lathrop; Chris Lafe, Wasilla; Eric Sele, Juneau; Kevin Priestley, Palmer.

Second team defense:

Defensive end — Ishmael Agae, West Valley; Jake Jackson, West Valley; Defensive line — Shane Duque, Colony; Mike Sewell, North Pole; Ransome Kelley, Palmer; Clay Tidwell, North Pole; Eric Fan, Colony; Inside linebacker — Brandon Nichols, Lathrop; Alex Innes, North Pole; Balin Babcock, Colony; Outside linebacker — Doug Templeton, West Valley; Coleman Ahrens, Palmer; Defensive back — Matthew Maka, Juneau; Dane Ebanez, North Pole; Mitch Swetzof, Palmer; Matt Jaronik, Colony.

Second team special teams:

Kicker — Joe Slagle, Juneau; Punter — Victor Wilson, Juneau; Kick returner — Dane Ebanez, North Pole; Corey Mock, Wasilla; Long snapper — John Church, Palmer; Punt returner — Dane Ebanez, North Pole; Corey Mock, Wasilla; Utility player — Dane Ebanez, North Pole; Matt Jaronik, Colony.

Honorable mention offense:

Quarterback — Sam McKinstry, West Valley; Fullback — Chris Krieg, Colony; David Richard, Lathrop; Steve Wright, North Pole; Offensive guard — Chris Wentland, North Pole; Jed Johnson, Wasilla; Aaron McCauley, West Valley; Center — Jordan Lewis, Lathrop; Keith Lemay, North Pole; Brandon Shira, West Valley.

Honorable mention defense:

Defensive end — Johnny Daly, Palmer; Matt Packa, Colony; Josh Eriksen, North Pole; Inside linebacker — James Langendorf, Wasilla; Defensive back — Tillerman Kroon, Wasilla; Jared Isaacson, North Pole; Chris Crane, Wasilla; Brennan Bohman, Palmer.

Honorable mention special teams:

Kicker — Tillerman Kroon, Wasilla; Punter — Tillerman Kroon, Wasilla; Todd Stephens, Lathrop; Long snapper — J.D. Mayo, Colony; Josh Hollett, North Pole; Tim Orr, Wasilla; Utility player — Vic Wisel, West Valley.