Palmer senior, Wasilla coach earn top Railbelt Conference honors

PALMER — The Palmer Moose have amassed more than 2,300 yards rushing in nine games this season. And a big reason for that — both literally and figuratively — is 6-foot-3, 250-pound Everest Moore.

On Wednesday, Moore was rewarded for his efforts. The senior was chosen as the Railbelt Conference lineman of the year for the 2007 season during the annual Railbelt coaches meeting at Colony High School.

“He’s real deserving,” Palmer head coach Rod Christiansen said on Thursday. “He’s a good student, a hard worker on and off the field.”

Christiansen said Moore has been a student of the game for the last two years, and has really

concentrated on the technical side of being an offensive and defensive lineman.

“He’s worked really hard to make himself better,” Christiansen said.

The Palmer head coach said the mental aspect of Moore’s game is what separated Moore from the other top lineman in the conference.

Moore, a first-team selection on both offense and defense, is one of a dozen Valley players listed on the first team.

Two others — Colony senior Jaron Murphy and Wasilla senior Shane Green — were also recognized on both sides of the ball.

Murphy was named to the first team at both running back and defensive back, while Green was selected a first-team tight end and linebacker.

Also named to the first team are: Wasilla junior quarterback Adrese LaVern, Palmer senior running back Devin Konkler, Wasilla senior offensive tackle Zach Orr, Palmer senior offensive guard Drew Frohling, Wasilla senior offensive guard Treven May, Colony junior defensive end Chris Krieg, Colony junior defensive lineman Angelo Bellotte, Palmer senior linebacker Shannon Sawyer and Colony junior linebacker Gino Paoletti.

Palmer, Wasilla and Colony have five spots on the first team. Several Valley players were also named second

team.

Among those recognize on the second team are: Wasilla junior running back Chris Crane, Colony senior wide receiver Ryan Rupe, Wasilla junior wide receiver and defensive back Tim Orr, Wasilla junior fullback Beebo Russel, Palmer senior offensive lineman Tait Johnson, Wasilla senior offensive guard Tucker Minnick, Wasilla senior center Chris Firey, Wasilla junior defensive lineman Chris Lafe, Palmer junior linebacker Mitch Swetzof, Wasilla junior linebacker Casey Katchinska, Colony senior defensive back D.J. Mouton, Palmer senior defensive back Justin Draughon and Wasilla senior defensive back Joe Barkley.

Moore (long snapper), May (defensive tackle and long snapper), Zach Orr (defensive tackle), Bellotte (tight end) and Sawyer (fullback) received second-team honors in addition to their first-team selections.

After leading the Wasilla Warriors to their first playoff berth since 2002, Jim Shetter was named the coach of the year.

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

2007 All-Railbelt Conference

Lineman of the year:

Everest Moore- Palmer

Utility player of the year:

Kenny Lewis- Lathrop

Offensive player of the year:

Alex Fagerstrom- Juneau

Defensive player of the year:

Donovan Wilson- Juneau

Assistant coach of the year:

Eddie Brakes- Juneau

Head coach of the year:

Jim Shetter- Wasilla

First-team offense

Position: Name- School

Quarterback: Adrese LaVern- Wasilla; Running back: Todd McCormick- North Pole, Silver Maake- Juneau, Jaron Murphy- Colony, Devin Konkler- Palmer; Wide reciever: David Eastman- West Valley, Alex Fagerstrom- Juneau; Fullback: Donovan Wilson- Juneau; Tight end: Shane Green- Wasilla; Offensive tackle: Jake Nelson- Juneau, Everest Moore- Palmer, Zach Orr- Wasilla; Offensive guard- Drew Frohling: Palmer, Trevon May- Wasilla, Lawrence Fenumiai-Juneau; Center: Faifo Levale- Juneau.

First-team defense

Defensive end: Zach Heppner- Juneau, Chris Krieg- Colony; Interior linemen: Everest Moore- Palmer; Phillip Moser- Juneau, Angelo Bellotte- Colony, Jackson Collins- North Pole; Inside linebacker: Shane Green- Wasilla, Donovan Wilson- Juneau, Shannon Sawyer- Palmer; Outside linebacker: Lee Jones- North Pole, Chance Gallettes- Juneau, Gino Paoetti- Colony; Defensive back- Jaron Murphy- Colony, Kenny Lewis- Lathrop, Alex Fagerstrom- Juneau; Lincoln Maka- Juneau

First-team specialist

Kicker: Dominic Smith- Juneau; Punter: Dane Ebanez- North Pole; Return Specialist: A.J. Allen- Lathrop; Long snapper: Chance Galletes-Juneau.

Second-team offense

Quarterback: Sam McKinstry- West Valley; Running back: Chris Crane- Wasilla, Nate Wilson- Juneau, Tuavao Maake- Juneau, Kenny Lewis- Lathrop; Wide receiver: Ryan Rupe- Colony, Tim Orr- Wasilla; Fullbac: Shannon Sawyer- Palmer; Beebo Russel- Wasilla; Tight end: Angelo Bellotte- Colony; Offensive tackle: Tait Johnson- Palmer, Foster Kizer- Colony, Krys Hornbeck- North Pole, Phil Moser- Juneau; Offensive guard: Peter Aumua- Lathrop, Mike Sewell- North Pole; Offensive guard: Tucker Minnick- Wasilla; Center : Chris Firey- Wasilla

Second-team defense

Defensive end: Chris Lafe- Wasilla, Dominic Smith- Juneau; Interior linemen: Matt Craft- West Valley; Zach Orr- Wasilla, Treven May- Wasilla, Faifo Levale- Juneau, Jake Nelson - Juneau, Jackson Collins- North Pole; Inside linebacker: Peter Auma- Lathrop, David Nicholson- North Pole, Kevin Ward- North Pole; Outside linebacker: Mitch Swetzof- Palmer, Doug Templeton- West Valley, Victor Wisel- West Valley, Casey Katchinska- Wasilla; Defensive back: D.J. Mouton- Colony, Steven Wright- North Pole, Tim Orr- Wasilla, Joe Barkley- Wasilla, Justin Draughon- Palmer

Second-team specialist

Kicker: Derek Cottle-Bosch- Wasilla; Punter: Silver Maake- Juneau; Return specialist: Lincoln Maka- Juneau; Long snapper: Treven May- Wasilla.