Valley talent listed among Alaska’s best

PALMER — There’s no shortage of deliberation during the typical all-state team selection meeting. But Sunday, when it came to naming one particular running back to the first team, there was no need for debate.

Palmer junior James Nisbett was one of seven Valley players selected first-team all-state by the Alaska Football Coaches Association during the group’s annual meeting in Anchorage.

“I think he’s definitely (a first-team selection),” Palmer head coach Rod Christiansen said.

Nisbett led all large-schools runners with 1,555 yards and 22 rushing touchdowns. The junior rushed for the second highest single-season total in school history and the 15th best in state history. Nisbett is also only the second large-schools runner since 2006 to top the 1,500-yard mark. But Christiansen said more than numbers make Nisbett special.

“It’s not just statistics,” Christiansen said. “It’s making big plays at big times. I just think he has those running back instincts, which are very difficult to coach. He’s blessed with strength and speed, and he’s not afraid to go in there and get the tough yards.”

Nisbett was one of five Palmer players and seven Valley athletes to earn first-team honors. Seniors Cole Frohling, Hayden Niekamp, Luke Heun and Chris Cooney were also named first-team for the Moose. Wasilla senior Austin Ring was named first-team at long snapper. Senior linebacker Austin Rench represented the Colony Knights on the first team.

Frohling earned first-team honors at offensive tackle, and was also named the state’s lineman of the year. Christiansen said Frohling was Palmer’s top player on both the offensive and defensive lines, and was also a very improved player this year.

“Technique, being in the right place on defense, foot quickness, there was much improvement on both sides of the ball,” Christiansen said of Frohling.

Niekamp was named first-team at tight end, while Heun and Cooney represented the Moose defense on the first team.

Heun, a defensive back, and Cooney, a linebacker, helped Palmer boast one of the top defenses in the state. Palmer ranked in the Railbelt Conference in scoring defense and second in the state, allowing 15 points per game. The Moose allowed seven or fewer points in four games, and 16 points or less in eight of their 10 games.

“There were a lot of guys on defense that performed well this year,” Christiansen said.

The architect of that Palmer defense, coordinator Keith Armstrong, was named the assistant coach of the year. Christiansen was named the head coach of the year. Christiansen, who now ranks second on Alaska’s all-time wins list with 130, was named state coach of the year for the third time. Armstrong earned assistant coach of the year honors for the second time.

Colony and Palmer each placed three players on the second team. Quarterback Rob Lorentz, and wide receivers Antonio Bush and Daniel Bilafer earned second-team honors for the Knights.

Lorentz, Bush and Bilafer all broke school records in 2012. Lorentz set the school mark for passing yards in a season with 1,977 in 2012. He also passed for the second-most yards in a single-game with his 530-yard effort against North Pole. Lorentz led Alaska quarterbacks in passing yards during the regular season.

Bilafer led the state with 61 catches as a junior. He set a school record with the total, and now ranks second on the state’s all-time single-season list. Bush made 56 receptions, and set a school record with 851 yards receiving.

Junior Cash McGregor, who broke Wasilla’s record for catches in a season, was named to the second team at tight end. McGregor caught 40 passes for 583 yards and nine touchdowns. Junior Mitchell Rilatos was named second-team at running back. Rilatos led the Warriors with 761 yards and seven touchdowns.

Quarterback Cameron Christiansen, defensive back Dylan Myers and linebacker Ben Aumavae were named to the second team for the Moose.

Trio of Hawks

honored

HOUSTON — A trio of Houston Hawks earned first-team all-state honors on the medium-schools list.

Running back Waylon Soptick, defensive lineman Allen Reeder and punter Tyler Forto were each named to the first team.

Alaska Football Coaches

Association All-State

Large-schools:

Offensive Player of the Year: Conor Feckley, West

Defensive Player of the Year: Dalton Sauder, South

Lineman of the Year: Cole Frohling, Palmer

Utility Player of the Year: Jarred Laws, East

Coach of the Year: Rod Christiansen, Palmer

Assistant Coach of the Year: Keith Armstrong, Palmer

First-team offense:

Quarterback — Amu Aukusitino, Service; Moo Rogers, North Pole; Conor Feckley, West; Running back — James Nisbett, Palmer; Dante Williams, South; Lorenzo Graham, West Valley; Fullback — Jamal Cummings, West Valley; Tight end — Matt Oldenkamp, Chugiak; Hayden Niekamp, Palmer; Louis Page, South; Wide receiver — Jarred Laws, East; Lance Wright, North Pole; Nik Butler, Service; Eric Vandervort, West; Offensive tackle — Ken Pegues, Chugiak; Zach Swartz, North Pole; Cole Frohling, Palmer; Kieran Kuiper, West; Guard — Cole Foster, Lathrop; Aaron Betts, North Pole; Center — Michael Muller-Stubblefield, Service.

First-team defense:

Defensive line — Ma’o Tosi, East; Erich Pili, Service; Jackson Curry, West Valley; Inside linebacker — Chris Cooney, Palmer; Kendall Scott, Dimond; Hiapo McCandless, Service; Dalton Sauder, South; Tommy Hopp, South; Nathan Sailele, West; Outside linebacker — Austin Rench, Colony; Armani Tufaga, Dimond; Defensive back — Aquino Brinson, Juneau; Jarred Laws, East; JaVonte Dunn, Eagle River; Luke, Heun, Palmer; Matthew Ilalio, Service; Khalil Autry, South; Charles Suddeth, West Valley.

First-team special teams:

Kicking specialist — Eyob Imlach, South; Punting specialist — Dante Washington, Bartlett; Kick returner — Hunter Desmond, Lathrop; Long snapper — Austin Ring, Wasilla.

Second-team offense:

Quarterback — Cameron Christiansen, Palmer; Robert Lorentz, Colony; Running back — Kaelan Lee, Lathrop; Mitchell Rilatos, Wasilla; Diego Su’a Te’o, East; Wide receiver — Brian Brassfield, Juneau; Antonio Bush, Colony; Daniel Bilafer, Colony; Edress Irving III, Bartlett; Tight end — Cash McGregor, Wasilla; Corbin Duxbury, Eagle River; Offensive tackle — Keenan Alexander, North Pole; Travis Duvernay, Juneau; Tarini Tosi, East; Center — Kristian Petaja, Juneau; Justin Moore, South.

Second-team defense:

Defensive line — James Clawson, West Valley; Lincoln Tulimasaelii, West; Linebacker — Ben Aumavae, Palmer; Derek Vance, Juneau; Justin Brenzel, Chugiak; Hunter Desmond, Lathrop; Kekoa Fomai, Service; Sharif Taha, South; Randall Wilson, West; Tonga Unga, Dimond; Defensive back —Dylan Myers, Palmer; Lane Bonham, North Pole; Ray Johnson, North Pole; Mason Jeffries, West Valley; Trevor Williamson, Service; Ryan Brady, Dimond.

Second-team special teams:

Kicking specialist — Jackson Leinhart, Juneau; Punting specialist — Riley Hinz, West Valley.

Medium schools:

Lineman of the Year — Duncan Brewer, Kenai Central.

Offensive Player of the Year — Noah Fowler, Soldotna.

Defensive Player of the Year — Zane Miller, Soldotna.

Coach of the Year — Cam Wyatt, Homer.

Assistant Coach of the Year — Phil Leck, Soldotna.

First-Team Offense:

Quarterback — Noah Fowler, Soldotna; Running Back — Waylon Soptick, Houston; Colton Young, Soldotna.

Fullback — Grayden Mendenhall, Kenai; Wide Receiver — Tyler Howell, Skyview; Joe Ia, Thunder Mountain.

Tight End — Zane Miller, Soldotna; Tackle — Jonathon Alexander, Soldotna; Daniel Rosin, Soldotna; Guard — Duncan Brewer, Kenai; Jarrett Urban, Soldotna; Center — Gavin Larson, Soldotna; Long Snapper — Josh Tupou, Thunder Mountain; Kicker — Cameron Grothe, Soldotna; Return Specialist — Colton Young, Soldotna.

First-Team Defense:

Outside Linebacker — Zack Fraley, Homer; Troy Streiff, Soldotna; Josh Tupou, Thunder Mountain; Inside Linebacker — Grayden Mendenhall, Kenai; Zane Miller, Soldotna; Defensive Backs — DJ Collier, Skyview; Noah Fowler, Soldotna; Colton Young, Soldotna; Interior Lineman — Jonathan Alexander, Soldotna; Duncan Brewer, Kenai; Allen Reeder, Houston; Vili Tupou, Thunder Mountain; Punter — Tyler Forto, Houston; Utility Player — Reid Schmelzenbach.

Second-Team Offense:

Quarterback — Mitchell Boord, Sitka; Running Back — Connor Hicks, Ketchikan; John Jolly, Thunder Mountain; Wide Receiver — Fredy Sorto, Kodiak; Chris Mack, Thunder Mountain; Tackle — Elliott Anderson, Sitka; Center — Austin Thomas, Thunder Mountain; Chatham Conner, Sitka; Long Snapper — Brad Smithwick, Kenai; Ret urn Specialist — Mitchell Boord, Sitka.

Second-Team Defense:

Outside Linebacker—Ben Jahn, Thunder Mountain; Defensive Back — Mitchell Boord, Sitka; Chris Mack, Thunder Mountain; Interior Lineman — DJ Tourtelot, Skyview; Alex Cagle, Sitka.