The Bobcat Nation

Quarterbacks

Selections
East: Nate Dick - Billings Senior
East: Callahan O'Reilly - Bozeman
East: Dawson McGlothlin - Sidney
West: Dakota Bridwell - Columbia Falls
West: Tanner Wilson - Polson

Alternates
East: Zach Spady - Belgrade
West: Bridger Johnson - Kalispell Flathead

SELECTIONS:


Nate Dick, the 2016 Montana Gatorade Football Player of the Year and two-time AA Offensive MVP, leads the East squad into battle on July 15. Following up a solid junior season, Nate was the hardest player to contain in any class of football in Montana his senior season. He is a legit dual-threat QB as he racked up 3861 yards of total offense (2639/1222 pass to run ratio) and accounted for 53 total touchdowns (34 passing/19 rushing) along with only four turnovers the whole year. In Billings Senior's zone-read system, efficiency and tempo are key components to success and Nate ran the offense almost to perfection. He made plays from the pocket and outside the pocket. Against Helena Capital, Nate scrambled 80+ yards for a touchdown as he evaded 11 defender's tackling attempts. As a passer, he had a high completion rating which may have been because of the amount of short passes Senior ran. However, he throws a nice deep ball so I wouldn't doubt his ability in the deep passing game and pushing the ball downfield. He was recruited as an ATH and signed with UM on Signing Day 2017. Nate will get a chance to compete at QB for the Griz to begin his career but I could easily see him make the transition to WR. The Griz are getting a very versatile athlete who is an ultra-competitor, regardless of his size.


Callahan O'Reilly has prototypical quarterback size at 6'3", 210 lbs. The big-armed Bozeman product played with Nate in the Badlands Bowl and scored a pair of touchdowns, one throwing and one passing. Callahan only started at QB for one season at Bozeman but he had a monster senior season statistically. He threw for 3,178 yards and ran for 379 more to go along with 26 passing touchdowns and 13 rushing touchdowns. Bozeman was beat in the first round of the Class AA playoffs but Callahan's senior season still earned him AA All-State 2nd Team honors and a partial scholarship from MSU where he will get a chance to start his career at QB. As a passer, Callahan can really push the ball down the field because of his arm strength. Actually, most of Bozeman's success in the passing game came in the intermediate to deep range. It also helped that Callahan had a very good trio of WR's in Lance McCutcheon, Bailey Paddock, and Logan Kleinhans. As a runner, Callahan probably could've ran even more. He isn't afraid to deliver a hit as he has more of a linebacker frame. Overall, MSU is getting a good developmental QB prospect who also is versatile enough to bulk up as a TE or move to defense as a LB.


Dawson McGlothlin is the third selection for the East at quarterback. The former Sidney Eagle and 1st Team Eastern A QB/DB played DB in the Badlands Bowl for the Montana squad and he returned an interception for a touchdown. Dawson was the leader of an upstart 2016 Sidney Eagle football team that won the uber-competitive Eastern A conference title. Unfortunately, Sidney ran into a very talented Columbia Falls squad and lost at home to the Wildcats in the quarterfinals of the Class A playoffs. However, it still doesn't take away from Dawson's senior season. The Eagles were a run-heavy team with a stingy defense in 2016 and Dawson ran the ball more than he threw it during the year. He finished with 986 yards passing and 733 yards rushing to go along with 10 passing touchdowns and 7 rushing touchdowns. Dawson was also a star defensive back for the Eagles as he finished with roughly 54 tackles and three interceptions. I'm not sure if Dawson will pursue football in college but he is a kid I didn't do enough research on last year as he was definitely one of the best defensive backs in the state all season. Whatever Dawson decides to do, good luck to him!


Dakota Bridwell is one of the two West selections at QB, hailing from Columbia Falls, MT. Dakota's final 2016 stats went as follows: 3906 yards passing, 49 tds, 62% completion rate, 323 yards passing per game; 154 yards rushing for 7 tds. The Class A All-Stater absolutely fired the ball at will last year and led the Wildcats all the way to championship game in a rematch against Dillon, a team they had beat during the regular season. Unfortunately, Dillon's defense clamped down on the mighty Wildcats passing attack (with a little help from mother nature) and won the rematch. Bridwell did not have his best performance in the final game but it doesn't take away from his record setting senior season. His 49 passing touchdowns in a season and 8 touchdown passes in a game is a MHSA record. His 337.92 yards passing per game moved him into 1st place all-time in Class A and his 93 career touchdown passes moved him in 2nd place all-time in Class A and among all classes. Columbia Falls employed a quick, uptempo passing attack that required efficiency at all three levels of the passing game and Dakota did an amazing job his Senior year moving the chains and taking his squad all the way to the championship. Dakota was one of the best pocket passers in 2016 but he can still make something out of nothing outside the pocket. All three of his top receivers will be playing college football (Sean Miller - Rocky Mountain, Braxton Reiten - UM, & Trevor Hoerner - UM) while Dakota earned a scholarship from Montana-Western. As expected, he will compete at QB for the Bulldogs and will get to back up his stats as a QB in the Shrine Game.


The second quarterback for the West squad also comes from the Northwestern A conference. Tanner Wilson of Polson, Class A All-State in 2015 and 2016, gets his shot to play QB as he played safety for the Montana team in the Badlands Bowl. Tanner didn't have the gawdy stats of conference member Dakota Bridwell, but Tanner was clearly one of the top dual-threat QBs in Montana in 2016. He had modest passing numbers (1677 yards passing, 20 touchdowns, 4 interceptions) but led Northwestern A in rushing with 979 yards rushing on 144 carries with 17 touchdowns. His favorite target was classmate and future Griz teammate Matthew Rensvold as the pair were arguably the toughest tandem to stop in Class A. Polson fell to Billings Central in the quarterfinals of the Class A playoffs by one point, ending a season where Polson actually won the Northwestern A conference over rival Columbia Falls. When I started scouting Tanner in the spring of 2016, he was coming off a junior season where I thought he looked much better at safety than quarterback, at least as a college prospect. His throwing motion needed a little work but Tanner refined his passing ability and turned in a great performance at one of UM's summer camps in 2016. It led to a partial scholarship offer from Bob Stitt and the Grizzlies and he will start off at QB. I still believe Tanner has a little more value on defense because I really like him as a safety but if he keeps improving as a passer, he already has college level scrambling ability.

ALTERNATES:


The lone East alternate is Zach Spady of Belgrade. Spady was the operator of Belgrade's offensive attack which improved throughout the year with Zach at QB. He finished the season with 853 yards passing, 270 yards rushing, and 22 total touchdowns (19 passing/3 rushing). The lefty gunslinger got hurt in the quarterfinals against Hamilton in a winning effort which crushed Belgrade's chances against Columbia Falls the following week in the semis. But his 2016 performance still earned him Class A All-State and 1st Team Eastern A honors at QB. Zach signed with Bethel University in Minnesota to continue his football career and potentially hockey career.


The lone West alternate is Bridger Johnson of Kalispell Flathead. Bridger Johnson was a Class AA All-State HM QB in 2015 and 2016 for the Braves. I always felt he was an underrated QB recruit out of Montana. Was not on a very good Flathead team the last few years, especially on the offensive line, but definitely made them better as their QB. Bridger has good size and throws an accurate ball despite his completion percentage and awful stats. Reminds me a lot of Philips Rivers with his throwing motion and ability to hang tough in the pocket. I also felt Bridger was the best pure thrower of any QB in the 2017 Montana QB crop. It would of been interesting to see what would have been if he had some solid talent around him up front (Bridger had several nice receivers in James Flanigan and Seth Adolph). Anyway, MT Tech offered him a scholarship and they get another good in-state prospect that received interest from UM and MSU likely as a PWO.

ADVANTAGE: EAST

I think Dakota Bridwell and Tanner Wilson are very good quarterbacks and should produce in this game, knowing who the receivers are for the West. But Nate and Callahan looked really good in the Badlands Bowl and its hard to bet against the team that has the Gatorade Player of the Year at QB. Until proven otherwise, the advantage at QB is with the East squad.

Running Backs

Selections
East: Drew Keierleber - Billings Skyview
East: Hayden Van Winkle - Belgrade
East: Shawn Schaefferkoetter - Wibaux
West: Ryan Arntson - Helena High
West: Blake Burton - Butte Central
West: Matt Farrier - Bigfork
West: Cannan Smith - Eureka
West: Kane Lawson - Hot Springs

Alternates
East: Hunter Mycke - Conrad
East: Chasen Kipp - Heart Butte
West: Manny Rivera - Hamilton
West: Jacob Byrne - Missoula Loyola
West: Jake Knack - Ennis

SELECTIONS:


Drew Keierleber eanred First Team AA All-state honors at fullback his senior season for the Billings Skyview Falcons in 2016. The bruising 5'10", 235 lb. runner made his impact felt every game despite Skyview's lackluster record in 2016. Ron Lebsock employs a triple option and Drew was the primary fullback in that system over the past two seasons. So he basically was the short yardage back who did all the dirty work. But don't mistake Drew for just being a short-yardage back as he definitely understands how to be shifty between the tackles. He has good vision and lateral quickness for a kid his size and keeps his pads square to the line of scrimmage, which is very important for a bigger back who lacks great speed. Drew's running ability didn't go unnoticed to college recruits as he signed with Minot State University on Signing Day 2017 as a fullback. The West linebackers better be ready for some contact when Drew gets the ball.


Hayden Van Winkle had one of the best years out of any running back in the state last year not named Ryan Arntson. In ten games last year, Hayden ran for 1,199 yards on 116 carries with 15 rushing touchdowns. That is good for about 120 yards per game and a whopping 10 yards per carry which is one of the best per carry averages since stats started to be tracked in Class A. His breakout game in 2016 came against Laurel where he tallied 271 yards and three touchdowns. Also, he only had 2 fumbles which is pretty good for a back on 116 carries. As an OLB, he tallied 59 total tackles with 6 for a loss, 2 sacks, and 1 interception. I felt Hayden was one of the more underrated athletes out of an impressive group in 2016. In track, Hayden ran an 11.18 100M, long jumped 22' 4.75"Hayden (good for third best in the state), and hucked the shot put 40+ feet. He was Class A All-State and Central A's offensive MVP his senior season and he will join Drew Keierleber in the Minot State backfield as he also signed with the Beavers on Signing Day 2017.


Shawn Schaefferkoetter is the lone 8-man player in the group of running back selections for the Shrine Game. He comes from Wibaux, MT after a super-productive career carrying the rock for the Longhorns. In 8-man good athletes can rack up yards in big chunks and Shawn was a big-play threat since his freshman season. According to MaxPreps, Shawn amassed 3,440 yards rushing on 448 carries for an 80 yards per game average to go along with 53 rushing touchdowns. As a receiver, Shawn caught 59 balls for 1,025 yards with 13 receiving touchdowns. His best season was actually his junior year where he totaled 1,795 yards (1304 rushing/491 receiving) with 18 rushing and 6 receiving touchdowns. He was also a very good OLB, racking up 222 solo tackles throughout his career and 8 interceptions. Shawn has been Class C All-State since his sophomore season which was the last year Wibaux won the State C crown. In this summer's Class C 8-Man All-Star Game, Schaefferkoetter shared MVP honors with Gavin McKitrick of Ennis. Shawn will take his talents to Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT this fall as a RB.


Many argued that Ryan Arntson deserved Gatorade Player of the Year over Nathan Dick in 2016. Ryan rewrote Helena High's rushing record books and was an absolute workhorse all season. If you include the two playoff games (the Bengals lost in the semis), Arntson finished with 291 carries for 1,815 yards and 27 rushing touchdowns for an average of 6.24 yards per carry and 151.25 yards per game. In a 49-14 drubbing of Butte during the regular season, Ryan ran for 276 yards and five touchdowns. He also is an excellent receiver catching 36 balls for about 500 yards and 3 more touchdowns in 2016. By the end of the season, Ryan owned 17 schools records for Helena High and didn't fumble the ball once on 300+ touches...which is phenomenal. He amassed 4,500 total offensive yards and 42 total touchdowns in his career. Standing only 5'7", 175 lbs., don't let his size fool you...he was one of the more physical runners in the state in 2016. Ryan's biggest assets may be his versatility (can produce as a RB, WR, and Returner) and his speed (personal best 11.04 100M in high school). He will be joining his brother Troy at Carroll College this fall and will likely get his start at RB.


Blake Burton will lace it up for the West side, representing the Butte Central Maroons. Blake was 1st Team Class A All-State at running back his senior year, running for 901 yards on 95 carries with 7 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 16 balls for 252 yards in 2016. Blake is a shorter back at 5'9", 175 lbs. but like his West teammate Ryan Arntson, size doesn't mean less physical when it comes to his running style. He doesn't have blazing speed compared to Arntson but Blake can still be a game breaker. Butte Central has had a good run of running backs over the past few years and Blake is worthy of being mentioned in that group despite the Maroons lackluster 2016 season. He signed with Montana Tech on Signing Day 2017 and brings a 4.0 GPA to the program. Another nice gem for Chuck Morrell and company.


Matthew Farrier, a 5'9", 175 lb. running back from Bigfork, brings back-to-back All-State seasons from the Class B level into this game. Matt was a productive back for the Vikings since his sophomore season and he amassed 2526 rushing yards on 405 carries with 30 rushing touchdowns throughout his high school career. He was an excellent return specialist throughout his career, averaging 15 punt return yards and 29 kick return yards per return to go along with 4 return touchdowns (1 punt/3 kickoff). Matt also added 75 catches for 499 yards with 3 receiving touchdowns. He shows excellent acceleration on long runs to go along with being a tough back to bring down on the first hit. Matt has excellent balance and a strong lower body that makes him a tough open field matchup. Along with Blake Burton, Matt signed with Montana Tech a week before Signing Day 2017 and gives Coach Morrell yet another weapon in the backfield and in the return game.


Cannan Smith (#26) was a key cog on offense and defense for the Lincoln County High School Lions of Eureka, MT throughout their Class B Championship 2016 season. But arguably the biggest performance of Smith's career came a week earlier in the semifinal matchup against the Whitehall Trojans. Down 7-6 at halftime, Smith came out on fire in the second half as the 5'8", 160 lb. scored on runs of 38, 70, and 5 yards along with a 15-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. By the end of the 36-7 victory, Cannan finished with 207 yards on 21 totes and 48 receiving yards on 3 receptions for 5 total touchdowns. What made this more impressive is that Cannan shared carries with fellow senior RB Matt Anderson and star QB Garrett Graves throughout the year. Great players make big plays in big games and Cannan was definitely a clutch performer for the Lions throughout 2016. He was also just as impressive on defense at linebacker and was Class B All-State at both RB and OLB. Cannan was also a championship caliber wrestler in high school. For college, Cannan will suit up Montana-Western in the fall.


Kane Lawson comes from Hot Springs, MT of the 6-man ranks. He was actually selected to the game as a specialist but will likely take some carries out of the backfield for the West. Kane and teammate Trevor Paro were the unstoppable running back duo that defeated 6-man opponents by an average of 50+ points a game during their 2016 6-Man Championship run. In the wide open 6-man game, Kane's 2016 season looked like this: 1,007 rushing yards, 32 touchdowns, and 119 tackles. For his career, Kane totaled 70 touchdowns. Like his West teammate Cannan Smith, Kane is a also championship caliber wrestler at 5'8", 180 lbs. Montana-Western liked what they saw in Kane and inked him as part of their 2017 signing class for football as a defensive back though he is versatile enough to play RB or WR.

ALTERNATES:


Hunter Mycke of Conrad is one of two alternates for the East squad at running back. Hunter stands about 6'1", 220 lbs. and played multiple positions throughout his career at Conrad. His primary two positions were RB and MLB where he earned Class B All-State honors his junior and senior seasons. Hunter even brought more prowess on the wrestling mat, winning the 205-pound championship in Class B his junior season. He also qualified for state multiple times in track & field, specifically in the shot put. Hunter is a big-bodied kid who really impressed coaches with his versatility during summer camps before his senior season. One coach he really impressed was Mike Van Diest of Carroll College and Hunter later committed to be a Saint prior to Signing Day 2017 as a TE/LB.


Chasen Kipp of Heart Butte (5'9", 155 lbs.) will be the other East alternate at RB. Heart Butte competes in the 6-man classification for football so stats can get a little crooked from time to time. Points and yards are racked up at a rapid pace if the right mix of athletes are on the field at the same time. Chasen was a one man scoring machine in 2016 and two games really highlighted how exciting he was with the ball in his hands. In Week 2, he racked up 533 offensive yards for 8 touchdowns. But Chasen one-upped himself in Week 8 as he went off for 717 all-purpose yards (597 rushing/52 receiving/68 returning) with 11 touchdowns (8 rushing/2 receiving/1 returning). The 597 rushing yards is a 6-Man record. The most ridiculous part of these stats? These are good numbers for one season for a player and Chasen did it individually in two games. Obviously Chasen was named All-State for 6-Man his senior season but I do not know if he will pursue football in college. However, Chasen and three other Montana athletes represented their state & tribe, competing in the 9th Annual Native All-Star Football Classic down in Arlington, TX this past weekend.


Manny Rivera of Hamilton, MT is one of three alternates at RB for the West. The 1st-Team Class A All-State performer was the Class A leader in rushing yards and carries in 2016, amassing 1,352 yards on 233 carries along with 15 rushing touchdowns. Manny was not a game-breaker but he did an excellent job of moving the chains and gaining those tough yards between the tackles. In my opinion, Hamilton had one of the best (or at least biggest) offensive lines in Class A and Manny was the bell-cow back of that offense. He was also a state champion wrestler in Class A's 182-pound weight class. Looking at his stats and per carry average, one would think Manny is probably a big, bruising fullback but Rivera stands about 5'6", 160 lbs. Like most of these backs in the Shrine Game, he is a smaller back who packs a big punch. I do not know where Manny will be going to college.


Jacob Byrne is another West alternate at RB. The Missoula Loyola product is surprising one of the taller backs mentioned for the Shrine Game at 5'11", 170 lbs. The Class B All-State performer is one of the fastest backs in this crop and has some of the best lateral movement of any of the backs mentioned. Jacob is also very versatile as he was 1st or 2nd-team all-conference as a RB, P, K, and DB. In track & field, he excelled in the 100M dash (11.23 PR) and long jump (21'0") his senior season which showed off his athleticism. Jacob didn't have the eye-popping season stats as some of these other running backs but he was productive with the ball in his hands for the Rams, especially at finding the endzone.


Jake Knack is another alternate for the West at RB. To me, Jake was a snub for both the Badlands Bowl and East/West Shrine Game. He has the size (6'0", 200 lbs.), speed, and stats (see below) to back up a selection in either game and was left off each selection list from some reason. Regardless, it shouldn't take away from how great his career was at Ennis Mustang football player. Here are his career stats: 292 carries, 3092 rushing yards, 65 rushing touchdowns, 47 receptions, 858 receiving yards, 12 receiving touchdowns. His junior and senior seasons were almost identical. As a junior, Jake ran the ball 86 times for 1,025 yards for 23 touchdowns. As a senior, Jake ran the ball 87 times for 1,072 yards for 27 touchdowns to go along with 399 yards receiving and 7 touchdowns. The craziest thing about Jake's senior season is that Ennis was so dominant, he rarely played (if at all) in the 4th quarter so nearly all of his stats came in the 1st half of games. As an OLB, he averaged 13 tackles for a loss his final three seasons and amassed 107 solo tackles, 22 sacks, and three interceptions during his career. Overall, Jake is just a kid who gives max effort with the ball in hands and runs pissed off. If there was one kid the committee snubbed, it would be Jake in my opinion. Knack signed with Montana-Western on Signing Day 2017.

ADVANTAGE: West

The East definitely has the bigger running backs for this game as the West doesn't have a runner over 200 lbs. or 5'10" tall. Drew Keierleber leads the way as the biggest runner. I'm a big fan of Hayden Van Winkle as a runner and Shawn Schaefferkoetter is one of the more versatile athletes playing in this game. But the West quad is filled with relentless runners who are hard to tackle in the open field. I also believe the West has the better offensive line in this game. I like the group of backs for the East but I just like the West side a little more because of guys like Ryan Arntson and Matt Farrier. I also think the West has the better overall group of receivers out of the backfield so you can do more with them. In conclusion, my advantage goes to the West in regards to the RB position.

Thanks for the write ups VIM! Always cool to see some previews and stuff like this to give me something to read about and think about before fall camp starts. Keep it up, please!

Wide Receivers

Selections
East: Bailey Paddock - Bozeman
East: Tyler Burk - Miles City
East: Casey Cole - Laurel
East: Cantor Coverdell - Fairfield
East: Ryan Zentner - Bridger
West: Mitch Roberts - Missoula Sentinel
West: Kiley Caprara - Butte
West: Nate McGree - Butte Central
West: Matt Rensvold - Polson
West: Braxton Reiten - Columbia Falls

Alternates
East: Chaz Maddock - Billings West
East: Trey Mounts - Belgrade
East: Cleet Wrzesinkski - Baker
West: Nick Wakai - Missoula Big Sky
West: James Flannigan - Kalispell Flathead
West: Jacob Price - Frenchtown
West: Gabe Hupp - Dillon
West: Cole McCloud - Manhattan

SELECTIONS:


Bailey Paddock is the lone AA receiver on the East roster. The 2016 2nd-Team AA All-State WR caught 56 balls for 882 yards and four touchdowns last fall. He was also one of Bozeman's primary kick and punt returners. Bailey is about 5'11", 175 lbs. and he operated primarily out of the slot his senior season. As a WR, he shows a great mix of route running and run-after-the-catch ability. Bailey does a great job of finding soft spots in the middle of zone coverage, working with his quarterback to get open. He is also a heck of a baseball player for the Bozeman Bucks. College baseball may be in Bailey's future but nothing has been decided yet.


Tyler Burk hails from Miles City and was the #1 WR for the Custer County Cowboys the past few years. Tyler's 2016 season was one of the best in Class A catching 57 balls for 949 yards and 13 touchdowns. Against Belgrade this fall, Tyler hauled in nine catches for 257 yards and five touchdowns. He is also in several Top 10 Class A records for career receiving stats. Despite his 5'10", 160 lb. frame, Tyler has always been one of the better receivers at going up and getting the ball in traffic or making the tough catch. He's a good athlete and his primary events in track were the hurdles taking 5th in the 110 MH and 3rd in the 300MH at State A. Tyler went over 120 receptions, 2000 receiving yards, and 20 touchdowns in his career and he will be taking his talents to Dickinson State this fall. In my opinion, Tyler would've been a borderline FCS prospect if he had a little more speed. Regardless, great receiver and a great high school career.


Casey Cole, one of the most versatile football players in the state, will line up at WR for the East squad. The 6'1", 195 lb. athlete's senior season was unfortunately cut short only four games in. Against Sidney in Week 7, he broke his ankle so his senior stats halted at 33/52 passing for 509 yards and 8 touchdowns along with 45 rushes for 401 yards with 4 touchdowns. Basically, Casey was well on his way to another Class A All-State season at QB for the Laurel Locomotives, following up a breakout junior year. Casey was my #8 prospect in the pre-2016 season Top 10 list for Montana recruits. When healthy, he was one of the toughest players to stop in the entire state and Cats and Griz both had interest prior to his injury. He committed to Rocky Mountain for football in January 2017 but never signed on signing day. Later in the spring, Casey officially signed with the Montana Griz track & field program as a javelin thrower (Class A 2nd place in '16 & '17) with the notion he may have a chance to walk-on to the football team if he wanted to in the future. He is a really good football player and my only knock may be overall speed. He can be developed at several positions on offense and defense so if he does ever play football again...versatility equals value!


Cantor Coverdell of Fairfield is the lone Class B selection at WR for the East roster. A terrific three-sport athlete, Cantor excelled in everything he went out for in high school, especially football and track. In football, he was a key contributor on the 2015 State Championship squad and the 2016 team that fell to Missoula Loyola in the semis. Cantor is built well for the WR position at 6'2", 180 lbs. and was a playmaker on both sides of the ball in high school, earning Class B All-State honors his junior and senior seasons. Not only was he a star WR but also a hard-hitting OLB for the Eagles. As a WR, he has excellent hands and great breakaway speed in the open field. His junior and senior highlight film is littered with ridiculous catches whether it be on the sideline, in endzone, or going across the middle. However, his biggest contribution to Fairfield athletics his senior season was in track & field. Cantor's State B results were: 1st in 400M Relay (he was the anchor), 1st in Triple Jump (45' 5.25"), 2nd in Long Jump (21' 8.5"), 3rd in Discus (157'4"), and 2nd in Javelin (185'5"). So why wasn't Cantor considered a shoe-in FCS receiver? Probably because of his top-end speed, which always seems like the case with these Montana high schoolers. In my opinion, he makes up for his lack of top-end speed with overall athletic ability and football instincts. To my knowledge, he hasn't signed with any college team yet and may walk-on somewhere in-state for either track or football.


Ryan Zentner, an athlete from Bridger, will line up at WR as the only 6-man player on the entire East roster. Ryan, All-State his junior and senior seasons, was the best player on a Bridger Scouts team that made it to the 6-Man semifinals before losing out to Westby-Grenora. In 6-man, your best players usually can do it all and Ryan lined up everywhere. On offense, he caught 48 balls for 995 yards and 22 touchdowns while also rushing for three scores and passing for another. On defense, he played DE/OLB and unofficially had 89 tackles, 20 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, and 1 defensive touchdown. Ryan also has good size for the WR position at about 6'1", 180 lbs. He also excelled at basketball and track in high school and kudos to the committee for giving him a shot to play in this game. He looked good in the 6-Man All-Star game earlier this summer. But instead of football his future will be on the basketball court as he signed a letter of intent to play basketball for Rocky Mountain College in 2017.


Mitch Roberts will line up at WR for a second time this summer as he also played WR for Montana in the Badlands Bowl. He started at QB for his final two seasons at Missoula Sentinel and was dual-threat signal caller who wasn't afraid to tuck the ball and run. His senior season, he improved as a passer and threw for 1,583 yards with 11 touchdowns while running the ball 137 times for 483 yards and 4 touchdowns. However, he turned the ball over a bit too much as he threw 8 interceptions and lost three fumbles. Regardless, Mitch still earned 2nd-Team AA All-State at QB his senior season and was HM All-State his junior season. But QB was never going to be Mitch's position in college. College recruiters took notice while he was running all over the field for the Spartans in 2015 & 2016 as he was recruited as a WR because of his excellent overall athleticism. At 6'1", 180 lbs., his transition to WR should go smoothly and he already caught a touchdown this summer in the Badlands Bowl. Mitch signed with the Montana Grizzlies on Signing Day 2017 and will hope to follow in his brother Ben's footsteps as a WR.


Kiley Caprara put up a great senior season despite Butte's porous 2016 record. He caught 68 balls for 816 yards with 7 touchdowns in 2016. He also had a pick on defense and returned kicks for the Bulldogs. Kiley is not big, standing 5'10" and weighing about 150-160 lbs. But he wins as a WR with excellent route running ability and reliable hands. Kiley was one of the leaders in Class AA in receptions in 2016 and it happened because he was open regularly. He really excels in the short to intermediate passing game, especially on slant and out routes, and he beat all of the best DBs in AA in 2016 in some fashion. Kiley's senior year earned him 1st-Team AA All-State honors at WR, improving from HM AA All-State honors his junior season. Chuck Morrell took notice and convinced Kiley to sign with his hometown college, Montana Tech, as a WR.


Nate McGree's biggest contributions over the past two seasons for Butte Central came on the defensive side of the ball at safety. But he also was a big, physical RB/WR, catching 22 balls for 389 yards with 4 touchdowns and rushing for 323 yards on 67 carries with 8 touchdowns. His 92 points scored were 3rd in the Southwestern A conference, only behind Dillon's Troy Andersen and Hamilton's Manny Rivera. Nate has TE size at 6'3", 215 lbs. and played a hybrid role on offense & defense. On defense, he was primarily a strong safety but he came down in the box a lot to help in run support or cover a receiver in the slot. However, he was still solid in pass coverage, snagging five interceptions his junior season. Nate was Class A All-State at safety his junior and senior seasons and earned All-State at TE his senior season (even though he lined up at several positions on offense). He was also an All-State basketball player and state champion triple jumper for the Maroons along with being a 4.0 student so Nate was a borderline FCS prospect. Nate's brother Connor is a junior TE for the Carroll College Saints and Mike Van Diest sold Nate on playing with his brother. He signed with Carroll on Signing Day 2017 and Van Diest sees him as an athlete with the chance to develop at WR, TE, OLB, or FS.


Matthew Rensvold followed up a solid junior season with a monster senior season as a TE/WR for the Polson Pirates. He and QB Tanner Wilson were arguably the most dangerous QB/WR combo in the state last year as Tanner always looked to Matthew in crunch time. In 2016, he hauled in 56 catches for 1,025 yards with 12 receiving touchdowns. He was also a dominant defender at MLB and earned Class A All-State in 2015 and 2016 as a two-way player. As a receiver, he has natural pass catching ability and will be very dangerous in college because of it. At 6'4", 210 lbs., he runs really well and knows how to use his body to box out defenders for tough catches. Matthew was also an All-State center/power forward in basketball and a state placer in track during his final two years. Rensvold was one of the early in-state commits for the Montana Grizzlies last summer and officially signed with them in February. Matthew should excel at the H-Receiver position on the Grizzly offense and I see him as a potential multi-year All-Big Sky player.


Braxton Reiten was statistically the best receiver in Montana last fall. He hauled in a whopping 74 balls for 1,303 yards with 22 receiving touchdowns to go along with 3 kickoff return touchdowns in 2016. Braxton was a solid player his junior year but no one expected him to have the year he did in 2016. He put up video game numbers and averaged 17.61 per reception, earning Class A All-State honors, Great Falls Tribune Super-State recognition, a Badlands Bowl selction, and a Shrine Game Selection. It also helped that he didn't really have to play both ways last year, keeping him fresh on offense. The other two WRs for Columbia Falls (Trevor Hoerner - 52 catches, 791 yards, 8 touchdowns; Sean Miller - 24 catches, 494 yards, 8 touchdowns) were tough to cover as well so the entire receiving corps was a mismatch for nearly every team they faced in 2016. Braxton is most dangerous as a slot receiver as he has an excellent burst and regularly beats his opponents on a handful of short and deep routes. Braxton had some scholarship opportunities with in-state NAIA programs but he decided to take a PWO offer from the Montana Grizzlies after Signing Day 2017. He will start off his career competing at the Z-receiver position in Bob Stitt's system, which is a perfect fit for him at 5'9", 170 lbs.

ALTERNATES:


Chaz Maddock is a 6'1", 180 lb. WR/DB alternate from Billings West. He earned 2nd-Team AA All-State at both WR and DB in 2016 and was also an alternate for the Badlands Bowl. Chaz caught 38 balls for 567 yards with 3 receiving touchdowns in 2016. He also added two interceptions on defense. When Billings West QB Bryson Deming wasn't throwing to his twin brother Braydon, he was usually looking for Chaz on the outside. He has excellent hands, makes tough catches in traffic, and shows a knack for coming back for the ball on comeback or dig routes. I do not know if Chaz signed with a college team for football so if anyone knows, feel free to PM me or just post on here. Chaz is a good prospect so I'm interested to see where he goes.


Trey Mounts is a 5'9", 165 lb. WR/DB/Returner from Belgrade. He was a big reason why Belgrade made it to the Class A Playoff Semifinals this past fall mostly because of his contributions at multiple positions. Not only was Trey Belgrade's best receiver (23 catches, 512 yards, 9 touchdowns) but also their best defensive back and #1 return man. Actually, Trey was one of the best kickoff and punt returners in Montana last fall, totaling 603 yards on 19 kickoff returns and 268 yards on 13 punt returns. His 20.6 yards per punt return is very impressive at the Class A level. Trey earned Class A All-State recognition at WR in 2016 but he was Eastern A 1st-Team All-Conference at WR, DB, and Ret. Specialist. As a defensive back, he hauled in three interceptions in 2016 to go along with his five from 2015. As a WR, he is shifty and hard to tackle in the open field. He is built a lot like Braxton Reiten and they have similar playing styles. Trey received a scholarship from Montana-Western and he signed with them on Signing Day 2017. He will be a Bulldog this fall.


Cleet Wrzesinkski moved from Ennis to Baker his senior year and gave QB Luke Gonsioroski a weapon on the outside. Cleet has legit speed as his best 100M time in high school was 11.08. At the 2017 State B Track & Field meet in Butte, Cleet put on a show by placing 5th in the 100M, 1st in the 200M, 1st in the 110MH (14.65 - 3rd best time in the state), 1st in the 300MH (38.35 - 2nd best time in the state), and 1st in the Long Jump (22'1" - 5th best jump in the state). As a WR in 2016, he had 30 receptions for 750 yards with 11 receiving touchdowns and 1,267 total yards from scrimmage. Cleet was also a productive defensive back, earning 1st-Team 3B All-Conference at both WR & DB. He will compete in track & field and football for the Dickinson State Bluehawks in 2017.


James Flannigan comes from Kalispell Flathead. The 5'9", 170 lb. receiver earned 2nd-Team AA All-State in 2016, catching 48 balls for 802 yards and four receiving touchdowns. James plays very similar to guys like Bailey Paddock of the East and Kiley Caprara of the West. Like them, he runs great routes and knows how to find the soft spots in zone coverage. Kalispell did not have a very good offensive line in 2016 and it directly hindered their passing game because Bridger Johnson was a good quarterback. So for James to still be able to produce like he did for a team that struggled to throw the ball speaks volumes to what kind of a player he is. Flannigan will play football at DII Adams State this fall, signing with them in April 2017.


Nick Wakai is a 5'10", 165 lb. receiver from Missoula Big Sky. In back-to-back years, Nick earned 2nd-Team AA All-State honors at WR and Honorable Mention AA All-State honors at safety. His senior year, he caught 39 balls for 669 yards and four touchdowns in Missoula Big Sky's run-heavy scheme. Basically, if the Eagles threw the ball in 2016, about 70% of the time the ball was going in Nick's direction. The next closest player had six receptions on the year. Nick was a good deep threat throughout his high school career, finding ways to get behind the defense (usually on broken plays). His playing style is comparable to Braxton Reiten and Trey Mounts mostly for his ability to break tackles in the open field. Nick will hang up the cleets and attend the University of Indiana to pursue a Business Management degree.


Jacob Price was the lone Class A All-State member for Frenchtown in 2016. He earned the honor playing WR, catching 49 balls for 488 yards and 3 touchdowns while snagging three interceptions as a defensive back. Frenchtown had a tough year last fall but Jacob was a bright spot. He has a nice release off the line, runs crisp routes, and shows good short area quickness which really helps him get open at a consistent rate. A good word to use when describe Jacob as a receiver is "slippery" which is a compliment to his run-after-the- catch ability. The 6'0", 160 lb. athlete also had a successful track season, placing third in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump at the State A meet. His track & field ability led to an offer from the University of Montana T&F program and Jacob signed with them in 2017.


Gabe Hupp was the leading receiver for the State A Champion Dillon Beavers in 2016. In Coach Nordahl's run-heavy approach, receivers don't get a ton of opportunities to catch footballs. But Gabe produced 31 grabs for 331 yards and six receiving touchdowns. Troy Andersen looked for Gabe regularly as his #1 receiving target. Gabe certainly didn't have the production of Nate Simkins of the prior two years but he still got the job done in a system that requires its receivers to block a lot. Gabe was also an All-State return specialist averaging 26 yards per punt return (one going for a touchdown) and 25 yards per kickoff return in 2016. As a junior, Gabe was even better averaging 38.95 yards per punt return. In track and field, he placed 3rd at State A in the long jump going 21'3.75". I do not know where Gabe plans to go to school or if he plans to play football so if anyone knows, feel free to PM me or post on the board.


Cole McCloud is a Class B All-State WR/DB from Manhattan, MT. The 6'2", 180 lb. target had a big season for the Tigers with 62 receptions for 1,007 yards and 15 touchdowns. Cole was one of the top talents in the entire state at WR, mostly because of his leaping ability. He went 6'6" at State B Track & Field this past May and his film shows how well he can go up and snag the ball. On defense, he kind of played a mix of safety, corner, and outside linebacker, showing well in run support and pass coverage. Overall, Cole just looks like a good football player when he's on the field. He plays with a ton of confidence at WR and he isn't afraid to throw some blocks on the edge. Cole received late interest from MSU and UM but decided to sign with Montana Tech on Signing Day 2017. Again, another borderline FCS talent for Chuck Morrell and crew.

ADVANTAGE: West

Since there are five players for each side, here is who I think is better between comparable players on each side:

Braxton Reiten > Bailey Paddock
Kiley Caprara > Tyler Burk
Mitch Roberts > Ryan Zentner
Matthew Rensvold > Cantor Coverdell
Casey Cole > Nate McGree

I definitely think the East wide receivers are talented and good enough to make big contributions in this game. But the West has better talent and depth across the board in regards to wide receivers. They have two excellent slot receivers in Reiten & Caprara, two good outside receivers in Roberts & Rensvold, and one versatile receiver in Nate McGree who can create mismatches because of his size. Dakota Bridwell and Tanner Wilson are the West quarterbacks so Reiten and Rensvold already have instant chemistry with their QBs. I think it will be fun to see what Nate Dick, Callahan O'Reilly, and Dawson McGlothlin can get out of their East receivers because a few of them are underrated like Tyler Burk and Cantor Coverdell. But overall, the West has more talent at WR. I gotta give them the advantage.

Tight Ends

Selections

East: Pat Hardy - Fairview
West: Trevor Hoerner - Columbia Falls
West: Andrew Simon - Whitehall
West: Cooper Christensen - Twin Bridges

Alternates

East: James Olsen - CMR
East: Johnny Elliot - Billings Central
West: Taylor England - Helena High

SELECTIONS:


Pat Hardy is the lone TE selected for the East roster. The 6'2", 215 lb. receiver caught 114 balls for 1,882 yards and 27 receiving touchdowns throughout his career for the Fairview Warriors. His 727 yards and 13 touchdowns his senior year were career best marks. Pat is the younger brother of Greg (former All-Big Sky Griz TE) and Ben (current Griz receiver) Hardy and he lived up to his family heritage during high school. He earned Class C All-State honors on the gridiron three times during his career and also starred on the basketball team. According to MaxPreps, Pat was in on 121 tackles from his inside linebacker position during his senior year. Pat doesn't quite have the height of his two older brothers but he was just as productive in high school. He will attend and play football for Minot State this fall.


Trevor Hoerner (#4) is one of three selections at TE for the West. The 6'4", 225 lb. athlete lined up at multiple positions on offense for Columbia Falls over the past three years. His senior season, Trevor hauled in 52 receptions for 791 yards and 8 touchdowns which was good for third in the Northwestern A conference. Despite his stellar offensive production, he was the team's Defensive MVP as a junior and senior, starting at middle linebacker. On offense, Trevor is tough to bring down after the catch and it isn't like he's just a big bruiser just because of his size. He's actually a very smooth runner and there is a highlight in his junior film where he takes a screen 40 yards for a touchdown where he effortlessly hurdles a defender at the 10-yard line without breaking stride. On defense, he really improved between his junior and senior season. His junior season, he played very aggressive but too many times went for the big hit instead of using his long arms and wrapping up the defender. Trevor took his defensive play to another level his senior season where it really felt like he was seeing the whole field from his middle linebacker position, picking off three passes along with being in on over 100 tackles. He signed with UM on Signing Day 2017 and will develop as a defensive end in the Griz football program.


Andrew Simon (#11) comes from Whitehall, MT where he starred at WR, TE, and MLB for the Whitehall/Harrison Trojan football program. Andrew (6'2", 215 lbs.) broke a MHSA receiving record during his junior season for receiving yards in a game (hauled in 12 catches for 307 yards receiving against Townsend). His best year statistically came as a senior where he caught 69 balls for 1,193 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns along with 120 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown. In his career, he amassed 2,323 yards receiving on 128 catches for 23 touchdowns. Defensively, Andrew shined as a linebacker, racking up 312 tackles, 11 TFL's, 17 sacks, and 1 interception throughout his high school career. As a player, he is a rock solid football player who plays aggressively on offense and defense, rarely shying away from contact. As a receiver, he really understands how operate with the ball in space and the angle he needs to take to beat a defender. As a linebacker, he excels at timing blitzes and sifting through the crowd to make a tackle. I believe Andrew was one of the more under-recruited players in the state last year and that's likely because of his speed (rinse & repeat on that rhetoric) but he was extremely productive in a tough Class B conference his final two seasons. I do not know where he plans on attending college so if anyone knows, feel free to PM me or post on the thread.


Cooper Christensen is the biggest TE playing in the 2017 Shrine Game. The 6'5", 250 lb. future Montana Tech Oredigger was a two-time All-State TE/DE for the Twin Bridges Falcons. Whether it was catching passes, blocking defensive ends, or chasing down quarterbacks, Cooper was regularly the largest kid on the field during his playing career for the Falcons. His film shows a kid who moves well for his size and catches the tough passes. His future head coach, Chuck Morrell, sums up Cooper's potentially in this quote from a Damon Turbitt (Montana Sports) article: “He’s got some outstanding potential. He’s got a tremendous frame on him. He runs well for a big guy, there’s no doubt about that, watching him play basketball and getting up and down the court, and I think his ceiling is really high.” Cooper received some interest from the Bobcats prior to his senior season after some stellar camp performances but a legit offer never came. He wants to be an engineer so Montana Tech is an excellent fit academically and athletically.

ALTERNATES:


James Olsen (#84 blocking) was one of the primary receiving threats for the CMR Rustlers in 2016. Due to a lack of a running game, CMR threw the ball a ton last fall. Overall, the program had a down year as they missed the playoffs just two years after making the championship game. However, Olsen had a solid season as a receiver and he shined against good competition. One of his best games was in an upset victory over then undefeated Kalispell Glacier. Olsen hauled in 4 catches for 84 yards with 2 receiving touchdowns. A couple weeks later, CMR surprised everyone by taking a 13-0 lead against #1 Billings Senior in the 1st half and Olsen was the receiver who caught the first touchdown of that game. Of course Senior roared back to win 30-13 but it still proves my point that Olsen was a solid TE last year that played well in big games. On film, Olsen ran seem routes with purpose and was one of the best in the state at attacking the seems against AA defenses last year. He earned 2nd-Team AA All-State honors last fall while also starting at center for the basketball team. I do not know where he plans on attending college so if anyone knows, feel free to PM me or post on the thread.


Johnny Elliot is a Billings Central product and is one of two TE alternates for the East. Johnny earned Class A All-State honors at TE his senior season despite only catching three balls for 18 yards and one touchdown. However, he was one of the best blocking TE's in Class A which is a key ingredient in Billings Central's run-heavy scheme. The 6'3", 195 lb. TE/DE also had a decent senior season on defense, racking up 30 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Johnny's older sister, Jackie, was a star basketball player for MSU several years ago and I believe Johnny will be attending MSU-Bozeman for college (but as a student).


Taylor England was so highly regarded as a TE in AA last year that the 6'6", 215 lb. target earned 1st-Team AA All-State honors despite only playing in five games because of injury. According to MaxPreps, he still hauled in 10 catches for 119 yards and 1 touchdown. But head coach Tony Arntson had this to say on what his former TE meant to the run game: "Obviously, our offensive line is playing well. But Taylor is a difference maker. He’s as good a blocker as we have. He can pull, he’s physical at the point of attack, and he can go out and attack corners. He’s hard for those corners to deal with." When Helena High passed the ball last year, most of the production went to WR Derrick Olsen but England was always good for a couple nice catches every game he played. Despite his football prowess, Taylor is an even better basketball player and he accepted a scholarship to play power forward for Montana Tech.

ADVANTAGE: West

This position advantage summary is kind of lopsided because only one player is getting the "TE" moniker for the East while three very good TE's will line up for the West. The offensive schemes are different for both teams as the West side is being coached by Tony Arntson who has one primary philosophy on offense: run the ball. So him loading up on three players like Hoerner, Simon, and Christensen doesn't surprise me. For the East side, it also isn't surprising that only one TE was selected because Coach Chris Murdock of Billings Senior doesn't really use a TE. Pat Hardy will be more of a fullback in this game or split out playing WR. Based off scheme and personnel, the West has the advantage in a landslide at the TE position.

Offensive Tackles

Selections

East: Bridger Lohman - Bozeman
East: Justin Pfeifer - Cut Bank
East: Logan Bandy - St. Francis (Calgary, CA)
West: Daniel Stockton - Helena High
West: Tyler Packer - Notre Dame (Calgary, CA)

Alternates

East: Cullen Roll - Billings Senior
East: Cole Ayers - Lewistown
East: O'Shon Old Mouse - Colstrip
West: Zach Baker - Columbia Falls

SELECTIONS:


Bridger Lohman is a 6'3", 245 lb. offensive tackle from Bozeman. The two-time 2nd-Team AA All-State performer will line up at tackle for the second time this summer as Bridger also started at tackle in the Badlands Bowl. He was a key part of the 2015 Class AA Championship team, opening up holes for Balue Chapman and Trace Bradshaw. Bridger could play either tackle spot in this game. I do not know if Bridger will be playing college football or not but he has decent size as a prospect.


Justin Pfeifer has had a busy summer so far as he will be playing in his third All-Star game. He previously played for the North team in the Class B All-Star game and Montana in the Badlands Bowl. Justin is built like a rock at 6'0", 270 lbs. but he has underrated athleticism, earning All-State his senior year for Cut Bank on both sides of the ball. He had a stellar performance in the Badlands Bowl last month, going up against some large North Dakota boys and handling himself well. Justin was also a championship caliber wrestler for the Wolves in high school and many thought he would choose wrestling over football in college. But his passion for football won out as he signed with MSU-Northern on Signing Day 2017.


Logan Bandy is one of two Canadian selections on the offensive line in this game. Logan is a 6'5", 270 lb. tackle from Calgary, Alberta where he played for St. Francis High School. From his film, Logan played along the defensive line as a stand-up defensive end and at left tackle on offense. He has excellent length, plays with good physicality, and gives the East some much needed length on the offensive line in this game. Logan is a future University of Calgary Dino. The Dinos are part of the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA or Canada West) which is one of the four major college athletic associations in Canada. So basically the CWUAA is the Pac-12 of Canada.


Daniel Stockton hails from Helena High School. The 6'1", 230 lb. tackle earned 1st-Team AA All-State honors in 2016 and 2nd-Team honors in 2015. Daniel is tough kid that played with a broken hand for most of his senior season with a visibly wrapped left hand that looked like a club. His film shows off how consistent he is with his technique and physicality. Daniel was rarely out of position his senior season and was without a doubt one of the best tackles in the state despite his broken hand. Helena High was one of the best running teams in the state in 2016 with Ryan Arntson breaking team records left and right. Daniel was a big reason why the Bengals run game was so potent. I do not know about his future college plans but feel free to PM me or post on the thread if you know.


Tyler Packer is the other Canadian lineman playing in the game. The 6'7", 295 lb. monster tackle played for Notre Dame High School in Calgary, AB. On film, Tyler is a tall, long-levered offensive tackle that plays with excellent aggression and technique. He loves to finish with authority. On one play he blocks the defensive end into the linebacker on the second level and knocks both of them down. In my opinion, he is the best Canadian prospect to ever play in this game and East's front seven will have their hands full with Tyler. Like East selection Logan Bandy, Tyler is a future University of Calgary Dinos football player.

ALTERNATES:


Cullen Roll was the right tackle for the 2016 Class AA State Champion Billings Senior Broncs. The 6'2", 220 lb. tackle earned 1st-Team AA All-State honors his senior season to go along with HM All-State honors his junior season. Cullen was one of the more undersized lineman in AA last year but he didn't play like it never backing down from a challenge. His max effort didn't go unnoticed as he signed with Dickinson State on Signing Day 2017 where he will get a chance to compete on the offensive or defensive line.


Cole Ayers (on left) is one of two lineman earned Shrine Game recognition from Lewistown, MT (Sam Butcher is a selection at OG). The 6'2", 235 lb. lineman earned All-State honors his senior season for the Fergus Golden Eagles at offensive guard and defensive tackle. Cole also was the starting center for the basketball team in high school. I do not know about Cole's future college plans.


O'Shon Old Mouse is a two-time All-State lineman from Colstrip, MT. O'Shon is built more like a guard at 5'11", 235 lbs. but he excelled at multiple spots on the offensive line during his high school career. He was also an accomplished wrestler in high school, sporting a 33-17 record going into the State B tournament this past February. O'Shon lost out to East selection Justin Pfeifer. I do not know about Cole's future college plans.


Zach Baker (#75) had some tough luck his senior year as an injury sidelined him for all but one game. Heading into the 2016 season, Zach was coming off an All-State junior year at offensive tackle for Columbia Falls and multiple colleges had interest in the 6'5", 275 lb. lineman. His junior film shows a kid who moves really well for his size and is a force in the run game. Despite missing out on Columbia Falls special 2016 season, Zach still earned an offer from Montana-Western and will line up for the Bulldogs in the fall.

ADVANTAGE: West

Based off film, the two tackles for the West have a slight edge over Lohman, Pfeifer, and Bandy. Lohman and Pfeifer both played on the offensive line for the winning Montana team in the Badlands Bowl so they have game experience with Nate Dick and Callahan O'Reilly at QB. Overall, I think the big Canadian, Tyler Packer, tilts this one in the West's favor. Putting him at left tackle and Daniel Stockton at right tackle gives the West some solidification at the two tackle positions across the offensive line. Also, they are both excellent run blockers so it fits what coach Tony Arntson is trying to run for the West.

Offensive Guards

Selections

East: Sam Butcher - Lewistown
East: Robb Braden - Wibaux
West: David Hann - Missoula Big Sky
West: Jaylen Taggart - Hamilton
West: Zak Karlin - Columbia Falls
West: Owen Davis - Eureka

Alternates

East: Emmit Bartsch - Billings Senior
East: Garrett Fritz - Power/Dutton/Brady
West: Garret Hunt - Corvallis
West: Joe Fehr - Eureka

SELECTIONS:


Sam Butcher brings his 6'0", 230 lb. frame to the interior of the East offensive line. The Lewistown, MT native earned Class A All-State honors at OG and DT. In 8 games his senior year, he racked up 30 solo tackles, 6 TFLs, and 1 sack from his DT position. Sam was a good offensive guard in high school but he will take his talents to Montana Tech as a defensive tackle this fall.


Robb Braden is the other starting offensive guard for the East squad. Robb (6'2", 230 lb.) was a two-time Class C All-State OG for the Wibaux Longhorns. Wibaux won the 2014 Class C 8-Man championship when Robb was a sophomore and lost out in the quarterfinals (2015) & semifinals (2016) so he was part of many successful teams during his high school career. According to MaxPreps, he accumulated 152 tackles his junior and senior seasons so he was productive defensively.


David Hann was the only 1st-Team AA All-State performer on the 2016 Missoula Big Sky Eagles. The 6'0", 270 lb. lineman was a dominant offensive guard who excelled in the run game, which is what Big Sky does best. QB Levi Janacaro led AA in rushing yards during the regular season (Drew Turner and Ryan Arntson finished with more because of the playoffs) and David was a big reason why. His film is littered with pancake blocks and good overall guard play that any offensive line coach would appreciate. David also started at guard in the Badlands Bowl. He didn't receive much FCS interest because of his height so Chuck Morrell offered him a scholarship to attend Montana Tech for school and football. David signed with the Orediggers on Signing Day 2017.


Jaylen Taggart is moving inside for the Shrine game as he was an offensive tackle for most of his high school career. The 6'4", 240 lb. Hamilton product is a big, strong kid who was Class A All-State both ways in 2016 and 2015. As an offensive lineman, he plays with great leverage for a kid his height and always keeps his feet moving while driving a defender off the ball in the run game. Defensively, he gives relentless effort and plays aggressive yet smart from the DE position. Jaylen took his time with the recruitment process but after legitimate offers never came from UM or MSU, he decided to sign with the Montana Tech Orediggers on signing day.He has the frame and skillset to develop at offensive tackle or defensive end. However, Chuck Morrell wants to develop Jaylen at TE so he can tap into his athleticism to go along with his already excellent run-blocking prowess. In my opinion, Jaylen is a legitimate FCS prospect who was looked over by both in-state schools.


Zak Karlin is a 6'2", 277 lb. offensive guard from 2016 Class A Runner-Up Columbia Falls. He earned All-State honors his senior season and was an All-Conference performer his junior season. Zak excelled in the run game while also playing a solid DT his senior season. His offensive line play earned him an offer from Montana Tech and he signed with the Orediggers on Signing Day 2017.


Owen Davis comes from Eureka, MT. He is a 6'3", 275 lb. lineman who was All-State for the 2016 Class B State Champs. Owen played both ways in high school but was at his best on the offensive line. He also excelled in track throwing the shot put about 49 feet and placing third at State B his senior year. Not to sound like a broken record but Chuck Morrell offered Owen after signing day and he accepted a spot on the Orediggers. Five of the six offensive guards playing in the Shrine Game signed with Montana Tech for football (though Sam Butcher will be a DT and Jaylen Taggart will be a TE).

ALTERNATES:


Emmit Bartsch (#50) eanred 1st-Team AA honors at offensive guard his senior season for Billings Senior. He's a little undersized at guard (6'1", 215 lbs.) but he is a strong kid who also excelled at DE his senior year. Emmit was a versatile lineman for Billings Senior over their past two championship caliber seasons. If you ask Chris Murdock, he'll tell you how much he's going to miss Emmit next year because of his versatility. Remember kids, always be willing to play multiple positions because (1) you will see the field more and (2) you become a better overall player. Emmit was also a standout discus thrower placing 5th at State AA with a throw of 156'1".


Garrett Fritz (#4) was a FB, OG, & MLB for Class C 8-Man Power/Dutton/Brady but he was selected as an alternate at guard for the Shrine Game. Garrett had a standout senior season, earning All-State in a tough conference. He has good size at 6'3", 235 lbs. and isn't afraid of contact. The best thing about bigger athletes in Class C is how they get to play other positions than just OL/DL and Garrett was fun to watch with the ball in his hands or making tackles. He will get to continue play guard in college as Garrett signed with Montana Tech on Signing Day 2017.


Garret Hunt is a 6'2", 265 lb. lineman from Corvallis, MT. He earned All-State honors at OG his senior year while also playing DE/DT on defense. Even though Corvallis didn't have a lot of success on the football field during Garret's career, he was a state champion wrestler his senior year. He was the Class A Heavyweight champion pinning Browning's Wacey Zuback in the title match.


Joe Fehr (wrestler on right) is another Eureka Lion getting recognition for the Shrine Game, getting an alternate selection at OG. The 6'3", 210 lb. athlete played guard and defensive end for the Class B champion, earning All-State honors in 2016. Though he was only an alternate selection for this game, Joe was a starter at DE for the Montana squad in the Badlands Bowl, where he tallied a sack. He was a good Class B offensive lineman in high school but defensive end was his best position. Joe also was a standout wrestler placing 2nd in the 205 lb. weight-class at State B. MSU-Northern noticed his ability and offered Joe a scholarship to play football for the Lights. Joe signed with them on Signing Day 2017 where he will get to continue to develop at DE.

ADVANTAGE: West

Like the tackles breakdown, the West simply has more talent than the East. The starting guard combo of Hann and Taggart should allow coach Tony Arntson to run the ball effectively up the middle. On top of that, the two backups (Karlin and Davis) are over 270 lbs. who can lean on you in the run game. Sam Butcher and Robb Braden are two tough kids who won't be afraid to mix it up for the East squad. But overall, the West is loaded at offensive guard.

When it's all done, you should compare coaching staffs and given an edge there as well

Centers

Selections

East: Blade Miller - Billings West
East: Geln Ferguson - Cascade
West: Todd Nordahl - Dillon

Alternates

East: Noah Casares - Billings Senior
East: Zak Ray - Great Falls High
East: Riley Conley - Miles City

SELECTIONS:


Blade Miller is a 5'10", 250 lb. center from Billings West. Blade was a unanimous 1st-Team AA All-State center his senior season and was selected to the Badlands Bowl and Shrine Game. He's a tough-as-nails blocker in both pass protection and run blocking. His height and strength combo make him a tough matchup for defensive tackles as he can get under guys quickly. As a defensive tackle, he pushed centers into the backfield nearly every game in 2016. Blade was the starting center in the Badlands Bowl and his line-mates helped Montana earn a decisive 65-0 victory. Dickinson State liked what they saw from Blade at center and he signed with the Bluehawks on Signing Day 2017. Good get for Coach Stanton.


Glen Ferguson is a big, lumbering OG/MLB from Class C 8-Man Cascade. The 6'3", 230 lb. Badger got selected at center for the East squad, giving them some versatility on the line as Glen can play multiple positions. He was arguably the most dominant lineman in Class C in 2016 and earned All-State his senior season. He was also a standout wrestler, taking 4th in the Heavyweight class at State B/C. Glen is not the fastest athlete as the quicker teams ate up Cascade on the outside but teams definitely struggled up the middle against the Badger defense mostly due to Glen's presence. He shined on the offensive line in the 8-Man All-Star game this summer but I do not know what Glen's college plans are. If anyone knows, feel free to PM me or post on the thread. Glen also gets bonus "football player" points for his hair game.


Todd Nordahl was the only player selected at the center position for the West squad. The 6'0", 220 lb. center from Dillon, MT earned All-State his senior season as well as being selected for the Badlands Bowl. Todd also started at MLB for the 2016 Class A Champs. He's a smart football player and understands how to play center at an All-State level. The Beavers always run the ball at a high rate and Todd was the lineman leading the charge in 2016 as Dillon had a lot of success running the ball between the tackles. Todd will get to play for his hometown college, accepting an offer to attend Montana-Western as a student-athlete.

ALTERNATES:


Noah Casares was the starting center on one of the most explosive offensive units in Class AA history. Billings Senior was unstoppable in 2016 and Noah was the kid who handled the ball first every play. Noah (5'11", 215 lbs.) earned Honorable Mention AA All-State at center his senior season.


Zak Ray is from Great Falls High School. The 6'1", 250 lb. lineman earned Honorable Mention AA All-State honors at center his senior season.


Riley Conley comes from the Class A ranks. The 6'0", 215 lb. Miles City Cowboy earned Class A All-State honors at center and all-conference honors at center & defensive tackle. He was also selected as an alternate to the Badlands Bowl at center.

ADVANTAGE: East

The West only chose one center for this game but Todd Nordahl should play well. But the East has Blade Miller who I believe was the best center in the state in 2016. Pairing him up with Glen Ferguson gives the East two good options in the middle of the offensive line. The East gets the advantage at center.