The Bobcat Nation

Defensive Ends

Selections
East: Luke Poetzl - Billings Senior
East: Chandler Allen - Fairfield
East: Brett Delp - Circle
West: Connor Rauckhorst - Missoula Sentinel
West: Eric James - Dillon
West: McKenzie Holt - Thompson Falls
West: Ty Morgan - Ennis

Alternates
East: Alex Cunningham - CMR
East: Cade Wessel - Bozeman
East: Kyler Rogers - Belgrade
West: Jarrett Kessler - Kalispell Glacier
West: Ethan Jones - Missoula Sentinel
West: Caelen Cummings - Helena Capital
West: Brian LaFond - Butte

SELECTIONS:


Luke Poetzl is a 6'5", 225 talent from Billings Senior. The OT/DE was one of the best two-way lineman over the past two seasons at the Class AA level, earning 1st-Team AA All-State at OT in 2015 and 2016 along with earning 1st-Team at DE in 2016. He was the starting left tackle in the Badlands Bowl for Montana. As an offensive tackle, Luke rarely got beat and the only player that maybe got him a few times was Jaxen Hashley (Luke also beat Jaxen his fair share). He was the best offensive tackle in the state last year and could have easily developed into an excellent one in college. On defense, Luke uses his long arms and strength to his advantage, standing up offensive lineman and owning the line of scrimmage. He was also athletic enough to dip his shoulder and get around the edge in pass rushing situations. Overall, I was always impressed with Luke's tape his junior and senior seasons and he was the only recruit in my "Top 20 Montana Recruits of 2017" list that didn't sign with a college to play football. He was definitely good enough to play at either FCS in-state school. Instead, you can read about Luke's future plans in this excellent Billings Gazette article by Kyle Hansen: http://billingsgazette.com/sports/high- ... 43858.html.


Chandler Allen is a 6'2", 200 lbs. athlete from Farfield, MT. I call him an athlete because that's what he is as a football player. Chandler played everywhere on offense and defense for Fairfield for three years. The past two years, Chandler was an All-State performer at TE/WR and DE. Allen was an integral piece of Fairfield's 2015 State B Championship squad but his best effort was saved for his last Eagle game in my opinion. Fairfield lost in the semifinals to Missoula Loyola, 24-21, but Chandler put up a monster performance on offense finishing with 9 catches for 227 yards and two touchdowns. He played WR for the Montana squad in the Badlands Bowl but will line up at DE for the Shrine Game. Chandler got interest from both the Cats and Griz as a PWO but eventually accepted a scholarship to play for Montana Tech.


Brett Delp is a Circle, MT product who started at QB and DE during his high school career. The 6'3", 195 lb. 8-man standout will line up at DE for the East squad., giving the East three DE's with excellent length and athleticism. Brett was the star QB for the Wildcats, leading his team to the quarterfinals where they lost to Belt, 33-28. Belt was a heavy favorite in the game but Circle almost pulled off the upset thanks in part to Delp's play. Brett also excelled in basketball and track in high school. I'm not sure about Brett's college plans but I think he could turn into a decent TE in college as he has a lot of room to fill out. I've heard he may walk-on to MSU or just be going there for school.


Connor Rauckhorst is a 6'0", 210 lb. defensive end from Missoula Sentinel. He earned 2nd-Team AA All-State honors at defensive end and special teamer. At defensive end, Connor was a disruptive force at the line of scrimmage and in the backfield. He had well over 10 tackles for a loss during his senior year and was excellent against the run. As a pass-rusher, he displayed a swim move that was hard to stop along with a speed rush around the edge, using his hands to get the tackles off his body. Connor is a good football player but I do not know his college plans. If anyone knows, let me know as I would like to see how he develops.


Eric James is a 6'4", 215 lb. OL/DE from Dillon, MT. He earned Class A All-State honors at DE his senior season and 2nd-Team Southwestern A All-Conference honors at DE his junior season. Eric doesn't have the best athleticism but he makes up for it with great effort and strength. He is your standard strong-side defensive end that can hold his own at the line of scrimmage and stop the run. Eric will travel north to Butte for college as he signed with Montana Tech on Signing Day 2017 as a DL.


McKenzie Holt is one of the athletic freaks of the 2017 signing class out of Montana. The 6'4", 235 lb. athlete played RB, WR, TE, DE, and MLB in high school for Thompson Falls. He earned All-State honors at RB his senior season and put up monster numbers in 8 games: 116 carries for 1,316 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. On defense, he was a tackling machine averaging about 12-15 tackles per game since his junior season. McKenzie also excelled in track and field during his high school career, placing second in discus with a throw of 165'9" and 6th in shot put with a throw of 46'.5" at the State B meet. He also ran a sub 12 second 100m dash in high school which will be plenty fast for a kid his size. Bob Stitt liked what he saw from McKenzie at a Grizzly 2016 summer camp and offered a partial scholarship. McKenzie accepted and signed with the Griz on Signing Day 2017 under the position of "ATH". In my opinion, McKenzie is a future DE where he can use his straight-line speed, long arms, and strength all at the line of scrimmage.


Ty Morgan (making the tackle) is another athletic freak coming from Class C 8-man Ennis. The 6'5", 230 lb. lineman earned All-State honors his junior and senior seasons on the offensive and defensive lines for the Ennis Mustangs as well as being selected for the Badlands Bowl & Shrine Game. If you got to YouTube and watch the "Ennis MT Football Highlight 2016" video, you will see #77 flattening opposing players left and right and running all over the field as a blocker on offense. Ty also was the starting center on the basketball team and was a multiple state champion thrower for the track & field team. His senior year, he won the shot put with a throw of 55'9.25", won the discus with a throw of 154'9", and was the anchor on the 1st place 400M Relay. Ty's 1st place shot put throw was the 4th best throw in the state in 2017 at any level. Montana State saw a future defensive lineman at the FCS level and offered Ty a preferred walk-on spot on the team in 2017. Ty accepted and signed with MSU on Signing Day 2017.

ALTERNATES:


Alex Cunningham (#35) comes from Great Falls, MT where he played for the CMR Rustlers. He earned Honorable Mention AA All-State honors at DE but was used as more of a hybrid DE/OLB. Alex played primarily linebacker for his first three years and moved to DE mostly due to injuries and overall roster depth. I don't think Alex will be playing college football but he had the talent, especially in the frontier conference. He's a quick twitch athlete could've translated to the college ranks at OLB.


Cade Wessel is a Bozeman, MT product who played TE, DE, and OLB during his high school career. The 6'4", 200 lb. athlete earned 1st-Team AA All-State at DE in 2016, Honorable Mention AA All-State at TE in 2016, and 2nd-Team AA All-State at OLB in 2015. He was a key starter for the 2015 Bozeman Hawks championship squad at OLB and TE. Cade also had a lot of success at throwing the javelin in high school, winning the Class AA title in 2016 with a throw of 185'5" and the 2015 title with a throw of 191'5". Cade received an offer of appointment from the U.S. Naval Academy and accepted it so congratulations to Mr. Wessel on his future service in the armed forces.


Kyler Rogers is a 6'3", 240 lb. lineman from Belgrade, MT. He earned Class A All-State honors as a defensive tackle his senior season. According to MaxPreps, he totaled 46 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, and 2 sacks his senior season for the Panthers where they fell to Columbia Falls in the State A Semifinals. He was also the teams kickoff specialist with a long of 60 yards. Kyler also was a standout offensive lineman earning 1st-Team All-Conference honors in 2016.


Jarrett Kessler was a two-way starter on the offensive/defensive line for Kalispell Glacier in 2016. He earned Honorable Mention AA All-State honors at offensive guard and defensive end his senior season. Jarrett (6'4", 230 lbs.) was an integral piece of the Wolfpack's potent run game, blocking for RB Drew Turner and QB Tadan Gilman in 2016. Defensively, he teamed up with Jaxen Hashley to make one of the better pass-rushing duos in AA.


Ethan Jones is another Missoula Sentinel DE product. The 6'1", 200 lb. TE/DE was solid two-way player for the Spartans in 2016, earning Honorable Mention AA All-State honors at TE and DE. On offense, Ethan hauled in 14 receptions for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns. On defense, Ethan wreaked havoc as a pass-rushing specialist opposite of West selection Connor Rauckhorst. Montana Tech saw a future for Ethan somewhere on the Oredigger roster and offered Jones as an ATH. Ethan ended up signing with Tech on Signing Day 2017.


Caelen Cummings is the most undersized defensive end out of any defensive lineman on the roster (selection or alternate). However, the 5'10", 185 lb. product from Helena Capital played more of a hybrid role for the Bruins and turned in a 1st-Team AA All-State performance at defensive end. He racked up 57 solo tackles, 10 TFLs, and 10 sacks his senior season. Caelen's story is interesting as he didn't play his junior season and almost didn't play his senior season before being convinced by his teammates to strap on the pads one last time.


Brian LaFond (#23) is a 6'4", 190 lb. pass-rusher from Butte, MT. He earned 2nd-Team AA All-State honors at DE in 2016, leading AA with 11.5 sacks (unofficially because MaxPreps doesn't have updated info for every AA team). Regardless, he really improved his pass-rushing skills his senior season. His length and burst off the line were a hard combo to stop for opposing offensive tackles as he also tallied 32 solo tackles and 12 tackles for a loss. Brian had a great senior year that earned him looks from every NAIA school in the state. He accepted an offer from Chuck Morrell of Montana Tech and will join the Oredigger program this fall as a DE.

ADVANTAGE: East

This one was tough because both side's defensive ends have good length and talent. In my opinion, the East has the best defensive end playing in this game in Luke Poetzl while the West has two athletic freaks in McKenzie Holt and Ty Morgan. The East's Chandler Allen and Brett Delp are a little undersized in weight terms but have good athleticism. Connor Rauckhorst and Eric James are relentless effort guys who are great against the run. But I think the East has good run-stuffers listed at DT so they wash out Connor and Eric. In this game, I think it comes down to the best players on each side so I say the combo of Poetzl and Allen will be a better duo than Holt and Morgan. Holt and Morgan have more athleticism and size but Poetzl and Allen have made plays in big games against some of the best competition. Allen and Holt are both Class B but Allen has played deep in the Class B playoffs nearly every season and made plays against some great Class B teams. Also, Holt is raw as a DE since he mostly played LB in high school. Would it surprise me if Holt and Morgan tear it up in this game? Absolutely not. But I'm going with the proven performers over the more talented prospects.

Good write up Vim. Love the picture of Brett in a Bobcat shirt You didn't mention it, but do you happen to know what Kyler Rogers is pursuing since he graduated? He seems like a pretty good DT and football player in general. Curious why he wasn't signed by anybody

Defensive Tackles

Selections
East: Hayden Hegg - Billings Senior
East: Austin Kirchner - CMR
East: Brenley Steinbeisser - Sidney
East: Reece Hutton - Harlem
West: Daniel Mousso - Hamilton
West: Cordell McGinely - Dillon

Alternates
East: Cade Overstreet - Billings Central
East: Kaino Dole - Huntley Project
West: Colten Bonney - Columbia Falls
West: Kayne Cobban - Anaconda

SELECTIONS:


Hayden Hegg had a breakout senior season for the State Champion Billings Senior Broncs. The 6'1", 225 lb. disruptor wreaked havoc along the line of scrimmage all season and earned 1st-Team AA All-State honors plus selections to the Badlands Bowl and Shrine Game in 2016. I don't have his official stats but from his film I see 5+ sacks and a pile of tackles for a loss. Most of Hayden's effectiveness comes on pure effort and a relentless motor. Dickinson State saw a future defensive lineman and offered Hayden a scholarship to play for the Bluehawks. Hayden accepted and signed on Signing Day 2017.


Austin Kirchner is a 6'0", 245 lbs. defensive lineman from CMR. Austin was an Honorable Mention AA All-State selection at DT his senior season. The short, quick lineman had one of the quickest first steps of any defensive tackle in the state last year and used it to his advantage every snap. Austin will get to develop his abilities at MSU-Northern who he signed with in February 2017.


Brenley Steinbeisser is a OL/DL from Sidney, MT. Brenley earned All-State honors as a OL/DL for the Eagles as well as getting selected to the Badlands Bowl and Shrine Game. The 6'2", 235 lb. lineman was extremely valuable to the football program over the past few seasons, lining up all over the offensive and defensive lines when needed. As a defensive lineman, he had over 100 tackles the past two seasons from the interior of the defensive line which is impressive.
Brenley is a kid who might not be the best athlete but he makes up for it with good strength, smarts, and effort. I don't think Brenley plans on playing college football so good luck to him in his high school finale.


Reece Hutton comes from Class B Harlem, MT. The 6'1", 220 lb. two-way lineman earned Class B All-State honors the past two seasons as well as being a State B champion shot put thrower. Reece has a huge motor on the defensive line and has great strength to boot. He was on some poor Harlem teams in high school but he has been one of the top players in 2B for several seasons. Dickinson State got a late signing out of Reece post Signing Day to play football and be a thrower on the track & field team.


Daniel Mousso is the biggest defensive tackle playing in the Shrine Game. The 6'4", 265 lb. Hamilton product earned Class A All-State honors his senior season which included 79 tackles and 14 sacks. His video shows a kid who plays physical at the line of scrimmage and getting to the quarterback. He uses his hands well for a high school DT and keeps his feet moving on OL contact. Daniel was very productive his senior year but it didn't garner him any offers from UM or MSU. But Montana-Western saw the potential, offered a scholarship, and Daniel signed with the Bulldogs on Signing Day.


Cordell McGinley is another Dillon, MT product. The 6'2", 210 lb. athlete was an undersized defensive tackle for the Beavers but Cordell was a force in the middle with his athleticism. He also doubled as Dillon's kickoff specialists averaging about 50 yards a kickoff. Cordell also excelled in track but probably not at the position everyone would think. Cordell was a state placer in the high jump and had a personal best of 6'5" last season...which is usually a great jump for a WR prospect. Anyway, I don't think Cordell will be playing college football so this will be the last ride for McGinley.

ALTERNATES:


Cade Overstreet is a big, bodied defensive tackle from Billings Central. The 6'3", 285 lb. Ram was an Eastern A All-Conference DT in 2016, recording 22 solo tackles and 1 fumble recovery. I don't think Cade will be playing college football so congrats to him for receiving recognition as a reserve in this game.


Kaino Dole is the younger brother Koni Dole, the spirited OLB for the MSU Bobcats who lost his leg in high school. The Huntley Project Red Devil is a little smaller than his older brother at 5'9", 200 lbs. but just as tough and gritty. The defensive tackle recorded 31 solo tackles, 4 sacks, and 6 tackles for a loss his senior season, earning 3B All-Conference honors and a selection in the Class B All-Star game.


Colten Bonney is an All-State DT from Columbia Falls, MT. He's a 6'2", 276 lb. lineman who played primarily on defense for the Class A Runner-Up Wildcats. Colton earned All-State honors at DT his senior season, clogging holes in the middle of one of the best defenses in Class A. Bonney will get to continue his football career at MSU-Northern, signing with the Lights on Signing Day 2017.


Kayne Cobban[/quote] hails from Anaconda, MT. He turned in an All-State senior season on the defensive line for the Copperheads, racking up 51 tackles, 12 TFLs, and 3 sacks. Kayne also totaled 10 sacks his All-Conference junior season. Kayne was also the starting center on Anaconda's Class B Runner-Up basketball squad his senior year.

ADVANTAGE: East

I like Daniel Mousso from Hamilton a lot but the East has a good collection of relentless interior defenders who are tough as hell. Hegg, Steinbeisser, and Hutton are all nearly the same type of player and they can all play DE as well so they are versatile. The West knows that the East will be all-speed in this game so I wouldn't be surprised to see some defensive ends play on the inside for the West squad in this game. But in the end, I give the defensive tackle edge to the East.

VimSince03 wrote:Defensive Tackles

Selections
East: Hayden Hegg - Billings Senior
East: Austin Kirchner - CMR
East: Brenley Steinbeisser - Sidney
East: Reece Hutton - Harlem
West: Daniel Mousso - Hamilton
West: Cordell McGinely - Dillon

Alternates
East: Cade Overstreet - Billings Central
East: Kaino Dole - Huntley Project
West: Colten Bonney - Columbia Falls
West: Kayne Cobban - Anaconda

SELECTIONS:


Hayden Hegg had a breakout senior season for the State Champion Billings Senior Broncs. The 6'1", 225 lb. disruptor wreaked havoc along the line of scrimmage all season and earned 1st-Team AA All-State honors plus selections to the Badlands Bowl and Shrine Game in 2016. I don't have his official stats but from his film I see 5+ sacks and a pile of tackles for a loss. Most of Hayden's effectiveness comes on pure effort and a relentless motor. Dickinson State saw a future defensive lineman and offered Hayden a scholarship to play for the Bluehawks. Hayden accepted and signed on Signing Day 2017.


Austin Kirchner is a 6'0", 245 lbs. defensive lineman from CMR. Austin was an Honorable Mention AA All-State selection at DT his senior season. The short, quick lineman had one of the quickest first steps of any defensive tackle in the state last year and used it to his advantage every snap. Austin will get to develop his abilities at MSU-Northern who he signed with in February 2017.


Brenley Steinbeisser is a OL/DL from Sidney, MT. Brenley earned All-State honors as a OL/DL for the Eagles as well as getting selected to the Badlands Bowl and Shrine Game. The 6'2", 235 lb. lineman was extremely valuable to the football program over the past few seasons, lining up all over the offensive and defensive lines when needed. As a defensive lineman, he had over 100 tackles the past two seasons from the interior of the defensive line which is impressive.
Brenley is a kid who might not be the best athlete but he makes up for it with good strength, smarts, and effort. I don't think Brenley plans on playing college football so good luck to him in his high school finale.


Reece Hutton comes from Class B Harlem, MT. The 6'1", 220 lb. two-way lineman earned Class B All-State honors the past two seasons as well as being a State B champion shot put thrower. Reece has a huge motor on the defensive line and has great strength to boot. He was on some poor Harlem teams in high school but he has been one of the top players in 2B for several seasons. Dickinson State got a late signing out of Reece post Signing Day to play football and be a thrower on the track & field team.


Daniel Mousso is the biggest defensive tackle playing in the Shrine Game. The 6'4", 265 lb. Hamilton product earned Class A All-State honors his senior season which included 79 tackles and 14 sacks. His video shows a kid who plays physical at the line of scrimmage and getting to the quarterback. He uses his hands well for a high school DT and keeps his feet moving on OL contact. Daniel was very productive his senior year but it didn't garner him any offers from UM or MSU. But Montana-Western saw the potential, offered a scholarship, and Daniel signed with the Bulldogs on Signing Day.


Cordell McGinley is another Dillon, MT product. The 6'2", 210 lb. athlete was an undersized defensive tackle for the Beavers but Cordell was a force in the middle with his athleticism. He also doubled as Dillon's kickoff specialists averaging about 50 yards a kickoff. Cordell also excelled in track but probably not at the position everyone would think. Cordell was a state placer in the high jump and had a personal best of 6'5" last season...which is usually a great jump for a WR prospect. Anyway, I don't think Cordell will be playing college football so this will be the last ride for McGinley.

ALTERNATES:


Cade Overstreet is a big, bodied defensive tackle from Billings Central. The 6'3", 285 lb. Ram was an Eastern A All-Conference DT in 2016, recording 22 solo tackles and 1 fumble recovery. I don't think Cade will be playing college football so congrats to him for receiving recognition as a reserve in this game.


Kaino Dole is the younger brother Koni Dole, the spirited OLB for the MSU Bobcats who lost his leg in high school. The Huntley Project Red Devil is a little smaller than his older brother at 5'9", 200 lbs. but just as tough and gritty. The defensive tackle recorded 31 solo tackles, 4 sacks, and 6 tackles for a loss his senior season, earning 3B All-Conference honors and a selection in the Class B All-Star game.


Colten Bonney is an All-State DT from Columbia Falls, MT. He's a 6'2", 276 lb. lineman who played primarily on defense for the Class A Runner-Up Wildcats. Colton earned All-State honors at DT his senior season, clogging holes in the middle of one of the best defenses in Class A. Bonney will get to continue his football career at MSU-Northern, signing with the Lights on Signing Day 2017.


Kayne Cobban

hails from Anaconda, MT. He turned in an All-State senior season on the defensive line for the Copperheads, racking up 51 tackles, 12 TFLs, and 3 sacks. Kayne also totaled 10 sacks his All-Conference junior season. Kayne was also the starting center on Anaconda's Class B Runner-Up basketball squad his senior year.

ADVANTAGE: East

I like Daniel Mousso from Hamilton a lot but the East has a good collection of relentless interior defenders who are tough as hell. Hegg, Steinbeisser, and Hutton are all nearly the same type of player and they can all play DE as well so they are versatile. The West knows that the East will be all-speed in this game so I wouldn't be surprised to see some defensive ends play on the inside for the West squad in this game. But in the end, I give the defensive tackle edge to the East.[/quote]

One or two series and I expect to see Zak in there. Both major schools missed out big time on this kid. And you're correct in that Zak Baker will surprise a lot of people when he's completely healthy.

Outside Linebackers

Selections
East: Peyton Hanser - Billings Central
East: Benji Phillips - Glasgow
West: Tadan Gilman - Kalispell Glacier
West: Marcus Welnel - Helena Capital
West: Colt Neville - Victor

Alternates
East: Hunter Weil - Billings West
East: Max Clarke - Billings Senior
East: Tate Neideregger - Chinook
West: Kasey Mock - Ronan
West: Jared Doty - Charlo

SELECTIONS:


Peyton Hanser is a 6'4", 210 lb. WR/LB from Billings Central. He earned Class A All-State honors at OLB his senior year for the Rams and was an alternate at OLB for the Badlands Bowl. Defensively, he racked up 66 tackles and 2 sacks in 2016 from his OLB position. Peyton is the younger brother of Dylan Hanser who is currently entering his senior season at Washington State as an OLB. Even though he didn't have a ton of production at WR for the Rams during his two years starting, Montana State saw a future pass-catcher and Peyton signed with the Bobcats on Signing Day 2017.


Benji Phillips is actually listed as a specialist for this game but he could certainly play linebacker. The 6'0", 195 lb. "hit-stick" linebacker from Glasgow, MT was a two-time All-State RB/LB for the Scotties. Benji was also selected and played in the Badlands Bowl last month as a middle linebacker for the winning Montana squad. However, Benji's best sport is track & field, specifically the javelin. In April of 2017, he heaved a throw of 207 feet which was #1 in the United State among high schoolers for the first two weeks. Benji finished the year with another Class B 1st place finish and the 15th best throw in the nation. He is an excellent football player but his future will be at North Dakota State, throwing the javelin.


Tadan Gilman (#3), who didn’t play defense his senior season, is a starting OLB for the West squad. Offensively, the 6'0", 205 lb. Glacier product was used as an ATH his junior season but Grady Bennett needed him to play QB full-time his senior season. Tadan awarded his coach with a AA Title Game appearance and a 1st-Team AA All-State performance at QB. He completed 68% of his passes for 2,357 yards and 21 touchdowns while running 139 times for 694 yards with 13 rushing touchdowns. As a defensive player his sophomore and junior seasons, he lined up everywhere. Whether it was blitzing or dropping back in pass coverage, he was a nightmare for opposing coaching staffs. He earned AA All-State honors at OLB during those seasons. Tadan committed to MSU in the summer of 2016 and signed with the Bobcats on Signing Day 2017 as an outside linebacker.


Marcus Welnel is a 6'1", 225 lb. product of Helena Capital. The former Bruin earned 1st-Team AA All-State honors at outside linebacker his senior season and was the leader on one of the best defenses in AA. He also earned Honorable Mention All-State honors his junior season. Marcus totaled a league-leading 97 solo tackles his senior season in addition to 3 TFLs, 2 sacks, and 1 interception, according to MaxPreps. On offense, Marcus was an effective fullback/tight end his senior season catching 16 balls for 242 yards and six touchdowns, earning 2nd-Team AA All-State honors at FB. Marcus was a starting outside linebackers in the Badlands Bowl and brought home Defensive MVP honors with an interception return for a touchdown. The future linebacker got an offer from the Grizzlies and signed with UM on Signing Day 2017 as an outside linebacker.


Colt Neville is a 6'1", 190 lb. RB/LB from Victor, MT. The 8-man player was a RB, WR, TE, and LB during his high school career, earning All-State honors his junior and senior seasons. In 2016, he ran the ball 122 times for 944 yards and 18 touchdowns. In 2015, he caught 34 balls for 710 yards and 6 touchdowns. As a LB, he accumulated 80 total tackles (50 solo) his senior year which saw Victor lose in the quarterfinals to Wibaux. The versatile athlete signed with Montana-Western on Signing Day 2017 and will start out at linebacker.

ALTERNATES:


Hunter Weil is a reserve from Billings West. The 6'1", 200 lb. backer earned 1st-Team AA All-State honors with Gilman and Welnel. Hunter was also an accomplished wrestler during his high school days. However, he will pursue football as he signed with Dickinson State on Signing Day 2017.


Max Clarke is another Billings Senior product from the State Champ Broncs. The 6'4", 205 athlete played safety in high school and earned 2nd-Team AA All-State honors as a strong safety in Senior's scheme. He played up by the line of scrimmage a lot as an outside linebacker and was excellent in run support. Max will play a similar role for Montana Tech in college, signing with the Orediggers in December of 2016.


Tate Neideregger is the smallest linebacker on the roster (alternate or selection) at 5'7", 155 lbs. But Tate was a champion on the football field and wrestling mat for Chinook. The Sugarbeeters won the 2015 Class C 8-Man football title with Tate being a key cog on offense and defense, running for 1,267 yards and 18 touchdowns on offense and totaling 93 tackles, 5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, and 2 interceptions on defense. He was an All-State RB his junior and senior seasons. I do not know about Tate's college plans.


Kasey Mock is a 6'1", 205 lb. QB/LB from Ronan, MT. He earned All-State honors at LB his senior season and was one of the best players in a talented 6B conference in 2016. On offense, he was a dual-threat QB that led the Chiefs to the State B quarterfinals. On defense, he was the leading tackler. Kasey accepted an offer from Montana-Western and signed with the Bulldogs as a linebacker.


Jared Doty is a 5'10", 180 lb. RB/LB from Charlo, MT. The sparkplug running back totaled 158 carries for 1,655 yards and 28 rushing touchdowns his final two seasons for the Vikings. He also racked up 111 tackles and 10 TFLs his senior season on defense. Charlo lost a heartbreaker to heavy-favorite Ennis in the 8-Man title game in 2016, 30-24 in overtime, and Jared was a big part of Charlo's success alongside start sophomore QB Landers Smith. I do not know about Jared's college plans.

ADVANTAGE: West

I really like Peyton Hanser as an OLB. But one of the strongest position groups for the West is at LB, specifically OLB with Gilman and Welnel. Both Tadan and Marcus have a chance to contribute early in their college careers so the advantage is clearly with the West at this position.

Middle Linebackers

Selections
East: Ryan Davis - Billings Skyview
East: Jase Stokes - Havre
East: Will Blewett - Belgrade
East: Peter Hamilton, Jr. - Cut Bank
West: Patrick O'Connell - Kalispell Glacier
West: R.J. Fitzgerald - Dillon

Alternates
East: Luke Almos - Great Falls High
East: Noah Smelser - Billings Central
West: Wesley Harshbarger - Twin Bridges
West: Gavin McKitrick - Ennis

SELECTIONS:


Ryan Davis leads the East squad in the middle, hailing from Billings Skyview. The 6'2", 225 lb. backer earned 1st-Team AA All-State honors at MLB and 2nd-Team accolades at TE in 2016. The tackling machine is also an accomplished rodeo athlete and was one of the best tacklers, in terms of technique, in the state last year. Ryan is the younger brother of former MSU Bobcat Leo Davis and Ryan will follow in his brother's footsteps at MSU, signing with the Cats on Signing Day 2017 as a linebacker.


Jase Stokes is a 6'0", 205 lb. FB/MLB from Havre, MT. The former Blue Pony earned All-State honors at RB/LB over the past few seasons. His senior year he rumbled for 793 yards and 10 touchdowns as the workhorse back of the Havre Blue Ponies. Jase also was the leading tackler for his squad over the past two seasons. But his biggest accomplishment came on the wrestling mat, winning 4-straight state championships in his weight class in Class A (the infamous 4-peat). However, Jase still wanted to play football in college and was swayed by Chuck Morrell at Montana Tech to play running back for the Orediggers. Jase signed with Tech on Signing Day 2017.


Will Blewett is a 6'1", 215 lb. product from Belgrade. Will was an All-Conference OT and All-State MLB for the Panthers his senior season. On defense, he put up 14 tackles for a loss with 85 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. The big-bodied athlete got looks from several NAIA teams in-state but Will enjoyed his visit to the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND and decided to sign with the Marauders on Signing Day 2017.


Peter Hamilton, Jr. is a 6'0", 225 lb. backer from Cut Bank, MT. Peter was a physically-imposing player at the Class B level and earned All-State honors his senior season for the Wolves. He has actually lost some weight since his senior season, down from 240 to 225 lbs. On offense, he was a bowling-ball fullback who rumbled for the tough yards in Cut Bank's Wing-T offense. On defense, he was the man in the middle of one of the stoutest defenses in Class B. MSU-Northern usually stalks the Hi-Line for football talent and offered Peter his senior year. Hamilton signed with the Lights on Signing Day 2017 as a linebacker recruit.


Pat O'Connell joins his Glacier teammate, Tadan Gilman, in the linebacker group as a MLB for the West. Pat (6'1", 210 lbs.) turned in an impressive 2016 season, earning 1st-Team AA All-State honors at both TE and MLB, the Western AA Defensive MVP award, and invitations to both the Badlands Bowl and Shrine Game. He also was a contributor on the State AA Champion basketball team as a forward. Despite his offseason accolades and versatility on the field, Patrick was lightly recruited by the two in-state FCS schools. University of Mary picked up a late signing from Patrick in 2017 and he will get to continue his football and baseball career for the Marauders in Bismarck, ND.


R.J. Fitzgerald is another decorated linebacker from Dillon, MT. R.J. is a 5'11", 220 lb. FB/MLB who earned All-State honors the past two seasons for the Beavers along with being the Southwestern A Defensive MVP his final year. He plays football with max effort as a runner and linebacker, totaling 699 yards a 9 touchdowns on offense and 119 tackles, 7 TFLs, 1 sack, & 2 interceptions on defense his senior season. It was unclear what position R.J. would play in college until Jeff Choate offered a preferred walk-on opportunity as a fullback power-run offense. R.J. accepted and signed with the Cats on Signing Day 2017.

ALTERNATES:


Luke Almos is a 6'2", 225 lb. DE/LB from Great Falls High. The hybrid linebacker earned Honorable Mention AA All-State honors at MLB his senior season after a 2nd-Team All-State season at OLB his junior season. Luke had a solid junior season as a hybrid DE/OLB but moved to MLB his senior season due to team need. Regardless, Luke was a solid defensive player his final two seasons and signed with Montana Tech on Signing Day 2017 as a linebacker.


Noah Smelser is a Billings Central product. The 6'0", 210 lb. RB/LB came on strong his senior season and earned All-State honors at MLB. He had a solid season in Billings Central's three-headed rushing attack, rushing for 281 yards and 7 touchdowns. On defense, he racked up 70 total tackles with 9 tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks. Noah's big senior year got him an offer from Rocky Mountain and he signed with the Battlin' Bears on Signing Day 2017.


Wesley Harshbarger is an 8-man product from Twin Bridges, MT. The 6'1", 205 lb. RB/LB earned All-State honors his senior season even though he missed the first five games recovering from an injury. The talented Class C product still totaled 60 plus tackles and 19 touchdowns his senior season. His tape is excellent and shows plenty of potential as a RB or LB. Carroll College thought the same and offered Wesley as an athlete. Harshbarger signed with the Saints in January 2017.


Gavin McKitrick is another 8-man player, coming from Ennis, MT. The 2016 State 8-man champion played WR and LB for the Mustangs. He earned All-State honors his senior season after catching 27 balls for 730 yards and 16 touchdowns on offense and putting up 115 tackles, 6 TFLs, and 1 interception on defense. Gavin signed with Montana-Western on Signing Day 2017 as an athlete.

ADVANTAGE: East

The East has four big dudes playing MLB in this game. All four are very good against the run and dominate at the line of scrimmage so it will be a fun matchup against Tony Arntson's run-heavy offense. Arntson runs to set up the pass so the East will have to stop the run if they want to have a shot in this game. The West's two middle backers were both defensive MVP's of their conference and have two really good linebackers lining up on the outside spots. But Nate Dick is a tough matchup against any linebacker unit so the West has the tougher task ahead of them at the linebacker position. Just because of the matchup in the middle against the run, I like the East MLB's to have more success against the run than the West MLB's.

Cornerbacks

Selections
East: Lance McCutcheon - Bozeman
East: Jake Orvis - Billings Senior
East: Trace Jones - Sidney
East: Chanc Lawrence - Laurel
West: Sam Johnston - Butte Central
West: Sean Miller - Columbia Falls
West: Braden Larsen - Whitehall

Alternates
West: Tyler Cote - Whitefish

SELECTIONS:


Lance McCutcheon is a 6'3", 190 lb. Bozeman product. He led AA in interceptions last year while also catching 40 balls for 780 yards and 12 touchdowns. The two-way athlete was 1st-Team AA All-State at both WR & CB and also earned invitations to the Badlands Bowl and Shrine Game. Last month, Lance tore up the North Dakota secondary for 2 touchdowns en route to Offensive MVP honors. McCutcheon is also an excellent triple jumper taking second at State AA with a jump of 45'1". Lance was offered a partial scholarship to come play WR for Coach Choate at MSU and the hometown kid decided to sign with the Cats on Signing Day 2017.


Jake Orvis is a corner from Billings Senior. The 6'0", 160 lb. corner was a 1st-Team AA All-State defensive back his junior and senior years for the Broncs. Jake was also a starting DB for the Montana squad in the Badlands Bowl this past June. He also was a solid receiver for Billings Senior his final two seasons, catching 25 balls for 384 yards and 6 touchdowns his senior year. Jake also excelled as a returner in high school so he's overall a good athlete on the football field. Montana Tech offered him a scholarship and Jake committed in December of 2016, officially signing on Signing Day 2017.


Chanc Lawrence joins the secondary from Laurel, MT. The 5'11", 175 lb. defensive back earned All-State recognition at defensive back his senior season. Chanc was Laurel's leading receiver as well as the second leading punt & kick returner for the Locomotives. He also was a key contributor on Laurel's basketball squad his senior year along with fellow East teammate Casey Cole. I'm not sure where Chanc is playing football or where he is going to college so if anyone knows, feel free to post.


Trace Jones is a 5'10", 150 lb. defensive back from Sidney, MT. The speedy athlete earned All-State honors at defensive back his senior season while catching 11 balls for 261 yards and four touchdowns on offense. Trace shined in pass coverage, hauling in 5 interceptions for 106 return yards while recording 42 tackles last fall. He also had a great track career, placing 2nd in the 400, 3rd in 800, and 1st in the 400 relay at State A his senior season. Dickinson State regularly recruits Eastern A athletes and Trace signed with the Bluehawks as a track athlete and football player on Signing Day 2017.


Sam Johnston joins the West squad from Butte Central Catholic. The 5'11", 170 lb. WR/DB earned All-State honors at both positions his senior year. On offense, he was the 2nd leading receiver in the Southwestern A conference, catching 46 passes for 645 yards and 6 touchdowns. On defense, he had over half of his team's interceptions (9) with five picks on the year. This will be Sam's last game so good luck to the Butte Central product in his future endeavors. Great senior season!


Sean Miller (#6) is a 6'1", 175 lb. WR/DB from Columbia Falls. The two-way athlete was solid on offense and dominant on defense. He earned All-State honors his final two seasons at defensive back, helping spark Columbia Falls on a State Championship run ending in defeat to Dillon. On offense, he hauled in 24 catches for 494 yards and 8 touchdowns while picking off 2 passes and breaking up many. Not many QB's threw to his side his senior year because they knew what kind of corner he was. His speed may have been not fast enough for the FCS level but Rocky Mountain College gladly offered him a scholarship. Sean signed with the Battlin' Bears on Signing Day 2017.


Braden Larsen will be playing in the secondary for the West team in this game. The Whitehall product was an All-State QB and Safety his senior season for the Trojans. Defensively, he had five picks and 60 solo stops his senior year. However, many thought if he played in this game, it would be at QB where he had a prolific high school career throwing the football. For his career (according to MaxPreps), Braden threw for 7,342 yards for 77 passing touchdowns and ran the ball for 1,260 yards and 20 touchdowns. His senior year was one of the best in MHSA history. Braden played in 12 games, leading his team to the semifinals where they lost to eventual state champ Eureka. He completed 60 percent of his passes for 3,423 yards and 37 touchdowns to 12 interceptions while running the ball 106 times for 816 yards and 11 touchdowns. That is a whole lot of offense, even at the Class B level. It baffles me that the 6'1", 185 lb. athlete isn't playing college football and I heard he was lightly recruited. Braden has a ton of arm talent where even if his feet aren't set, he can still throw a dart. I've been told he is going to nearby Montana Tech but not for football, just school.

ALTERNATES:


Tyler Cote is a Whitefish, MT native who is the lone alternate listed at DB for this game. The 6'1", 165 lb. RB/DB was a key piece on the 2015 Class A State Champion Whitefish team. His senior season, the talent level dropped due to graduation but Tyler still was an All-State running back and defensive back. He ran 97 times for 589 yards and four touchdowns while catching 24 balls for 260 yards with a touchdown. I do not know about Tyler's college plans but post if you do.

ADVANTAGE: East

This one is close but I think the Orvis/McCutcheon combo mixed in with Jones and Lawrence gives the East the edge over the West's Johnston, Miller, and Larsen. All seven of these player can get their hands on the ball in pass coverage but the East has a little more depth and talent in my opinion. Advantage goes to the East, which will have a good pair of safeties in this game as well.

Safeties

Selections
East: Keaton Anderson - Billings Senior
East: Michael McGinnis - Sidney
East: Jemal Williams - Belgrade
West: Bryce Gallagher - Butte
West: Colin Sassano - Helena Capital

Alternates
East: Charles Miller - Columbus
East: Tanner Reynolds - Fairview
West: Kellen Round - Missoula Loyola

SELECTIONS:


The East group is led by Class AA Defensive Player of the Year Keaton Anderson. He is one of the best free safeties to come out of the state in some time, mostly due to his prowess in pass coverage. The 6'1", 180 lb. safety was the leader of Billings Senior's standout defense. One trait that consistently stood out on Keaton’s film was how he never looked out of position on the field. If a play broke, he always took the right angle to make sure it didn’t go for a touchdown. He was also a tough WR to slow down in high school but he didn't have to be the main focus on an offense that included Gabe Sulser & Nate Dick as well as Jake Orvis and Ben LaBeau. Keaton was a two-time 1st-Team AA All-State safety as well an Honorable Mention All-State receiver his senior year. He was also a track star in high school, posting the 4th best 100M time in the state at 11.00, the 4th best long jump at 22'2.75", and 4th best high jump at 6'5". He was Jeff Choate's first in-state scholarship offer for the 2017 Montana recruiting class because of his high ceiling as a secondary player in college. Keaton verballed to the Cats in September 2016 and officially signed on Signing Day 2017 as a secondary player (corner or safety).


Michael McGinnis will likely be the other starting safety for the East squad. The 6'3", 195 lb. Sidney, MT product earned All-State honors at safety his senior season while picking up invites to the Badlands Bowl and Shrine Game. Michael is a bigger safety and is an excellent athlete. He showed well in both pass coverage (10 career interceptions) and run support as a defender and also snagged 29 balls for 586 yards and 8 touchdowns on offense during high school. Michael doubled as a track athlete, bringing home three 2nds and a 1st at the 2017 State A meet. He placed second in the 100M, 200M, and High Jump as well as being part of the Class A champion 400M Relay team. Last summer, Michael showed what an opportunity can do for a high school kid who is lightly recruited. He attended a Griz summer camp in June 2016 and came away with a partial scholarship offer from Bob Stitt to be either a WR or S for the Griz. It took only a few days to accept but Michael was surprisingly the first in-state FCS commit of the 2017 Montana recruiting class. Keaton and Michael will make up a tough safety duo in this game. I wouldn't throw deep over the middle if I were Tanner Wilson or Dakota Bridwell.


Jemal Williams is a Belgrade, MT product. The 6'0", 185 lb. athlete was the swiss-army knife for the Panther offense. He was the wildcat QB and rushed for 608 yards on 117 carries for 8 rushing touchdowns while catching seven balls for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also added 171 passing yards. Defensively, Jemal had 44 tackles, 6 TFLs, 2 sacks, and 2 interceptions earning All-State honors and Central A's Defensive MVP as a safety. Jemal went on a recruiting trip with fellow Belgrade Panther Hayden Van Winkle in December 2016 and came away with an offer. He officially signed with the Beavers on Signing Day 2017 as a defensive back.


Colin Sassano is a 5'11", 175 lb. safety from Helena Capital. In 11 games his senior season, he totaled an impressive 82 solo tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, and 7 passes defended en route to earning 1st-Team AA All-State honors. Colin is also a standout baseball player for the Helena Senators. He is also close friends with Ryan Arntson as the two have played baseball and hockey together since they were kids despite one going to Capital and one going to Helena High. Anyways, After his senior season concluded, Colin got a surprising phone call from Mike Van Diest offering him a scholarship to play safety at Carroll. Colin signed with the Saints on Signing Day 2017, choosing football over baseball.


Bryce Gallagher is a Butte High School product. The 6'1", 180 lb. corner/safety earned Honorable Mention AA All-State honors his senior season for the Bulldogs. On the year, he racked up 38 solo tackles and 1 interception. Bryce also ran track for Butte, qualifying for State AA in the 110 Hurdles, 300 Hurdles, and Long Jump (where he cleared 21' several times). He has good length as a defensive back. Montana-Western saw the potential and offered. Bryce signed with the Bulldogs on Signing Day 2017 as a defensive back.

ALTERNATES:


Kellen Round is a Missoula Loyola QB/S. The 6'1", 180 lb. athlete led his team to the State B title game in football, losing on a hail mary pass on the final play. Kellen was a three-year starter at QB for the Rams, earning All-State honors his senior season. He threw for 2,887 yards and 29 touchdowns while rushing 164 times for 712 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career. On defense, he totaled 115 tackles and 6 interceptions in his career. I believe Kellen will attend Notre Dame for college so kudos to the kid on a great high school football career.


Charles Miller hails from Columbus, MT. The 6'0", 180 lb. WR/DB earned All-State honors his senior season for the Cougars.


Tanner Reynolds (#5) is a 6'0", 180 lb. QB/S from Fairview, MT. Tanner earned All-State honors his final two seasons for the Warriors, putting up monster stats. His final two seasons, he threw for 3,533 yards and 57 touchdowns while rushing 229 times for 1,934 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also had 97 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 interceptions his senior season. Tanner is a heck of a football player so if anyone knows if he plans on playing college football, let me know.

ADVANTAGE: East

Keaton Anderson and Michael McGinnis are scholarship-level FCS safeties...and they get to line up by each other. Throw in Jemal Williams as the heavy-hitter and the group gets even stronger. I've also heard Dawson McGlothlin will move to the secondary instead of playing QB for the East. Gallagher and Sassano are solid AA players but the East have the studs. Advantage goes to the East in the secondary.