Flathead's Counts AA MVP on offense
Flathead High School senior running back Blake Counts, who helped the Braves advance to the state championship football game last month, has been named the Class AA offensive MVP in balloting by league coaches.
Counts, who broke the FHS and state rushing records this season, shares the award with Jesse Owens, a receiver from Billings West.
Counts was also honored with first team all-state honors at his position.
Flathead had five other individuals named to the all-state first team on offense — tackle Andrew Siderius, guard Sebastian Koch, center Max Anderson, receiver Anthony Jones and athlete Jaden MacNeil (quarterback).
Glacier had one player make the all-state first team on offense — guard Nico Young.
Named first team all-state on defense for Flathead were end Tanner Russell and lineman Patrick Hammond.
Glacier’s Ethan Baines, end, and Preston Blain, kick returner, were first team all-state selections on defense.
Safety Lucas Gibb of Billings West was the MVP on defense.
The complete all-state team follows. Also listed is the Western AA all-conference team.
Class AA Football
All-State
Offense
First team
Ryan Lonergan, tight end, Bozeman; Andrew Siderius, tackle, Flathead; Holden Sampson, Helena, tackle; Kobe Nelson, tackle, Billings West; Spencer Warren, tackle, Bozeman; Sebastian Koch, guard, Flathead; Nico Young, guard, Glacier; Conner Paul, guard, Billings West; Max Anderson, center, Flathead; Justus Perkins, center, Bozeman; Anthony Jones, receiver, Flathead; Jesse Owens, receiver, Billings West; Ryan Simpson, receiver, Bozeman; Junior Bergen, receiver, Billings Senior; McCade O’Reilly, fullback, Bozeman; Kris Brown, quarterback, Bozeman; Josh Erbacher, quarterback, Billings West; Blake Counts, running back, Flathead; DeMarcus Carr, running back, Billings West; Jaden MacNeil, athlete, Flathead; Rylan Ott, athlete, Missoula Sentinel; Blake Thelen, Great Falls, punter; Spencer Peppenger, kicker, Missoula Sentinel; Peyton Hogan, long snapper, Bozeman
Second team
Logan Siblerud, tight end, Flathead; Fisher Richardson, tight end, Missoula Hellgate; Garrett Lally, tackle, Glacier; Konor McClafferty, tackle, Butte; Tom Walkup, guard, Bozeman; Jaden Beinvenue, guard, Billings West; Carter Slade, center; Billings West; Brandon Caladonato, receiver, Missoula Hellgate; Drew Deck, receiver, Glacier; Oran Nash-Bergen, receiver, Billings Senior; Brock Field, fullback, Missoula Sentinel; Cole Crosby, fullback, Glacier; Blake Thelen, quarterback, Great Falls; Matthew Plasterer, quarterback, Billings Senior; Preston Blain, running back, Glacier; Joe Olson, running back, Bozeman; Ty McGurran, athlete, Helena; Anthony Jones, punter, Flathead; Everest Klein, kicker, Bozeman; Tyler Allen, long snapper, Missoula Sentinel
Honorable mention
Alex Johnson, tight end, Helena; Max Evenson, tight end, Billings Senior; Christian Unger, tackle, Missoula Big Sky; Patrick Hammond, tackle, Flathead; Jacob Howell, tackle, Helena; Levi Malcom, tackle, Billings West; Sam Potoczny, tackle, Great Falls; Garrison Poetzl, tackle, Billings Senior; Cole Dalager, guard, Flathead; Sam Severson, guard, Missoula Sentinel; Brady Grisgby, guard, Helena; Lucas Kingston, guard, Helena; Brandyn Lackey, guard, Great Falls; Zach Winter, guard, Billings Senior; Brandon Spencer, center, Missoula Sentinel; Blake Nichols, center, Helena; Gage Felts, center, Billings Senior; Jace Dewalt, receiver, Missoula Sentinel; Jack Colyer, receiver, Missoula Sentinel; Zach Spiroff, receiver, Helena; Parker Johnston, receiver, Helena Capital; Ben Maehl, receiver, Missoula Big Sky; Lucas Gibb, receiver, Billings West; Chay Marsh, receiver, Billings West; Lucas Banderob, receiver, Great Falls; Quinn Sullivan, receiver, Butte; Kash Kelly, receiver, Butte; Kaelan Casey, fullback, Helena Capital; Rollie Worster, quarterback, Missoula Hellgate; Tommy Mellott, quarterback, Butte; Elias Dewaters, running back, Missoula Sentinel; Grady Koenig, running back, Helena; Gabe Longin, running back, Great Falls; Kameron Moreno, running back, Butte; Cade Nelson, running back, Billings West; Gunner Hegg, running back, Billings Senior; Cole Crosby, punter, Glacier; Eric Gardner, kicker, Flathead; Jim Sielestad, kicker, Missoula Big Sky; Brian Buschini, kicker, Helena Capital; Trevyn Roth, kicker, Butte; Holden Sampson, long snapper, Helena; Seth Moon, long snapper, Flathead; Quinn Sullivan, long snapper, Butte
MVP: Blake Counts, Flathead; Jesse Owens, Billings West
Defense
First team
Tanner Russell, end, Flathead; Ethan Baines, end, Glacier; Kenneth Eiden IV, end, Bozeman; Patrick Hammond, defensive line, Flathead; Nick Konesky, defensive line, Great Falls CMR; Conner Paul, end, Billings West; Hugh Edward, inside linebacker, Billings West; JJ Lindsey, inside linebacker, Billing West; McCade O’Reilly, inside linebacker, Bozeman; Alex Johnson, outside linebacker, Helena; Hayden Ferguson, outside linebacker, Helena; Kade Wilcox, outside linebacker, Billings West; Rollie Worster, safety, Missoula Hellgate; Tucker Greenwell, safety, Great Falls CMR; Lucas Gibb, safety, Billings West; Zach Spiroff, cornerback, Helena; Jesse Owens, cornerback, Billings West; Trevin Gradney, cornerback, Billings West; Kyle Torgerson, cornerback, Great Falls; Elias Dewaters, punter returner, Missoula Sentinel; Preston Blain, kick returner, Glacier; Tucker Greenwell, special teams, Great Falls CMR
Second team
Alaric Greil, end, Helena Capital; Ryan Lonergan, end, Bozeman; Andrew Siderius, end, Flathead; Sebastian Koch, end, Flathead; Garrison Poetzl, end, Billings Senior; Gunnar Landrum, inside linebacker, Flathead; Sam Sheppard, inside linebacker, Helena; Carl Anderson, inside linebacker, Butte; Paxton Boyce, outside linebacker, Flathead; Max Evenson, outside linebacker, Billings Senior; Ben Maehl, safety, Missoula Big Sky; Blaise Meriweather, safety, Missoula Sentinel; Zach Tallman, safety, Billings West; Chance Sheldon-Allen, cornerback, Flathead; Jace Dewalt, cornerback, Missoula Sentinel; Junior Bergen, cornerback, Billings Senior; Zach Spiroff, punt returner, Helena; Gabe Longin, kick returner, Great Falls; Chance Sheldon-Allen, kick returner, Flathead; Cooper Biegler, special teams, Helena
Honorable mention
Chrisitan Unger, end, Missoula Big Sky; Brock Field, end, Missoula Sentinel; Jack Kanta, end, Helena; Rylan Waananen, end, Butte; Bryce Depping, end, Great Falls CMR; Kobe Nelson, end; Billings West; Torin Jackson, end, Missoula Sentinel; Cody Crowley, end, Helena; Sam Potoczny, end, Great Falls; Spencer Warren, end, Bozeman; Keanan Horne, inside linebacker, Helena; Cole Crosby, inside linebacker, Glacier; Zane McCormick, inside linebacker, Helena Capital; Ben Held, inside linebacker, Great Falls; Gunner Hegg, inside linebacker, Billings Senior; Brandon Schmid, outside linebacker, Missoula Sentinel; Kadyn Craigle, outside linebacker, Helena Capital; Quinn Sullivan, outside linebacker, Butte; Cade Nelson, outside linebacker, Billings West; William Leep, outside linebacker, Bozeman; Cooper Biegler, safety, Helena; Garrett Frost, safety, Glacier; Brian Wells, safety, Flathead; Brendan Hill, safety, Missoula Sentinel; Johnnie McCluskey, safety, Billings Senior; Scout Allen, safety, Butte; Brandon Coladeonato, cornerback, Missoula Hellgate; Gus Hanson, cornerback, Helena Capital; Seth Moon, cornerback, Flathead; Oran Nash-Bergen, cornerback, Billings Senior; Kale McCarthy, cornerback, Butte; Ryan Simpson, cornerback, Bozeman; Jesse Owens, punt returner, Billings West; Brandon Coladeonato, punt returner, Missoula Hellgate; Oran Nash-Bergen, punter returner, Billings Senior; Tucker Greenwell, punt returner, Great Falls CMR; Noah Braden, kick returner, Helena Capital; Connor Ryan, kick returner, Billings West; Jett Rebish, special teams; Missoula Big Sky; Garrett Rieke, special teams, Flathead; Kade Wilcox, special teams, Billings West
MVP: Lucas Gibb, Billings West.
Western AA All-Conference
Flathead and Glacier players honored?Offensive MVP: Blake Counts, RB, Flathead
Offense
Logan Siblerud, TE, Flathead; Andrew Siderius, OL, Flathead; Garrett Lally, OL, Glacier; Patrick Hammond, OL, Flathead; Sebastian Koch, OL, Flathead; Nico Young, OL, Glacier; Cole Dalager, OL, Flathead; Max Anderson, C, Flathead; Drew Deck, WR, Glacier; Anthony Jones, WR/P, Flathead; Cole Crosby, FB, Glacier; Preson Blain, RB, Glacier; Blake Counts, RB, Flathead; Jaden MacNeil, QB, Flathead; Eric Gardner, K, Flathead; Seth Moon, LS, Flathead.
Defense
Tanner Russell, DE, Flathead; Ethan Baines, DE, Glacier; Andrew Siderius, DL, Flathead; Sebastian Koch, DL, Flathead; Patrick Hammond, DL, Flathead; Gunnar Landrum, ILB, Flathead; Cole Crosby, ILB, Glacier; Paxton Boyce, OLB, Flathead; Garrett Frost, S, Glacier; Brian Wells, S, Flathead; Chance Sheldon-Allen, CB, Flathead; Seth Moon, CB, Flathead; Preston Blain, KR, Glacier; Chance Sheldon-Allen, KR, Flathead; Garrett Rieke, ST, Flathead.