Challengers lead all-FWL football voting

Kris Henry, Mail Tribune, Medford, Ore.
·4 min read

Dec. 1—Cascade Christian secured 11 top-tier spots on the Far West League football all-league squad and St. Mary's earned three first-team selections in recent voting by the conference's coaches.

Challengers senior Bryson Cannon led the charge for the local players after being named FWL offensive lineman of the year to go with first-team recognition on offense and defense.

The only other local player to earn first-team honors on both sides of the ball was special teams standout JT Knobloch-Scott, who was named the league's top punter and placekicker for Cascade Christian after averaging 36.7 yards per punt with 25 touchbacks on kickoffs.

Cannon was joined by senior teammate Liam Benade as a first-team offensive lineman and junior Matthew Moses as a first-team defensive lineman.

With Cannon helping pave the way, the Challengers averaged 360 yards of total offense and held teams to about 20 points per game through a nine-game run to the Class 3A state quarterfinals. Cannon ranked second on the team with 59 total tackles.

Also receiving first-team recognition for Cascade Christian was junior Triston Wallace (running back), senior Austin Waits (receiver), junior Brody Sample (receiver), junior Cole Shields (linebacker) and junior Tyler Almasy (defensive back).

Wallace led the Challengers with 661 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns on 101 carries, while Waits pulled in 16 passes for 300 yards and four scores and Sample finished with 325 yards and three TDs on 23 catches.

Almasy and Shields each had 46 total tackles and one interception apiece for Cascade.

For St. Mary's, junior Kyan Hidde earned first-team honors as an offensive lineman after helping push the Crusaders to 156 yards rushing and 24 points per game in eight games contested. St. Mary's forfeited one game due to a lack of available players.

Also earning first-team honors for St. Mary's were sophomore TJ Flowers (kick returner) and junior Tyson Delplanche (defensive back), who had two interceptions and the most defended passes of the season for the Crusaders at cornerback.

South Umpqua, which finished first in the FWL and runner-up in the 3A state championship, swept the league's top honors beyond Cannon's recognition as a lineman.

Jace Johnson was named FWL offensive player of the year, Caj Simmons was the FWL defensive player of the year and Tanner Dobeck was FWL defensive lineman of the year.

For his efforts, Steve Stebbins of the Lancers was named FWL coach of the year.

All-FWL Football

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jace Johnson, Jr., South Umpqua.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Caj Simmons, Sr., South Umpqua.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: Bryson Cannon, Sr., Cascade Christian.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: Tanner Dobeck, Jr., South Umpqua.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Steve Stebbins, South Umpqua.

FIRST TEAM

Offense

QUARTERBACK: Jace Johnson, Jr., South Umpqua.

RUNNING BACK: Caj Simmons, Jr., South Umpqua; Thomas Mentes, Sr., Sutherlin; Triston Wallace, Jr., Cascade Christian.

RECEIVER: Austin Waits, Sr., Cascade Christian; Brody Sample, Jr., Cascade Christian; Kade Johnson, Sr., South Umpqua.

CENTER: Trent Olsen, Sr., Sutherlin.

LINEMAN: Bryson Cannon, Sr., Cascade Christian; Liam Benade, Sr., Cascade Christian; Brayden Reedy, Sr., South Umpqua; Kyan Hidde, Jr., St. Mary's.

PLACEKICKER: JT Knobloch-Scott, Jr., Cascade Christian.

RETURNER: TJ Flowers, So., St. Mary's.

Defense

LINEMAN: Tanner Dobeck, Jr., South Umpqua; Bryson Cannon, Sr., Cascade Christian; Matthew Moses, Jr., Cascade Christian; Brayden Reedy, Sr., South Umpqua.

LINEBACKER: Caj Simmons, Sr., South Umpqua; Kade Johnson, Sr., South Umpqua; Justin Jenks, Sr., South Umpqua; Cole Shields, Jr., Cascade Christian.

DEFENSIVE BACK: Isaac Real, Jr., South Umpqua; Tyson Delplanche, Jr., St. Mary's; Andrew Christensen, Sr., South Umpqua; Tyler Almasy, Jr., Cascade Christian.

PUNTER: JT Knobloch-Scott, Jr., Cascade Christian.

SECOND TEAM

Offense

QUARTERBACK: Keith Reed, Jr., Cascade Christian.

RUNNING BACK: Enrique Diaz, Jr., Sutherlin; Beau Aldrich, Sr., St. Mary's; Indiana Olson, So., St. Mary's.

RECEIVER: Andrew Christensen, Sr., South Umpqua; TJ Flowers, So., St. Mary's; Waylon McKnight, Jr., Sutherlin.

CENTER: Daniel Nering, Jr., Cascade Christian.

LINEMAN: Kamrin Hathaway, Jr., Sutherlin; Luke Morris, Sr., South Umpqua.

PLACEKICKER: Juri Moros, Jr., South Umpqua.

RETURNER: Isaac Real, Jr., South Umpqua.

Defense

LINEMAN: AJ Borovansky, Jr., St. Mary's; Heemir Patel, Jr., St. Mary's; Trent Olsen, Sr., Sutherlin.

LINEBACKER: Thomas Mentes, Sr., Sutherlin; Kyan Hidde, Jr., St. Mary's; Austin Foster, Sr., Cascade Christian; Triston Wallace, Jr., Cascade Christian.

DEFENSIVE BACK: Ely Palm, Jr., Sutherlin; Seth Baker, Sr., St. Mary's; Kameron Rague, Fr., Cascade Christian.

PUNTER: Tyson Delplanche, Jr., St. Mary's.

HONORABLE MENTION

Offense

QUARTERBACK: Eli Haynes, Sr., St. Mary's.

RECEIVER: Peyton Maurer, So., Cascade Christian.

CENTER: Harmon Brown, Sr., South Umpqua.

LINEMAN: Maddox Griggs, Jr., Sutherlin; Timathy Ferch, So., South Umpqua; Ty Kronenberger, Jr., St. Mary's.

Defense

LINEBACKER: Beau Aldrich, Sr., St. Mary's; Enrique Diaz, Jr., Sutherlin.

DEFENSIVE BACK: Paul Cervantes, Sr., Sutherlin.

Have a story idea? Reach sports editor Kris Henry at 541-776-4488, khenry@rosebudmedia.com or www.twitter.com/Kris_Henry