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Eight Pony football players earn Class A all-state honors

The final awards of the 2003 high school football season are in as the 2003 Class A All-State team was announced today. Several Havre Blue Ponies were named to this year's team, but only two Blue Ponies garnered first-team honors.

Senior Daine Solomon headed up an impressive list of players on the first-team offense earning first-team honors at wide receiver.

Solomon eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in receiving this season and is the school record holder in that statistic. He was also named to the second-team defense at strong safety.

The only Blue Pony player to crack the first-team defense was junior free safety Marc Mariani. Mariani set the school record for interceptions in a single season in his first full varsity campaign and was also among the team leaders in total tackles.

Havre also placed three other players on the second-team defense. Junior Rick Hoium earned second-team honors at defensive end and Colby Mader made the second team at inside linebacker. Junior Coda Tchida also earned a spot on the second team at cornerback.

Junior quarterback Gary Wagner heads a list of three Blue Ponies to earn second team all-state honors on offense. Junior Chad Seely made the list from his offensive tackle position and Scott Robinson also earned second-team accolades at running back.

CLASS A ALL-STATE FOOTBALL TEAM

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Center - Kirk Halgren, 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, sr, Belgrade and Grady Holt 5-10, 225, sr, Dillon.

Guards - Ben Clark, 6-3, 230, sr, Whitefish; Kyle Pennington, 6-2, 225, sr, Hardin; Chad Schira, 6-2, 215, sr, Dillon; Chris Smith, 6-4, 275, sr, Laurel and Mike Anderson, 6-1, 260, sr, Belgrade.

Tackles - Eric Dighans, 6-2, 190, sr, Belgrade; Tom Hodges, 6-2, 255, sr, Whitefish; Tim Bastian, 6-1, 260, sr, Miles City and Sean Thomas, 6-3, 245, sr, Butte Central.

Tight end - Kyle Stantus, 6-4, 200, sr, Libby and Andrew Walsh, 6-1, 175, sr, Belgrade.

Punter - Jake Kallestad, 5-11, 215, sr, Belgrade.

Quarterback - Torrey Thomas, 6-0, 175, sr, Dillon and Darin Muri, 5-11, 165, sr, Miles City.

Running backs - Christian Brown, 6-0, 160, sr, Frenchtown; Jake Kallestad, 5-11, 215, sr, Belgrade; Jolly Righetti, 5-7, 175, jr, Whitefish and David Stevenson, 5-10, 160, sr, Miles City.

Wide receivers - Ross Loeffler, 6-0, 170, sr, Bigfork; Nick McGree, 5-10, 165, sr, Butte Central; Allen Merrill, 6-2, 171, sr, Glendive; Daine Solomon, 5-10, 175, sr, Havre and Kevin Staley, 6-0, 165, sr, Dillon.

Fullback - Mikel Stevenson, 5-10, 175, sr, Miles City and Devin Healy, 5-11, 185, sr, Butte Central.

FG/PAT Kicker - Taylor Harris, 5-11, 150, sr, Miles City and Tyler Miller, 5-0, 150, sr, Belgrade.

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Defensive line - Ben Clark, 6-3, 230, sr, Whitefish; Chris Smith, 6-4, 275, sr, Laurel; Sean Thomas, 6-3, 245, sr, Butte Central; Trapper Hight, 6-5, 250, sr, Miles City and Blake Hoge, 6-0, 205, sr, Frenchtown.

Defensive ends - Pat Beddow, 6-2, 190, sr, Billings Central; Kyle Hatch 6-0, 175, sr, Columbia Falls; Jake Kallestad, 5-11, 215, sr, Belgrade and Kari Pitcher, 6-3, 210, sr, Anaconda.

Outside linebackers - Blaine Baker, 6-4, 210, jr, Libby; Kroy Biermann, 6-2, 220, sr, Hardin; Eric Dighans, 6-2, 190, sr, Belgrade; Jordan Nesbitt, 5-8, 150, sr, Dillon and Mikel Stevenson, 5-10, 175, sr, Miles City.

Inside linebackers - Keevin Bertelsen, 6-2, 225, sr, Libby; Kirk Halgren, 5-11, 190, sr, Belgrade; Gary Melby, 5-9, 210, sr, Sidney and Chad Schira, 6-2, 215, sr, Dillon.

Defensive corners - Brian Lebsock, 5-10, 165, soph, Frenchtown; Darin Muri, 5-10, 165, sr, Miles City; Drew Perry, 5-10, 150, jr, Columbia Falls and Jordan Stanhope, 5-7, 160, sr, Belgrade.

Strong safety - Steven Holt, 5-10, 170, sr, Dillon and David Stevenson, 5-10, 170, sr, Miles City.

Free safety - Torrey Thomas, 6-0, 175, sr, Dillon and Marc Mariani, 5-10, 145, jr, Havre.

Return specialist - Nick McGree, 5-10, 165, sr, Butte Central and Ross Loeffler, 6-0, 165, sr, Bigfork.

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Center - Dane Zupanik, 5-11, 230, sr, Miles City and Tim Schuch, 5-8, 195, jr, Whitefish.

Guards - Ben Fuqua, 5-9, 215, sr, Polson; Chad Shoopman, 5-10, 228, sr, Glendive; Leonard Thurman, 6-1, 280, sr, Butte Central and Blake Hoge, 6-0, 205, sr, Frenchtown.

Tackles - Trapper Hight, 6-5, 250, sr, Miles City; Andre Dilworth, 6-0, 220, sr, Frenchtown; Cy Murer, 6-4, 220, jr, Bigfork; Chad Seely, 5-11, 190, jr, Havre and Andy White, 6-3, 215, sr, Ronan.

Tight end - Cole Prevost, 5-11, 181, jr, Sidney; Stephen Phahler, 6-3, 190, soph, Frenchtown and Mac Gordon, 6-0, 190, jr, Polson.

Punter - Kenny Jessop, 6-1, 175, soph, Corvallis; Pat Smart, 6-1, 186, sr, Glendive and Jared Walchuk 5-8, 160, sr, Ronan.

Quarterback - Gary Wagner, 5-11, 155, jr, Havre and Vance Vincent, 6-2, 180,sr, Libby.

Running backs - Travis Brown, 5-10, 165, jr, Stevensville; Mac Dye, 5-11, 180, jr, Billings Central; Josh Erickson, 5-7, 180, sr, Libby; Scott Robinson, 6-1, 185, jr, Havre and Jeff Brokaw, 5-7, 165, jr, Hardin.

Wide receivers - Blaine Baker, 6-4, 210, jr, Libby; Nick Camp, 5-11, 165, sr, Lewistown; Steven Holt, 5-10, 170, sr, Dillon; Travis Venn, 5-8, 158, sr, Miles City; Brett Owen, 5-9, 170, sr, Polson and CJ Goodheart, 5-10, 165, sr, Colstrip.

Fullback - Mike Burns, 5-9, 185, sr, Browning; Keevin Bertelsen, 6-2, 225, sr, Libby; Ben Motes-Connors, 5-10, 215, sr, Whitefish and Jordan Nesbitt, 5-8, 150, sr, Dillon.

FG/PAT Kicker - Weston Devers, 5-7, 165, sr, Dillon and Brett Owen, 5-9, 170, sr, Polson.

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Defensive line - Mike Anderson, 6-1, 260, sr, Belgrade; Gabe Boe, 6-0, 235, sr, Dillon; Dane Zupanik, 5-11, 230, sr, Miles City; Travis Hjort, 6-4, 190, soph, Libby and Sam Honeyman, 5-10, 260, sr, Billings Central.

Defensive ends - Ricky Houim, 5-11, 220, jr, Havre; Zane Hordahl, 6-1, 160, sr, Dillon; Brian Ruffatto, 6-1, 190, sr, Whitefish and Colin Spangle, 6-3, 210, sr, Glendive.

Outside linebackers - Jason Andreoli, 5-8, 165, sr, Anaconda; Terry Lundeen, 5-9, 145, jr, Polson and Jerry Racine, 5-10, 175, sr, Browning.

Inside linebackers - Kyle Bushman, 6-0, 190, jr, Billings Central; Garrett Garreis, 6-1, 212, sr, Anaconda; Mac Gordon, 6-0, 190, jr, Polson; Colby Mader, 5-11, 190, jr, Havre; Regan Farley, 6-1, 240, sr, Hamilton and Jacques Boiteau, 6-2, 205, sr, Bigfork.

Defensive corners - Jeff Brokaw, 5-7, 165, jr, Hardin' Brett Owen, 5-9, 170, sr, Polson; Kevin Staley, 6-0, 165, sr, Dillon; Coda Tchida, 5-9, 165, jr, Havre and Bryce Burton, 5-8, 170, jr, Billings Central.

Strong safety - Daine Solomon, 5-11, 165, sr, Havre and Kyle Stantus, 6-4, 200, sr, Libby.

Free safety - Josh Kringen, 6-0, 187, sr, Sidney and Jolly Righetti, 5-7, 175 jr, Whitefish.

Return specialist - Blaine Berg, 6-0, 171, jr, Glendive; Tyler Miller, 5-9, 150, sr, Belgrade and Travis Brown, 5-10, 165, jr, Stevensville.

 

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