The Soldotna Stars continue to win the 2018 football season well after the final snap of the Division II state championship game.
The Soldotna football team earned ten, first team selections and the Kenai Kardinals earned a single first-team selection to the Division II All-State football team.
SoHi’s junior quarterback Jersey Truesdell was named Offensive Player of the Year for Division II football. The Stars senior Levi Benner was selected as the Lineman of the Year for Division II football. The Soldotna program was honored with the Division II Assistant Coach of the Year: Eric Pomerleau.
The Soldotna Stars fill ten positions on the first-team, all-state team including multiple selections for Jersey Truesdell, Levi Benner, Aaron Faletoi and Galen Brantley III.
Division II First Team: SoHi & Kenai
Jersey Truesdell, SoHi: Quarterback and Defensive Back
Levi Benner, SoHi: Offensive Tackle and Defensive Line
Galen Brantley III, SoHi: Tight End and Interior Linebacker
Aaron Faletoi, SoHi: Running Back and Defensive Line
Hudson Metcalf, SoHi: Outside Linebacker
Zach Hanson, SoHi: Utility Player
Jarett Wilson, KCHS: Defensive Line
Division II All-State Teams: 1st and 2nd Team
First-team offense:
Quarterback — Jersey Truesdell, Soldotna; Running back — Aaron Faletoi, Soldotna; Brendyn Maschmeier, Lathrop; Fullback — Duston Corbin, Palmer; Wide receiver — Juan Mendez, Lathrop; Mason Piper, Eagle River; Tight end — Galen Brantley III, Soldotna; Tackle — Levi Benner, Soldotna; Corbin Tomaszewski, Lathrop; Guard — Danny Panama, Lathrop; Parker Smith, Palmer; Center — Joe Kimbrough, West Valley.
First-team defense:
Defensive line — Levi Benner, Soldotna; Aaron Faletoi, Soldotna; Corbin Tomaszewski, Lathrop; Jarett Wilson, Kenai; Outside linebacker —Hudson Metcalf, Soldotna; Inside linebacker; Deondric Henderson, Lathrop; — Galen Brantley III, Soldotna; Jace Henry, Lathrop; Defensive back — Jersey Truesdell, Soldotna; Ryan Adkins, Eagle River; Avery Weston, West Valley; Michael Zandra, Lathrop.
First-team special teams:
Kicker — Ethan Raygor, West Valley; Punter — Jace Henry, Lathrop; Long snapper — Levi Farris, Palmer; Return specialist — Avery Weston, West Valley; Utility player — Zach Hanson, Soldotna.
Second-team offense:
Quarterback — Ryan Adkins, Eagle River; Luke Guggenmos, Palmer; Jaden Littell, Lathrop; Running back — Chase Bruesch, Palmer; Titus Riddall, Kenai; Isiah Warner, West Valley; Fullback — Micah Bartel, Kodiak; Wide receiver — Quinard Cox, Eagle River; Avery Weston, West Valley; Tackle — Tyler Linder, Palmer; Jarrett Wilson, Kenai; Guard — Orazio Ramos, Eagle River; Brennan Werner, Soldotna; Center — Matt Bellman, Eagle River.
Second-team defense:
Defensive line — Michael Cayword, Eagle River; Micah Natwick, Palmer; Merrick Stacey, West Valley; Brock Weatherspoon, North Pole; Outside linebacker — Duston Corbin, Palmer; Levi Farris, Palmer; Tim Pennington, Eagle River; Inside linebacker — Joe Kimbrough, West Valley; Orazio Ramos, Eagle River; Parker Smith, Palmer; Defensive back — Preston Damario, West Valley; Piper Mason, Eagle River; Wyatt Medcoff, Soldotna; Juan Mendez, Lathrop.
Second-team specialist
Kicker — Kaden McKibben, Kenai; Punter — Ryan Adkins, Eagle River; Long snapper — Galen Brantley III, Soldotna; Return specialist — Cy Updike, Soldotna; Utility player — Jayden Christiansen, Palmer.
Division III All-State Football
The Eielson Ravens were honored with all five post-season Player of the Year and Coach of the Year awards. The Alaska football Division III football all-state team, for the first time in years, does not include a player from the Nikiski Bulldogs in the first-team selections. Nikiski’s Dustin Mullins and Joe McLeod each earned second team selections.
Offensive Player of the Year: Jayden Manibusan, Eielson
Defensive Player of the Year: Ryan Armour, Eielson
Lineman of the Year: Scott Fry, Eielson
Coach of the Year: Dave DeVaughn, Eielson
Assistant Coach of the Year: Don Fry, Eielson
Division III All-State Football: 1st and 2nd Team
First-team offense:
Quarterback — Brendan Wang, Ketchikan; Running back — Jayden Manibusan, Eielson; Apete Sasiu, Houston; Fullback — Ryan Armour, Eielson; Tight end — Brock Renson, Eielson; Wide receiver — Isaac Minema, Monroe; CJ Jasper, Ketchikan; Tackle — Jack Sasiu, Houston; Guard — Scott Fry, Eielson; Wakefield Kremer, Houston; Center — Shawn Graham, Houston.
First-team defense:
Defensive line — Stevie Byron, Ketchikan; Shawn Graham, Houston; Scott Fry, Eielson; Brock Renson, Eielson; Inside linebacker — Josh Gray, Monroe; Ben Heather, Barrow; Outside linebacker — Ryan Armour, Eielson; Owen Mulhaney, Houston; Defensive back — Isaac Minnema, Monroe; Jayden Manibusan, Eielson; Apete Sasiu.
First-team special teams:
Kicker — Jordan Higbee, Monroe; Punter — Rhiley Spott, Redington; Return specialist — CJ Jasper, Ketchikan; Long snapper — Eli Benson, Redington; Utility player — Anthony Fruean, Barrow.
Second-team offense:
Quarterback — Payton DeVaughn, Eielson; Running back — Josh Gray, Monroe; Beau Freiberg, Seward; Fullback — Kennedy Fono, Houston; Tight end — Brandon Wieber, Ketchikan; Wide receiver — Jordan Higbee, Monroe; Christopher Carlson, Ketchikan; Tackle — Mason Johnson, Eielson; Sebastian Sia, Barrow; Jadin Mann, Homer; Guard — Joey Rodriguez, Eielson; Dustin Mullins, Nikiski; Center — Brian Filipo, Barrow.
Second-team defense:
Defensive line — Joe McLeod, Nikiski; Steven Harshman, Seward; Joey Rodriguez, Eielson; Brian Filipo, Barrow; Inside linebacker — Kennedy Fono, Houston; Josh Manwiller, Homer; Outside linebacker — Isaac Garcia, Monroe; Gavin Mulhaney, Houston; Defensive back — Jordan Higbee, Monroe; CJ Jasper, Ketchikan; Chris Kingsland, Seward
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