The 2017 Alaska Football Coaches Association’s selections for the 2017 Division II All-State Football Team are nearly a mirror image of the Northern Lights Conference all-conference selections and NLC player of the year selections; the Soldotna Stars filling the AFCA Division II All-State lists.
Soldotna Stars
SoHi dominates the selections with three, year-end Player (Coach) of the Year awards and the Stars fill 12 first-team positions.
Soldotna’s Brenner Furlong is a repeat Division II Offensive Player of the Year and SoHi’s Wendall Tuisaula repeats as Defensive Player of the Year for Division II (Medium School) football. Eric Pomerleau, SoHi assistant coach, was named Division II Assistant Coach of the Year.
SoHi quarterback Brandon Crowder was a repeat selection as 1st team quarterback.
Stars selected to the 1st Team Offense included: Crowder, quarterback; Furlong, fullback; Tuisaula, guard; Aaron Faletoi, running back; Galen Brantley III, tight end; Jake Marcuson, tackle;
Stars selected to the 1st Team Defense included: Furlong, outside linebacker; Tuisaula, inside linebacker; Jersey Truesdall, defensive back; Levi Benner, interior lineman; Aaron Faletoi, interior lineman.
Stars selected to the 1st Team Specialist included: Cody Quelland, utility player.
Kenai Kardinals
The Kenai football team is represented on the Division II All-State Football team with Zach Tuttle selected to both offense and defense as wide receiver and defensive back. Kenai earned two defensive selections with Seth Kruse as inside linebacker and Rykker Riddall as outside linebacker.
2017 Division II All-State Football Teams: Provided by AFCA
Player of the Year Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Brenner Furlong, SoHi
Defensive Player of the Year: Wendell Tuisaula, SoHi
Lineman of the Year: Lucas Santana, Palmer
Coach of the Year: Rod Christiansen, Palmer
Assistant Coach of the Year: Eric Pomerleau, SoHi
First-Team Offense
Quarterback: Brandon Crowder, SoHi
Running Back: Larry Cutsforth, Palmer; Aaron Faletoi, SoHi
Full Back: Brenner Furlong, SoHi
Receiver: Jamie Johnson, North Pole; Zack Tuttle, Kenai
Tight End: Galen Brantley III, SoHi
Tackle: Jacob Breazeale, North Pole; Jake Marcuson, SoHi
Guard: Lucas Santana, Palmer; Wendell Tuisaula, SoHi
Center: Derek Boord, Thunder Mountain
First-Team Defense
Outside Linebacker: Brenner Furlong, SoHi; Rykker Riddall, Kenai
Inside Linebacker: CJ Fontana, North Pole; Seth Kruse, Kenai; Wendell Tuisaula, SoHi
Defensive Back: Jeff Glynn, Palmer; Jamie Johnson, North Pole; Jersey Truesdell, SoHi; Zack Tuttle, Kenai
Interior Lineman: Levi Benner, SoHi; Aaron Faletoi, SoHi; Lucas Santana, Palmer; Puna Touteiolepo, Thunder Mountain
First-Team Specialists
Punter: Shaun Walton, Kodiak
Return Specialist: Liam Van Sickle, Juneau-Douglas
Long Snapper: Ivan Williams, Thunder Mountain
Kicker: Jacob Babcock, Thunder Mountain
Utility Player: Cody Quelland, SoHi
Second-Team Offense
Quarterback: Craig Borba, North Pole
Running Back: Toy Toupou, Thunder Mountain; Liam Van Sickle, Juneau-Douglas
Full Back: CJ Fontana, North Pole
Receiver: Joel Francisco, Kodiak; Kody Malouf, Ketchikan
Tight End: Bobby Cox, Thunder Mountain; Kasey Watts, Juneau-Douglas
Tackle: John Elisoff, Juneau-Douglas; Jacob White, Palmer
Guard: Jacob Blanchard, North Pole; Alex Eldemar, Thunder Mountain; Seth Kruse, Kenai
Center: Josh Smith, Kodiak
Second-Team Defense
Outside Linebacker: Kirven Easton, North Pole; Steven Rosales, Thunder Mountain
Inside Linebacker: Ben Kruzich, Palmer; Alofa Sua, Thunder Mountain
Defensive Back: Isaiah Galindez, Kodiak; John Hamrick, Juneau-Douglas; Hansel Hinckle, Thunder Mountain; Jacob Tapia, Thunder Mountain
Interior Lineman: Stevie Byron, Ketchikan; John Grossl, Kenai; Josh Smith, Kodiak; Ivan Williams, Juneau Douglas
Second-Team Specialists
Punter: Elliot Gifford, Juneau Douglas
Return Specialist: Luke Trammell, SoHi
Long Snapper: Logan Baker, Kenai
Kicker: Jacob Babcock, Thunder Mountain
Utility Player: Cody Galletes, Juneau-Douglas