This story is sponsored by: The Marshfield Tiger Booster Club
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
The Marshfield football team earned a share of the conference title and landed six players on the first team of the 2017 All-Valley Football Association West Division Team, which was voted on by the conference coaches.
Marshfield tied Wisconsin Rapids at 5-3 to earn a share of the West championship, the Tigers’ first conference title since sharing the VFA South Division crown with Stevens Point in 2012. Marshfield (6-4) also earned a WIAA playoff berth for the first time since 2013.
Head coach Denny Goettl was also named VFA West Coach of the Year.
Five of the six Tigers on the first team of the VFA West team were unanimous selections, including Linebacker of the Year Jared Johnsrud.
Johnsrud, a senior, was a first-team pick at inside linebacker after compiling 68 tackles and one interception.
Joining Johnsrud on the first-team defense for Marshfield were unanimous picks senior outside linebacker Jon Howlett (70 tackles, 6½ for loss), junior defensive end Alex Steines (38 tackles), and junior safety Nolan Hertel (51 tackles, five passes defended). Senior defensive lineman Noah Preston (31 tackles) also was on the first team for the Tigers.
Marshfield topped the VFA West in total defense, allowing just 262 yards and 13.9 points per game.
Senior offensive lineman Connor Berry was the only Marshfield player on the first team, while eight others earned honorable mention status.
Senior linemen A.J. Leonhardt and Ethan Arndt, junior lineman Sam Haessly, sophomore receiver Isaac Meverden, senior running back Andy Goettl, junior running backs Brant Bohman and Isaiah Baierl, and junior quarterback Ryan Krueger were honorable mention selections for Marshfield.
Senior cornerbacks Skyler Theisen and John Reigel, junior kicker Mason Coffren (21-for-22 extra points, 3-for-4 field goals), and Bohman as a kick return specialist were also honorable choices.
Bohman topped Marshfield in rushing yards (478), receptions (22), return yards (311), and total touchdowns (eight). Meverden had 17 catches for 260 yards and four touchdowns, Goettl added 381 total offensive yards, and Krueger had 830 passing yards and 10 touchdowns, and 322 rushing yards and five more TDs for Marshfield in conference play.
Stevens Point running back Colton Kizewski (1,408 rushing yards, 16 total touchdowns) was named the Offensive Player of the Year, and Stevens Point defensive lineman Cole Wright (10½ tackles for loss, 4½ sacks) was picked as Defensive Player of the Year.
2017 All-Valley Football Association West Division Team
First Team
(*unanimous selection)
Offense
Linemen: *Zach Mueller, sr., D.C. Everest; *Connor Berry, sr., Marshfield; *Seth Tosseth, sr., Stevens Point; James Erdmann, jr., Wausau West; *Mike Iverson, jr., Wisconsin Rapids; Chasten Vruwink, sr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Fullback/tight end: *Owen Zakrezewski, sr., Stevens Point; Sam Sippel, sr., Wausau West; Alex Langseth, sr., D.C. Everest.
Receivers: *Isaiah Westfall, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Brandon Clausen, sr., Wausau West.
Running backs: *Mitch Michalske, sr., Wausau West; Isaac Pelot, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; *Colton Kizewski, sr., Stevens Point.
Quarterbacks: Jacob Mancl, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Chandler Fochs, sr., Wausau West.
Defense
Linemen: Noah Preston, sr., Marshfield; *Cole Wright, sr., Stevens Point; *Frank Hartman, sr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Ends: *Alex Steines, jr., Marshfield; *Jack Kelly, jr., Stevens Point.
Inside linebackers: John Bohanski, sr., Stevens Point; Omar Chacon, sr., D.C. Everest; *Jared Johnsrud, sr., Marshfield.
Outside linebackers: Nate Hepp, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; *Jon Howlett, sr., Marshfield; Alec Borchardt, sr., Stevens Point.
Cornerbacks: Tommy Grube, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Ethan Ostrowski, so., D.C. Everest; *Sam Simmons, sr., Stevens Point.
Safeties: *Nolan Hertel, jr., Marshfield; *Trent Hamerski, sr., Stevens Point.
Specialists
Kicker: Nate Hepp, sr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Punters: Dylan Ashbeck, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Kaleb Schuster, sr., D.C. Everest.
Return specialist: Andrew Baranowski, sr., D.C. Everest
Honorable Mention
Offense
Linemen: A.J. Leonhardt, sr., Marshfield; Sam Haessly, jr., Marshfield; Austin Stankowski, jr., Stevens Point; Luke Bahling, sr., Stevens Point; Cade Gelhar, sr., D.C. Everest; Matt Schooley, so., Wisconsin Rapids; Ethan Arndt, sr., Marshfield; Pedro Sanchez, sr., Wausau West.
Fullback/tight end: Grant Hill, sr., Wausau West.
Receivers: Nick Campbell, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Isaac Meverden, so., Marshfield; Dayne Hoyord, so., Stevens Point; David Bagby, sr., Wausau West.
Running backs: Tanner Fowler, sr., D.C. Everest; Derek Mesunas, jr., D.C. Everest; Nash Coombs, jr., Wisconsin Rapids; Brant Bohman, jr., Marshfield; Andy Goettl, sr., Marshfield; Isaiah Baierl, jr., Marshfield.
Quarterback: Ryan Krueger, jr., Marshfield.
Defense
Lineman: Pharoah Palmer, sr., D.C. Everest.
Ends: Peter Aspros, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Parker DeRoo, sr., Stevens Point; Justin Bonke, jr., Wausau West.
Inside linebackers: Marc Sippel, so., Wausau West; Drake Biolo, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Desmond Schommer, jr., Stevens Point.
Cornerbacks: Skyler Theisen, sr., Marshfield; Lee Gorman, sr., Stevens Point; Andrew Baranowski, sr., D.C. Everest; John Reigel, sr., Marshfield.
Safeties: Zach Wendt, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Adam Neitzel, sr., D.C. Everest.
Specialists
Kickers: Mason Coffren, jr., Marshfield; Mark Raasch, sr., Wausau West.
Punter: Seth Tosseth, sr., Stevens Point.
Return specialist: Brant Bohman, jr., Marshfield.
Individual Awards
Offensive lineman of the year: Zach Mueller, sr., D.C. Everest.
Offensive receiver/tight end of the year: Isaiah Westfall, sr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Offensive back of the year: Colton Kizewski, sr., Stevens Point.
Offensive player of the year: Colton Kizewski, sr., Stevens Point.
Defensive lineman of the year: Cole Wright, sr., Stevens Point.
Linebacker of the year: Jared Johnsrud, sr., Marshfield.
Defensive back of the year: Trent Hamerski, sr., Stevens Point.
Defensive player of the year: Cole Wright, sr., Stevens Point.
Coach of the year: Denny Goettl, Marshfield.