Awards banquet wraps 6-5 Colfax grid season

Colfax football coaches and players wrapped up the season with parents and fans at a dessert banquet Monday night. The Bulldogs honored four seniors and presented team awards and letters.

Coach Mike Morgan credited the four seniors with providing strong leadership over the year to the younger players. That was one of the factors that advanced the team to the state quarter-final round in spite of its overall young profile.

“This is a team that just never quit. A 6-5 record looks pretty good because of where we landed,” Morgan noted.

He pointed out the overall strength of the NE league which advanced three teams in the quart-final level. The LRS Broncos, who bounced Colfax twice this year, have again advanced to the state 2B title game where they will have a rematch with Morton/White Pass for the championship.

Morgan noted he was again picking the NE’s Broncos to take the title.

Seniors on the team were Trenton Moore, a transfer student from Arizona, Levi Hardy, Austin Getz and Ray Compton.

Hardy, again named for all-league honors and junior quarterback Mark Webber were named co-winners of the most valuable teammate award. Getz, who also named to first-team honors, was voted most inspirational.

Coach Morgan noted Getz and the punt return team made the difference on the playoff wins over Tri-Cities Prep at Pasco and White Swan to get into the quarter-final.

Junior linemen Josh Brown and Andrew Becker, also all-NE players, were named for the coaches award.

Junior Cody Gronning received the most improved award and the scholastic award.

Assistant Coach Jason Cooper presented letter awards to defensive backs Keith Gfeller, Trenton Moore, Bryan Stueckle, Bo Claassen, Dylan Heiser, Dylan Hall, Webber and Getz.

Coach Morgan presented linebacker awards to Reggie Jones, Cody Fulfs, Tyler Kincaid, Gronning and Hardy.

Line Coach Craig Culbertson presented letter awards to Kenton Lyman, Brian DeYoung, Becker, Brown and Compton.

Coach Morgan also credited work by statistician Ben Stueckle and ball boys Jacob Brown and Anthony Becker.

The 13 junior varsity players were also presented letter awards for their work on the practice squad. The low team roster forced the Bulldogs to shut down the junior varsity schedule early in the season.

Junior varsity players named Reggie Jones for the most valuable teammate and scout team player of the year honors.

Tobie Warwick was named most improved and Nick McAdams most inspirational.

Other underclassmen on the junior varsity, also known as the blue squad were Darien Ward, Caleb Brown, Terren Torgeson, Hunter Mosebar, Jared Kneale, Connor Pellisier, Jared Thompson, Zway Erickson, Jon Klaveano, Louis Morford and Galen McWhirter.

Cheerleader coach Connie Ellis presented letter awards to Jacee Thompson, Elizabeth Eakin, Emma Klaveano, Jolee Aeschliman, Morgan Reynolds, Hailey Ring and Lauren Claassen.