Northern Heights quarterback D.J. Bronson and Silver Lake linebacker Jeremy Boyd led their respective teams into the postseason with strong individual performances this past fall.
To the chagrin of the Mission Valley coaching staff, Northern Heights quarterback
D.J. Bronson avoided the usual mixed bag that most players experience during the opening week action of any football season, turning a lot of heads in the process with 475 yards passing and seven touchdowns in a 56-36 triumph over the Vikings.
Then he did it again and again throughout the Wildcats' 7-3 season to earn the nod as the Kansas small school offensive MVP in 2010.
That 475-yard performance was his best of the season, but Bronson threw for 400-plus yards five times in 10 games, including three straight performances to begin the season.
Following Northern Heights' first loss of the season, by a 41-28 count to Lyndon in week 3, the 5-foot-9-inch, 130-pounder had already completed 78 of 115 passes for 1,333 yards and 18 touchdowns, to just three interceptions. For the season, Bronson threw for 300 yards or more in eight of 10 games.
Bronson's 3,679 passing yards on the season fell 205 yards short of former Wichita Collegiate signal caller Blake Jablonski's 2009 record. But he connected with
Cody Britton for an 8-yard scoring strike in the fourth quarter of a 68-6 loss to eventual Class 3A champion Silver Lake in the opening round of the playoffs to give him 49 scoring tosses on the year, upending Jablonski's 2009 record by one.
Bronson was on pace to shatter the Kansas state record for passing yards in a game (491) when he threw for 435 yards and seven scores in the first half of a 52-20 win over Chase County. But the senior didn't play in the second half of that contest.
Class 3A champion Silver Lake had plenty of MVP candidates on the defensive side of the ball, making that decision rather taxing. But in the end, linebacker
Jeremy Boyd edged Eagle defensive lineman
Jordan Haverkamp for the honor.
Boyd led the Eagles, who registered 62 sacks on the season as a team, with 165 tackles and 13 sacks during Silver Lake's title run in 2010-11. He also broke up a pass, caused a couple of fumbles and recovered three more. Boyd registered 21 tackles in the 27-21 state championship win over previously undefeated Conway Springs.
Below is a look at the Kansas small school all-state team as well as all-state teams from Classes 3A, 2-1A and 8-Man.
KANSAS SMALL SCHOOL ALL-STATE FOOTBALL
SMALL SCHOOL ALL-STATE OFFENSEEND –
Nick Mendez, Northern Heights, 6-2 170 Sr.
END –
Michael Mesh, Hutchinson Trinity, 6-2 185 Sr.
END –
Jake Green, Remington, 6-4 168 Sr.
QB – D.J. Bronson, Northern Heights, 5-9 130 Sr.
RB –
Brian Doffing, Conway Springs, 5-11 170 Jr.
RB –
Lane Koster, Beloit, 5-10 175 Sr.
RB –
Daniel Krehbiel, Pretty Prairie, 6-2 200 Sr.
OL –
Mason Pauly, Conway Springs, 5-10 210 Sr.
OL –
Luke Yoder, Silver Lake, 6-2 290 Sr.
OL –
John Ernzen, Pleasant Ridge, 6-3 250 Sr.
OL – Kelly Thompson, Pittsburg-Colgan, 6-3 190 Sr.
OL – Austin Bass,
Olpe, 6-4 215 Sr.
OFFENSIVE MVP – D.J. Bronson, Northern Heights
SMALL SCHOOL ALL-STATE DEFENSEDL –
Jordan Haverkamp, Silver Lake, 6-2 230 Sr.
DL –
Josh Nixon, Smith Center, 6-1 260 Sr.
DL –
Logan Haug, Baileyville B&B, 6-6 215 Sr.
DL –
Connor Hynek, Hanover, 6-2 195 Sr.
LB –
Kaid McKenna, Norton Community, 5-10 185 Sr.
LB –
Jeremy Boyd, Silver Lake, 6-0 240 Sr.
LB –
Dalton Marcotte, Mission Valley, 6-1 175 Sr.
LB –
Michael Hlavaty, Otis-Bison, 5-8 185 Sr.
DB –
Ron Baker, Scott City, 6-3 195 Sr.
DB –
Brit Dewey, Silver Lake, 5-9 170 Sr.
DB – Michael Glatczak,
Centralia, 6-0 170 Jr.
DB –
Jacob Kinderknecht, Ellis, 5-8 155 Sr.
DEFENSIVE MVP – Jeremy Boyd, Silver Lake
SMALL SCHOOL ALL-STATE SPECIALISTSK –
Mitch Buhler, Rossville, 5-10 165 Sr.
RETURNER –
Dalton Whaley, Caldwell, 5-9 165 Sr.
P –
Nick Walsh, Lyndon, 6-0 175 Sr.
CLASS 3AALL-STATE OFFENSEEND – Nick Mendez, Northern Heights, 6-2 170 Sr.
END – Michael Mesh, Hutchinson Trinity, 6-2 185 Sr.
END – Brit Dewey, Silver Lake, 5-9 170 Sr.
QB – Dj Bronson, Northern Heights, 5-9 130 Sr.
RB – Brian Doffing, Conway Springs, 5-11 170 Jr.
RB – Lane Koster, Beloit, 5-10 175 Sr.
RB – Terrell Lane, Norton Community, 5-11 220 Sr.
OL – Braden Eck, Garden Plain, 6-4 270 Sr.
OL – Mason Pauly, Conway Springs, 5-10 210 Sr.
OL – Luke Yoder, Silver Lake, 6-2 290 Sr.
OL – John Ernzen, Pleasant Ridge, 6-3 250 Sr.
OL – Garrett Schmitt, Beloit, 5-11 202 Sr.
ALL-STATE DEFENSEDL –
Kayl Barkley, Conway Springs, 6-2 240 Sr.
DL – Jordan Haverkamp, Silver Lake, 6-2 230 Sr.
DL – Josh Nixon, Smith Center, 6-1 260 Sr.
DL –
Trace Clark, Wichita Collegiate, 6-5 240 Jr.
LB –
Robert Ludwig, Beloit, 6-1 185 Sr.
LB –
Kaid McKenna, Norton Community, 5-10 185 Sr.
LB – Jeremy Boyd, Silver Lake, 6-0 240 Sr.
LB –
Jesse Campbell, Wellsville, 6-0 190 Sr.
DB –
Derek Racette, Hutchinson Trinity, 6-0 180 Sr.
DB – Ron Baker, Scott City, 6-3 195 Sr.
DB – Calvin Kenney,
Riley County, 6-2 200 Sr.
DB –
Keenan Kruger, Silver Lake, 6-2 171 Sr.
ALL-STATE SPECIALISTS K –
Mitch Buhler, Rossville, 5-10 165 Sr.
RETURNER –
Kelly Pearson, Goodland, 5-10 170 Sr.
P –
Colby Hamel, Lakin, 6-3 286 Sr.
CLASS 2-1AALL-STATE OFFENSEEND –
James Kelly, Elkhart, 6-2 175 Sr.
END –
Kaleb Whitehair, Ell-Saline, 6-3 180 So.
END – Jason Schoemann,
St. Marys, 5-10 190 Jr.
QB –
Tate Omli, Ell-Saline, 5-11 195 Sr.
RB –
Luke Ropp, Inman, 6-1 190 Sr.
RB – Christian Smith, Pittsburg-Colgan, 5-11 185 Jr.
RB – Austin Narin,
Stanton County (Johnson), 6-2 180 Sr.
OL – Austin Bass, Olpe, 6-4 215 Sr.
OL –
Weston Kroth, Meade, 6-0 252 Sr.
OL –
Zach Garcia, Oswego, 6-3 270 Sr.
OL – Cody Meade, Centralia, 5-10 220 Sr.
OL – Kelly Thompson, Pittsburg-Colgan, 6-3 190 Sr.
ALL-STATE DEFENSEDL –
Dakota Jiskra, Lyndon, 6-3 245 Sr.
DL – Edgar Navarro, Stanton County, 6-2 205 Sr.
DL – Daniel Humble, Pittsburg-Colgan, 6-5 320 Sr.
DL –
Dillon Simpson, Troy, 5-9 175 So.
LB –
Dalton Marcotte, Mission Valley, 6-1 175 Sr.
LB – Zach Smith, Pittsburg-Colgan, 5-11 185 Jr.
LB –
Jaden Friesen, Meade, 5-11 190 Sr.
LB –
Garrett Meng, Troy, 6-3 240 Sr.
DB – Michael Glatczak, Centralia, 6-0 170 Jr.
DB –
Jacob Kinderknecht, Ellis, 5-8 155 Sr.
DB – Linden Stueve, Olpe, 6-0 185 Sr.
DB – Kellan Hernandez, Meade, 5-11 175 Sr.
ALL-STATE SPECIALISTSK – Austin Barone, Pittsburg-Colgan, 5-11 170 Jr.
RETURNER – Alex Lederer, Valley Falls, 6-0 175 Sr.
P – Nick Walsh, Lyndon, 6-0 175 Sr.
8-MAN
ALL-STATE OFFENSEEND –
Ky Biddle, Central-Burden, 5-9 155 Jr.
END –
Zach Demars, Southern Cloud, 5-9 190 Sr.
QB –
Reggie Jordan, Hill City, 5-11 190 Sr.
RB –
Daniel Krehbiel, Pretty Prairie, 6-2 200 Sr.
RB – Kole Schankie,
Madison/Hamilton (Madison), 6-1 188 Sr.
OL –
Devinn Ritter, Golden Plains, 6-3 305 Sr.
OL – Blake Davies,
Lebo, 5-10 180 Jr.
OL –
Ben Webb, Osborne, 6-1 190 Sr.
ALL-STATE DEFENSEDL –
Adrian Garcia, Cheylin, 6-4 210 SR.
DL – Logan Haug, Baileyville B&B, 6-6 215 Sr.
DL – Connor Hynek, Hanover, 6-2 195 Sr.
LB – Michael Hlavaty, Otis-Bison, 5-8 185 Sr.
LB –
Taylor Siemsen, Quivira Heights, 5-10 195 Sr.
LB – Tanner Brunner,
Centre (Lost Springs), 6-2 190 Sr.
DB –
Ervin Swonger, Ashland, 5-10 165 Sr.
DB –
Rilee Spresser, Golden Plains, 6-3 205 Sr.
ALL-STATE SPECIALISTSK –
Marvin Sonnenberg, Caldwell, 6-1 150 So.
RETURNER – Dalton Whaley, Caldwell, 5-9 165 Sr.
P –
Guy Fullmer, Dighton, 5-9 165 Jr.