14 Tigers earn All-SEK football honors

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Fourteen members of Fort Scott High School's football team earned All-Southeast Kansas League honors in an announcement released early Tuesday morning.

Four Tigers were named to the First Team. Senior Alex Fink was chosen at wide receiver and defensive back. Senior Chase Brown was selected as a linebacker. Senior Mason Knopp was named as the punter and junior Brody Southwell was named the kicker.

Southwell finished the season with seven field goals, tying the Southeast Kansas League single-season record. Iola's Connor Frazell, now the kicker for Pittsburg State University, set the record when he kicked seven in 2008. He was Fort Scott's leading scorer with 52 points on seven field goals and 31 extra points. His 52 points on kicking alone was the sixth-best single-season total in league history.

Also named to the First Team offense were Pittsburg's Alex Barnes, who shattered the SEK's single-season touchdown and point-scoring records this season, at running back. The Purple Dragon senior was one of three backs named along with Coffeyville's LaDarrius Johnson and Independence's Marquise Johnson, both seniors. Chanute junior Kenton Richards was named at quarterback.

Fink and Chanute senior Derek Sharp were picked at wide receiver with Pittsburg senior Austin Seivert chosen at tight end. The offensive line consists entirely of seniors, Pittsburg's William Lackamp, Sage Mahnken and Josh Jarvis, Independence's Evan Speicher and Coffeyville's Charles Mayfield.

On the First Team defense along with Brown and Fink are four senior linemen. They are Mayfield, Speicher, Mayfield and Chanute senior Jodie Murphy. The other three linebackers are seniors Nick Wintjen of Coffeyville and Alex Son of Chanute and junior Will Mengarelli of Pittsburg.

Defensive backs along with Fink are LaDarrius Johnson, Pittsburg senior Ryan McNeely and Independence junior Kyle Rinck.

The other specialists are Barnes as the return man and Labette County senior Parker Grant, also a punter.

Barnes, who scored 38 touchdowns and 238 total points in shattering single-season records set by Independence's Matt Bromley in 2010 (34 and 208, respectively), was named the league's Offensive Most Valuable Player. Wintjen was chosen as the Defensive MVP. And Pittsburg's Tom Nickelson was named Coach of the Year as the Purple Dragons won the SEK and qualified for the Class 5A playoffs, their first post-season trip since 2007.

Knopp was named to the Second Team at quarterback joined by Brown at running back and juniors Josh Hudiburg at tight end and Austin Cook as an offensive lineman.

Son was also named at running back. The offensive line also consists of Chanute senior Gus Walker, Pittsburg senior Christian Dalton and Coffeyville seniors Demarco Shoat and Grant Newton. Pittsburg senior Dante Richardson and Coffeyville sophomore Kamaren Wilson were named as wide receivers.

On defense, seniors Lane Embry and Jacon Cross were each chosen for a position on the defensive line, junior Carter Young was named as a linebacker and senior Brendyn Quinney was picked as a defensive back.

Pittsburg senior Jaden Patterson and Parsons sophomore Issac McPherson were also named on the line. Independence senior Jordan Meade, Parsons junior Keenan Dodd and Pittsburg junior Adridan Scroggins were also picked as defensive backs. Barnes, Coffeyville senior Destin Downing and Pittsburg sophomore Elijah Harris were named as defensive backs. Downing was also named as a kick returner and Labette County junior Missy Dantic was picked as the kicker.

Senior K.J. Miller was chose for an Honorable Mention spot as an offensive lineman. Senior Nick Woods was picked as a defensive lineman, senior Kevin Armstrong at linebacker and senior Drew Martin as a defensive back.

Rink and Pittsburg junior Spencer Turnbull were chosen as quarterbacks. Downing was chosen at running back. Independence senior Nathaniel Collins, Chanute senior Cutter Boone and Coffeyville senior Christopher Rider were named to the offensive line. Labette County senior Zack Stewart was picked at tight end. LCHS senior Bryce Thomas and Chanute senior Ethin VanAnne were named the wide receivers.

Also on the HM defense are Shoat, Stewart and Boone on the defensive line. Thomas, Chanute senior Dakota Gough, LCHS senior Eli Tallman and sophomore Alex Smith, Parsons senior Brett Houk and Independence junior Max Jones were selected at linebacker. LCHS senior Drew Dwyer and junior Michael Parker, Chanute senior Colton Erikson, Indy senior Dalson Hamlin and Coffeyville senior Malik Walton were picked as the defensive backs.

LaDarrius Johnson was named the Honorable Mention punter and VanAnne as the return specialist.