Western A Football: Jarrett Wilson MVP; Whitefish lands 8 All-State picks, Columbia Falls 6

Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell, Mont.
·6 min read

Nov. 30—Whitefish had eight All-State picks — three playing both ways — and Columbia Falls had six while Polson's Jarrett Wilson was named offensive MVP on the Western A football honors teams released Tuesday.

Whitefish's Fynn Ridgeway (quarterback and cornerback), Mason Kelch (receiver and safety) and Ty Schwaiger (running back and linebacker) were first-team picks on offense and defense; every first-team all-league pick is also an All-State selection for Class A.

In all, the 11-team Western A chose 22 All-State spots on offense and 25 on defense. Hamilton junior Andrew Burrows, a two-way lineman, was named the defensive MVP.

Wilson, who threw for 2,616 yards and 35 touchdowns and ran for 886 yards and another 17 scores as a senior, was All-State for the second time. Last year he shared the offensive MVP award with Hamilton QB and current Montana Grizzly Tyson Rostad.

Wilson was one of three first-team picks at quarterback, along with Ridgeway of Whitefish (1,866 yards passing, 1,308 rushing and 34 touchdowns combined) and Cody Schweikert of Columbia Falls (2,380 yards passing, 374 rushing and 33 TDs combined).

Wilson's brother Trent Wilson was All-State at both receiver and linebacker; the Pirates, who made the Class A semifinals a second straight season, had two more picks in defensive lineman Lincoln Burrough and linebacker Dawson DuMont.

DuMont is a repeat All-State pick. Burrough is a junior.

Ridgeway was joined on the All-State team by Whitefish teammates Schwaiger and Kai Nash — they were All-State in 2021 as well — as well as Kelch and defensive lineman Montana Cohenour. Kelch is a junior.

Schweikert is a repeat All-State pick for Columbia Falls, at QB and linebacker; kicker Kai Golan, also a junior, was also a repeat pick.

Wildcats Brandon Role (defensive line), Tristan Cranes (offensive line), Justin Windauer (safety) and Jace Hill (receiver) all made All-State; Cranes is another junior.

Libby's Cy Stevenson, Class A's leading rusher in 2022 with 1,323 yards, is the Loggers' lone All-State pick, at both running back and linebacker. Stevenson was All-State in 2021 as well.

Ronan senior safety Caleb Cheff was also All-State.

2022 Western AA Football All-Conference

First Team Offense

O-line Jesse Hughes, 6-0, 230, sr., Dillon

Andrew Burrows, 6-2, 250, jr., Hamilton

Kai Nash, 6-1, 220, sr., Whitefish

Derrick Saltzman, 6-1, 215, sr., Hamilton

Isaac Stoker, 6-1, 240, jr., Corvallis

Tristan Cranes, 5-10, 225, jr., Columbia Falls

Running back Cy Stevenson, 6-2, 205, sr., Libby

Kellan Belller, 6-1, 215, sr., Stevensville

Andrew Frederick, 5-8, 185, jr., Hamilton

Ty Schwaiger, 6-1, 200, sr., Whitefish

Quarterback Fynn Ridgeway, 6-1, 200, sr., Whitefish

Jarrett Wilson, 6-0, 180, sr., Polson

Cody Schweikert, 6-4, 224, jr., Columbia Falls

Wide receiver Eli Taylor, 5-9, 140, sr., Hamilton

Eli Nourse, 5-10, 165, sr., Dillon

Jace Hill, 6-2, 170, jr., Columbia Falls

Trent Wilson, 5-11, 180, sr., Polson

Connor Michaud, 6-7, 195, sr., Frenchtown

Mason Kelch, 6-1, 185, jr., Whitefish

Treyton Graham, 6-2, 175, sr., Dillon

Tight end Lucas Lant, 5-11, 205, jr., Hamilton

Place kicker Kai Golan, 5-10, 175, jr., Columbia Falls

Offensive MVP Jarrett Wilson, Polson

Second Team Offense

O-line Hunter Goodman, 6-3, 215, jr., Columbia Falls

Adam Shirley, 6-0, 280, sr., East Helena

Josh Lucier, 6-0, 215, sr., Frenchtown

Austin Obenwagner, 6-4, 230, jr., Polson

Coleton Sherman, 5-10, 210, jr., Ronan

Astin Brown, 6-2, 225, so., Polson

Running back Noah Rausch, 5-11, 190, sr., Frenchtown

Beau Boudreaux, 6-1, 200, sr., Frenchtown

Jace DeShazer, 5-10, 200, jr., Libby

Peyton Hicks, 5-11, 170, sr., Frenchtown

Kale Konen, 6-2, 185, jr., Dillon

Quarterback Kee Christianson, 6-1, 170, jr., Dillon

Tyson Bauder, 6-1, 185, jr., Hamilton

Wide receivers Liam O'connell, 6-0, 180, sr., Hamilton

Caden Hansen, 6-4, 170, sr., Dillon

Jace Duvall, 6-2, 180, sr., Columbia Falls

Clayton Goldsey, 5-9, 160, sr., Whitefish

Cooper Anderson, 5-11, 150, sr., Dillon

Dillen Potter, 6-0, 160, jr., Corvallis

Kyle Holter, 6-0, 175, sr., Butte Central

Tight end Eric Loos, 6-4, 210, sr., Butte Central

Place kicker Ryder Barinowski, 6-0, 175, jr., Whitefish

First Team Defense

D-line Andrew Burrows, 6-2, 250, jr., Hamilton

Brandon Role, 5-10, 215, sr., Columbia Falls

Montana Cohenour, 6-3, 270, sr., Whitefish

Derrick Saltzman, 6-1, 215, sr., Hamilton

Isaac Stoker, 6-1, 240, jr., Corvallis

Lincoln Burrough, 5-10, 225, jr., Polson

Linebacker Lucas Lant, 5-11, 205, jr., Hamilton

Cy Stevenson, 6-2, 205, sr., Libby

Kellan Beller, 6-1, 215, sr., Stevensville

Cody Schweikert, 6-4, 224, jr., Columbia Falls

Ty Schwaiger, 6-1, 200, sr., Whitefish

Liam O'Connell, 6-0, 180, sr., Hamilton

Kale Konen, 6-2, 185, jr., Dillon

Dawson DuMont, 5-11, 190, sr., Polson

Safety Caden Hansen, 6-4, 170, sr., Dillon

Taylor Searle, 6-3, 190, jr., Hamilton

Justin Windauer, 5-9, 170, sr., Columbia Falls

Caleb Cheff, 6-11, 165, sr., Ronan

Trent Wilson, 5-11, 180, sr., Polson

Mason Kelch, 6-1, 185, jr., Whitefish

Cornerback Eli Taylor, 5-9, 140, sr., Hamilton

Eli Nourse, 5-10, 165, jr., Dillon

Fynn Ridgeway, 6-1, 200, sr., Whitefish

Kyle Holter, 6-0, 175, sr., Butte Central

Return specialist Treyton Graham, 6-2, 175, sr., Dillon

Defensive MVP Andrew Burrows, Hamilton

Second Team Defense

D-line Eric Loos, 6-4, 210, sr., Butte Central

Jesse Hughes, 6-0, 230, sr., Dillon

Ayden McFadden, 6-3, 220, sr., Columbia Falls

Noah Rausch, 5-11, 190, sr., Frenchtown

Kai Nash, 6-1, 220, sr, Whitefish

Scotty Dalen, 6-1, 180, soph, Whitefish

Linebacker Jace DeShazer, 5-10, 206, jr., Libby

Levi Reynoso, 5-8, 190, jr. Corvallis

Hunter Goodman, 6-3, 215, jr., Columbia Falls

Kaden Pittman, 6-2, 165, sr., Dillon

Peyton Hicks, 5-11, 170, sr., Frenchtown

Brock Henriksen, 6-4, 210, jr., Polson

Beau Boudreaux, 6-1, 200, sr., Frenchtown

Taylor Kopp, 5-9, 180, jr., East Helena

Safety Sully Belcourt, 5-11, 155, sr., Frenchtown

Mark Robison, 5-8, 175, jr., Columbia Falls

Jarrett Wilson, 6-0, 180, sr., Polson

Dillen Potter, 6-0, 160, jr., Corvallis

Cooper Anderson, 5-11, 150, jr., Dillon

Isaiah Van de Baan, 6-3, 190, sr., Hamilton

Cornerback Carter White, 5-9,160, sr., Frenchtown

Alihn Anderson, 6-2, 175, jr., Columbia Falls

Treyton Graham, 6-2, 175, sr., Dillon

Tyson Bauder, 6-1, 185, jr., Hamilton

Return specialist Carter White, 6-9,1 60, sr., Frenchtown

Honorable Mention

Offensive line — Henry Bennetts, jr., Whitefish; Riley Gelling, sr., Butte Central; Landon Johansen, jr., Corvallis; Christian Bird Rattler, sr., Browning; Layne Powers, jr., East Helena; Ryleigh Plavonic, jr., Dillon; Jacob Westberry, sr., Hamilton; Trevor Lewis, jr., Hamilton; Trey Rice, sr., Columbia Falls; Luke Gannon, sr., Hamilton; Lane Voermans, so., Columbia Falls.

Running backs — Reggie Sapa, soph., Columbia Falls; Tahj Wells, soph., Browning.

Quarterback — Eli Quinn, jr., Frenchtown; Aydan Mayn, soph., Corvallis.

Wide receiver — Dane Hunt, jr., Whitefish; Hunter Gum, sr., Stevensville; Kellen Klimpel, sr., Frenctghown; Maurice Redhorn III, jr., Browning; Ted Coffman, jr., Ronan; Trey Joseph, sr., Corvallis.

Kicker — Matthew Kleinsmith, sr., Frenchtown.

Defensive line — Brody Harris, sr., Frenchtown; Cayden Kibler, sr., Butte Central; Zach Sannar, jr., Stevensville; Jayden Wright, soph., East Helena; Trey Torpen, sr., Columbia falls; Trapper Doering, sr., Dillon.

Linebacker — Luke Moses, sr., Whitefish; Laurance Lozeau, soph., Ronan; Braden Howell, sr., East Helena.

Safety — Tyler Wenderoth, sr., Polson; Cy Williams, jr., Libby; Brayds Vielle, sr., Browning.

Cornerback — Tyler Gilfry, sr., Columbia Falls.