Bulldog grid banquet wraps second straight title run season

A second Colfax football season that went all the way to the state title game was commemorated last Thursday at the football banquet. Coach Mike Morgan pointed out the Bulldogs overall booked another remarkable run.

The lone loss in the title game to an outstanding South Bend team shouldn’t cast a shadow on the overall achievements of the team, Morgan commented.

The coach also pointed out this year’s class of nine seniors recorded a three-year record of 35-3 with just one loss each year. They booked a third straight seasons of undefeated league and non-league play, and rolled through a playoff season which included wins over Dayton, Warden, Lind/Ritzville and the thrilling comeback against Waitsburg/Prescott in the semi-final showdown which sent them back to Tacoma.

Coach Morgan said voting for team honors this year was very competitive with sometimes as many as 10 nominees on the ballot list. All three team selections had double winners. All were seniors.

Quarterback Alex Teade and running back Tyler McNannay were named for the most valuable teammate honor. Brandon Heiser and Lonnie Ellis were named most improved, and Tuffy Hickman and Kellen Morgan were named most inspirational.

The coaches’ award went to Teade, Morgan and Justin Berarducci, a junior. The scholastic award went to Teade who has a 3.98 grade average. Hickman, Morgan, McNannay, Teade and Austin Neu have been nominated for the all-state seniors game by league coaches. Other seniors at the head table were Damon Buck, who returned to the title playoffs after undergoing surgery, and Kevin Li, who marked his first-ever football season as a senior.

Assistant coaches presented varsity awards. Jason Cooper, coach of the defensive backs, presented awards to Teade, Heiser, Morgan, Buck, Berarducci, Kevin Li and Sam Thompson.

Linebacker Coach Craig Culbertson presented awards to McNannay, Lonnie Ellis, Alvin Li, John Mellor and Cole Klaveano.

Line Coach Mark Brown presented awards to Hickman, Austin Neu, Brent Conrad, Daython Maltone, Aaron Arneson and Cole Neu.

Coach Morgan also recognized Brady Cornelius, statistics keeper, and Brandon Gfeller, film keeper.

Jayvee special awards went to Kevin Li, most improved; Levi Hardy, inspirational; Brady Ellis, most valuable teammate, and Tyler Stevenson and Brady Ellis, scout team awards.

Junior varsity recognitions also went to Austin Corean, Riley Huntwork, Zack Elkins, Ben Campbell, David King, Anthony Ochs, Derrick Goodwin, Bryce Kramlich, Justin Williams, Judd Thompson, Levi Hardy, Austin Getz, Kellen McNannay, Ben Stueckle, Kyle Miller, Brendan Lord, Justin Slayton, Evan Lord, Ray Compton, Chad Aeschliman, Eli Erickson, Justin Aucutt, Skylar Simonson and Corey Maltone.

Senior cheerleaders wrapping up their cheer careers for football were Alex Boyd, Ashlyn Thompson and Emily Ledbetter. Other cheer squad members recognized by Advisor Rhonda Pittman were Reagan Lowe, junior; Lindsay Webber and Rachel Napier, sophomores; Jacee Thompson and Brooklyn Schmidt, freshman