Badgers, Patriots earn M&O Conference honors
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Niagara senior Sawyer Rouse was named Offensive Player of the Year and was joined by four teammates in collecting first-team honors in the M&O Conference eight-player football awards.
Rouse was selected first-team quarterback. Three other Niagara seniors -- running back Owen Dunkes, end Abain Patterson and lineman Mason Whaley -- were first-team picks on offense.
On the defensive side, Badgers junior lineman Myles Laarman was named to the first team along with Patterson at defensive back and Dunkes at linebacker.
Goodman-Pembine junior Matt Kaiser was selected first-team punter.
The M&O’s Defensive Player of the Year was Suring senior Dyllan Flynn. Suring won the conference with a 6-0 record and Niagara was third at 4-2.
Niagara senior Kyle Kay received second-team offensive-line recognition, along with Goodman-Pembine senior James Wolford.
Goodman-Pembine junior end Auron Garrow was also named to the second team.
On defense, Whaley of Niagara was a second-team lineman while Patterson was second-team punter. Goodman-Pembine junior Matt Kaiser was tabbed as a linebacker.
The honorable mention list included three G-P Patriots on defense -- sophomore linebacker Devin Moddie, junior defensive lineman Jimmy Bruders, and sophomore defensive lineman Carter Seidel. Also named was Badgers sophomore linebacker Jesse Wahlstrom.
Niagara’s Laarman received honorable mention on offense as an end.
Rouse completed 48 of 95 passes on the season for 786 yards and nine touchdowns. He added five touchdowns rushing as the Badgers finished 5-6 overall.
“Sawyer Rouse had a fantastic season for us,” said Niagara coach Ben Laarman. “He’s not the most physically gifted kid, but he loves football and that really shows in how he prepares and how he plays.”
Patterson had a team-leading 23 catches for 319 yards and two TDs. He had three interceptions along with an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Patterson has a great football IQ and awareness, Laarman said. “He and Sawyer developed a great connection, and Abain made a lot of big plays on both sides of the ball.”
Dunkes is a dedicated football player, Laarman said.
“He loves to hit and he’s all over the field on defense. He was a great weapon offensively both running the ball and as a receiver down the field.”
Dunkes rushed for 568 yards, averaging 6.1 yards a carry. He totaled eight rushing touchdowns and four receiving TDs.
Whaley contributed as “the ideal” offensive lineman, Laarman said. “He has some size but also enough athleticism to both move people off the line of scrimmage and get out front and make blocks down the field. He has a great work ethic.”
Coach Laarman credited Myles Laarman as “outstanding both as an edge defender against the run and as a pass rusher.” He led the team in sacks with 5.5 and had 17 tackles for loss.
Lena-St. Thomas Aquinas, which finished second in the conference at 5-1, landed three seniors on the first-team offense -- Jake Farley at end and kicker, Luke Koslowsky at running back, and lineman Collin Vanark. Rounding out the first-team offense was Suring senior lineman Karl Hischke.
Lena/STAA had three players named to the first-team defense -- Farley at defensive back, Koslowsky at linebacker, and junior lineman PJ Finger.
Completing the first-team defense were two Suring seniors -- linebacker Flynn and defensive lineman Grant Thomson.