Class A 8-Man All-State
Rocky Mountain News December 15, 2005
• Offensive player of the year: Karl Mertens, Merino
• Defensive player of the year: Ross Brunkhardt, Merino
• Coach of the year: John Barber, Merino
• First-team offense
Player School Ht. Wt. Yr.
QB Karl Mertens Merino 6-4 210 Sr.
RB Chance Barber Merino 5-9 140 Jr.
RB Cameron Ham Haxtun 6-1 180 Sr.
WR Zak Walisky Swink 6-0 185 Sr.
WR Trevor Whitlow Cotopaxi 6-0 180 Jr.
OL Coby Amen Merino 6-0 200 Sr.
OL Alex Banuelos North Park 6-5 290 Sr.
OL Cody Helbert Merino 6-0 210 Sr.
KR Austin Gollobith North Park 5-9 135 Sr.
K Brandon Adams Long. Chr. 5-11 150 Sr.
• First-team defense
Player School Ht. Wt. Yr.
DL Dean Kinkel Flagler 6-0 200 Jr.
DL Nathan Schmidt Merino 6-0 180 Sr.
DL Zach Schmidt Stratton 6-0 190 Sr.
LB Ross Brunkhardt Merino 5-11 155 Jr.
LB Jade Downey McClave 6-0 180 Jr.
LB Jacob Jelosek Long. Chr. 5-10 170 Sr.
DB Tyler Brown Wiley 5-10 160 Sr.
DB Roy Erbert Stratton 5-10 140 Sr.
P Michael Yowell Genoa-Hugo 5-10 150 Sr.
• Second-team offense
QB - Brett Rusler, Swink, Sr. RB - Jake Toney, Simla, So. RB - Anthony Delarosa, Granada, Sr. WR - Seth Isenbart, Stratton, Sr. WR - Tanner Meltabarger, Springfield, Sr. OL - Curtis Dutro, Genoa-Hugo, Sr. OL - Steve Hornung, Stratton, Jr. OL - Jason Bowery, Merino, Sr. KR - Brian Krier, Haxtun, Sr. K - Jared Kennedy, Gilpin County, Sr.
• Second-team defense
DL - Shane Hawks, Stratton, Sr. DL - Ben Cordero, Cotopaxi, Jr. DL - Ryan Latini, Longmont Christian, Sr. LB - John Murphy, Walsh, Sr. LB - Gerry Brown, Haxtun, Jr. LB - Jeremy Muth, Swink, Sr. DB - Andy Wernsman, Haxtun, Sr. DB - Mark Powers, Longmont Christian, Sr. P - Tanner Kern, Cheyenne Wells, Sr.
• Honorable mention
Garrick Biesemeier, Haxtun, Jr.; James Bledsoe, Flagler, Jr.; Chris Bode, Flagler, Sr.; Jacob Buck, Eads, Jr.; Mike Clements, Longmont Christian, Sr.; Shawn Cogburn, Walsh, Sr.; Cody Collins, Julesberg, Sr.; Drew Doner, Walsh, Sr.; A.J. Donovan, Cotopaxi, So.; Jacob Dunham, Wiley, Sr.; Dan Fagerlund, Flagler, Sr.; Tyler Higginbotham, Cotopaxi, Sr.; Jason Landis, North Park, Jr.; Brett Laprarie, Granada, Sr.; Luke Loutzenhiser, Flagler, Sr.; Cameron Lowe, Holly, Sr.; Justin Mantelli, Silver State, Sr.; Tyson Marostica, Caliche, Sr.; Dexter McKinley, Springfield, Sr.; Josh Mendenhall, Longmont Christian, Sr.; Chris Michel, Merino, Sr.; Leonel Morales, Granada, Sr.; Kole Neugebauer, Holly, Sr.; Arthur Pacheco, Sierra Grande, Jr.; Angel Pecina, Holly, Sr.; Tyrell Reed, Wiley, Sr.; Chris Ricken, Flagler, Sr.; D.J. Souza, North Park, Sr.; Austin Talbert, Cheyenne Wells, Sr.; Tyson Thrall, Granada, Sr.; Aaron Wagner, Haxtun, Sr.