Last modified: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 8:59 AM CST
Dahl, Zwiefelhofer named first team AP All-State
By CHRIS JENKINS
Associated Press
and The Chippewa Herald
Three Chippewa area athletes made the AP All-State team with two landing first-team honors.
McDonell’s Nate Dahl was first-team as an offensive lineman while Chi-Hi’s Cole Zwiefelhofer was a first-team punter. His teammate, Mitch Olson, nabbed an honorable mention nod at defensive back. All three are seniors.
Chi-Hi defensive coordinator Bart Olson said the last Cardinal to perhaps receive the honor was towering lineman Nick Brousseau.
“Any time you get some recognition it’s a big deal. It’s deserving without a doubt,” Olson said.
He said the punting by Zwiefelhofer during his career was something that had a distinct sound.
“If you remember John Hall for the Badgers and the Jets, I was on the field when he as making punts. Cole’s ball makes the same sound. It’s just a thump.”
Mitch Olson is Bart’s son and Bart remarked at how much his son worked to prepare for football.
“I can tell you how incredibly hard the kid has worked. He’s busted his hump,” Bart Olson said. “(He’s) never missed a practice or snap because of injury his entire career.
The honor for Dahl didn’t come as a surprise for McDonell coach Todd Brown, either.
“I’m not surprised because he’s that talented of a kid,” Brown said of Dahl. “I think he’s got untapped potential. He’s got an upside to him, too.”
Dahl was named the Marawood Conference’s Lineman of the Year and Brown thinks that honor helped in his player’s selection to the AP All-State team.
“I think that helped that a lot. There were two teams from the conference playing each other for a state championship,” Brown said. “He probably wouldn’t have gotten that honor if we hadn’t played in that conference.”
And, Brown had more praise for his outgoing lineman.
“He’s the best the lineman that I’ve ever coached. I’ve coached some good ones, but he has his potential to dominate a game,” he said. “He’s the best one I’ve had.”
Kimberly swept the top honors in the poll, with Jayme Wells taking player of the year. As far as his coach is concerned, it’s a shame that Wells’ football career is coming to an end.
But what a way to go out.
Wells scored three touchdowns three different ways — rushing, receiving and on a kickoff return — as Kimberly beat Verona 28-14 to repeat as WIAA Division 2 state champions last Friday.
“I’m not going to play college football, so that was the last time I was going to put on my shoulder pads and jersey,” Wells said. “I wanted it to be something special.”
It was.
Wells’ big game capped a remarkable season on both sides of the ball — he’s also a shut-down cornerback who doesn’t shy away from press coverage — earning him The Associated Press’ 2008 Wisconsin state football Player of the Year award.
And Wells’ coach, Steve Jorgensen, made it an all-Kimberly sweep by taking AP Coach of the Year honors.
Both selections were made by a statewide panel of media members.
Jorgensen, who took over as Kimberly’s coach in 2004 after an 0-9 season, now has orchestrated two straight 14-0 seasons and back-to-back state titles. But he said the credit should go to his assistant coaches and players.
“I accept that as a program award,” Jorgensen said.
Jorgensen earned the honor over fellow nominees Dave Keel of Homestead, Tom Aldrich of Burlington Catholic Central, Dave Richardson of Verona and Stratford’s Cal Tackes.
Other standout players who earned consideration for player of the year honors were Homestead defensive tackle Shelby Harris, Racine Horlick quarterback Steve Morris and Walworth Big Foot lineman Travis Frederick.
Wells had 48 catches for 1,061 yards receiving and 23 total touchdowns, including special teams. He also had four interceptions as a defensive back.
And imagine how good he could have been if Kimberly had been caught in a few more competitive games.
Eleven of the Papermakers’ 14 games were so lopsided that they ended up going to a running clock — essentially a mercy rule — costing Wells more chances to make big plays.
What kind of stats could he have piled up in 14 full-length games?
“It would have been incredible, because his speed is off the charts,” Jorgensen said.
Jorgensen said coaches have clocked him at 4.39 in the 40-yard dash. But from here on out, it’ll be the 90-foot dash that matters most to Wells.
Also a standout shortstop, Wells is headed to Northern Illinois to play baseball next year.
Jorgensen tried to get Wells a shot at playing football in the Big Ten, sending highlight tapes to Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern and Michigan State.
Some expressed interest in Jorgensen as a walk-on, but nothing beyond that.
“I think a lot of our Big Ten schools dropped the ball on this kid, and I think they’re finding out now,” Jorgensen said.
And, Jorgensen added, “especially the local program,” meaning Wisconsin.
If the lack of interest from Big Ten schools ever bothered Wells, it since has faded.
“It doesn’t now,” Wells said. “I think it would have been nice.”
Besides, Wells says he prefers playing baseball to football.
NIU also offered Wells a football scholarship — about half an hour after their football coaches got their first look at him at a summer camp — but he has decided to concentrate on baseball.
But at least Wells can leave football behind knowing that he left everything he had on the field in his final game. And so can his teammates.
“They wanted to play playoff football, with one goal in mind,” Jorgensen said. “And it was not to get to Camp Randall — it was to win it.”
In fact, the Papermakers were so focused on repeating at state that they didn’t really seem to enjoy the wins they piled up along the way. When they clinched their conference championship, they didn’t even really celebrate.
“It almost wasn’t right,” Jorgensen said.
Jorgensen recalled his conversation a year ago with Arrowhead coach Tom Taraska, who offered advice on coping with the difficulties a team can have under the pressure of trying to repeat.
“He said to me, ‘You will not smile as a team until you win that game,”’ Jorgensen said. “And we won that game — now we can wear that smile forever.”
First team
OFFENSE
Pos Name, school Ht. Wt. Yr.
QB *Steve Morris, Racine Horlick 6-0 180 Sr.
RB Deon McLain, Racine Park 5-10 185 Sr.
RB Brooks Braga, Middleton 6-0 180 Sr.
RB Leighton Settle, Mad. West 5-10 175 Jr.
SE *Ben Ericksen, Greendale 6-1 180 Sr.
SE Ethan Nauman, Mosinee 5-9 145 Sr.
SE Jayme Wells, Kimberly 5-10 185 Sr.
OL *Ryan Groy, Middleton 6-5 300 Sr.
OL Tramell Williams, Mil. Bay View 6-3 260 Sr.
OL Nick Doehling, Hart. Arrowhead 6-2 296 Sr.
OL Travis Frederick, Walw. Big Foot 6-5 315 Sr.
OL Nate Dahl, Chip. Falls McDonell 6-3 230 Sr.
K *Jeff Budzien, Hart. Arrowhead 6-0 152 Sr.
DEFENSE
Pos Name, school Ht. Wt. Yr.
DT Shelby Harris, Meq. Homestead 6-3 240 Sr.
DT Jeff Bias, Racine Horlick 6-3 255 Sr.
DT Zach Anderson, Ladysmith 6-2 295 Sr.
DE Ben Gardner, Meq. Homestead 6-4 230 Sr.
DE Ben Landry, Pewaukee 6-2 220 Sr.
LB A.J. Klein, Kimberly 6-2 219 Sr.
LB Tyler Dipple, Hartford 6-4 255 Sr.
LB Joey Balthazor, H. Arrowhead 6-3 212 Sr.
DB Jayme Wells, Kimberly 5-10 185 Sr.
DB Percyle Sallis, Milw. Bay View 5-8 170 Sr.
DB Ben Devine, La Crosse Logan 5-9 160 Sr.
P Cole Zwiefelhofer, Chip. Falls 6-4 190 Sr.
* Unanimous selections
Second team
OFFENSE
Pos Name, school Ht. Wt. Yr.
QB Chris Ridgway, Greendale 6-1 195 Sr.
RB Zach Pomputis, Owen-Withee 5-10 180 Sr.
RB Brandon Garcia, C. Grove-Belg. 5-8 155 Sr.
RB Travis Bastien, G.B S’west 5-11 170 Sr.
WR JoJo Pregont, Janes. Craig 6-6 215 Sr.
WR Brian Mosley, Racine Horlick 6-1 190 Sr.
WR B.J. Ritzman, Burl. Cath. Cent. 5-11 162 Sr.
OL Grant Poennitsch, Sussex Ham. 6-2 259 Sr.
OL Hank Jacobs, Beaver Dam 6-4 285 Sr.
OL Bryan Peake, Lancaster 6-3 295 Sr.
OL Mack Eggen, La Crosse Logan 6-5 290 Jr.
OL Clinton Hencker, Kimberly 6-3 255 Sr.
K Jason Baker, Milw. Hamilton 5-11 190 Sr.
DEFENSE
Pos Name, school Ht. Wt. Yr.
DT Jared Volk, Hart. Arrowhead 6-4 287 Sr.
DT Travis Frederick, Wal. Big Foot 6-5 315 Sr.
DT Ethan Hemer, Medford 6-6 295 Sr.
DE Chris Severson, Waunakee 6-5 225 Sr.
DE Zac Knutson, L.C. Aquinas 6-2 228 Sr.
LB George Rainey, Milw. South 6-4 215 Sr.
LB Ethan Bachinski, Milton 6-3 215 Sr.
LB Joe Paulus, Kewaskum 5-10 225 Sr.
DB Angelo Ruiz, Oak Creek 6-0 192 Sr.
DB R. Stefaniak, Wauk. Cath. Mem. 6-1 196 Sr.
DB Max Nicholson, Middleton 6-2 190 Sr.
P Casey Barnes, M. Homestead 6-2 205 Sr.
Honorable mention
OFFENSE
QB — Tyler Mazur, sr., Reedsburg; Mario Minnaert, sr., Madison Edgewood; Jared Abbrederis, sr., Wautoma; Dan Schneider, sr., West Salem; Reese Hartlage, sr., Burlington Catholic Central; Brent Joregensen, sr., De Pere; Nick Olla, sr., Kewaskum; Nate Martin, sr., Amherst.
RB — Ben Hertrampf, sr., Fennimore; Keith McBride, sr., Lodi; Tyler O’Kane, sr., Prairie du Chien; Ryan Givens, sr., Milwaukee Riverside; Joel Sweeney, jr., Tomah; Max Vos, sr., Burlington Catholic Cnetral; Steven Denis, sr., Green Bay Notre Dame; Levi Johnson, sr., River Falls; Austin Sikorski, jr., Stevens Point.
WR — Riley Koval, sr., Mount Horeb-Barneveld; Barett Powell, jr., Wauwatosa East; Scott Borgen, sr., Amherst.
OL — Travis Triggs, sr., Waunakee; Pat Hendricks, sr., Clintonville.
K — Andrew Weber, sr., Waunakee.
DEFENSE
DE/OLB — T.J. Gruman, sr., Brookfield Central; Chris Vandervest, sr., Ashwaubenon; Clay Gosse, sr., Appleton North; Rick Drews, sr., Stratford; Seth Stanchik, sr., Hudson.
DL — Taylor Moore, sr., Milwaukee Marquette; Matt Lechler, sr., New Holstein.
LB — Lucas Speaker, jr., Mequon Homestead; acob Bambenek, sr., Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau; James Knutson, sr., La Crosse Aquinas; Mike Ebener, sr., Kenosha Bradford; Jared Nehls, sr., Mayville; Josh Peterson, sr., Cedar Grove-Belgium; Caleb Voss, jr., Winnebago Lutheran; Steven Pax, sr., Elmwood; Jake Frazier, sr., Chetek.
DB — Jordan Tibbits, sr., Mineral Point; Scott Liegel, sr., River Valley; Braden Tice, sr., Lake Geneva Badger; Mitch Olson, sr., Chippewa Falls; Tyler Sierakowski, sr., Schofield D.C. Everest.
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