When Shiner takes on Stratford for the Class 1A state championship Saturday, the Comanches will do so with two players having earned first-team honors on the Associated Press Sports Editors all-state football team, which was released Monday.
Running back Chris Baer celebrates a TD with lineman Clayton McCorkle during Shiner's victory over district rival Falls City on October 1, 2004. photo by Howard Esse, Crossroads Legal Video
Senior Chris Baer was selected at running back and senior Clayton McCorkle was picked on the offensive line.
Flatonia senior Lyndon Gutierrez was selected to the first team at running back.
The 15th annual APSE team was chosen by sports writers across the state, based on players' regular-season performance. Nominees were selected during the season and balloting was conducted during the playoffs.
Baer rushed for 1,259 yards and 26 touchdowns and averaged 18.8 yards on punt returns while helping to lead the Comanches to the District 30-1A championship and a 10-0 regular-season record. Baer was also selected to the second team at linebacker.
McCorkle graded out at 91 percent and had 51 knockdowns. McCorkle also received honorable mention on the defensive line.
Gutierrez rushed for 1,487 yards and 24 touchdowns, while leading Flatonia to an 8-2 record and second-place finish in District 30-1A.
Flatonia junior Kurt Morrill was selected to the second-team in the secondary.
Receiving honorable mention were Shiner's Scott Shimek at kicker and Jared Boedeker at linebacker; Flatonia's Wade Berger on the offensive line, Jose Manzano at kicker, Galen Dunk on the defensive line and Juan Grifaldo at linebacker, and Pettus' Jonathan Perez at defensive back.
Normangee running back Desmond Mays was named to the offensive player of the year, his second in as many years. He gained 1,832 yards and scored 16 touchdowns in 2004 despite being hobbled with an ankle sprain.
Mays is the rare 1A player to be recruited by Division I schools. He's narrowed his choice down to Rice, North Texas and Baylor.
Linebacker Anthony Hernandez of Ben Bolt was named defensive player of the year. The 5-foot-7-inch player had 92 tackles, 10 interceptions and three forced fumbles.
More than two weeks after his last game, Mays is still limping through the halls of Normangee High School. He's also a star on the basketball team, sinking a last second to give Normangee the state title last March. But his basketball season will have to wait for a couple more weeks while he recovers from his football injuries.
Chilton's Pete Rodriguez picked up first team honors for the second straight season at offensive lineman. He was one of three Chilton players named to the first team.
Rodriguez also was named first team defense this year. Defensively the senior had 12 sacks and broke up 6 passes and allowed no sacks on offense to help Chilton to a 9-1 regular season.
Rodriguez's teammate, Jose Gomez, joins him on the first team at offensive lineman. Cory Potts had 103 tackles and 7 interceptions for Chilton to make the first team at defensive back and was second team for his work at receiver.
Sunray's Nick Martin is the first team quarterback after leading his team to a 10-0 regular season record. Sunray lost to Stratford by one point in the quarterfinals.
Martin had 31 touchdowns in the regular season and threw for more than 1,600 yards. On the receiving end of many of those passes was Aaron Raymond, also named to the first team, who had 1,030 yards receiving through 10 games.
Kicker Todd Korchenko leads a list of three New Deal players selected to the first team. New Deal went 10-0 in the regular season but was knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. Korchenko had a long field goal of 54 yards and was 41-of-46 on extra points.
Dakota Bybee had 101 tackles and 14 sacks for a first team spot at defensive lineman. Casey Bigham had 10 interceptions and 88 tackles for top recognition at defensive back and was honorable mention at quarterback.
The Class 1A All-State high school football team, released Monday, as voted on by The Associated Press Sports Editors based on regular-season performance. Players are listed in alphabetical order at each position.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
OFFENSIVE LINE:ERIC ALDERETE, Thrall, Sr. 6-1, 241. Graded at 98 percent with 49 knockdowns.ENDS/RECEIVERS:
JOSE GOMEZ, Chilton, Sr., 5-10, 210. Graded 97 percent, no sacks allowed, 20 pancakes for team that averaged 480 yards per game.
CLAYTON McCORKLE, Shiner, Sr., 6-3, 240. 91 Percent Grade, 51 Knockdowns.
JORDAN OLBRICH, Thorndale, Sr. 6-2, 240. 53 knockdowns with no sacks allowed on team with three 1,000-yard rushers.
PETE RODRIGUEZ, Chilton, Sr., 6-3, 265. Graded 96 percent with no sacks allowed, 74 pancakes for team that averaged 480 yards per game. Was first team all-state as a junior.
TAYLOR JOHNSON, Hamlin, Sr. 5-10, 170. 53-890-12, 4.5 in 40-yard dash.QUARTERBACK:
AARON RAYMOND, Sunray, Sr., 5-8, 160; 64-1,030-11. Team was 10-0 in regular season.
NICK MARTIN, Sunray, 5-8, 150, Sr., 109-1,630-19. 114-702-12 rushing for 10-0 regular-season team.RUNNING BACKS:
CHRIS BAER, Shiner, Sr. 6-0, 200. 146-1,259-26. averaged 18.8 yards on 12 punt returns. 2-time district co-MVP. Was second team all-state as a sophomore and a junior.KICKER:
LYNDON GUTIERREZ, FLATONIA, SR. 5-10, 175. 190-1,487-24.
DESMOND MAYS, Normangee, Sr. 6-0, 225. 197-1,832-16. Missed 3 games with ankle injury. 2-time 22-A MVP. Was first team all-state as a junior after running for 2,623 yards.
TODD KORCHENKO, New Deal, Sr. 6-0, 200. 95 percent of kickoffs went out of end zone. 41-of-46 on PATs. 10-of-12 field goals, including long of 54 yards. Also had FGs of 49, 48, two of 45 and 37.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:DESMOND MAYS, Normangee.
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
LINEMEN:CALEB BALLEW, Frost, Sr., 5-10, 200. 94 tackles in 9 games, 33 TFL, 5 FR, 21-A Defensive MVP.LINEBACKERS:
DAKOTA BYBEE, New Deal, Sr. 6-3, 205. 101 tackles, 4 FF, 2 FR, 14 sacks, 4 PBU for 10-0 team.
KEVIN HARPER, Irion County, Sr., 6-3, 240, 72 tackles, 35 solos, 6 PBU, 5 FR, 4 FF, 20 quarterback hurries, 15 TFL, 6 sacks for 10-0 team.
PETE RODRIGUEZ, Chilton, Sr., 6-3, 265. 88 tackles, 14 for loss, 12 sacks, 5 FF, 3 FR, 14 pressures, 6 PBUs, 2 blocked kicks.
EPI BALENCIA, Goldthwaite, Sr., 6-0, 180. End made 113 tackles, 7 sacks, 15 TFL, 3 FF, 1 FR, 2 PBU.BACKS:
ADRIAN BARRERA, Hamlin, Sr., 5-10, 190. 173 tackles, 2 int., 2 FR. Honorable mention all-state as a junior.
PAYTON JACKSON, Quanah, Sr., 6-0, 170. Made 150 total tackles, 1 int., 5 FF, 4 FR and 4 sacks.
CASEY BIGHAM, New Deal, Sr., 6-5, 200. 88 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FR, 10 int., 3 PBU for 10-0 team. District 1-5A MVP.PUNTER:
ANTHONY HERNANDEZ, Ben Bolt, Sr. 5-7, 165. 92 tackles, 10 INTs, 3 FF, 2 FR.
CORY POTTS, Chilton, Sr., 6-0, 180. 103 tackles, 10 for loss, 7 INT, 3 TD return, 5 FF, 3 FR.
ROSS RINDERKNECHT, Thrall, Jr. 5-10, 150. 59 tackles, 6 for loss, 3 FF, 7 INTs, 21 PBU. Averaged 12.2 yards on punt returns.
JAKE BUSSEY, Petrolia, Sr., 6-2, 142. Averaged 51 yards per punt.DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
ANTHONY HERNANDEZ, Ben Bolt.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
LINEMEN:JACOB BRIDGEMAN, Winters, Sr. 6-0, 260.ENDS/RECEIVERS:
VICTOR FLORES, Chilton, Soph., 6-0, 225.
TATE MAYFIELD, Roscoe, Sr., 6-5, 270.
JAY MEURER, Windthorst, Sr., 6-1, 255.
MARK MILLER, Stratford, Sr., 6-1, 260.
TRINITY OTTO, Lindsay, Sr., 6-1, 205.QUARTERBACK:
CORY POTTS, Chilton, Sr., 6-0, 180.
KEVIN NEAL, Axtell, Jr. 5-10, 165.RUNNING BACKS:
LUIS AGUILAR, Marfa, Jr., 5-4, 148.KICKER:
TOMMIE HILL, Quanah, Sr., 6-0, 180.
ROD HORACE, Groveton. Jr. 5-10, 186.
CALE SMITH, Roscoe, Sr., 6-2, 215.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
LINEMEN:MATTHEW CABALLERO, Charlotte, Jr. 6-1, 180.LINEBACKERS:
TREY DAVIS, Albany, Jr. 6-2, 214.
JACOB KNAPEK, Thorndale, Sr. 6-0, 175.
NOLAN SANDERS, Evant, Sr., 5-11, 265.
CHRIS BAER, Shiner, Sr., 6-0, 200. (was also first-team offense above)BACKS: (five due to tie in voting)
BEAU BEREND, Windthorst, Jr., 6-3, 188.
DAVID LAKEMAN, Celeste, Jr., 5-9, 165.
KELLEN GIERKE, Christoval, Fr., 5-7, 150.HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE:
GARRETT HALLMAN, Christoval, Sr., 5-9, 160.
KURT MORRILL, Flatonia, Jr., 170.
TRINITY OTTO, Lindsay, Sr., 6-1, 205.
BLAN SCOTT, Baird, Jr., 6-1, 175. PUNTER:
MONTY MORALES, Marfa, Sr., 6-2, 183.
LINEMEN: Drew Barnard, Knox City; Wade Berger, Flatonia; Caleb Bursey, Quanah; Roel Garcia, Ben Bolt; Adam Lollar, Mount Enterprise; Jack Mitchell, Quanah; Jordan Nickerson, Valley View; Chase Palmore, Wortham; Dustin Perry, Iraan; Michael Ramos, Charlotte; Jeff Rutledge, Eden; Robert Sanchez, Albany; Nolan Sanders, Evant and Justin Wolf, Muenster.HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE:
ENDS/RECEIVERS: Jake Bussey, Petrolia; Ryan Cobb, Chilton; Max Harrison, Winters; Nik Joy, Roscoe; Derek Pierce, Axtell; Chance Rodriguez, Baird; Stephen Wilson, Crane and Ross Wolf, Windthorst.
QUARTERBACKS: Spencer Balliew, Albany; Casey Bigham, New Deal; Brandon Darter, Celeste; Josh King, Stratford; Cannon McWilliams, McCamey and Cale Smith, Roscoe.
RUNNING BACKS: Justin Baldridge, Frost; Tyler Caffey, Plains; Blaine Click, Eden; Troy Davis, Bartlett; Clay Fernandes, Wink; Jonathon Johnson, Frost; Tye Moseley, Goldthwaite; Johnny Noland, Valley View; Daniel Ruiz, Roscoe; Noe Talamantes, Brackettville and Terrence Wright, Wolfe City.
KICKER: Jose Manzano, Flatonia and Scott Shimek, Shiner.
LINEMEN: Jacob Bridgeman, Winters; Caleb Cooley, Mount Enterprise; Galen Dunk, Flatonia; Cody Etheredge, Rotan; Chris Fritz, Harper; Roel Garcia, Ben Bolt; Josue Gonzalez, Iraan; Brandon Jobe, Roscoe; Dustin Loper, Rice; Caleb McDonald, Harper; Clayton McCorkle, Shiner; Mark Miller, Stratford; Zach Mitchell, Quanah and Mike Wilson, Albany.
LINEBACKERS: Jared Boedeker, Shiner; Trey Buchmeyer, Wortham; Ryan Cobb, Chilton; Colton Conner, Christoval; Jake Dezell, Normangee; Eddie Ford, Celeste; Kyle Gibbs, Joaquin; Juan Grifaldo, Flatonia; Pete Griffin, Winters; Adam Kasparek, Lindsay; Garrett Kleman, Nazareth; Eric Lewis, Knox City; Jason Marek, Thrall; Gumaro Martinez, Brackettville; Ryan McDaniel, Stratford; Chase Moore, Iraan; Jamie Moore, Goldthwaite; Kevin Moore, Sunray; Johnny Noland, Valley View; Cody Pritchard, Winters; Jonathan Soliz, Ben Bolt and Ronald Wilson, Harleton.
BACKS: Zeb Abbott, Harper; Brandon Darter, Celeste; Zane Farris, Nazareth; Jose Hernandez, Winters; Seth Ice, Iraan; Monty Marales, Marfa; Jonathan Perez, Pettus; Dylan Schindler, Valley View; Steven Walters, Wolfe City and Ross Wolf, Windthorst.
PUNTER: Adrian Barrera, Hamlin; Amos Davidson, Valley View and Cale Smith, Roscoe.
Congratulations to each young man honored by the AP this season ... well done and best wishes in the future!
© Copyright
BaerCom Shiner, Texas 2004
