By Paul Lecker
For Wausau Pilot & Review
Conference co-champion Wausau West had six first-team selections, including four unanimous picks on the offense, on the 2022 All-Valley Football Association Team, as voted on by the conference coaches following the season.
Senior offensive linemen Cayden Kershaw and Brandt Rice, junior fullback/tight end Bryce Jaworski and senior running back Ray Reineck were unanimous selections to the first team offense for the Warriors, who finished 5-1 in the VFA this season, tying Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids for the conference championship.
Also earning first-team honors for Wausau West were senior inside linebacker Caleb Tuley and junior cornerback Brett Butalla.
Kershaw and Rice were crucial to a run-based offense for Wausau West as they led the way for Reineck to rack up 1,253 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns.
Tuley finished tied for second in the conference in total tackles with 71, including 8½ for loss and four quarterback sacks.
D.C. Everest, which finished 3-3 in the conference and advanced to the WIAA playoffs, had three first-team picks – offensive lineman Cole Stevens, wide receiver Preston Miller and outside linebacker Arlin Sangster.
Miller finished sixth in the conference with 20 catches and fifth in receiving yards with 329, while scoring seven touchdowns, which tied for the VFA lead. Sangster was sixth in total tackles with 58.
Second-team selections included Wausau West fullback/tight end Landon Parlier and defensive lineman Deandre Gillespie, and D.C. Everest quarterback Jack Bobinski, defensive end Gavin Dahlke, safety Dylan Neuendank, kicker Gabe Golbach and punter Cohen Priebe.
Marshfield senior quarterback Trevor Foemmel was named Offensive Player of the Year and was one of eight Tigers to earn first-team honors.
Foemmel finished fourth in the conference in rushing yards (623) and passing yards (759), and accounted for a conference-best 22 touchdowns – eight on the ground and 14 through the air.
Marshfield’s Denny Goettl was named Coach of the Year.
Wisconsin Rapids senior defensive lineman Connor Akey was named Defensive Player of the Year.
2022 All-Valley Football Association Team
(*denotes unanimous selection)
First Team
Offense
Line: *Cayden Kershaw, sr., Wausau West; *Brandt Rice, sr., Wausau West; *Noah Peterson, sr., Marshfield; Cole Stevens, sr., D.C. Everest; Noah Draeger, jr., Hortonville; Aidon Ferk, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Sebastian Grancorvitz, sr., Marshfield.
Fullback/tight end: *Sam Meverden, sr., Marshfield; *Bryce Jaworski, jr., Wausau West.
Receivers: Peyton Pumper, sr., Stevens Point; Luke LeMoine, sr., Marshfield; Preston Miller, sr., D.C. Everest.
Running backs: *Leo Brostowitz, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; *Ray Reineck, jr., Wausau West; Ben Vallafskey, sr., Appleton West.
Quarterback: Trevor Foemmel, sr., Marshfield.
Defense
Line: *Connor Akey, sr., Wisconsin Rapdis; Aiden Roth, jr., Hortonville; Adrian Kruger, sr., Marshfield.
Ends: *Isaac Dagit, sr., Marshfield; *August Maurer, sr., Hortonville.
Inside linebackers: *Ben Smith, jr. Hortonville; Carter Christy, jr., Wisconsin Rapids; Caleb Tuley, sr., Wausau West.
Outside linebackers: Arlin Sangster, sr., D.C. Everest; T.J. Schierl, sr., Stevens Point; Vaughn Kolbeck, sr., Marshfield.
Cornerbacks: Brett Butalla, jr., Wausau West; Brennan Huber, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Brett Heinz, sr., Hortonville.
Safeties: *Seth Valeri, so., Hortonville; Ashton Fischer, jr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Kicker: Aston Fischer, jr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Punter: Rolland Tremain, sr., Appleton West.
Return specialist: *Ben Vallafskey, sr., Appleton West.
Second Team
Offense
Line: Cole Dornfeld, sr., Appleton West; Connor Akey, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Andrew Marsh, sr., Marshfield.
Fullback/tight end: Ethan Ehlinger, jr., Stevens Point; Landon Parlier, sr., Wausau West.
Receiver: Amon Konopacki, jr., Stevens Point.
Running back: Teal Lucas, sr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Quarterback: Jack Bobinski, sr., D.C. Everest.
Defense
Line: Deandre Gillespie, so., Wausau West.
Ends: Gavin Dahlke, sr., D.C. Everest; Isaak Clendenning, sr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Inside linebacker: Kale Roth, sr., Stevens Point.
Outside linebacker: Garrett Willuweit, sr., Marshfield.
Cornerback: Ben Vallafskey, sr., Appleton West.
Safeties: Dylan Neuendank, jr., D.C. Everest; Riley Manternach, jr., Stevens Point.
Kickers: Gabe Golbach, jr., D.C. Everest; Braxton Kurth, sr., Marshfield; Cam Saeger, jr., Stevens Point.
Punter: Cohen Priebe, so., D.C. Everest.
Return specialist: Evan Presch, sr., Marshfield.
Honorable Mention
Offense
Line: Brendan Clubb, so., Stevens Point; Nolan Bach, jr., Stevens Point; Oscar Latendresse, so., D.C. Everest; Luke O’Connor, sr., Hortonville; Luke O’Connor, sr., Hortonville; Brett Kay, sr., D.C. Everest; Charlie Poth, jr., Stevens Point; Dylan Dobratz, sr., Wausau West; Sam Scheidegger, sr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Fullback/tight ends: Matthew VanderPutten, sr., Appleton West; Eli Colby, sr., Marshfield; Miles Sillas, jr., Hortonville; Ben Smith, jr., Hortonville.
Receivers: E.J. Holt, sr., Appleton West; Evan Mathews, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Flynn Huffman, sr., D.C. Everest; Denium Potts, sr., Appleton West; Brooks Hinson, so., Marshfield.
Running backs: Jeff Marsh, sr., Marshfield; Cayden Bangtson, jr., D.C. Everest; Braylon Smola, jr., Stevens Point; Connor Bubolz, sr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Quarterbacks: Grant Chandonais, so., Stevens Point; Ryder Hoffman, jr., Appleton West; Vince Hanz, sr., Wausau West.
Defense
Line: Myles Paulson, sr., D.C. Everest; Cole Halvorsen, sr., Marshfield.
Ends: Matt Sigl, sr., Hortonville; Joe Jaroski, sr., Wausau West; Bridger Bolen, jr., Stevens Point.
Inside linebackers: Carson Davczyk, sr., D.C. Everest; Kyle Meyer, sr., Appleton West; Diego Chavez, sr., Appleton West; Miles Sillas, jr., Hortonville; Reid Geiger, sr., Marshfield; Greysen Reimer, jr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Outside linebackers: Tyson Kloehn, sr., Hortonville; Kailar Tritz, so., Wisconsin Rapids; Wyatt Geier, sr., D.C. Everest; Braylen Nystrom, jr., Stevens Point.
Cornerbacks: Matt Nielsen, sr., D.C. Everest; Carter Amerson, jr., Wausau West; Bennett Lang, sr., Marshfield; Ty Madlena, sr., Stevens Point; Lucas Schuld, jr., Wisconsin Rapids.
Safeties: Peyton Ross, jr. Hortonville; Connor Calmes, sr., Wausau West.
Punter: Colin Wendt, jr., Hortonville.
Offensive Player of the Year: Trevor Foemmel, sr., quarterback, Marshfield.
Defensive Player of the Year: Connor Akey, sr., defensive line, Wisconsin Rapids.
Coach of the Year: Denny Goettl, Marshfield.
