The trip to the Alaska School Activities Association state football championship semifinals may have ended the Thunder Mountain High School Falcons\u2019 season a week early, but their honors continue.<\/p>\n
Falcons senior Q\u2019on Bear-Clark was selected as the Southeast Conference Offensive Player of the Year on Wednesday evening and TMHS head coach Randy Quinto was chosen as Coach of the Year. Juneau-Douglas High School Crimson Bears senior Hunter Hickok received the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award for the second time.<\/p>\n
\u201cMan, it means all the work I put in this season and in the offseason paid off,\u201d Bear-Clark said. \u201cThat is really nice. I cannot thank my teammates enough. They worked so hard every day in practice and we just had one goal: to just better every year. I think we did that. I really cannot thank my team enough. I cannot run the ball without them blocking for me … it is just … well, I just can\u2019t thank them enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bear-Clark averaged 10-plus yards per game on his path to setting a new Juneau high school rushing record of 2,071 rushing yards. That eclipses the mark of 1,975 set by JDHS\u2019 Brian Felix in 2003. Bear-Clark had four games of 300-plus yards and registered 26 rushing touchdowns on the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels nice when you get a good run,\u201d Bear-Clark said. \u201cIt is a game of inches, and you are fighting for every one. When you can get more and more each time, it means you are doing a good job for your team. It is nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bear-Clark is dedicating the remainder of his senior year to preparation for playing college football.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a big dream of mine,\u201d Bear-Clark said. \u201cI worked really hard for that this year. I really want to get noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bear-Clark has had some college scouts interested and is concentrating on some key essentials.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just have to work on grades and training in the offseason,\u201d Bear-Clark said. \u201cI have to become stronger and faster and get good grades all across the board. That is extremely important.\u201d<\/p>\n
TMHS first-year head coach Quinto engineered the Falcons (4-5 overall, 2-1 SEC) to their first-ever win over crosstown rival JDHS in the Glacier Bowl at Adair Kennedy Field. That prevented the Crimson Bears from reaching the state playoffs for the first time since 2002 (2003-12 large school, 2013-14 medium). This was the Falcons\u2019 third trip to the medium school playoffs in four seasons (2011, 2012); they previously qualified in the small school division (2010).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a great honor from those guys,\u201d Quinto said. \u201cComing in as a first-year head coach and taking over for the program and trying to change things and run things my way. I think it went pretty well. I had a great staff behind me. We got a monkey off our back being able to beat our crosstown rival and being able to go to the playoffs and double the amount of wins we had in the previous year. It was a long season, but I look back now and feel like it was pretty successful. I was pretty surprised by the selection.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Falcons received 16 SEC position awards including first-team selections Tom Ramage (assistant coach), senior Jas Lippert (guard), junior Garth Tupou (inside linebacker), and senior Mason Kullander (interior lineman).<\/p>\n
\u201cBetween coach Hamrick (JDHS head coach Kevin Hamrick) and the other coaches, I think it went very cordial on the voting,\u201d Quinto said. \u201cHe helped me out in some of those spots where I nominated kids, and I returned the favor. I think it worked out well for both schools and our players.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the top honors went to JDHS\u2019 Hickok, who repeated his SEC selection as defensive player of the year. Hickok won the honor last season and went on to be selected to the 2014 First Team All-State Team as an inside linebacker. This season, Hickok averaged 12 tackles per game, including an average of four per game that resulted in a loss of yards. He recorded four interceptions. Hickok was also named to the first team as a tight end and interior lineman.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is pretty cool,\u201d Hickok said. \u201cI was not really expecting that. I didn\u2019t feel like I had the best defensive year, but I am pretty pumped about this selection. I just didn\u2019t think I compared to what I did last year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The youth of the Crimson Bears meant Hickok had to be more of an all-around player.<\/p>\n
\u201cI kind of played everywhere,\u201d Hickok said. \u201cSo I didn\u2019t really know what to expect. The season did not go as we expected. We did not expect to lose the games we did, but we had some good offensive statistics, such as Bubba (Stults) who threw for a ton of yards and some good defensive players. It wasn\u2019t a bad season. We were just really young, a lot of first-year players in varsity experience. I just tried to bring on some leadership. I am not always the best at communication with players, but I did the best that I could.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hickok will also spend the remainder of the school year preparing for a chance at football after high school.<\/p>\n
\u201cI plan at going to play college ball somewhere,\u201d Hickok said. \u201cI am not sure where yet. Anywhere that wants me, pretty much. I definitely need to improve on my speed and strength, obviously. I am not going to be the big guy anymore once I get to college. It is a whole new ballgame up there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hickok said the biggest thing he learned this season was overcoming adversity.<\/p>\n
\u201cKind of last season too,\u201d Hickok said. \u201cThis year we had issues throughout the team. We came together and worked through it, whether that was kids not coming to practice, kids not being eligible … we learned to work with what we had.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Crimson Bears (5-3 OA, 1-2 SEC) received 17 SEC position awards including first team sophomore Bubba Stults (quarterback), sophomore Donavin McCurley (wide receiver, defensive back, return specialist), senior Kana Galletes (tackle, long snapper), sophomore Lance Fenumiai (outside linebacker), and sophomore Michael Cesar (defensive back).<\/p>\n
North Pole High School seniors Zach Harrison and Jesse Bennett were selected the Lineman and Utility Player of the Year, respectively. The Patriots (4-5 OA, 3-0 SEC) had 20 SEC selections (12 first team) and the Ketchikan Kings (2-4 OA, 0-3 SEC) had 12 (4 first team).<\/p>\n
The SE All-Conference voting was hosted telephonically from North Pole High School. SEC coaches sent their nominations a week earlier. Each head coach had the option of nominating up to eight offensive players, eight defensive players, one kicker, one punter, one return specialist, and one long snapper. The school that is hosting the selection conference puts all the nominees on a ballot by position, then when the meeting takes place each coach gets one vote. Nominated players went through two ballot votes to arrive at the first, second and honorable mention selections. All players that make first team all-conference are forwarded for the coaches associations All-State voting after the completion of the state football championships.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
SOUTHEAST CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR<\/strong><\/p>\n (Position, name, year, school): <\/strong><\/p>\n Offensive – Q\u2019on Bear-Clark, SR, TMHS<\/p>\n Defensive – Hunter Hickok, SR, JDHS<\/p>\n Lineman – Zach Harrison, SR, NP<\/p>\n Utility Player – Jesse Bennett, SR, NP<\/p>\n <\/p>\n SEC FIRST TEAM OFFENSE<\/strong><\/p>\n (Position, name, year, school): <\/strong><\/p>\n Quarterback – Bubba Stults, SO, JDHS<\/p>\n Running Back – Trevor Ortiz, JR, KTN<\/p>\n Running Back – Q\u2019on Bear-Clark, SR, TMHS<\/p>\n Full Back – Nate Fousel, SR, KTN<\/p>\n Wide Receiver – Donavin McCurley, SO, JDHS<\/p>\n Wide Receiver – Marshal Chace, SR, NP<\/p>\n Tight End – Hunter Hickok, SR, JDHS<\/p>\n Tackle – Wesley Aultman, SR, NP<\/p>\n Tackle – Kana Galletes, SR, JDHS<\/p>\n Guard – Jas Lippert, SR, TMHS<\/p>\n Guard – Zach Hartrison, SR, NP<\/p>\n Center – Richard Jason, SR, NP<\/p>\n <\/p>\n SEC FIRST TEAM DEFENSE<\/strong><\/p>\n (Position, name, year, school):<\/strong><\/p>\n Outside Linebacker – Nate Fousel, SR, KTN<\/p>\n Outside Linebacker – Lance Fenumiai, SO, JDHS<\/p>\n Inside Linebacker – Garth Tupou, JR, TMHS<\/p>\n Inside Linebacker – Craig Light, SR, NP<\/p>\n Defensive Back – John Robinson, SR, NP<\/p>\n Defensive Back – Jakob Arnold, SR, NP<\/p>\n Defensive Back – Michael Cesar, SO, JDHS<\/p>\n Defensive Back – Donavin McCurley, SO, JDHS<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – Hunter Hickok, SR, JDHS<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – Mason Kullander, SR, TMHS<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – Jayce Carlson, SR, KTN<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – Joseph Stefan, SR, NP<\/p>\n <\/p>\n SEC FIRST TEAM SPECIALIST<\/strong><\/p>\n (Position, name, year, school): <\/strong><\/p>\n Punter – Marshal Chace, SR, NP<\/p>\n Return Specialist – Donovan McCurley, SO, JDHS<\/p>\n Long Snapper – Kana Galletes, SR, JDHS<\/p>\n Kicker – John Robinson, SR, NP<\/p>\n <\/p>\n SEC COACHES OF THE YEAR<\/strong><\/p>\n (Position, name, school):<\/strong><\/p>\n Coach – Randy Quinto, TMHS<\/p>\n Assistant Coach – Tom Ramage, TMHS<\/p>\n <\/p>\n SEC SECOND TEAM OFFENSE<\/strong><\/p>\n (Position, name, year, school):<\/strong><\/p>\n Quarterback – Brendan Wong, FR, KTN<\/p>\n Running Back – Eric Butler, SR, NP<\/p>\n Full Back – Cameron Irwin, SR, NP<\/p>\n Wide Receiver – Kyle Schnur, SR, KTN<\/p>\n Wide Receiver – Kaden Girard, SR. NP<\/p>\n Tight End – Cameron Harris, SO, KTN<\/p>\n Tackle – Meki Sikione, SR, TMHS<\/p>\n Guard – Jayce Carlson, SR, KTN<\/p>\n Guard – Taylor Sutak, SR, JDHS<\/p>\n Center – Mason Kullander, SR, TMHS<\/p>\n <\/p>\n SEC SECOND TEAM DEFENSE<\/strong><\/p>\n (Position, name, year, school)<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Outside Linebacker – Jordan Avalos, SR, NP<\/p>\n Outside Linebacker – Chase Becker, SR, TMHS<\/p>\n Inside Linebacker – Michael Greer, JR, KTN<\/p>\n Inside Linebacker – Nathan Van Sickle, SO, JDHS<\/p>\n Defensive Back – Skyler Yost, SR, NP<\/p>\n Defensive Back – Hansel Hinckle, FR, TMHS<\/p>\n Defensive Back – Nico Deguzman, JR, KTN<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – John Elisoff, SO, JDHS<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – Kana Galletes, SR, JDHS<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – Naki Latu, SR, TMHS<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – Trey Freeman, SR, NP<\/p>\n <\/p>\n SEC SECOND TEAM SPECIALIST<\/strong><\/p>\n (Position, name, year, school):<\/strong><\/p>\n Punter – None Chosen<\/p>\n Return Specialist – None Chosen<\/p>\n Long Snapper – Meki Sikione, SR, TMHS<\/p>\n Long Snapper – Micah Eichner, SO, KTN<\/p>\n Kicker – Riley Olsen, JR, TMHS<\/p>\n <\/p>\n SEC HONORABLE MENTION<\/strong><\/p>\n (Position, name, year, school): <\/strong><\/p>\n Tight End – Tyler Tate, SR, NP<\/p>\n Guard – Dawson Chilton, JR, TMHS<\/p>\n Guard – John Elisoff, SO, JDHS<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – Ben Strickler, SR, JDHS<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – Meki Sikione, SR, TMHS<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – Cameron Harris, SO, KTN<\/p>\n Interior Lineman – Tyler Kiel, SR, NP<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The trip to the Alaska School Activities Association state football championship semifinals may have ended the Thunder Mountain High School Falcons\u2019 season a week early, but their honors continue. Falcons senior Q\u2019on Bear-Clark was selected as the Southeast Conference Offensive Player of the Year on Wednesday evening and TMHS head coach Randy Quinto was chosen […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":29220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","wds_primary_category":6,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-29219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29219"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29219\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29219"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=29219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}