Juneau prep football’s special teams received high marks this season from around the state.<\/p>\n
Three out of the five first-team all-state specialists named to the 2017 Alaska Football Coaches Association Division II team came out of Juneau.<\/p>\n
In addition, 11 Falcons made the All-Southeast Conference first team.<\/p>\n
The coaching body named Puna Touteiolepo as one of the four best interior linemen in Division II football and Derek Boord as the best center. Touteiolepo was also the Southeast Conference defensive player.<\/p>\n
“He just played lights out all year this year,” Thunder Mountain High School head coach Randy Quinto said of Touteiolepo.<\/p>\n
The first-team all-state specialists included TMHS’ Ivan Williams (long snapper), Jacob Babcock (kicker), Juneau-Douglas High School’s Liam Van Sickle (return specialist), Kodiak’s Shaun Walton (punter) and Soldotna’s Cody Quelland (utility player).<\/p>\n
Williams, as an interior lineman, and Van Sickle, as a running back, also popped up on the second-team all-state roster. Williams was accompanied by seven other teammates: Roy Tupou (running back), Bobby Cox (tight end), Alex Eldemar (guard), Steven Rosales (outside linebacker), Alofa Sua (inside linebacker), Hansel Hinckle and Jacob Tapia (defensive back).<\/p>\n
Besides Van Sickle, Kasey Watts (tight end), John Elisoff (tackle), John Hamrick (defensive back), Elliot Gifford (punter) and Cody Galletes (utility player) made second team for the Crimson Bears.<\/p>\n
JDHS coach Kevin Hamrick was happy to see Van Sickle, one of his hardest workers and dedicated players, be recognized.<\/p>\n
“He was just constantly working to improve himself and inviting other kids to come along with him,” Hamrick said.<\/p>\n
Soldotna and Palmer, the state champion and state runner-up respectively, monopolized the player and coach of the year honors in Division II ranks.<\/p>\n
Soldotna’s Brenner Furlong and Wendell Tuisaula were honored with offensive and defensive player of the year, respectively.<\/p>\n
Rod Christiansen, newly-enshrined as the all-time winningest coach in Alaska prep football history, won coach of the year.<\/p>\n
Quinto and TMHS assistant coach Derek Lofstrom were awarded Southeast Conference head and assistant coaches of the year.<\/p>\n
2017 Southeast Conference All-State First-Team<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Offensive player of the year:<\/strong> Jaime Johnson, North Pole<\/p>\n Defensive player of the year:<\/strong> Puna Touteiolepo, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n Lineman of the year:<\/strong> Jacob Breazeale, North Pole<\/p>\n Utility Player of the year:<\/strong> Cody Galletes, Juneau-Douglas<\/p>\n Coach of the year:<\/strong> Randy Quinto, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n Assistant coach of the year:<\/strong> Derek Lofstrom, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n First-team offense<\/strong><\/p>\n Quarterback: Craig Borba, North Pole<\/p>\n Running back: Roy Tupou, Thunder Mountain; Liam Van Sickle, Juneau-Douglas<\/p>\n Fullback: CJ Fontana, North Pole<\/p>\n Wide receiver: Jaime Johnson, North Pole; Kody Malouf, Ketchikan<\/p>\n Tight end: Bobby Cox, Thunder Mountain; Kasey Watts, Juneau-Douglas<\/p>\n Tackle: John Elisoff, Juneau-Douglas; Jacob Breazeale, North Pole<\/p>\n Guard: Jacob Blanchard, North Pole; Zach Harrison, North Pole<\/p>\n Center: Alex Eldemar, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n First-team defense<\/strong><\/p>\n Outside linebacker: Kirven Easton, North Pole; Steven Rosales, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n Inside linebacker: Alofa Sua, Thunder Mountain; CJ Fontana, North Pole<\/p>\n Defensive back: Jacob Tapia, Thunder Mountain; Jaime Johnson, North Pole; John Hamrick, Juneau-Douglas; Hansel Hinckle, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n Interior lineman: Stevie Byron, Ketchikan Interior; Ben Butkewicz, North Pole; Puna Touteiolepo, Thunder Mountain; Ivan Williams, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n First-team specialist<\/strong><\/p>\n Punter: Elliot Gifford, Juneau-Douglas<\/p>\n Return specialist: Liam Van Sickle, Juneau-Douglas<\/p>\n Long snapper: Ivan Williams, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n Kicker: Jacob Babcock, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 2017 Alaska Football Coaches Association Division II All-State Team<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Offensive Player of the Year:<\/strong> Brenner Furlong, Soldotna<\/p>\n Defensive Player of the Year:<\/strong> Wendell Tuisaula, Soldotna<\/p>\n Lineman of the Year:<\/strong> Lucas Santana, Palmer<\/p>\n Coach of the Year:<\/strong> Rod Christiansen, Palmer<\/p>\n Assistant Coach of the Year:<\/strong> Eric Pomerleau, Soldotna<\/p>\n First-team offense <\/strong><\/p>\n Quarterback: Brandon Crowder, Soldotna<\/p>\n Running Back: Larry Cutsforth, Palmer; Aaron Faletoi, Soldotna<\/p>\n Full Back: Brenner Furlong, Soldotna<\/p>\n Receiver: Jamie Johnson, North Pole; Zach Tuttle, Kenai<\/p>\n Tight End: Galen Brantley III, Soldotna<\/p>\n Tackle: Jacob Breazeale, North Pole; Jake Marcuson, Soldotna<\/p>\n Guard: Lucas Santana, Palmer; Wendell Tuisaula, Soldotna<\/p>\n Center: Derek Boord, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n First-team defense <\/strong><\/p>\n Outside Linebacker: Brenner Furlong, Soldotna; Ryker Riddall, Kenai<\/p>\n Inside Linebacker: CJ Fontana, North Pole; Seth Kruse, Kenai; Wendell Tuisaula, Soldotna<\/p>\n Defensive Back: Jeff Glynn, Palmer; Jamie Johnson, North Pole; Jersey Truesdell, Soldotna; Zach Tuttle, Kenai<\/p>\n Interior Lineman: Levi Benner, Soldotna; Aaron Faletoi, Soldotna; Lucas Santana, Palmer; Puna Touteiolepo, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n First-team specialists <\/strong><\/p>\n Punter: Shaun Walton, Kodiak<\/p>\n Return Specialist: Liam Van Sickle, Juneau-Douglas<\/p>\n Long Snapper: Ivan Williams, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n Kicker: Jacob Babcock, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n Utility Player: Cody Quelland, Soldotna<\/p>\n Second-team offense <\/strong><\/p>\n Quarterback: Craig Borba, North Pole<\/p>\n Running Back: Toy Toupou, Thunder Mountain; Liam Van Sickle, Juneau-Douglas<\/p>\n Full Back: CJ Fontana, North Pole<\/p>\n Receiver: Joel Francisco, Kodiak; Kody Malouf, Ketchikan<\/p>\n Tight End: Bobby Cox, Thunder Mountain; Kasey Watts, Juneau-Douglas<\/p>\n Tackle: John Elisoff, Juneau-Douglas; Jacob White, Palmer<\/p>\n Guard: Jacob Blanchard, North Pole; Alex Eldemar, Thunder Mountain; Seth Kruse, Kenai<\/p>\n Center: Josh Smith, Kodiak<\/p>\n Second-team defense <\/strong><\/p>\n Outside Linebacker: Kirven Easton, North Pole; Steven Rosales, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n Inside Linebacker: Ben Kruzich, Palmer; Alofa Sua, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n Defensive Back: Isaiah Galindez, Kodiak; John Hamrick, Juneau-Douglas; Hansel Hinckle, Thunder Mountain; Jacob Tapia, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n Interior Lineman: Stevie Byron, Ketchikan; John Grossl, Kenai; Josh Smith, Kodiak; Ivan Williams, Juneau Douglas<\/p>\n Second-team specialists <\/strong><\/p>\n Punter: Elliot Gifford, Juneau Douglas<\/p>\n Return Specialist: Luke Trammell, Soldotna<\/p>\n Long Snapper: Logan Baker, Kenai<\/p>\n Kicker: Jacob Babcock, Thunder Mountain<\/p>\n Utility Player: Cody Galletes, Juneau-Douglas<\/p>\n • Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.<\/b><\/p>\n Juneau prep football’s special teams received high marks this season from around the state. Three out of the five first-team all-state specialists named to the 2017 Alaska Football Coaches Association Division II team came out of Juneau. In addition, 11 Falcons made the All-Southeast Conference first team. The coaching body named Puna Touteiolepo as one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":425,"featured_media":34015,"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-34014","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\/34014","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\/425"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34014"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34014\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34014"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=34014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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