Five Vikings make All-state football list

The Vikings football team, which earned its third-straight District 7B title this season, raked in individual honors this season as well.

The District 7B football All-conference and All-state lists were released this week. Five Bigfork players were named All-state. Additionally, a Vikings player was named first-team All-conference in all 16 categories, and in many cases multiple Bigfork players earned first-team or there were teammates who were named to the second-team or honorable mention list.

The five Vikings to earn All-state honors were a familiar group of boys — the team captains, seniors Austin Cantrell, Connor Coleman, Cody Dopps, Dillon Fraley and Ian Lorang. District 7B was allotted six players on the All-state list this year. The only non-Bigfork player from the district on the list was Eureka’s Ryan Holder.

“We got five All-state kids, which is huge,” said Bigfork head football coach Todd Emslie.

All-conference and All-state honors are decided on by the coaches in each conference. At the end of the regular season the coaches get together to discuss and nominate their players. A vote follows the discussion and the players with the most votes make the lists.

With the Vikings being undefeated in district play this season, it is easy to see how so many Vikings earned such high honors. The Vikings scored 51 touchdowns this season and allowed just 25. As a team, they accumulated 3,473 yards of total offense while holding their opponents to 2,161 yards.

Dopps scored 25 of his teams touchdowns this season, including 23 that he ran in. He accumulated 1,465 yards with 223 carries in the 10 games the Vikings played in this season. He had another 281 receiving yards on 25 catches and had 132 passing yards with a two-of-four success rate.

“Cody had a fantastic career,” Emslie said. “A lot of people thought we couldn’t find anyone to fill the shoes of Travis Knoll, and even though they are two different running backs with two different styles, Cody did an outstanding job for us. He was a great team leader and team captain, and a tremendous athlete.”

En route to being named one of the top players in the state, Dopps earned first-team All-conference honors at running back, outside linebacker and punter. Dopps tallied 568 yards with 21 punts for the Vikings the season and his longest one was 48 yards.

Emslie said he credits all five of his All-state players for their team leadership and quality job of fulfilling their role as a team captain. Fraley was especially good at this.

“Dillon did a lot of leading by example,” Emslie said. “He’s a very good football player, great teammate and a reliable constant.”

The 6-foot-5, 230 pound Fraley was named first-team All-conference at tackle and at defensive end.

Cantrell was named to the first-team All-conference list at guard and defensive tackle.

“He has a big heart and is a very strong athlete and strong football player,” said Emslie of Cantrell.

Lorang was named first-team All-conference at receiver, defensive back and return specialist. Making it no surprise that Emslie referred to him as “Do-it-all Ian Lorang.”

“He would’ve and could’ve done anything we asked him to do,” Emslie said. “He would’ve played center if I asked him too. And, everything he did, he did well.”

Coleman, as well as Cantrell, earned All-state honors for a second year in a row. Coleman was also named first-team All-conference at tight end and defensive end.

“Connor is a tremendous pass receiver and a tough, tough kid,” Emslie said. “He always had a spark. He’d get us going with a big play or a big hit.”

With all five of his All-state players graduating this June, Emslie knows he will have a big void to fill, though he trusts some of what made them special has rubbed off on those who will return next year.

“A legacy that they have left is their strong character,” Emslie said. “They were gracious in victory and defeat. They are just good kids.”

Several other Vikings earned All-conference honors in addition to those that were also named All-state.

Senior quarterback Colter Mahlum was named first-team All-conference for his pivotal role in the team’s 8-2 season. Mahlum had 75 completions in 144 passing attempts for a total of 1,044 yards. He threw for nine touchdowns this season and ran in another two.

Mahlum’s center, junior Blake Weimer, earned first-team All-conference honors for his work at center and also at middle linebacker. Additionally, senior Alex Ruiz was named first-team All-conference at fullback and at outside linebacker. Senior Kevin Countie earned first-team All-conference honors at defensive tackle and second-team All-conference at tackle.

Senior Dillon Charlebois made first-team All-conference for his performance as the Vikings’ kicker. Charlebois was 44-of-49 for extra points this season and 1-of-3 for field goals.

A handful of Vikings also took second-team All-conference honors — senior Austin Curtis, guard; junior Chris Landon, receiver; junior Matt Edward, defensive tackle; and junior Austin Jordt, defensive back. Landon also made the conference’s honorable mention list at defensive back.

Overall honorable mention nods went to Bigfork senior linebackers Ronnie Loudermilk and Hayden George.