Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

In just a few days 2019 will be history as calendars flip to a new year and bring on the start of a new decade.

Before moving forward with 2020 Your Prep Sports will be taking a look back.

Over the next several days Your Prep Sports will celebrate the last decade of area athletics with all-decade teams.

While Your Prep Sports has only been highlighting the accomplishments of area athletes for the last four years the YPS staff has been covering the area going back well over a decade.

Our series of all-decade teams begins with football which features a list of some of the top players from Your Prep Sports area schools to compete between 2010 and 2019.

Your Prep Sports All-Decade Football Team 

Offense

QB: Drew Cook, Regina – Threw for more than 5,000 yards and 53 touchdowns with just six interceptions and also ran for 1,146 yards and 21 touchdowns while leading Regina to a 27-1 record and back-to-back state titles in two seasons as a starter.

QB: Evan Flitz, West High – Rewrote the West High passing record books throwing for 5,240 yards and 53 touchdowns while leading West High to back-to-back Class 4A state title games in 2016 and 2017.

RB: Ronald Thompson, City High – Ranked third in Class 4A in rushing as a senior in 2011 with 1,814 yards and rolled up 3,164 yards and 43 touchdowns on the ground in two seasons as the City High feature back.

RB: Xavier Washpun, City High – Earned first-team all-state honors in 2013 when he ranked third in Class 4A with 1,798 rushing yards and scored 19 touchdowns.

RB: Luke Lenoch, West Branch – Among the most productive running backs in state history Lenoch closed his career in the top 15 in 11-player history in career rushing yards (6,022) and touchdowns (90).  

WR: Oliver Martin, West High – The most prolific pass catcher in West High history set single-season and career records for receptions and yards finishing with 239 career catches for 3,449 yards and a school-record 33 touchdowns.  

WR: Jason Jones, City High – A knee injury sidelined Jones as a junior season but he bounced back with one of the best seasons for a pass catcher in program history with 65 receptions for 1,153 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior.

WR: AJ Coons, Solon – A matchup problem at 6-foot-4, Coons averaged better than 17 yards per reception during his three-year career finishing with 131 catches for 2,328 yards and 32 touchdowns.

WR: Alec Wick, Regina – In three seasons Wick has already put together an impressive resume hauling in 167 passes for 2,254 yards and 18 touchdowns.

WR: Jalen Gaudet, West High – A big physical receiver with breakaway speed Gaudet was a first-team all-state pick in 2018 when he averaged 28.7 yards per reception and caught 79 passes for 1,695 and 14 touchdowns in two varsity seasons.

TE: TJ Bollers, Clear Creek Amana – His future is on defense where Bollers is ranked as a four-star top-200 national recruit but he has done some of his best work as a prep on offense catching 48 passes for 541 yards and four touchdowns as a tight end.

OL: Dalton Ferguson, Solon – Ferguson was a three-year starter and two-time captain for the Spartans and earned first-team all-state honors in 2013 after leading Solon to an 11-2 record and a state semifinal appearance.  

OL: Phil Arendt, Regina – Another in the line of powerful Regina lineman Arendt was a two-time, first-team all-state pick that paved the way for 1,000-yard rushers on state title teams in 2013 and 2014.

OL: Logan Linderbaum, Solon – A fierce competitor, Linderbaum was a two-way standout that earned all-state honors in back-to-back seasons while helping Solon post a combined 20-4 record in 2013 and 2014.

OL: Dan Minchk, City High – Played in back-to-back state title games earning first-team all-state honors in 2010 after helping City High to a 13-1 record and a 4A runner-up finish.  

OL: Zach Ries, Regina – A two-time, first team-all-state pick as an offensive lineman Ries was a force on both sides of the ball on back-to-back unbeaten state title teams in 2010 and 2011.

K: Marshall Koehn, Solon – A tremendous all-around athlete, Koehn earned first-team all-state honors as a kicker in 2010 after connecting on 13-of-18 field goals with a long of 48 with 55 percent of his kickoffs resulting in touchbacks.

Defense

DL: Amos Lavela City High – Led City High in tackles in back-to-back seasons from his defensive line spot racking up 156.5 career stops including 29 tackles for loss while twice earning all-state honors.

DL: Landon Green, West High – A three-year starter Green was almost unblockable as a senior in 2018 earning first-team all-state honors after leading the Trojans with 52.5 tackles from his defensive tackle spot and ranking second in 4A in both tackles for loss (25.5) and sacks (9.5).  

DL: Tyler Linderbaum, Solon – A two-time first-team all-state pick as an offensive lineman and a current starter at center for Iowa, Linderbaum was practically immovable as a prep defensive tackle finishing his career with 104.5 tackles including 16 for loss and eight sacks.

DL: Jared Brinkman, Regina – One of the most decorated all-around athletes in Regina history Brinkman was two-time, first-team all-state selection as an offensive lineman but was perhaps more dominant on the defensive line where he amassed 136.5 tackles and 12.5 sacks in his final two seasons.

DL: Jeff Bowie, West Branch – With a year of high school football remaining Bowie has already put together a career’s worth of numbers including 47.5 tackles for loss and 22 sacks while become a highly sought-after recruit.

LB: Jacob Vollstedt, Regina – Was the top tackler on back-to-back undefeated state title teams in 2010 and 2011 racking up 145 tackles and three interceptions while earning all-state honors both seasons.

LB: Adam Bock, Solon – A versatile defender, Bock led Solon in tackles in back-to-back seasons earning first-team all-state honors in 2018 and racking up 146 career stops while scoring four defensive touchdowns.

LB: Dillon Doyle, West High – The leader of a defense that helped West High reach back-to-back 4A title games Doyle made 103.5 tackles including 17.5 for loss from his outside linebacker spot.

LB: Justin Hunter, Regina – Among the most productive defensive players in Regina history Hunter was a part of four state title teams leading Regina in tackles each of his last three seasons finishing his career with 262.5 tackles, six sacks and six fumble recoveries.

LB: Coal Flansburg, Solon – An imposing presence in the middle of the Solon defense the 235-pound Flansburg had 88.5 tackles and picked off three passes in his final two prep seasons.

LB: Jake Brinkman, Regina – An excellent all-around player that was a first-team all-state pick in 2014 Brinkman was at his best at linebacker where he used his combination of speed and physicality to rack up 171.5 career tackles and 12 sacks.

DB: Jeremy Johnson, City High – Johnson picked off a 4A-leading eight interceptions during City High’s runner-up season in 2010 and had 11 interceptions and 61 tackles while earning all-state honors in his final two seasons.

DB: Bo Bower, West Branch – Before going on to play linebacker at Iowa Bower was a two-time all-state pick as a defensive back for West Branch where he racked up 106 tackles and picked off four passes in his final three seasons.  

DB: Naeem Smith, City High – Known as a hard hitter from his safety spot Smith made 96 solo tackles and six interceptions in three seasons patrolling the City High secondary earning all-state honors in each of his final two seasons.  

DB: Cole Mabry, West High – A three-year starter Mabry racked up 167 career tackles from his safety spot while helping West High reach back-to-back state title games.  

DB: John Milani, West High – A two-year starter, Milani had one of the best defensive seasons in recent West High history in 2014 earning first-team all-state honors after ranking fourth in Class 4A with 96.5 tackles, including 61 solo stops, to go with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.  

P: Jake Leohr, City High – A two-time all-state selection, Leohr averaged 41.6 yards per punt over two seasons and led 4A with 42.1 yards per punt in 2012.

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