Seven football players named to all-conference teams
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
The East Troy football team recently placed seven players on this year’s All-Rock Conference North Division teams.
Landing on the first team were senior quarterback Charlie Kutschenreuter and sophomore defensive lineman Owen Goedland, while second-team selections were junior defensive back Nick Ruffalo and junior wide receiver Zach Zewiske.
Honorable mention picks were juniors Jake Remsza and Nick Biersack and sophomore Truman Kent.
East Troy finished 2014 at 2-7 overall and 2-4 in the RVC.
Kutschenreuter led the offense with both his arm and his feet.
For the year, he completed 78 of 185 passing attempts for 964 yards and nine touchdowns. He also rushed 166 times for 801 yards and nine touchdowns.
“(The honor) was well-deserved,” East Troy coach Eric Sulik said. “Most conference coaches agreed that they needed to completely change their defensive game plan to try and contain him.
“He was driven to succeed. Our record did not reflect his effort. We will miss him next season.”
Goedland was moved from linebacker to defensive line after the season began, and he flourished in that role, Sulik said.
“Owen’s defensive stats were closer to that of a linebacker than of an interior defensive lineman,” he said. “(He was moved) to defensive line in an effort to get as many fast, athletic players starting on defense. I think the switch paid off.”
Both Ruffalo and Zewiske made impacts as juniors and already are looking at big things in their last high school campaign, Sulik said.
Ruffalo also was voted as the team’s most improved player.
“Nick’s growth and maturity was monumental this fall,” Sulik said. “I believe Zach is the best wide receiver in the conference. Zach’s preparation to this season was second to only Charlie’s.
“The great thing is we get both Zach and Nick back next season.”
Looking at 2015, Sulik said a solid off-season will go a long way in making the Trojans more competitive.
And that work already has begun.
“We need to take strides to improve our level of strength and conditioning,” Sulik said. “It has been an area that we have struggled with since 2012.
I am confident we can get back to that effort we had back then (and) we can get back to qualifying for the playoffs and contend for a conference championship.”
As usually is the case with any successful team, those efforts have to be led by the senior class, Sulik said.
“Our expectation is they will lead from the front and take advantage of the opportunity they have in front of them,” he said.
All-Rock Valley Conference North Division Teams
Offense, first team: quarterback, Charlie Kutschenreuter (sr., East Troy); running backs, Ricky Williams (sr., Edgerton), Garrett Blaeske (sr., Jefferson), Nathan Redders (jr., Evansville); wide receivers, Chase Werwinski (jr., McFarland), Chad Herbst (sr., McFarland); linemen, Ryan Schultz (sr., Jefferson), Austin Rupiper (jr., Evansville), Samuel Topel (jr., Evansville), Mike Meyers (sr., Jefferson), Kyle Bavery (sr., Edgerton); tight end, Trevor Bierman (jr., Evansville).
Offense, second team: quarterback, Colton Richter (sr., McFarland); running backs, John Saylor (sr., Whitewater), Kaleb Kruckenberg (sr., Edgerton), Ryker Brown (jr., Evansville); wide receivers, Bryan Parker (jr., Whitewater), Enoch Fleming (sr., McFarland), Zach Zewiske (jr., East Troy); linemen, Landon Ellingson (jr., Jefferson), Adrian Radtke (sr., Edgerton), Ty Jay (sr., Jefferson), Cody Lawrence (sr., Evansville).
Defense, first team: ends, Charlie Moore (sr., McFarland), Mike Meyers (sr., Jefferson); linemen, Owen Goedland (soph., East Troy), Ryan Schultz (sr., Jefferson), Andrew Berra (jr., Evansville); linebackers, Kaleb Kruckenberg (sr., Edgerton), Nick Schrader (sr., Jefferson), Jordan Meyer (jr., Evansville), Jacob Williamson (sr., McFarland); backs, Chase Werwinski (jr., McFarland), Tom Siefkes (sr. Jefferson), Chase Katzenmeyer (soph., Evansville).
Defense, second team: ends, Landon Ellingsnon (jr., Jefferson), Nicholas Cornwell (sr., Evansville); linemen, Adrian Radtke (sr., Edgerton); linebackers, Jacob Maurer (sr., McFarland), Devin Deegan (sr., Evansville), Ben Hudrlik (sr., Edgerton), Juan Tovar (sr., Whitewater), Greg Buth (sr., Jefferson); backs, Nick Ruffalo (jr., East Troy), Mark Trawicki (jr., Evansville), Michal Bean (sr., McFarland).
Special teams, first team: kicker and punter, Chad Herbst (sr., McFarland); second team: kicker, Ben Dillavou (jr., Jefferson); punter, John Nast (sr., Whitewater).
Honorable mention: Edgerton, Ethan Richardson, Jacob Taylor, Logan Hein; Evansville-Albany, Ryan Meehan, Brett Fuller, Zachary Mielke; Jefferson, Jack Cincotta, Sam Fox, Alex Hauser; McFarland, Jed Buchholz, Dayne Mickelson, Ryan McDonald; East Troy, Jack Remsza, Nick Biersack, Truman Kent; Whitewater, Jordan Peterson, Peter McCrea, Tyler Hill.
Back of the Year – Ricky Williams (Edgerton). Linemen of the Year – Mike Meyers (Jefferson), Austin Rupiper (Evansville). Coaches of the Year – Ron Grovesteen (Evansville), Steve Gee (Jefferson). Assistant Coaches of the Year – Chris Duerk (McFarland), Nick Skretta (Jefferson), Jay Hrdlicka (Evansville).
