BY RICH PALZEWIC
CORRESPONDENT
SUAMICO – When you go 9-0 in the Fox River Classic Conference football season for the second year in a row, you can expect a lot of postseason honors.
That’s exactly the case for the Bay Port Pirates, who had 13 players/coaches make the list.
Head coach Gary Westerman was named coach of the year for his efforts in leading the No. 3 ranked Pirates to their 18th consecutive conference win.
Quarterback Isaac Krause was a unanimous first-team pick and was also selected as the co-offensive player-of-the year with Pulaski’s Dylan Hendricks. Krause accounted for 1,939 yards (1,140 passing, 799 rushing) and threw 13 TD passes and rushed for another 11 in conference play.
Brothers Eli and Owen Trast were also first-team, while Eli was one of three linemen to be selected as offensive lineman of the year, doing so in unanimous fashion.
Tight end Jack Plumb, who is an Iowa recruit, and receiver Cordell Tinch, rounded out the first-teamers. Tinch tied for the league-lead with 49 receptions, but led the FRCC with 736 yards and eight touchdowns. He has received college scholarship offers from the University of Minnesota and the University of Central Florida for track and field and football respectively.
In collecting 67 tackles from his cornerback position, Tanner Hendricks was named the defensive back of the year for his play.
Other first-team selections on defense were lineman Brady Van Ess, linebacker Matt Barnard and sophomore linebacker Call Verlanic, who led Bay Port with 78 tackles.
There were no second-team choices on offense for the Pirates, but sophomore lineman Max Meeuwsen and cornerback Spencer Van Pietersom cracked the list defensively. Meeuwsen recorded 38 tackles, 16 of which were for a loss. He also forced two fumbles and had three sacks. Pietersom was third on the team with 57 tackles.
Lineman Matt Rotter was an honorable-mention choice on offense.
All of the Pirates all-conference selections are seniors, except for the sophomores Verlanic and Meeuwsen. The only other sophomore on any conference team was tight end Davis Heinzen from Manitowoc Lincoln, who received second-team honors.
