Class 9A football update

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HURON — A pair of De Smet players have been named to the Class 9A All-State Football Team, which was selected by the South Dakota Football Coaches Association.

Senior Ethan McCune was selected for the athlete spot on the all-state roster for the Bulldogs, while junior Kalen Garry received honorable mention.

McCune, at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, was a force for the Bulldogs on the offensive and defensive lines this season. Despite suffering a knee injury midway through the season, he was able to return to contribute during the Dakota Valley Conference title game and the first round of the playoffs.

“When we lost Ethan we could tell our team changed,” Smet co-coaches Wes Clubb and Dan Wilkinson said. “Ethan is one of those players on your team when he is not on the field there is a hole that is hard to refill. When Ethan was able to play our football team was hard to stop.”

Defensively, McCune had 26 tackles and two sacks this season for the Bulldogs.

“Ethan’s presence on the football field was a main contributor to our success in big football games this season,” Clubb and Wilkinson said. “Ethan got off blocks, knocking pullers off of their assignments, and was always going to the football. He is the type of player, if you do not double team him, he will be in your backfield messing things up.”

Garry also had a big presence for the Bulldogs this season.

“Kalen is a tremendous athlete. His quickness through the line of scrimmage and his breakaway speed is hard to compare,” the De Smet coaching staff said. “He is one of those athletes that you can put him at any position and he will make plays for you.”

Garry finished the season with 78 carries for 601 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 7.7 yards per carry.

In addition to his yards on the ground, Garry also had 22 catches for 381 yards and four touchdowns.