State champs have baker’s dozen named to Class 11AA All-State football team

Kobe Busch leads a quartet of Tigers selected to honor squad

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State champion Pierre T.F. Riggs led the way with 13 selections to Class 11AA All-State football team, selected by the South Dakota Football Coaches Association and released Thursday.
On offense, the Govs’ selections were quarterback Garrett Stout, wide receiver Andrew Coverdale, tight end Regan Bollweg, and linemen Grey Zabel and Cole Nelson. Defensively, defensive tackle Gunnar Gehring, linebackers Chase Sattgast and River Iverson, and defensive back Cade Hinkle were honored. Govs to make it on the Honorable Mention team include Maguire Raske, Matt Heilman, Matt Lusk and Carston Miller.
The Govs went 12-0 and beat Brookings 32-16 in the state title game.
They outscored their opponents a combined 710-89 (59.17-7.42 average), including 192-23 (64-7.67) in the postseason.
It marked the Govs’ third consecutive 11AA title. They defeated the Harrisburg Tigers 24-21 in 2017, and the Huron Tigers 38-20 in 2018.
Second-place Brookings had six All-State honorees, while the No. 6 seed Yankton had five. Mitchell, Stugis and Huron each had four selections. Douglas had three honorees, while Spearfish had one.
Here is a capsule of each player to make the Class 11AA All-State First Team:
Offense
Quarterback: Garrett Stout, Pierre T.F. Riggs, Sr. (6-1, 185)
Completed 122 of his 188 passing attempts for 2007 yards, 36 touchdowns and just two intercepts. Ran 95 times for 1262 yards and 18 touchdowns. Had five kickoff return touchdowns.
“He’s an amazing player and better person,” said coach Steve Steele. “He’s a natural born leader, and a perfect example of a student of the game.”
Fullback/Halfback: Trevor Erlenbusch, Sturgis Brown, Sr. (5-9, 180)
Ran for 471 yards on 107 carries. Caught 11 passes for 63 yards. Was an honorable mention fullback in 2018, and is a two-time Black Hills Conference selection.
“Trevor was the unquestioned leader for our team this past season,” said coach Chris Koletzky. “He is a three-year starter for the Scoopers.”
Running back: Carter Eidem, Brookings, Sr. (6-0, 175)
Carried the ball 165 times for 1,019 yards and 14 touchdowns. Also caught 16 passes for 118 yards. Was a 2019 All-ESD selection. Has 23 touchdowns in his career.
“Carter has been hampered by injuries this season, but has still put up some good numbers from our H position,” said coach Lee Schmidt. “For two seasons, he was in the W spot, and was an all-around player, having to be a lead blocker, ball carrier, and receiver. He waited his turn to play the H by being a selfless teammate. Carter was a captain for the 2019 team.”
Running back: Parker Phillips, Mitchell, Jr. (5-6, 145)
Ran for 1107 yards on 198 carries in ten games this season for an average of 5.6 yards per carry. Had 12 rushing touchdowns and one kickoff return touchdown. Was an All-ESD selection in 2019.
“Parker worked hard to improve and get better over the offseason,” said coach Kent Vanoverschelde. “He is a football and track athlete at MHS.”
Wide receiver: Andrew Coverdale, Pierre T.F. Riggs, Sr., (6-2, 180)
Had 22 catches for 363 yards and five touchdowns. Coverdale has caught 31 passes in his career for 539 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
“Andrew is a captain of our championship team,” Steele said. “He sets the standard by blocking well and working hard.”
Wide receiver: Kobe Busch, Huron, Sr., (6-4, 200)
Caught 22 passes for 262 yards for an average of 11.91 yards per reception. Scored four touchdowns. Longest catch of the season was 56 yards.
“Kobe is a big target as a wide receiver, and has done a good job for us all season by making some big catches,” said coach Scott Spanton. “He is physical, and has a big catch radius with his size. He is a difficult matchup against most defensive backs due to his size.”
Tight End: Regan Bollweg, Pierre T.F. Riggs, Jr., (6-3, 220)
Caught 33 passes for 697 yards and a team high 11 receiving touchdowns.
“Regan is a hard worker and an excellent athlete for a tight end,” Steele said. “He has great hands and was a reliable target for us.”
Lineman: Grey Zabel, Pierre T.F. Riggs, Sr., (6-6, 260)
Played center for an offense averaging 60 points and 500 yards a game. All-ESD selection twice. Was an All-State DE as a junior.
“Grey is a born leader,” Steele said. “He loves to hit and loves OL play. He has a great football mind, and he loves the sport.”
Lineman: Gus Miller, Brookings, Sr., (6-3, 260)
Lineman for a team that ran for over 2500 yards, and passed for 1015 yards. Was a 2018 All-State and 2019 All-ESD selection. Bobcats have over 8000 yards of offense in Miller’s career.

“Gus has been a three-year starter for the Bobcats on offense and defense,” Schmidt said. “He has been the anchor of our offensive and defensive lines the past two years. Hee has an outstanding work ethic and is a multi-sport athlete, having been a 2019 State Wrestling Champion. His wrestling skills make him an outstanding lineman with great strength, leverage, and balance. Gus has been a two-year unit leader and team captain. He has already committed to play at SDSU.”
Lineman: Cole Nelson, Pierre T.F. Riggs, Sr., (6-3, 255)
Was a guard for an offense that averaged 60 points and 500 yards a game.
“Cole is an athletic player who has our short side,” Steele said. “He handles players 1-on-1.”
Lineman: Joe Prusa, Brookings, Sr., (6-4, 270)
Lineman for a team that ran for over 2500 yards, and passed for 1015 yards. Was a 2019 All-ESD lineman this season.
“Joe was a three-year starter at left tackle, and has become a two way player this year,” Schmidt said. “He played nose tackle this season as well. Joe has set all the weight room records for Bobcats linemen. He has made himself into an outstanding offensive and defensive lineman. This year, he has matured into a unit leader and team captain. Joe is a high motor kid. He practices as hard as he plays in games.”
Lineman: Wil Pease, Yankton, Sr., (6-0, 275)
Team ran for 1800 yards, and passed for 1250 yards.
“Wil is a three year starter and All-ESD selection for us,” said coach Brady Muth. “He plays multiple sports. Wil is a leader and captain for our team.”

Defense
Defensive end: Rhett Zelinksy, Brookings, Sr., (6-2, 205)
Had 54 tackles (32 solo and 22 assisted) in 2019, including 17 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Had three pass knockdowns and two fumble recoveries. Was an All-ESD defensive line. Has 72 tackles and 13 sacks in his career.
“Rhett converted to DE from safety at the end of his junior year, and what a great switch it was,” Schmidt said. “He is a high motor kid with great instincts. Rhett plays on all special teams plays. His tremendous quickness and physicality makes him a hard player to block.”
Defensive end: Malik Ahmed-Hosie, Douglas, Jr., (6-4, 255)
Had 31 tackles, including seven tackles for loss and 24 assisted tackles. Had one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.
“Malik was a two-year starter for us,” said coach Dan Maciejczak. “He also starts on the OL.”
Defensive tackle: Gunnar Gehring, Pierre T.F. Riggs, Jr., (6-4, 250)
Had 61 tackles, including 13.5 tackles for loss in 2019. Also had 11.5 sacks. Has 100 tackles and 12.5 sacks in his career.
“Gunnar was a force on our DL,” Steele said. “He made an impact offensively and defensively.”
Defensive tackle: Zavier Leonard, Yankton, Jr., (6-0, 280)
Had 18 tackles, four tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks in 2019.
“He is great in the weight room,” Muth said. “Zavier is a multi-sport athlete that has really anchored our D-line.”
Linebacker: Chase Sattgast, Pierre T.F. Riggs, Sr., (6-1, 190)
Had 46 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and two forced fumbles in 2019. Has 124 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception in his career.
“Chase has a high motor, and he flies around the field,” Steele said. “He has done a great job in run defense and dropping back into pass coverage.”
Linebacker: River Iverson, Pierre T.F. Riggs, Sr., (6-0, 215)
Had 87 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and one sack in 2019. Had 169 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in his career.
“River was super consistent,” Steele said. “He was a sure tackler and a leader on our defense.”
Linebacker: Brady Ammann, Brookings, Sr., (5-10, 160)
Had 65 tackles (33 solo, 32 assisted), two interceptions, two forced fumbles and seven tackles for loss in 2019. Was a 2019 All-ESD selection. Had 134 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and two interceptions.
“Brady has been a two-year starter at the Sam backer position,” Schmidt said. “A bit undersized, he plays fast and loves to hit. He also plays on all of our special teams plays, and has been an outstanding weight room kid. He truly represents one of our ‘Pound the Stone’ athletes. Brady is also an Academic All-State selection.”
Linebacker: Jacob Johnson, Spearfish, Sr., (6-1, 240)
Was a First Team All-Black Hills Conference selection in 2018. Has been selected to the All-State team twice in his career.
“Jacob was the best player we had,” said coach Chad McCarty. “He is a great leader on and off the field. Jacob is a guy that when you needed something done, he did it.”
Defensive back: Cade Hinkle, Pierre T.F. Riggs, Sr., (5-9, 165)
Had 48 tackles, six interceptions (two for touchdowns), one fumble recovery and one forced fumble in 2019. Had a punt return for a touchdown. Had 123 tackles, including 13 tackles for loss in his career.
“Cade is our do-it-all guy on defense,” Steele said. “He plays in the box and in the open. Cade calls the defense, and is their voice.”
Defensive back: Matt Girard, Brookings, Sr., (6-1, 175)
Had 28 tackles (17 solo, 11 assists), three tackles for loss, and 11 pass breakups in 2019. Was a 2019 All-ESD defensive back. Had 33 tackles (19 solo, 12 assisted) in his career.
“Matt was a part-time starter a year ago,” Schmidt said. “As a starter, he made himself into an excellent run support corner and cover man by committing to the weight room and attending summer camps. Matt has also played a big role on offense. He had 76 carries for 482 yards and five touchdowns. Matt is an Academic All-State selection.”
Defensive back: Josh Fowler, Sturgis Brown, Sr., (5-7, 165)
Had 49 tackles, two interceptions, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 2019. Had 71 tackles in his career. Was a 2019-All Black Hills Conference selection.
“Josh was a turnover machine for us at free safety,” Koletzky said. “He was responsible for a total of seven turnovers.”
Defensive back: Payton Nash, Mitchell, Sr., (5-10, 160)
Had 42 tackles and two interceptions in 11 games. Was an Academic All-State selection.
“Payton was a three-year player for us,” Vanoverschelde said. “He worked hard to cover the best receivers of our opponents. Payton plays football, baseball and hockey.”

Special Teams
Kicker: Trevor Lambert, Mitchell, Sr., (5-11, 180)
Made 34 of his 35 PATs. Went 5-for-6 on field goals, with a long of 44 yards. Made eight field goals in his career, and connected on 88 of his 98 PATs. Leading kick point scorer in playoff era at Mitchell.
“Trevor is a three year performer for us,” Vanoverschelde said. “He has developed into a consistent kicker and a significant contributor to our special teams.”
Punter: Brodie Eisenbraun, Sturgis Brown, Jr. (6-1, 160)
Had 41 punts in 2019, with a long of 50 yards. Had nine punts downed inside the 20, including five punts downed inside the 5-yard line.
“Brodie is a soccer player who worked very hard these last couple of years to perfect his craft,” Koletzky said.
Special Teams Player: Trevor Fitzgerald, Yankton, Jr., (5-11, 185)
Averaged 37 yards per kickoff return in 2019, including three kickoff return touchdowns.
“Trevor played strong safety for us, and is a utility player on offense,” Muth said. “He is a four sport athlete, and is just a great kid.”
Special Teams Player: Joseph Vanoverschelde, Mitchell, So., (5-9, 180)
Was 48 of 49 on punt snaps, 35 of 35 on PAT snaps, and 5-for-6 on field goal snaps.
“Joseph is hard working and dependable,” said coach Vanoverschelde. “Joseph, along with All-State kicker Trevor Lambert and holder Austin Kerr, create a consistent special teams unit for us.”

Honorable Mention
Cade McNeil (So., Huron), Cooper Fryberger (Sr., Huron), Jaiden Walton (Sr., Douglas), Maguire Raske (Jr., Pierre T.F. Riggs), Matt Heilman (Sr., Pierre T.F. Riggs), Cy Eixenburger (Sr., Sturgis Brown), Derrick Siemonsma (Jr., Huron), Matt Lusk (Sr., Pierre T.F. Riggs), Owen Warren (So., Yankton), Ryan Eichacker (Sr., Yankton), Carston Miller (Jr., Pierre T.F. Riggs), Jason Maciejczak (Fr., Douglas)