Banyan Johnston named conference offensive MVP

All-State selections for Class A in voting by Northwest A coaches were released Nov. 26.

Columbia Falls junior quarterback Banyan Johnston was named offensive MVP. 

Johnston threw for 2,396 yards and 26 touchdowns with 12 interceptions for the Wildcats; he was joined on the All-State list by teammates Easton Brooks, Daniel Contreras, Jory Hill and Trip Ross. 

Ross was first-team all-league at inside linebacker — he had 123 tackles — for the Wildcats; Brooks was first-team at receiver, Contreras on the defensive line, Hill at cornerback and Johnston at QB. 

Brooks had 34 catches for 524 yards and six TDs this season, and Hill had 32 for 159 and three more scores. 

Wildcat O-lineman Landon Quimby was also first-team all-Northwest A.  

The complete honors list follows. 

All-Northwest A 

First Team Offense

QB: Banyan Johnston, jr.    Columbia Falls* 

RB: Cole Moses, sr.    Whitefish* 

RB: Treker Hickey, sr.    Bigfork* 

WR: Vlad Shestak, jr.    Whitefish* 

WR: Easton Brooks, sr.    Columbia Falls* 

TE: Holden Emerson, sr.    Polson* 

TE: Aaron Anderson, sr.    Whitefish* 

OL: Sam Akey, sr.    Whitefish* 

OL: Holland Jantzen, sr.    Bigfork* 

OL: Brody Bulette, sr.    Polson 

OL: Landon Quimby, sr.    Columbia Falls 

OL: Leo Bungener, so.    Whitefish 

MVP: Banyan Johnston, Columbia Falls 

First Team Defense

DL: Creed Scott, sr.    Whitefish* 

DL: Cody Haggard, sr.    Polson 

DL: Daniel Contreras, jr.    Columbia Falls* 

DL: Lincoln Ledingham, jr.    Bigfork 

ILB: Trip Ross, jr.    Columbia Falls* 

ILB: Aaron Anderson, sr. Whitefish 

OLB: Treker Hickey, sr. Bigfork 

OLB: Cole Moses, sr. Whitefish* 

CB: Vlad Shestak, jr. Whitefish 

CB: Jory Hill, jr. Columbia Falls* 

S: Tristan Andersen, sr. Libby* 

S: Holden Emerson, sr. Polson 

MVP: Cole Moses, Whitefish 

*-denotes All-State selection. 

Second Team Offense 

QB: Luke Dalen, jr., Whitefish; Tristan Andersen, sr., Libby. 

RB: Tayden West, sr., Bigfork; Trip Ross, jr., Columbia Falls. 

WR: Jory Hill, jr., Columbia Falls; Branson Holzer, sr., Libby;  Daniel Contreras, jr., Columbia Falls. 

OL: Tristan Anderson, jr., Columbia Falls; Creed Scott, sr., Whitefish; Kaden Kaber, sr., Columbia Falls; Anderson Barille, sr., Whitefish; Walker Willis, sr., Bigfork. 

Second Team Defense

DL: Sam Akey, sr., Whitefish; Jayke Thew, jr., Whitefish; Tristan Anderson, jr., Columbia Falls. 

ILB: Ian Thom, sr., Libby; Sam Nissen, sr., Whitefish. 

OLB: Jordan Harmon, sr., Whitefish; Kyler Voermans, so., Columbia Falls. 

CB: Ollie Buzzell, sr., Bigfork; Easton Brooks, sr., Columbia Falls. 

S: Hayden Strandberg, jr., Columbia Falls; Sam Rainford, jr., Whitefish; Tamret Savik, sr., Bigfork. 

Honorable Mention 

Cooper Akey, S, sr., Whitefish; Dexter Anderson, DL, jr., Bigfork; Layton Burland, OLB, jr., Ronan; Jaxson Cadwell, ILB, so., Columbia Falls; Dane Carleson, ILB, sr., Bigfork; Quinn Kerr, K, jr., Bigfork;  Gabe Kosters, OLB, sr., Libby; Isaac Lamere, WR, sr., Libby; Boe Miles, CB, sr., Libby; Gabe Plevel, OLB, sr., Columbia Falls; Austin Savik, WR, sr., Bigfork; Cooper Wayman, OL, so., Ronan.