Four Polson boys named All-State

The Polson Pirates, fresh off the first State A boys soccer championship in program history, had four players selected All-State in voting by Southwest A coaches.

Whitefish, which fell to the Pirates 4-0 in the championship on Nov. 1, had three players designated All-State by the North A coaches as well. 

Polson’s ascension was aided greatly by senior keeper Maddox Bird and senior midfielder Cruz Lies, who were both named All-State along with junior forward Jackson Bontadelli and junior midfielder Edgar Vejez Pete.  

Bird is an All-State pick for a third straight year for the 11-2-2 Pirates. 

Bontadelli was Polson’s top scorer with 11 goals and four helpers; Vejez Pete checked with six goals and six assists and was selected for a second straight season; Lies had one goal to go with eight helpers. 

Eleven Southwest A players were named first-team all-conference, including Polson sophomore midfielder Roman Sawyer. 

Whitefish had three seniors land All-State honors: midfielder Kyler Jonson, who was selected for a third time; forward Jack Oehlerich and midfielder Wyatt Carlson. 

Jonson led Class A with 25 goals and 12 assists this season; Oehlerich wasn’t far behind with 21 goals and eight helpers. Carlson had four goals and four assists.  

Three Columbia Falls Wildcats were selected: seniors Jackson Scholz (13 goals, 8 assists), Jack Harris (14 goals, 2 helpers) and Sol Masters (1 goal, 3 assists). Harris is All-State for a second straight year. 

Nine Northwest A players were named All-State, including Nolan Morris of Libby and Robert Merchant of Bigfork.  

Two more players, Brady Bell of Columbia Falls and Gavin Sibson of Whitefish, were first-team all-North A. 

The complete honors teams follow:  

Southwest A 

First Team 

Maddox Bird, sr., GK    Polson* 

Haven Oshell, sr., D    Hamilton* 

Eli Knight, sr., M    Corvallis* 

Cruz Lies, sr., M    Polson* 

Edgar Vejez Pete, jr., M    Polson* 

Christian Yaskus, sr. D    Stevensville* 

Otto Gantz, fr., M    Hamilton* 

Hayden Warrington, sr., F    Stevensville* 

Jackson Bontadelli, jr., F    Polson* 

Roman Sawyer, so., M    Polson 

Bode Pullum, fr., M    Corvallis 

*-denotes All-State selection 

Second Team — Braden Drye, sr., GK, Stevensville; Dion Lichtenberg, sr., D, Polson; Marihas Oshell, sr., M, Hamilton; Kellan Von Sydow, sr., M, Frenchtown; Ruger Ellis, sr., D, Polson; Jakob Wenck, jr., M, Stevensville; Francesco Zamboni, jr., D, Stevensville; Jacob Shobe, so., M, Stevensville; Tim Sigloch, sr., M, Hamilton; Stephan Matveev, sr., M, Hamilton; Fisher Goodluck, jr., D, Hamilton. 

Honorable Mention — Kadic Vermillion, sr., D, Hamilton; Dawson Wildman, fr., D, Corvallis; Bryce Morrell, so., M, Stevensville; Donovan Beeks, jr., D, Polson; Anykin Rose, jr., D, Frenchtown. 

North A  

First Team 

Jack Harris, sr., F    Columbia Falls* 

Kyler Jonson, sr., M    Whitefish* 

Sol Masters, sr., M    Columbia Falls* 

Robert Merchant, sr., M    Bigfork* 

Jack Oehlerich, sr., F    Whitefish* 

Jackson Scholz, sr., M    Columbia Falls* 

Donovan Stutzman, sr., GK    Bigfork* 

Nolan Morris, sr., M    Libby* 

Wyatt Carlson, sr., M    Whitefish* 

Brady Bell, jr., F    Columbia Falls 

Gavin Sibson, sr., D    Whitefish 

*-denotes All-State selection. 

Second Team — Whit Albrecht, so., M, Columbia Falls; Pawl Bryman, so., M, Bigfork; Jon Cano, so., M, Libby; Judah Coll, so., M, whitefish; Zander Gassman, jr., D, Libby; Brady Heitz, sr., GK, Columbia Falls; Jacob Howell, jr., GK, Thompson Falls-Plains; Colby Iliffk, sr., D, Libby; Quinn Kerr, jr., F, Bigfork; Ryker McAnally, fr., M, Bigfork; Graysen Rembaught, so., F, Whitefish. 

Honorable Mention — Henry Barbieri, so., F, Whitefish; Griffin Johnson, sr., M, Whitefish; Liam Pallister, jr., F, Thompson Falls-Plains; Logan Ruggiero, jr., D, Columbia Falls; Max Schara, sr., F, Bigfork.