Criter, Murray named EWC MVPs

Senior quarterback Jon Criter and senior inside linebacker Ian Murray of Eastern Wisconsin Conference champion Plymouth were voted the EWC’s “Offensive and Defensive Most Valuable Players,” respectively, for the 2009 football season by the league coaches.

Criter, an All-EWC first-team pick, was also named the conference’s “Offensive Back of the Year.” Murray, a unanimous first-team selection, also earned the “Linebacker of the Year” award.

PHS senior defensive end Brandon Ermer, a unanimous first-team choice, was voted the conference’s “Defensive Lineman of the Year.” Five other Panthers received first-team recognition. On offense are junior tackle Austin Meyer, senior guard Josh Hunter, senior center Ryan Schmitz and junior tailback Hayden Potts; and on defense is junior tackle Jake Bradley.

Hunter, Potts and Bradley are unanimous selections. Schmitz, Criter, Potts, Bradley and Murray moved up from the second team last year.

Criter, a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder, led the EWC in completion percentage with an impressive 60.4 percent (64-for-106) and was second in total offensive yardage with 1,069. He threw for 699 yards and seven touchdowns, and ran for 370 yards – an outstanding 7.7 average per carry – and five TDs.

Murray, ranked No. 2 in the league in total tackles with 66, including 24 solos. The 6-3, 215-pounder recorded three quarterback sacks.

Ermer tied for second in the EWC in sacks with five and had 53 total tackles, including 21 solos. The 6- 3, 185-pounder also blocked three passes.

“I think conference offensive and defensive players of the year [MVPs] are outstanding awards for two of our senior leaders that put four years of hard work into this team,” said Panther head coach Dan Knaus about Criter and Murray.

“It was nice to see Brandon Ermer get awarded defensive lineman of the year. He fought through lots of adversity last year, thus it made this year even more special for him. He was very deserving.”

Plymouth has three players who earned second-team honors. Junior guard Brad Hanson and sophomore place-kicker Ross Heginbottom are on the offense and junior Brock Reichardt is on the defensive unit at outside linebacker and punter.

The following Panthers made honorable mention: offense – junior split end Mitch Unger; and defense – senior inside linebacker Jake Meinnert, senior back Pat Leick and junior back Craig Grosshuesch.

“I think the awards the boys received were definitely a reflection of the play of the entire team as well as our conference record,” Knaus said.

“Each one of them should be proud of the team’s accomplishments and their individual accomplishments.”

Potts won the EWC rushing title with 851 yards (5.5 average per attempt) and tied for the scoring lead with 60 points on 10 rushing TDs.

Bradley registered 46 total tackles, including 13 unassisted.

Heginbottom led the EWC in kick scoring with 32 points and extra-point kicks made, 32. Reichardt averaged 32.3 yards per punt and hit three inside the 20-yard line.

Senior split end Austin Armga of Waupun was selected the league’s “Receiver of the Year” and “Defensive Back of the Year.” Armga was second in the EWC in receiving yardage with 467, receptions, 24, and TD catches at five. He averaged an excellent 19.5 yards per catch.

Armga is one of three players who were voted to the first-team offense and defense. The others are Kewaskum seniors Jordan Blank and Cody Seibel – Blank at tight end and defensive end, and Seibel at running back and inside linebacker.

Seibel and New Holstein senior running back Jake Entringer are the only first-team repeaters. Seibel was also a first-team running back as a junior.

Senior Brian Bottleman of Kewaskum, a first-team offensive tackle, was voted the “Offensive Lineman of the Year.”

The other unanimous first-team players include: offense – Armga, Blank, Bottleman, Entringer and junior place-kicker Brandon Riesterer of Kiel; and defense – Seibel, Armga and senior punter David Werner of Two Rivers.

Kewaskum, which finished second in the league, leads the EWC in first-team picks with 10, followed by Plymouth’s eight.

FINAL EWC STATISTICS Unger led the EWC in scoring receptions with six and tied for second in catches with Armga at 24.

Senior split end Nick Roelse of Sheboygan Falls, a second-team choice, was No. 1 in receptions with 32 and receiving yardage, 522.

Senior quarterback Adam Lorenz of Sheboygan Falls passed for a league-high 924 yards. Waupun senior quarterback Cody Nickel led in TD passes with nine.

Senior inside linebacker Brad Ducat of Two Rivers paced the EWC in total tackles with 88 and solos, 75. Blank was first in sacks with seven.

Senior linebacker Elijah Walsdorf of Kiel intercepted a league-best five passes.

PHS ranked No. 1 in scoring with 238 points (34.0 average per game) and was second in fewest points allowed at 73. PHS led in sacks with 19. Kewaskum was first in scoring defense with 55.

The Panthers were first in total offense with 2,362 yards (337.4 average) and rushing at 1,644 (234.9 average). Waupun led in passing yardage with 925.
All-EWC Football
FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE
SE – Austin Armga, Waupun..………......Sr.
TE – Jordan Blank, Kewaskum…….......Sr.
T – Brian Bottleman, Kewaskum….....Sr.
T – Austin Meyer, Plymouth….….…...Sr.
G – Josh Hunter, Plymouth……….…...Sr.
G – Cody Enright, Kewaskum….…….…Sr.
C – Ryan Schmitz, Plymouth…….......Sr.
QB -- Jon Criter, Plymouth…………...….Sr.
RB – Hayden Potts, Plymouth…….......Jr.
RB – Jake Entringer, New Holstein.…....Jr.
RB – Cody Seibel, Kewaskum………......Sr.
PK – Brandon Riesterer, Kiel….…….…...Jr.
FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE
E – Brandon Ermer, Plymouth……..Sr.
E – Blank, Kewaskum………………..….Sr.
T – Jake Bradley, Plymouth………....Jr.
T – Josh Boettcher, Kewaskum….…..Sr.
ILB – Ian Murray, Plymouth…………....Sr.
ILB – Cody Seibel, Kewaskum………......Sr.
OLB – Austin Polster, New Holstein…...Sr.
OLB – Bo Seibel, Kewaskum.……..…......Jr.
B – Armga, Waupun……………………...Sr.
B – Brandon Zolp, Kewaskum……....Sr.
B – T.J. Schlice, Kewaskum……………Jr.
P – David Werner, Two Rivers.……....Sr.
SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE
SE – Nick Roelse, Sheboygan Falls.…...Jr.
TE – Zach Chynoweth, Two Rivers.…....Sr.
T – Brandon Blatz, New Holstein…..…Sr.
T – Jordon Denfeld, Two Rivers…….....Jr.
G – Brad Hanson, Plymouth…………...Jr.
G – Jose Sandoval, Kiel………..…………Sr.
C – Dylan Kohout, Waupun.…………....Sr.
QB – Cory Nickel, Waupun……….…..…...Sr.
RB – Derek Fritsch, Kiel……..……………..Jr.
RB – Matt Kolitz, Waupun……………......Sr.
RB – Cory Thede, New Holstein……....…Jr.
PK – Ross Heginbottom, Ply. ………...So.
SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE
E – Michael Mulhaney, Two Rivers….Sr.
E – Zach Wetzel, Campbellsport….....Sr.
T – Nate Rost, New Holstein……..…...Sr.
T – Mack Donath, Kewaskum…….....So.
ILB – Cody Thede, New Holstein..……….Jr.
ILB – Matt Henning, Sheb. Falls………..Sr.
OLB – Brock Reichardt, Plymouth…...Jr.
OLB – Roelse, Sheboygan Falls.………...Jr.
B – Isaiah Herzog, Kiel………………..…Jr.
B – Tyler Zipperer, New Holstein.......Jr.
B – Zach Berg, Sheboygan Falls.…...Sr.
P – Reichardt, Plymouth…………..….Jr.
HONORABLE-MENTION OFFENSE
SE – Mitch Unger, Plymouth……...……Jr.
T – Mike Moul, Waupun..…………………Sr.

G – Andrew Van Lanen, Two Rivers.....Jr.
G – Clarke Moberg, Sheb. Falls………..Sr.
C – Mike Jodar, New Holstein.………...Sr.
C – Nate Sell, Kiel.…………………………..Jr.
C – Tyler Hoerig, Kewaskum.……….....Sr.
QB – Cody Nuernberg, Kewaskum.…….Jr.
QB – Kraig Shillcox, Two Rivers.…………Sr.
QB – Adam Lorenz, Sheb. Falls………….Sr.
QB – Chris Lefeber, New Holstein…..….Sr.
RB – Brad Ducat, Two Rivers..……….….Sr.
RB – Matt Meunier, Kiel..………………….Sr.
RB – Polster, New Holstein..………….….Sr. HONORABLE-MENTION DEFENSE
E – Brenton Ruh, Kiel……………...…....Sr.
T – Van Lanen, Two Rivers………..…....Jr.
T – Spencer Hurlburt, Sheb. Falls.…..Sr.
ILB – Marty Serwe, Campbellsport…....Sr.
ILB – Steve Chapman, Kewaskum…….Sr.
ILB – Moberg, Sheboygan Falls………..Sr.
ILB – Jake Meinnert, Plymouth……....Sr.
ILB – Ducat, Two Rivers…………………....Sr.
OLB – Tristan Rowley, New Holstein.....Sr.
OLB – Shawn Shillcox, Two Rivers…….So.
B – Tyler Wolf, Two Rivers…….……..…Jr.
B – Nate Baumhardt, Camp. …………Sr.
B – Nate Hopp, Waupun…………….…So.
B – Pat Leick, Plymouth…………...…Sr.
B – Craig Grosshuesch, Ply. ………..Jr.

FINAL EWC STATISTICS
Rushing Leaders
Yds. TDs
Hayden Potts, Plymouth……….851 10
Cody Seibel, Kewaskum………...827 10
Matt Kolitz, Waupun……………...748 6
Jake Entringer, New Holstein….559 9
Brad Ducat, Two Rivers..…………507 2
Passing Leaders
Yds. TDs
Adam Lorenz, Sheb. Falls….……924 8
Cory Nickel, Waupun………………813 9
Geddy Norby, Kiel…………...……..791 5
Jon Criter, Plymouth……….…….699 7
Kraig Shillcox, Two Rivers…...…..613 3
Receiving Leaders
No. Yds.
Nick Roelse, Sheb. Falls………...32 522
Austin Armga, Waupun……….....24 467
Mitch Unger, Plymouth….……..24 264
Dwayne Hagenow, Kiel….………..15 253
Jordan White, Waupun…..…….…..8 249
Scoring Leaders
Pts.
Potts, Plymouth…………………….……...60
Seibel, Kewaskum……………………………60
Entringer, New Holstein………….………..60
Unger, Plymouth…,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,……….…42
Cody Thede, New Holstein………………..42
EASTERN WISCONSIN
CONFERENCE FOOTBALL
Final Standings
W L
Plymouth………………………….…….…7 0
Kewaskum…………………………………...6 1
New Holstein………………………….…….5 2

Kiel………………………………………………3 4
Sheboygan Falls……………………….…..2 5
Two Rivers…………………………………….2 5
Waupun…………………………………….....2 5
Campbellsport………………………..…….1_ _ _ 6________________________