Rooker and Dahlstrom top coaches All-County picks

Friday, March 21, 2008

In a year in which they posted a 12-1 record as well as outscoring their opponents 434-77, it is no surprise that the North Putnam Cougars placed 10 players on this year's All-Putnam County football team. It is also no surprise that a pair of Cougar players top the two lists as offensive and defensive players of the year.

North Putnam senior Kyle Rooker picked up 1,308 yards in total offense as well as 86 total points on his way to becoming the coaches selection as Putnam County Offensive Player of the Year.

Senior running back Kyle Rooker was named offensive player of the year, while junior linebacker Griffen Dahlstrom was the defensive player of the year.

Rooker rushed 166 times for 1,125 yards. He also caught 10 passes for 183 yards, bringing his total offensive yards to 1,308. Rooker also scored 14 total touchdowns as well as a single two-point conversion, bringing his season total to 86 points.

On the other side of the ball, Dahlstrom picked up 57 solo tackles and 55 assists, for 112 tackles for the year. Dahlstrom also had five tackles for loss, four pass breakups and one fumble recovery.

Dahsltrom was actually honored for his performance on both sides of the ball. On the offensive team, he was named the All-County quarterback. The junior was 57-for-104 for 1,145 yards. He threw 12 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions.

A dual threat, Dahsltrom also ran for 843 yards and 12 touchdowns.

The Cougars had three other picks on the offensive side of the ball.

Wide receiver Jerrett Ban caught 17 passes for 464 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed four times for 59 yards and a score. He scored 42 points on the year.

Solid line play anchored the Cougars' potent offense as center Josh Keyt and guard Austin Malayer led the front line for North.

Cloverdale was next on the offensive side of the ball with four picks.

Senior running back Aaron Dayhuff ran the ball 84 times for 506 yards and five touchdowns. As a linebacker, Dayhuff also broke the single-season school record with 149 total tackles as well as the career record with 330.

Sophomore Dillin Gray joined Dayhuff in the backfield, running 137 times for 484 yards. He scored three touchdowns and five two-point conversions.

Junior tight end Chad Cummings caught 16 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns. Senior tackle Allen Kincaid led the Cloverdale line.

For Greencastle, a pair of offensive players made the list. Running back Drew Evens rushed 164 times for 888 yards and caught 31 passes for 306 yards. He scored 92 points.

Senior tackle Ricky Robinson also made the list for the Tiger Cubs.

South Putnam also had two selections to the offensive team. Senior Josh Gray led the Eagle front line from his guard position while classmate Josh Sanders caught seven passes fro 158 yards as well as rushing nine times for 132 yards.

A force on either side of the ball, North Putnam junior Griffen Dahlstrom was both the coaches selection as Putnam County Defensive Player of the Year as well as the All-County quarterback.

The defensive side of the ball is once again heavily blue and orange, as five Cougars led the state by allowing just 5.6 points per game.

Linemen David Church and Seth Vondersaar led North up front. Church collected 52 total tackles, 25 solos and five tackles for loss. Vondersaar had 80 total tackles, 34 solos, four sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

Senior Adam Vondersaar represented the Cougars at linebacker, with 108 total tackles and 52 solos. He also had one sack, one fumble recovery, two pass breakups and four tackles for loss.

In the backfield, North had seniors J.T. Francies and Justin Ensor. Francies had a total of 80 tackles, 42 solos, three interceptions, nine pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Ensor collected 102 tackles, 53 solos, six interceptions, five breakups and two fumbles recovered.

South Putnam placed four defenders on the list, with two linebackers, one lineman and one defensive back.

Senior Brad Bunten and junior Conor Frame were the Eagles' linebackers selected. Bunten led the Eagles with 90 total tackes as well as 41 solo tackles. He also had two fumble recoveries, one interception and one sack. Frame finished the season with 40 tackles, 23 solos and an interception returned for a touchdown.

Up front, junior Trent Knight represented the Eagles with 68.5 tackles, including 23 assists. Knight also had 4.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss.

Senior defensive back Derek Tomaw had 34 total tackles, 24 solos, two interceptions and two passes broken up.

Greencastle's three defensive selections included two linebackers and one lineman.

Senior Kendall Faust and junior Andrew Birt made the list as linebackers. Faust collected 70 tackles and 49 solos. He also had one sack, one interception and an impressive five fumble recoveries. Birt led the team with 95 tackles and 68 solos. He also recovered one fumble.

Senior lineman Blake Robinson collected 39 total tackles, 23 solos and two sacks. He also intercepted one pass, which he returned for a touchdown.

Senior Zach McCallie was Cloverdale's only defensive selection with 31 solo tackles and one fumble recovery.

On special teams, Greencastle led the way in the kicking department. Kicker Buzz Deer made 11-of-14 field goals as well as 21-of-25 PATs. He also averaged 52.2 yards per kickoff and collected eight touchbacks.

Junior Punter Kyle Nobles also represented the Tiger Cubs with a 39.5 yard average and two punts inside the 20.

North Putnam sophomore Darr Boruff also made the list as a special teams player. Boruff collected 21 tackles and 11 solos on the year.

2007 All-Putnam County Coaches Team

Offense

Offensive Player of the Year -- Kyle Rooker, running back, NP.

Center -- Josh Keyt NP.

Guard -- Austin Malayer NP, Josh Gray SP.

Tackle -- Allen Kincaid Cl, Ricky Robinson Gc.

Wide receiver -- Jerrett Ban NP, Josh Sanders SP.

Tight end -- Chad Cummings Cl.

Running back -- Kyle Rooker NP, Drew Evens Gc, Aaron Dayhuff Cl, Dillin Gray Dl.

Quarterback -- Griffen Dahlstrom NP.

Defense

Defensive player of the Year -- Griffen Dahlstrom, linebacker, NP.

Lineman -- Seth Vondersaar NP, David Church NP, Trent Knight SP, Blake Robinson Gc.

Linebacker -- Adam Vondersaar NP, Brad Bunten SP, Donor Frame SP, Kendall Faust Gc, Andrew Birt Gc.

Defensive back -- J.T. Francies NP, Justin Ensor NP, Derek Tomaw SP, Zach McCallie Cl.

Special Teams

Kicker -- Buzz Deer Gc.

Punter -- Kyle Nobles Gc.

Special teams -- Darr Boruff NP.

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