December 21, 2024
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Meet the 2024 All-BCR Football Team

By Kevin Hieronymus
BCR Players of the Year Casey Etheridge (from left), Noah LaPorte and Cade Odell.

BCR Players of the Year Casey Etheridge (from left), Noah LaPorte and Cade Odell. (Mike Vaughn)

FIRST TEAM

QUARTERBACKS

Bryce Helms (Bureau Valley, sr.): Helms was at the helm of the Storm offense for the third season since taking over as a sophomore. He completed 50 of 96 passes for 672 yards and eight TDs and rushed for 483 yards and four TDs. He was named First-Team Lincoln Trail/Praireland Large-School All-Conference.

Will Lott (Princeton, sr.): Lott quarterbacked the Tigers back to the quarterfinals for the second straight year. The senior QB completed 48 of 90 passes for 682 yards and 11 TDs before sustaining a season-ending injury in the second-round playoff game. He was named Second-Team Three Rivers East All-Conference.

RUNNING BACKS

Elijah Endress (Bureau Valley, sr.): Endress missed two games to injury (punted only), but still managed to rush for 937 yards (6.4 ypc) for the Storm with 12 TDs. He went out with a bang with 378 yards and four TDs in the season finale against West Hancock. He was named First-Team Lincoln Trail/Praireland Large-School All-Conference.

Casey Etheridge (Princeton, jr.): After a breakout sophomore season, Etheridge continued to excel for the Tigers, rushing for 1,706 yards (8.5 ypc) and 25 TDs. He is ranked second all-time for PHS and third all-time Bureau County, on target to become No. 1. He was named unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference selection and Honorable Mention Class 3A All-State.

Brayden Klein (A-L-O, sr.): The senior from LaMoille played a big role in the backfield along side Amboy’s McKendry, both rushing for over 1,000 yards, on the Clippers’ run to a repeat 8-Man Association State Championship. Klein finished with 1,108 yards rushing and 17 TDs.

Landon Marquez (St. Bede, so.): The sophomore back was a workhorse for the Bruins with 175 rushing attempts, gaining 823 yards with six TDs. The Bruins’ MVP was named Chicago Prairie League All-Conference.

Aiden Redcliff (Hall, jr.): Redcliff led the Red Devils’ ground game with 712 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. He was named Second-Team Three Rivers East All-Conference.

OFFENSIVE ENDS

Noah LaPorte (Princeton, sr.): When the Tigers looked to pass, LaPorte drew a lot of attention. Still, he made 30 catches for a Bureau County-best 450 yards and five TDs. LaPorte repeated as First-Team Class 3A IHSFCA All-State and unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference selections.

Carson Riva (St. Bede, jr.): Riva was the Bruins’ top receiver with 22 receptions, 290 yards and one TD. He was named Chicago Prairie League All-Conference both at offensive end and DB.

LINEMEN

Gavin Marquez (St. Bede, sr., T/DT): Marquez took over at offensive tackle after a Week 3 injury to teammate Jake Migliorini and was on the field for every snap offense and defense the rest of the season. The Bruins senior captain was named Chicago Prairie League All-Conference for both offense and defense.

Cade Odell (Princeton, sr., T/DT): The Tigers have played in four straight quarterfinals and Odell has played in each one. He has been a force on both sides of the ball, named Class 3A First-Team All-State and unanimously named Three Rivers East All-Conference at tackle. He had 74 tackles, including 7.0 TFL and 2.5 sacks. He has committed to Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Bracin Patnoe (Bureau Valley, sr., G/DT): The Storm senior was named First-Team Lincoln Trail/Praireland Large-School All-Conference on both the offensive and defensive lines. He made 51 tackles and had two TFLs and a blocked punt.

Rhett Pearson (Princeton, jr., C): The junior center was a repeat First-Team Three Rivers East All-Conference and All-BCR selection for his dad’s Tigers, helping to open up holes for All-State back Casey Etheridge.

Cameron Spradling (Hall-PC, sr., T): The senior tackle from Putnam County gave the Red Devils’ line a boost, named Second-Team Three Rivers East All-Conference.

Anthony Vujanov (Princeton, sr., G): The senior left guard earned First-Team Three Rivers East All-Conference honors along side teammates Odell and Pearson.

LINEBACKERS

Arthur Burden (Princeton, sr.): The anchor of the Tigers defense had an area-best 98 tackles, including 10.5 TFLs and 4.5 sacks. He was named First-Team Three Rivers East All-Conference. He was second-team all-conference at offensive end.

Common Green (Princeton, jr.): Green provided some color on the Tigers defense, recording 79 tackles, including 10.5 TFLs and 2.0 sacks. He was named First-Team Three Rivers East All-Conference.

Jack Jablonski (Hall, sr.): The Hall senior defensive anchor was named Second-Team Three Rivers East All-Conference.

Ian Morris (Princeton, sr.): Morris has provided a steady presence at linebacker for the Tigers since his sophomore season, making 74 tackles with five TFLs and 2.0 sacks. He was named First-Team Three Rivers East All-Conference.

Ryan Wasilewski (Bureau Valley, sr.): The Storm senior was highly regarded as their best defensive player, moving around between linebacker and DB. He made 69 tackles with 3 TFLs and a sack.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Ace Christiansen (Princeton, sr.): The Tigers’ defensive ace made 42 tackles with three interceptions and 47 return yards. He was named First-Team Three Rivers East All-Conference.

Phillip Gray (St. Bede, sr.): The senior free safety led the Bruins with 53 tackles to go along with two interceptions. He was named Chicago Prairie League All-Conference.

Noah LaPorte (Princeton, sr.): The new Northwestern signee was also a big presence on defense with 44 tackles, including 3.5 TFL, two blocked punts and two fumble recoveries. He was also an IHSFCA Class 3 All-Stater and unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference selection.

Cody Winn (A-L-O, jr.): The junior from LaMoille helped the Clippers repeat 8-Man State champions, receiving Second-Team North 2 All-Conference selection.

FLEX

Ace Christiansen (Princeton, sr.): The senior back scored 12 TDs for the Tigers, rushing for 690 yards and nine TDs while catching eight passes for three scores. He was unanimously named Three Rivers East All-Conference as a flex player.

Braden Curran (Hall, jr.): The junior back led the Red Devils with nine receptions for 294 yards and three TDs and rushed for 409 yards and seven TDs. He earned Honorable Mention Three Rivers East All-Conference honors as a flex player and was named second-team all-conference at defensive back.

Brady Hartz (Bureau Valley, jr.): Hartz was a do-it all back for the Storm with 655 all-purpose yards and 12 TDs, rushing for 393 yards/8 TDs with 234 receiving yards/4 TDs. He was named Second-Team Lincoln Trail/Praireland Large-School All-Conference on offense and defense, making 39 tackles at DB.

PUNTER

Jordan Reinhardt (Princeton, sr.): When needed for the potent Tiger offense, Reinhardt averaged 41.3 yards with a long of 56 yards. He had two punts inside the 20. He was an unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference selection.

PLACE KICKER

Ian Morris (Princeton, sr.): Morris became the Tigers’ kicker on a whim and turned into a school record-setter with a 49-yard field goal. He made good on 5 of 6 field goal attempts and 40 of 47 PATs for a combined .856 accuracy. He was an unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference selection.

HONORABLE MENTION

Ayden Andrade (BV, sr., G/DT), Tyce Barkman (BV, jr., LB), Aidan Besler (BV, sr., G), Garrett Connelly (St. Bede, sr., OL), Gino Ferrari (St. Bede, jr., QB/DB), Ed Fry (ALO, sr., LB), Grady Gillan (St. Bede, sr., RB/LB), Dylan Glynn (Hall, jr., QB/DB), Halden Hueneburg (St. Bede, sr., RB/LB), Jaxon Kozak (St. Bede, sr., LB), Gavin Lanham (Princeton, jr., DB), Logan Pineda (St. Bede, sr., LB), Brock Rediger (BV, sr., T/DT).