2021 All-Register Football Team

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The 2021 All-Register Football team expanded from 11 to 22 members this year.

Seven of the nine teams in the Register coverage area are represented.

Many honorees will also be selected as All-State representatives which will be announced later in the month.

First Team

Orion Albertson – RB/LB

Oldham-Ramona/Rutland

The senior running back scored seven touchdowns on the ground while running for 537 yards, recorded 15 receptions for 143 and two scores, and defensively had 81 tackles (59 solo) with seven tackles for loss as well as four sacks.

Coach Logan DeRungs: “Orion moved to Mike backer this season. He was a big player in us stopping the run. He really ran with a purpose at the running back position this year, averaging just under 7 yards per carry.

 All-Dakota Valley Conference selection both junior and senior seasons.

Tyson Brandt – RB/DB

Brookings

Brandt picked up 665 yards rushing on 111 carries with seven touchdowns and zero fumbles, caught 28 passes for 270 yards, and recorded 29 tackles (22 solo) with an interception on defense.

Coach Brady Clark: “One of Tyson’s most significant strengths is his ability to lead his teammates on and off the field leading by example. Tyson has stepped it up in his second year on the varsity team by taking on a more active leadership role. When Tyson has the rock in his hand, it is going to take two or three guys to bring him down. Tyson’s dynamic abilities on the ground and in the air make him a pillar that we can lean on. When you couple his talents with his relentless mindset he becomes an elite athlete who is incredibly difficult to contain for four quarters.”

Carson Christopherson – TE/LB

Sioux Valley

A tackling machine, Christopherson recorded 129 tackles as a senior as well as securing three interceptions.

As a tight end on offense the senior made 19 catches for 382 yards with four touchdowns.

His 369 career tackles are a Cossack school record.

Coach Dan Hughes: “Carson Christopherson is the most prolific tackler in Sioux Valley history.  His intelligent, hard-nosed style led him to the football on nearly every play. Carson’s outstanding character and humble attitude made him an outstanding teammate. On offense he is an outstanding blocker with great hands.

 All-Big East Conference selection both junior and senior seasons.

Damian Danzeisen – WR/DB

Sioux Valley

Danzeisen recorded ten touchdowns on the season for the Cossacks. He ran 65 times for 383 yards and three touchdowns, made 21 receptions for 610 yards with six scores, and posted 309 yards on 17 kick returns with a touchdown.

Coach Dan Hughes: “Damian is one of the most dynamic players in South Dakota.  During his senior year teams would routinely avoid Damian by kicking out of bounds and throwing away from his side. He averaged over 20 yards per return.  Damian was very explosive on offense averaging 14.8 yards each time he touched the ball.

 All-Big East Conference selection as a senior.

Jaxton Eck – RB/LB

Brookings

Eck logged 65 tackles (44 solo) with 13 for loss, as well as five sacks, two fumble recoveries, 13 quarterback hurries, and returned his lone interception to the house.

Coach Brady Clark: “Jaxton has an incredible football IQ. He is the captain and leader of the Bobcats defense because of his high intelligence, coachability, and non-stop motor. He is a very dependable player who has an instinct for football you can’t coach.  He is one of the best linebackers in the state and has earned every bit of success he has had.”

 All-Eastern South Dakota Conference selection as a junior.

Hunter Gray – RB/DB

Brookings

A dynamic piece of the Bobcat offense and defense, Gray posted over 1,000 yards in total offense (803 rushing, 270 receiving on 28 catches) with 15 total touchdowns.

Coach Brady Clark: “I would count Hunter as one of the most talented and dedicated players I’ve coached. I was immediately impressed by his work ethic, eagerness to learn, and the amount of preparation he has put in to be the best football player possible.  Hunter brings about a dynamic skill set that is difficult to come by. The tandem of his skill set simply has that X-Factor that you can look to when you need a play to be made.”

 All-Eastern South Dakota Conference selection as a senior.

Ethan Hoffman – RB/DB

Flandreau

Hoffman logged 116 carries, picking up 574 yards and five touchdowns, while also making 24 catches for 238 yards and two more scores.

Defensively, he had 55 tackles, six pass defenses, two interceptions, as well as a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

Hoffman was also the Fliers’ primary kick-returner, averaging 21 yards per return.

Coach Derek Genzlinger: “Ethan puts in an incredible amount of time to become a complete athlete whether that is on the field, in the weight room, or in the classroom. You will always get your best from him. He was our leading rusher, receiver, and tackler this year and we are excited to continue to watch him develop.”

 All-Big East Conference selection as a sophomore and junior.

David Knutson – WR/DB

Sioux Valley

Knutson posted 81 tackles as a senior defensive back including 27 unassisted.

As a wide receiver he made 19 catches for 290 yards with three touchdowns.

Coach Dan Hughes: “David exploded onto the scene his senior year after playing on the scout team for most of three years.  Defensively, David was a presence from his safety position breaking up passes and making sure tackles against some of the best players in 11B. His patience was rewarded by being selected to the Big East All-Conference team as a senior.

 All-Big East Conference selection as a senior.

Ryan Krog – QB/DB

Elkton-Lake Benton

Krog threw for 1,631 yards, completing 103 of 194 passes with 17 touchdowns against just five interceptions. He also added 613 yards rushing at nearly 7.7 yards per carry, scoring seven touchdowns.

Coach Ethan Pearson: “Ryan was a huge part of our offense this past season. He accounted for 24 touchdowns for us this year. Without Ryan our offense would have been very one-dimensional and we would have struggled in the passing game. He has a lot of poise for a junior and can fit the ball into tight spaces or put some touch on the ball and get it to his receivers. Ryan was also a captain for us.

 All-Dakota Valley Conference as a sophomore and junior.

 All-State honorable mention as a sophomore.

Will Matson – QB/DB

Oldham-Ramona/Rutland

In seven games the senior quarterback threw for 619 yards with 10 touchdowns, ran for 461 yards with nine more touchdowns, and on defense he recorded 55 tackles with five for loss as well as an interception and forced fumble.

Coach Logan DeRungs: “I will really miss coaching Will. He is the type of kid everyone wants on their team. He works hard, accepts coaching, and pushes his teammates to be better. Will is a tough, hard-nosed player. Multiple coaches have commented to me ‘that Matson kid sure can hit.’” 

 All-Dakota Valley Conference as a junior and senior, honorable mention as a sophomore.

 All-State honorable mention defensive back as a sophomore and junior.

 Three-year starter and three-year letter winnner.

Parker Puetz – QB/LB

Sioux Valley

Puetz threw for 1,776 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior, a Sioux Valley school record, completing 61 percent of his passes.

He also picked up 839 yards rushing on 128 carries along with 13 more touchdowns.

Defensively, Puetz was one of the Cossacks’ top defenders with 75 tackles and an interception which he returned for a touchdown.

 All-Big East Conference selection as a junior and senior.

 All-State selection as quarterback as a junior.

Second Team

Tanner Christenson – QB/DB

Flandreau

A four-year starter as Fliers’ quarterback, Christenson threw for 749 yards on 65-of-121 attempts with seven touchdowns and added two more touchdowns on the ground.

On defense he logged 33 tackles, three pass defenses, two interceptions, and a forced fumble.

Christenson is the all-time passing leader for Flandreau, throwing for 2,542 yards in his career.

Coach Derek Genzlinger: “Tanner has been our starting quarterback all four years and has never missed anything football related for us. He is a great leader and has been voted a team captain three years.”

Caleb Clark – WR/DB

Arlington/Lake Preston

A wide-receiver to start the season, Clark transitioned to a running back role due to injuries and had 717 yards and nine touchdowns in just three games, including a 35-carry, 347 yard performance with six touchdowns that broke the Arlington/Lake Preston single-game rushing record.

Defensively Clark had 21 tackles and eight pass breakups.

 All-Dakota Valley Conference selection as a senior.

Josh Devine – RB/LB

Brookings

Devine posted 61 tackles (30 solo) including four for loss, as well as three interceptions and three forced fumbles.

Coach Brady Clark: “Josh has taken huge strides in his senior season. His aggressiveness puts him in the right position to make tackles and his feel for pass drops allows him to make plays in the secondary as well. He takes coaching and learns from mistakes, never making the same one twice.”

Aiden Erickson – RB/CB

Elkton-Lake Benton

In his senior season Erickson gained 533 yards on 29 receptions with five touchdowns, and also added 137 yards rushing with three additional scores.

Defensively, he posted 26 tackles (17 solo) with a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery.

Coach Ethan Pearson: “Aiden played a big part in our offense and defense this year. A lot of the time he was the one we would target when we would need a big play. He has a great football IQ. Aiden missed the first few games defensively with a shoulder issue but played a little offense. Not only was Aiden a stat leader for us, he was also one of our captains and took on that role with great pride.

 All-Dakota Valley Conference as a junior and senior

 All-State honorable mention as a junior.

Jack Hemmen – OG/DE

Elkton-Lake Benton

Hemmen recorded 72 total tackles (28 solo) including 7.5 for loss, while picking up two sacks, forcing two fumbles, and recovering two fumbles.

Coach Ethan Pearson: “Jack was a leader for us on both the offensive and defensive lines this past season. He worked hard in the offseason getting stronger and faster. He could play anywhere on the offensive line.

Defensively, Jack was our anchor up front. He led our team in tackles and tackles for loss.

Jack has been a tremendous leader for our younger kids on and off the field, he gets a lot of our younger kids in the weight room, and helps them with lifts that they struggle with.

 All-Dakota Valley Conference as a junior and senior.

Nate Kersting – OL/DL

Arlington/Lake Preston

Kersting anchored the Badger defense, recording 46 tackles and ten sacks. On offense he played guard and the Arlington/Lake Preston offense was at its best when running behind him.

Kersting moved to fullback the last three games of the season, primarily as a lead-blocker, but did run for 84 yards and two scores on just nine carries.

 All-Dakota Valley Conference selection as a senior.

Brock Longville – OL/DL

Brookings

The senior lineman helped pave the way for a Bobcat offense that posted over 3,000 yards this season including nearly 218 yards per game on the ground.

Defensively, Longville posted 20 tackles including 11 for loss, six sacks, eight quarterback hurries, and an interception.

Coach Brady Clark: “Brock is an anchor of both the O-Line and D-Line, onstantly playing in  opposing teams backfields putting pressure on the QB or causing havoc in the run game. He was one of our leaders on the offensive and defensive line and is a big reason we were successful this season.”

 All-Eastern South Dakota Conference selection in both junior and senior seasons.

Layson Lucas – OL/DL

Sioux Valley

The focal point of the Sioux Valley offensive line, Lucas helped block for a Cossacks team that averaged 35 points per game and rolled up over 3,800 yards of offense.

Coach Dan Hughes: “Layson Lucas anchored a Sioux Valley offensive line that paved the way for 3,826 yards and 352 points. When the Cossacks needed yards, they ran behind Layson.  He was a three-year starter on the line who never missed any games starting in 31 consecutive contests.

 All-Big East Conference selection in both junior and senior seasons.

Tash Lunday – TE/DL

Flandreau

In his final season as a Flier, Lunday posted 49 tackles on defense with 14 for a loss, seven sacks, and four fumble recoveries. He also gained 226 yards on 21 receptions with five touchdowns, and as the Flandreau punter averaged 37.5 yards per boot.

Lunday is currently receiving offers for both football and basketball but has not committed to any school.

Coach Derek Genzlinger: “Tash has been our best player for the last three years and is a great leader for us. Our players look up to him and when we need a big play. He was our go to guy. Tash is an extremely high character young man who excels at all he does.”

Lunday is also the career sacks lead for Flandreau and has been named to the Academic All-State team.

 All-Big East Conference as a sophomore, junior, and senior.

 All-State honorable mention as a junior.

John Souter – OL/DL

Oldham-Ramona/Rutland

Averaging seven tackles per game, Souter posted 62 tackles for the playoff-qualifying Raiders, including 18 for loss. He also had six sacks and two forced fumbles.

Offensively, Souter played fullback for two games and was the lead-blocker in a game where ORR had a 100-yard rusher.

Coach Logan DeRungs: “John missed football his junior season. He was able to really dominate the line of scrimmage this season. He is the kid you’d see on film chasing plays down, sometimes five to 20 yards down the field. He has a motor that would not quit.”

 All-Dakota Valley Conference honorable mention as a senior.

Dawson Tolley – RB/LB

Colman-Egan

The senior running back picked up 963 yards rushing on 164 carries on offense and recorded 58 tackles, four sacks, and three fumble recoveries on defense.

Coach Chad Williamson: “Dawson was a very physical player for us this season.”