Panther players receive honors
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 30, 2016
- Ryan Brennecke / The Bulletin file photoRedmond center Brennen Biondi, left, was named honorable mention all-league, while linebacker/running back Cooger Smith took home co-defensive player of the year.
Co-defensive player of the year Cooger Smith led a group of five Redmond Panthers named first-team, all-league in Class 5A Special District 1 football.
The senior linebacker shared the award with Hermiston lineman John-Henry Line. On offense, Smith finished third on the team with 618 rushing yards, scoring 10 touchdowns, while helping the Panthers to the state quarterfinals for the second consecutive season.
The Redmond offensive line, which helped the Panthers rush for 3,510 team yards in the 11-game season, was well represented on the first-team. Tackles Tanner Gilchrist and Mario Nonato and guard Zach Redelings, all seniors, were named first-team offense, while senior defensive lineman Matt Allen joined Smith on the first-team defense.
Ridgeview had one first-team selection — senior defensive back Remy Barber.
Redmond junior running back Jack Taylor earned second-team all-league after running for 1,034 yards on the season and scoring 14 touchdowns. That includes a 224-yard performance in the Panthers’ 42-36 quarterfinal loss at Central. Ridgeview guard Jacob Love was named to the second-team offense.
Nonato, a defensive lineman, also made second-team all-league defense, along with junior defensive back Colton Mortenson for Redmond.
Along with Barber, a wide receiver, senior running backs Logan Green and Greg Greiner and junior linebacker Jace Reitz were named honorable mention all-league for Ridgeview. For Redmond High, Allen, an offensive guard, senior center Brennen Biondi, junior tight end Tyson Hester, senior quarterback and linebacker Bunker Parrish and junior kicker Brian Lopez were named honorable mention all-league.
Allen announced Nov. 28 on Twitter that he has accepted a preferred walk-on offer to play long snapper at Washington State University. Preferred walk-ons are typically guaranteed a spot on the team’s 105-player roster going into camp, while other non-scholarship players have to try out. The Cougars finished the 2016 regular season 8-4 overall and 7-2 in conference, second in the Pac-12 North division.
