Friday, Nov. 21, 2008

Columbia, Mater Dei, Belleville East, Triad, Cahokia, Collinsville land players on All-State Team

Columbia and Mater Dei each landed two players on the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State Football Team released Thursday, while Belleville East senior running back Jamon Bester also made the cut.

Bester helped the Lancers to their first state playoff win since 1988, racking up 1,559 yards this season on 237 carries. He also scored 14 touchdowns.

Making the Class 3A all-state team were Columbia quarterback Brian Winters and his top receiver, Brandon Prior.

Mater Dei quarterback Justin Vonder Haar and receiver Aaron Fuehne made the Class 4A all-state team, while Triad defensive lineman Danny Carlson and Cahokia defensive lineman Christopher Crim made the Class 5A team.

Collinsville quarterback Jevon Hawkins was the lone area player on the Class 7A team, while Bester made the Class 8A team.

Winters has completed 173-of-280 passes for 2,450 yards and 35 touchdowns along with 11 interceptions. Prior leads the Eagles in catches (51) and receiving yardage (682) and has nine touchdowns.

Vonder Haar has completed 191-of-308 passes for 3,163 yards and 40 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. Fuehne is his top target with 62 receptions for 1,209 yards and 18 TDs.

Hawkins completed 118-of-195 passes for 1,995 yards and 15 TDs along with seven interceptions. He also led the Kahoks in rushing (559 yards) and tied for the team lead with 11 touchdowns.

Carlson led Triad with four quarterback sacks and also had 60 tackles and a fumble recovery.

Crim, a two-way line starter for the Comanches, has a team-high 92 tackles and 13 quarterback sacks.

The selection committee picks 18 players in each of the eight classes.

According to the IHSFCA, players must be nominated by their own coaches to be included for all-state consideration.

"It had to be a coaches recommendation," said Bob Monken, the IHSFCA committee chairman. "If there's no nomination, there's no consideration. It has to be done by the coach. We even sent reminders out to everybody to get their nominations in."

Contact reporter Norm Sanders at nsanders@bnd.com or 239-2454.