Cardinals decorate All-District team

Following a 5-4 season in which the Newton football team narrowly missed a playoff berth, the Cardinals had a strong showing on the Class 3A All-District 8 team.

Newton had seven first team selections, with three on offense, three on defense and one on special teams. Five of them were seniors.

One of those seniors was quarterback Brian Rose, who directed the best passing attack in school history. In nine games, Rose completed 125-of-212 attempts (59 percent) for an even 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. He also added two rushing touchdowns. After completing only 19 passes through the first four games, Rose averaged more than 21 completions, 237 yards and a 64 percent completion rate through the final five.

Rose — a two-year starter — finished his Newton career as the school’s all-time leader in passing yardage (2,073), attempts (300), completions (171) and completion percentage (57). He became the first Cardinals QB to throw for 300 yards in a game, totaling 317 against Norwalk on Oct. 14. He now holds nearly every major Newton single game and single season passing record.

In the backfield behind Rose was tailback Zach Roskilly, who earned a first-team selection after finishing third in the district with 1,099 yards on 175 attempts (6.3 yards per carry) and had nine TDs. One of those scores was a 99-yarder at home against Norwalk — tying a state record that will never be broken. He averaged 122 rushing yards per game and also had 14 receptions for 131 yards.

Completing Newton’s offensive trio was junior Collin Reynolds, who made the first team after leading the district in receptions (49), yards (731) and touchdowns (7). The Rose-to-Reynolds connection was seemingly unstoppable in the second half of the season. Like Rose, Reynolds set many school records this season. He is now the Cardinals’ all-time single-season leader in receptions and yards and had the single-game record for receptions (16) and yards (165).

Besides the weapons on offense, Newton also had one on special teams in senior kicker Matt Easley, who was a unanimous first-team choice. Easley made 10-15 field goals this season, going 3-of-4 between 20-29 yards and 5-of-6 between 30 and 39. He became the first Newton kicker to make four field goals in a game (vs. Carlisle) and had a long of 40. He made 23-of-24 extra point kicks. His 10 field goals made were a Cardinals’ single-season record, and his 18 career makes are also the school’s all-time mark by a margin of 10. He also led the district with 21 touchbacks on kickoffs.

Newton also had standouts on the defensive side of the ball. After earning a unanimous selection last year, senior Nick VanDerWilt notched another first-team honor this season at inside linebacker. He led the team in tackles for a second straight season with 85.5 total, including 66 solo. He had five tackles for loss and half a sack.

VanDerWilt was complimented at linebacker by fellow senior and first-team selection Reid McDermott, a unanimous choice. He had 32.5 total tackles, including 27 solo and three for a loss. He had one sack, one interception, four pass breakups and one safety. He also was a frequent target at wide receiver down the stretch, finishing second to Reynolds in the district for receptions with 45. He and Reynolds are tied for the single-game receptions mark. McDermott was also perhaps the district’s top punter, averaging 37.9 yards a kick in 2011 on 36 attempts, with 11 of them downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Newton’s final first-team selection was junior Derrick Hurt — a unanimous choice at defensive tackle. Despite a nagging ankle injury that plagued him through the second half of the season, Hurt finished fifth on the team with 32 total tackles, including 27 solo. He made plays in the opponent’s backfield all season, recording 12.5 tackles for a loss. He had two sacks, forced two fumbles and recovered two.

District 8 champion Adel-DeSoto-Minburn — which went 12-1 and lost in the 3A State Semifinals on Monday — had nine first-team selections. Carlisle and Norwalk each had eight.

The Cardinals also had five honorable mention selections. Seniors Logan Bird and Scott Nilles were picked for their play at offensive tackle and center, junior Dakota Hills was picked at linebacker, while seniors Blake Tish and Shane Hedrick were picked at defensive back and defensive end.

Hills finished second on the team in tackles with 66, including 48 solo. he had 5.5 tackles for a loss, had half a sack, one fumble recovery and returned an interception 23 yards for a touchdown. Tish recorded 28 total tackles, 22 solo, recovered one fumble, had four pass breakups and returned an interception 19 yards for score. The undersized Hedrick (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) had a big season at defensive end, finishing third on the team in tackles with 43, including 33 solo. He led the team in tackles for loss with 13 for a total of 72 yards. He had two sacks and three fumble recoveries, returning one of them for a 24-yard touchdown.

Last but not least, Newton had 17 players receive Academic All-District honors for maintaining at least a 3.25 grade point average. They include: Blake Tish, Kole Wilson, Zach Roskilly, Scott Nilles, Nick Pritchard, Logan Bird, Brian Rose, Collin Reynolds, Taylor Field, Brad Rabedeaux, Ryan Jolivette, Sid Trotter, Michael Miller, Jesse Bates, Colton Hansen, Levi Michener and Will Brock.