Polk County High School’s football team practically owned the Western Highlands Conference this past season, with a 6-0 record. Based on that dominance, the Wolverines have been rewarded with a helmet full of honors.
Quarterback Reece Schlabach was named conference offensive player of the year, while defensive lineman Chase McMurray was named defensive player of the year. Head coach Bruce Ollis was named conference coach of the year.
Polk’s other all-conference team players are Anthony Carson, Tyrone Miller, Jordan Smith, Jamal Tanner, Zane Cappozzi, Debois Miller and D.J. Twitty.
Schlabach, a senior completed 89 passes for 1,638 yards, and 12 touchdowns. He also ran the ball for 1,102 yards and 23 TDs. He made 70 tackles, three for losses.
An intimidating force on the line, McMurray, a senior, made 54 tackles, and led the Wolverines with 15 tackles for losses.
Carson, a senior, and Schlabach’s favorite pass receiver, caught 49 passes for 857 yards and six TDs. He also made 35 tackles, mostly on pass defense, but also made two tackles for loss of yardage.
Smith, a junior, caught 22 passes for 401 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 749 yards (averaging over seven yards per carry) and 10 touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, he made 56 tackles, including 11 for losses.
Tyrone Miller, a senior, made 95 tackles, to lead the Wolverines, and also caught four passes for 81 yards. Cappozzi, another senior, was credited with 11 tackles (five for losses), but was in on many more.
Debois Miller a senior, with 82 tackles (four for losses) was so often the last person to get up after a play before the ball carrier.
Tanner, a sophomore, generated great excitement on the field. Averaging more than 6 yards per carry, and often leaving a host of would-be tacklers behind, he rushed for 647 yards. He also completed 10 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Tanner, along with Schlabach, Smith and Carson, also returned kickoffs and punts.
Another Wolverine defender who seemed always near the ball, was Twitty, a junior, who made 24 tackles, two of those for loss of yards.
The Wolverines were 9-4 overall, and made it to the second round of the state playoffs. On Dec. 16, at 6 p.m., the Wolverines will host their annual football and cheerleading awards banquet in the high school cafeteria.