Jay VonHeeder has been named as the co-Western C defensive player of the year and, along with fellow senior Kyle Weeks, was also named All-State C by vote of division coaches recently.

VonHeeder was honored as first team all-conference at tight end on offense and first team at defensive end to lead Plains selections on the team.

Weeks, who also played effectively at quarterback for the Horsemen in the quarterback-rich Western C last fall, made first team at defensive back and punt returner to earn his All-State honors.

A total of six Horsemen players were accorded Western C honors.

In addition to the All-State C performers, Plains senior Tanner Ovitt was named first team at running back, junior Orion Pry-Hyde first team kickoff returner, junior Rusty Stuart (in spite of playing only part of the season due to injury) earned a first team nod on the defensive line and third team honors on the offensive line, and senior Sinjin LaDeaux gained second team recognition at outside linebacker.

VonHeeder shares the Western C's defensive player of the year honor with Flint Creek senior Colton Grange, who, in turn, shared the division's offensive player of year award with Charlo junior Landers Smith.

Flint Creek, a co-op between Philipsburg and Drummond, won the State C 8-Man title by defeating Forsyth in Philipsburg two weeks ago.

Montana high school all-conference sports team are selected by league coaches following completion of regular season play.

2017 Western C

8-Man Football All-Conference

First team offense

Quarterback – Colton Grange, sr., Flint Creek; Landers Smith, jr., Charlo; Offensive Line – George Shick, sr., Arlee; Kane Hess, jr., Flint Creek; Slot Back – Jaxon Lee, soph., Flint Creek; Toby Odom, sr., Charlo; Receiver – Chase Gardner, jr., Arlee; Dylan Parks, jr., Darby; Flint McPherson, jr., Mission; Running Back – Eli Rosen, sr., Victor; Tanner Ovitt, sr., Plains; Center – Brock Tomlin, jr., Charlo; Wyatt Day, jr., Victor; Tight End – Jay VonHeeder, sr., Plains; Riley Allen, jr., Flint Creek; Punter – Reece Doney, sr., Arlee; Connor Voll, sr., Clark Fork; Kickoff Returner – Dylan Parks, jr., Darby; Orion Pry-Hyde, jr., Plains; Offensive Player of the Year – Grange, Flint Creek; Smith, Charlo.

First team defense

Defensive Line – Lean Kayser, sr., Darby; Rusty Stuart, jr., Plains; Inside Linebacker – Colton Grange ,. Sr., Flint Creek; Toby Odom, sr., Charlo; Defensive Back – Jaxon Lee, soph., Flint Creek; Kyle Weeks, sr., Plains; Defensive End – Jay VonHeeder, sr., Plains; Riley Allen, jr., Flint Creek; Outside Linebacker – Landers Smith, jr., Charlo; Luke Holland, jr., Flint Creek; Kicker – Landers Smith, jr., Charlo; Nate Samuli, jr., Seeley-Swan; Defensive Player of the Year – Grange, Flint Creek; VonHeeder, Plains.

Second team offense

Bryce Nye, soph., Twin Bridges; Lane Schall, jr., Arlee; Offensive Line – Brady Fryberger, sr., Charlo; Lean Kayser, sr., Darby; Slot back – Bob Hotchkiss Wilson, jr., Victor; Will Mesteth, sr., Arlee; Receiver – Flint McPherson, jr., Mission, Connor Voll, sr. Clark Fork; Running Back – Colby Manley, jr., Flint Creek; Gus Bosley, sr., Mission; Center – Rory Bird, sr., Arlee; Andrew Gomez, sr., Flint Creek; Tight End – Jedi Christy, soph., Mission; Garritt Gleason, jr., Victor.

Second team defense

Defensive Line – Kane Hess, jr., Flint Creek; Rory Bird, sr., Arlee; Inside Linebacker – Nelson Smith, soph., Darby; Gus Bosley, sr., Mission; Defensive Back – Dylan Parks, jr., Darby; Tyson Petticrew, sr., Charlo; Defensive End – George Shick, sr., Arlee; Andrew Gomez, sr., Flint Creek; Outside Linebacker – Sinjin LaDeaux, sr., Plains; Connor Voll, sr., Clark Fork.

Third team offense

Offensive Line – Rusty Stuart, jr., Plains; Waylon Barta, sr., Victor.

Third team defense

John Hamilton

PLAINS SENIORS Jay VonHeeder, Kyle Weeks and Jessica Thompson were recently honored as All-State C performers in 8-Man football and volleyball for their efforts in the fall sports seasons. Winter sports swing into action this week at various locales across western Montana.

Defensive Line – Waylon Barta, sr., Victor; Brock Tomlin, jr., Charlo; Inside Linebacker – Kaleb Garrison, sr., Twin Bridges; Lane Schall, jr., Arlee; Defensive Back – Bryce Nye, soph., Twin Bridges; Chase Gardner, jr., Arlee; Defensive End – Brady Fryberger, sr., Charlo; Lane Frandsen, sr., Twin Bridges; Outside Linebacker – Colby Manley, jr., Flint Creek; Will Mesteth, sr., Arlee.

All-State C

Landers Smith, jr., Charlo; Jay VonHeeder, sr., Plains; Colton Grange, sr., Flint Creek; Toby Odom, sr., Charlo; Dylan Parks, jr., Darby; Jaxon Lee, soph., Flint Creek; Kyle Weeks, sr., Plains; Riley Allen, jr., Flint Creek; George Shick, sr., Arlee; Eli Rosen, sr., Victor; Will Mesteth, sr., Arlee; Tyson Petticrew, sr., Charlo.