Wilmot has four, Westosha two players named to honor team
By Dan Truttschel
Sports Correspondent
The Wilmot and Westosha Central football teams combined to land five players on this year’s All-Southern Lakes Conference first teams, according to recently released voting results.
Wilmot placed four on the first team, while Central had two.
Named from Wilmot were senior offensive lineman Isaac Thiel, senior defensive lineman Eric Koeller, senior linebacker Marcus Lindstrand and junior defensive back Linc Bennett.
Representing the Falcons on the first team was senior linebacker Luke Blair.
Lindstrand led the Wilmot defense in conference play with 29 solo tackles, 12 assisted tackles, four tackles for a loss and four sacks. He also recovered two fumbles.
“The importance of Marcus cannot be overstated,” Wilmot coach Erick Kaiser said. “He was a two-way starter, but it was his leadership that set him apart. He led both vocally and by example and rallied our guys around him.”
Koeller and Bennett made huge impacts as well in their first full seasons as varsity starters.
The Panthers lost four starters on the defensive line from a year ago, but Koeller stepped in and anchored that group from a number of dif-ferent positions.
He helped lead Wilmot to a share of its second straight Southern Lakes Conference championship.
For the year, Koeller had 22 solo tackles, 10 assisted tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack.
“Koeller was our defensive line utility player,” Kaiser said. “We dealt with a myriad of injuries, and Eric was the driving force to our continued success in defending the run. He played every position on the defensive line throughout the year and did it well.”
Bennett finished the conference season with 14 solo tackles, six assists and three interceptions.
“Linc’s success is a product of being incredibly coachable,” Kaiser said. “Coach (Jon) Watson was able to give Linc ideas that he then put to use successfully. He’s a guy that’s going to continue to improve simply because he’s coachable.”
Thiel put the time in to improve his play, and those efforts certainly paid off, Kaiser said.
“Isaac was a work in progress through the years that came to fruition (this season),” he said. “The staff has known the potential he’s had, and it took a great off-season and a lot of consistency for him to realize it as well.”
Blair led the conference for the second straight season in total tackles were 106 (77 solo and 29 assisted), seven tackles for a loss, two sacks and one fumble recovered.
“His ability to make plays is something quite impres-sive,” Central coach Tyson Mengel said. “Every team game planned around blocking him, and week-in, week-out, Luke would accumulate double-digit tackles.
“Not only is Luke a superb football player, but an even better leader. Next year will be tough replacing Luke, but we as a program thank him for the work ethic he helped establish here at Central.”
Burlington senior quarterback Brad Burling was voted offensive player of the year, while Waterford senior linebacker Max Fischer earned defensive player of the year honors.
Robinson, Scott lead second team
Wilmot also had five players voted to second team and honorable mention, while Central landed one on second team and three on honorable mention.
Named to the second team from Wilmot were senior running back Ethan Scott and senior offensive lineman Collin Robinson, while honorable mention recognition went to senior tight end Brennan Frisby, senior offensive lineman Carson Borowski and junior defensive lineman Bobby Brenner.
Central senior defensive lineman D’Angelo Lux was named to the second team, while voted honorable mention were senior offensive lineman Gavin Ellerbrock, junior defensive back Zac Millhouse and sophomore punter Jack Hauber.