Kearney, Liberty and Liberty North football: Player honors
KEARNEY, Mo. — Congratulations to all the football players that completed the 2022 high school season. For many seniors, some of whom started playing football in kindergarten; this was their last time putting on a helmet and pads. In this Liberty & Kearney Sports review, we recognize the players that received special honors in 2022. We celebrate everyone involved that was an integral part of helping their team become a success: student trainers, equipment managers, head and assistant coaches, and every single player on the team that went through summer training and practices six days a week throughout the season. Everyone is important! It takes everyone working together to make a team.
“In football, we learn some wonderful, wonderful things. And one of them is this: When you get knocked down, which is plenty often, get right up in a hurry, just as quick as you can. Do you know what to do then? You probably need more strength. Do you know where you get it? You get it from your team. You get it by quickly going back, getting a new play, and running that play together with your teammates. That is the thing that gives you the buildup to get ready to go again. In your lifetimes, you will find that how well you can work with people will depend on how quickly you can get back to them and work together.” Woody Hayes
KEARNEY
The Kearney Bulldogs went through three consecutive 5-5 seasons going into 2022. But a new head coach, Logan Minnick, and a new attitude, together with a great group of athletes, led to an undefeated regular season, a 10-1 record, and a conference championship. The Bulldogs had their highest-scoring offense since the state championship team of 2015. “I was worried when I took over that I might be walking into a team with not much talent, given the previous record,” says Minnick, ‘but once I finally got in front of the kids, I realized I walked into some excellent athletes and really good football players.”
KEARNEY ALL-STATE PLAYERS
Luke Noland, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound Defensive Back, is a seven-time All-State sprinter and jumper for the Kearney Bulldogs. He is the returning state champion in the 110 High Hurdles. He was the leading tackler on the Bulldog defense, holding opponents to 16 points a game. Noland is a dangerous return man, averaging 36 yards a return in 2022. He earned his third All-Conference honor and was All-District. And Noland is the KMZU Radio Class 4/5/6 Dream Team Defensive Player of the Year. “I feel a sense of accomplishment. It was a good season to end on,” says Noland. For Noland, the best part of the season was “after all the hard practices, sitting with friends after practice and going through all the growing pains of a team together.”
Zach Grace, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound Senior Tight-End, is a two-time All-State discus thrower and state powerlifting champion. He performed solid blocking duties on a team that averaged 41.8 points per game. An All-Conference hurdler, Grace ran for 16 rushing touchdowns on 5.6 yards per carry in 2022. He also averaged 21.1 yards a reception through the air for five touchdowns. He had 22 total touchdowns off 80 touches for the season. Grace was First-Team All-Conference for the second time and All-District. He was also a nominee for the Frank Fontana Award and selected for the All-Simone Team. He is the KMZU Radio Class 4/5/6 Dream Team Offensive Player of the Year. For Grace, his favorite moment of the season was “beating Platte County in the first game of the season and scoring the game-winning touchdown. Coach Minnick gave us the boost we needed to start winning.”
Carter Schmidt, a 6-foot-5, 280-pound Senior Offensive Lineman, was a significant presence on the line for the Bulldogs as they rushed their way to an undefeated regular season and a Blue Suburban Conference Championship. He was First-Team All-Conference and All-District. Schmidt was a nominee for the Bobby Bell Award for outstanding linemen in the Kansas City area and was selected to the All-Simone Team. Schmidt committed to playing football for Indiana State.
Manny Linthacum, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound Junior Wide Receiver, is a true three-sport athlete who also plays basketball and baseball. Manny was a dynamic deep threat for the Bulldogs all year. He had 31 receptions for 563 yards and scored eight touchdowns during the season. He scored the winning touchdown in a thrilling 20-19 win over second-place conference finisher Smithville. Linthacum was First-Team All-Conference and All-District.
KEARNEY ALL-DISTRICT PLAYERS
Joe Marshall, Senior DB; Grant Jacobson, Senior K; Manny Linthacum, Junior WR; Luke Noland, Senior DB; Landon Goepferich, Senior DB, Will Lincoln, Senior LB; Zach Grace, Senior TE; Kale Conway, Senior DL; Carter Schmidt, Senior OL.
KEARNEY ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Aiden Smith, DL; Casey Rooney, QB; Cameron Emmons, RB; Jackson Cook, C; Jacob Dillon, K; Randall Freeland, LB; Bryce Page, WR; James Shaw, TE; Cole Williams, OL; Trace Dunlap, DL, Theo Grace, LB, Ty Smith, OL, Tyler Jarett, DL, Joe Marshall, DB, Grant Jacobson, K, and P; Manny Linthacum, WR; Luke
Noland, DB; Landon Goepferich, DB; Will Lincoln LB; Zach Grace, TE; Kale Conway, DL; Carter Schmidt,
OL.
LIBERTY
For the Liberty Bluejays, after having two consecutive winning seasons and a conference title in 2020, they found themselves on the wrong end of several very close games. They ended with a hard-fought 4-6 record. There were some outstanding performers on this team that are receiving college offers and accolades. “We had a good group of seniors, and I was really pleased with how these players are being rewarded for their efforts,” says Coach Chad Frigon, “This group of seniors were really close. There were some tight games we dropped. Overall, I’m satisfied with how the kids played together and did everything we asked. It is neat that our kids are getting opportunities to get signed to play college ball.”
LIBERTY ALL-STATE PLAYERS
Eli Ozick, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound Senior Kicker for the Liberty Bluejays, has become a two-sport All-State Athlete. An All-State soccer player last season, Ozick decided he wanted to give football kicking a try. “I am happy with my decision to go out for football this season and really just committed fully to it,” says Ozick. “Now have been kicking for a solid eight months. I feel like I will have a great future playing football.” Ozick was a perfect 33 for 33 in extra point attempts and 9 of 16 on field goal attempts. He was All-District and All-Conference First-Team as a Kicker and Second Team as a Punter.
Nchang Ndifor, a 6-foot, 190-pound Senior Linebacker from Liberty, earns his first All-State honor. Ndifor, who has been a prolific tackler for the Bluejays for three years, earned Conference First-Team and All-District honors in 2021 and 2022. Ndifor also competes in track and field in the throws. He plans to continue playing football in college. “I feel like this was the best four years of my life. I have a lot of memories with my teammates and my coaches,” says Ndifor. “I cherish every moment, through the ups and downs of it all. I got a lot of life lessons through it all.”
Anthony Wenson, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound Senior Running Back, was a First-Team All-State Return specialist in the 2021 season. Wenson had 1,507 yards rushing this season, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. He had 18 rushing touchdowns. Wenson also had 423 yards receiving for 3 TDs. He is committed to playing football for the Air Force Academy. Wenson was First-Team All-Conference, First-Team, and All-District. Wenson had six touchdowns in one game against Park Hill. “I enjoyed the games that were challenging,” says Wenson. “When the games were close, I had more fun because you have to battle together with your teammates.”
LIBERTY ALL-DISTRICT PLAYERS
Eli Ozick, Senior Kicker; Anthony Wenson, Senior RB; Nchang Ndifor, Senior LB; Ricky Ahumaraeze, Senior DB; Corbin Martin, Senior OL.
LIBERTY ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Ryan Hale, LB; Trevor Bindel, OL and DL; Breck Howerton, DL; Ace Bendel, TE; Max Taylor, DE; Aden Holst, DB; Dominic Revels, WR; Kyler Craigg, LB, Devin Winn, DB; Christian Kuchta, QB; Jacob Streich, DL; Eli Ozick, K, and P; Jack Carbajal, LB; Dane Moberly, DB, and WR; Ricky Ahumaraeze, DB and WR; Anthony Wenson, RB; Corbin Martin, OL; Nchang Ndifor, LB.
LIBERTY NORTH
Dominating success started as far back as middle school for the Liberty North Eagles seniors, where they went undefeated as 8th graders and again as 9th graders. As upperclassmen, the past two seasons, they finished 33-3, with a trip to the state championship last year and the semifinal this year. They won two consecutive conference titles and three consecutive district championships.
LIBERTY NORTH ALL-STATE PLAYERS
Sam Van Dyne, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound Senior Quarterback, led an Eagle offense in 2022 that averaged 33.2 points per game. He passed for 2,582 yards, with a completion percentage of 63%. Van Dyne had 26 touchdowns and no interceptions. That performance results in an excellent QB rating of 133.75. He earned All-State honors in 2021 and 2022. He was the Offensive Player of the Year for the Suburban Gold Conference—for a second time. This year he was again a Simone Award Finalist and a member of the All-Simone team. “It was a blessing to be around the players I have been around,” says Van Dyne, “and experience the program. One of the best programs in the country. It was a great experience overall. The coaches here have been second to none.”
Melvin Laster, 6-foot 3, 240-pound Junior Linebacker is now the two-time Class 6 Defensive Player of the Year in Class 6. He also earned his second Buch Buchanan Award, which goes to the best lineman or linebacker in the Kansas City metro area—and on the All-Simone Team. He finished the season with 83 tackles, fourteen for a loss, and four sacks. Laster was also the Defensive Player of the Year for the Suburban Gold Conference. Laster also competes on the Liberty North basketball team. “The coaches here are amazing, and they bring it with 1,000% energy every day. They are just great coaches,” says Laster. “We come to practice every day trying to get better.”
Brandon Miller, 6-foot 185-pound Senior Defensive Back, helped the Eagles to allow only 11.2 points per game on defense. Miller had six interceptions. He logged a career record of 100 tackles, 58 coming in the 2022 campaign. He also saw duty as a punt and kick returner, with 157 yards this season. Besides being All-State, Miller was All-District and 1st Team All-Conference. “I remember all the way back to the winter of 8th grade when Coach Lierman had us doing weights at Heritage,” says Miller. “We have all been around each other all five years.”
Blake Craig, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound Senior Kicker, was 55 of 57 on extra points this season. He also made 17 of 25 field goal attempts. He has committed to attending the University of Missouri as a kicker for the Tigers in the Fall. Blake is the first-ever Under Armor All-American at Liberty North. Along with being All-State, Craig was All-Conference First-Team and All-District. Craig started for the varsity team since freshman year, making the jump from soccer. “Going to the state championship game was a great experience to do that with all the friends I grew up with,” says Craig.
LIBERTY NORTH ALL-DISTRICT PLAYERS
Blake Craig, Senior K; Preston Denmark, Senior DB; Sam Van Dyne, Senior QB; Ryan Hutson, Sophomore LB; Calen Presser, Senior DE; Bernard Sosoatu, Senior DE; Melvin Laster, Junior LB; Brandon Miller, Senior DB, Keelan Smith, Junior TE; Braden Gifford, Junior OL; Darius Pahmahmie, Junior DL.
LIBERTY NORTH ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Ryan Hutson, LB; Colin Swaney, OL; Braden Gifford, OL; Calen Presser, DL; Bernard Sosoatu, Senior DE; Trevor Thorn, TE; Theo Gibson, WR, Jayden Strawn, WR, Preston Denmark, DB; Sam Van Dyne, QB and P; Motie Williams, OL; Michajo Barnett, RB; Kaden Durso, LB; Dakota Hanna, DB, Cole Young; DB, Brody Hatcher, OL; Hayden Davidson, RB; Zach Walker, OL; Xavier Horn, WR; Trey Shriver, OL; Eric Henkel, DB; Darius Pahmahmie, DL; Brandon Miller, DB; Blake Craig, K; Keelan Smith, WR.
So that is a wrap on the 2022 season. Football practice starts again in June 2023. We all look forward to another season of exciting high school football next Fall.
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