Hess, Manley lead Flint Creek postseason honors list
HELENA – The two-time reigning state champion Flint Creek Titans dominated the postseason award rosters when they were released today by the Montana High School Association.
Colby Manley and Kane Hess were tabbed as the Offensive and Defensive Most Valuable Players for the Western Conference, having led the Titans to a 13-0 record this year and 25 consecutive over the last two seasons.
Overall, the Titans landed nine players on the All-Conference and All-State teams, a record for Montana 8-man football.
Manley has been the Titans workhorse during his career, amassing 1,183 yards this season on his way to 2,900 for his three-year career. He scored 27 rushing touchdowns on 150 carries. He was hampered in the championship game by a sprained right foot, yet still managed to get a score in the final quarter.
Manley, a senior at Drummond, was also named a First Team All-Conference and All-State Selection on defense at inside linebacker.
Hess has lived and breathed line play in his career. During his three seasons of play the Granite senior He collected 70.5 total tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2018, finishing his career with a tackle total of 104.5. Hess was named All-Conference and All-State on both the offensive and defensive lines.
Sophomore Kade Cutler was the third Titan named both All-Conference and All-State for his play this at quarterback. As the Flint Creek play-caller he finished the year 77-for-122 for 1,228 yards and 26 touchdowns in the air. But Cutler was also a threat on the ground, carrying the ball 115 times for 812 yards and 14 scores.
Along with Manley and Hess, the Titans also landed an additional four spots on defense and all of them were All-Conference and All-State.
Joining Hess were defensive line mates senior Riley Allen and junior Wyatt Rigby. Allen finished this season with 36.5 tackles and five sacks. He closed out his career with 92 total stops and 10 sacks.
Rigby had 56.5 tackles this, a team-highs in sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (20.5).
In the defensive backfield the Titans landed senior Luke Holland and junior Jaxon Lee. Holland finished 2018 35.5 tackles and 6.5 TFL. He closes his career with 103 stops and 16.5 TFL. Lee had 56.5 tackles this year and was also named All-Conference and All-State on special teams.
Flint Creek also had three more players named All-Conference Second Team. Rigby and Allen we tabbed for their offensive line play while junior Daniel Brabender made the list at outside linebacker and also received All-State honors.
Defensive back junior Conley Wagner was also named to the All-State team. He had 63 tackles on the year, 7.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks.
8-Man West All-Conference Teams
*Indicates all-state selection
First team
Offense
Colby Manley*, RB, sr., Drummond-Philipsburg (MVP); Kade Cutler*, QB, so., Drummond-Philipsburg; Lane Schall*, QB, sr., Arlee; Trey Green*, RB, jr., Alberton-Superior; Kane Hess*, OL, sr., Drummond-Philipsburg; Lane Johnson*, TE, sr., Jaxon Lee*, WR, jr., Drummond-Philipsburg; Arlee; Chase Gardner*, WR, sr., Arlee; Dylan Parks*, WR, sr., Darby; Michael Spence, C, sr., Alberton-Superior; CJ Forgey, C, jr., Arlee; Hewston Coon, OL, jr., Alberton-Superior.
Defense
Kane Hess*, DL, sr., Drummond-Philipsburg (MVP); Riley Allen*, DL, sr., Drummond-Philipsburg; Lane Schall*, DL, sr., Arlee; Wyatt Rigby*, DE, jr., Drummond-Philipsburg; Colby Manley*, ILB, sr., Drummond-Philipsburg; Trey Green*, ILB, jr., Alberton-Superior; Nelson Smith*, ILB, jr., Darby; Luke Holland*, OLB, sr., Drummond-Philipsburg; Jaxon Lee*, DB, jr., Drummond-Philipsburg; Chase Gardner*, DB, sr., Arlee; Dylan Parks*, DB, sr., Darby; CJ Forgey, DE, jr., Arlee; Hewston Coon, OLB, jr., Alberton-Superior.
Special teams
Jaxon Lee*, KR/PR, jr., Drummond-Philipsburg; Nelson Smith, P, jr., Darby; Michael Spence, K, sr., Alberton-Superior; Dylan Parks, KR/PR, sr., Darby.
Second Team
Offense
Isaiah Kovalsky*, WR, jr., Alberton-Superior; Wacey McClure*, WR, sr., St. Ignatius; Bryan Mask, QB, so., Alberton-Superior; Nelson Smith, QB, jr., Darby; Orion Pry-Hyde, RB, sr., Plains; Darshan Bolen, RB, sr., Arlee; Wyatt Rigby, C, jr., Drummond-Philipsburg; Brock Tomlin, C, sr., Charlo; Riley Allen, OL, sr., Drummond-Philipsburg; Skyler Titsworth, OL, sr., Arlee; Kyler Francis, TE, jr., Alberton-Superior.
Defense
Nelson Smith*, ILB, jr., Darby; Jacob Lapinski, DL, jr., Alberton-Superior; Levi Gaustad, DL, jr., Charlo; Malachi Paulsen, DE, sr., Plains; Darien Liberty, DE, sr., Charlo; Esvin Reyes, ILB, jr., Plains; Daniel Brabender*, OLB, jr., Drummond-Philipsburg; Kanoa Palazzolo, OLB, jr., Arlee; Isaiah Kovalsky, DB, jr., Alberton-Superior; Wacey McClure, DB, sr., St. Ignatius; Lane Johnson, DB, sr., Arlee.
Special teams
Nelson Smith, K, jr., Darby; Darien Liberty, P, sr., Charlo.
NOTE - This article was edited to reflect an accurate list of the players receiving postseason honors. The original list released earlier in the week contained numerous errors that the Flint Creek Courier was not aware of. We apologize for the inconvenience.
