Coming off a season that saw the Montezuma-Cortez High School football team finish 8-3 and win its first playoff game since 1957, eight Panthers players were named to the Western Slope South League’s all-conference team.
“It’s indicative of their hard work,” M-CHS head coach Casey Coulter said of the all-conference players. “They stuck with it when they could have been like a lot of kids and just quit. (The work) paid off for them.”
First team: Randy Haley
Doubling as a running back and linebacker, senior Randy Haley enjoyed one of the most productive seasons in school history, rushing for 1,942 yards and a school-record 34 rushing touchdowns.
Haley also led the Panthers defense with 111 tackles, tied for the team led in interceptions with four, and returned one interception for a touchdown. Haley’s 35 total touchdowns set a school record for the most in a single season.
In addition to his all-conference selection, Haley was named the West Slope League’s “Back of the Year” and will play in the all-state game.
“I knew that when we dropped down to (Class 2A) we could have an exciting year,” said Haley. “Our lineman got in the weight room and worked hard. That made my job a lot easier.”
First team: Jonathan Walck
Playing quarterback and linebacker, senior Jonathan Walck contributed in a variety of ways, passing for 716 yards and six touchdowns, rushing for 898 yards and 8 touchdowns, registering 46 tackles, and making one interception.
“It’s awesome to be recognized by the conference,” Walck said. “It’s a big honor. I worked hard all year, and it really paid off.”
First team: Dante Dennison
A member of M-CHS’s offensive and defensive lines, senior Dante Dennison enjoyed his finest season in 2014. In addition to opening holes for M-CHS runners, the senior led the Panthers with four sacks and finished fifth on the team in tackles with 66.
“(The offensive and defensive lines) had more determination as a group,” said Dennison. “We had more synergy between the linemen.”
First team: Victor Perez
An offensive and defensive lineman, junior Victor Perez came into his own this season, finishing second on the team in tackles with 107 and recovering two fumbles.
Perez also opened several holes for Panthers runners and protected Walck’s blind side when the M-CHS quarterback dropped back to pass.
Honorable mention: Elijah Lansing
Another all-conference selection from M-CHS’s offensive and defensive lines, Lansing parlayed four years of hard work into an outstanding season. The senior finished fourth on the team in tackles with 71 and second on the team in fumble recoveries with three.
“I stayed low and paid attention to basic fundamentals,” said Lansing. “I tried to do what I needed to do.”
Honorable mention: Andrew Finch
Starting at linebacker and backing up Haley at running back, senior Andrew Finch made several big plays in his first season with the team.
Finch ranked third on the team in tackles with 74, made two interceptions and forced one fumble. On offense, the transfer student from Texas rushed for 122 yards and one touchdown and returned one kickoff for a touchdown.
“The defensive linemen made it pretty easy to play the linebacker position, and I had Randy next to me to help me out,” said Finch. “It was all about filling holes and making tackles.”
Honorable mention: Noah Galyon
Playing wide receiver and cornerback, Noah Galyon came into his own during the 2014 season, making 48 tackles, tying for the team lead with four interceptions and leading the team with four fumble recoveries.
Galyon also accumulated 118 receiving yards, caught one receiving touchdown and came through with a key fourth-down reception that helped M-CHS defeat St. Mary’s in the first round of the playoffs.
Honorable mention: Ryan Gurney
A wide receiver and safety, junior Ryan Gurney led M-CHS in receiving touchdowns with four and tied for the team lead in interceptions with four. Gurney also finished third on the team in rushing with 258 yards, scored two rushing touchdownsw and made 62 tackles.