MV standouts named all-stars

It’s hard to tell which is more staggering: Cole Becker’s prolific rushing numbers in 2012, or the fact he rarely played a full four quarters during the season.
The Marmaton Valley High senior racked up 2,205 rushing yards as the Wildcats rolled to a 10-win season, advancing to the second round of the Kansas Eight Man, Division I playoffs.
Becker was selected with classmate Daylen Houk to represent Marmaton Valley in an Eight Man Division I All-Star Game June 8 in Beloit.
Becker’s rushing totals came on 203 carries — an average of nearly 11 yards per rush.
The impressive rushing numbers came even though Marmaton Valley played a full four quarters in only three of the 11 games on its schedule (the others were ended early via Kansas’ eight-man mercy rules).
Becker also didn’t rush a single time in a blowout win over West Elk.
Becker, who already received all-league and all-state honors for his gridiron prowess, brought home some more hardware in addition to the all-star game invitation.
He was named both offensive and defensive player of the year for Eight Man I, District 2 by kpreps.com, a statewide high school football reporting service. He also was named all-state for running back by kpreps.com.
On defense, Becker racked up 85 tackles and three sacks with an interception he returned for a touchdown.

EVEN WITH limited carries — due in no small part to Becker’s gridiron success — Houk’s numbers were impressive nonetheless.
Houk piled up 840 yards on the ground, averaging more than eight yards a carry. On defense, he had 78 tackles, two interceptions and two sacks.
Kent Houk, Wildcat head coach and Daylen Houk’s father, also earned an invitation to serve as an assistant coach at the June 8 all-star game. The third-year head coach has a career record of 20-10 at Marmaton Valley.
Marmaton Valley’s Nathan Smart also earned all-state recognition by kpreps.com for his work on the offensive line and on both the offensive and defensive lines in Eight Man District 2.
They were joined on kpreps.com’s all-district offensive team with Jared Kale, lineman, and Lucas Hamlin, end. All-district defenders were Becker as linebacker, Smart as lineman, Kale as defensive end and Houk as defensive back. Hamlin was named all-district kicker and Jimmy Frye all-district return specialist.
Earning all-district honorable mention were Marmaton Valley’s Carlos Gonzales, linebacker and defensive back, Hamlin as defensive end and Lane Hamm as offensive lineman.

MEANWHILE, Crest High’s Kyle Hammond, whose selection to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl in Topeka next July was reported in Thursday’s Register, also was invited to the Eight Man All Star festivities. Hammond will play in the Eight Man Division II contest.
Hammond rushed for 2,000 yards and threw for 1,100 more in leading the Lancers to an 11-4 season. Like Marmaton Valley, Crest also advanced to the second round of the postseason playoffs.
Both the Division I and Division II games will be June 8 in Beloit.

SEVERAL other area high school standouts earned postseason recognition by kpreps.com.
Humboldt senior Tanner McNutt was named all-state wide receiver in Class 3A for his exploits with Humboldt’s record-setting passing attack. McNutt had 40 catches for 871 yards — more than 21 yards per catch — and 10 touchdowns.
In Eight Man, Division I Hammond was named offensive MVP in District 3. He was honored for his work as running back, linebacker and punter. Hammond was joined on the all-district team by Jesse Boone, senior lineman on offense and defense, Brock Ellis and Jordan Morton, offensive ends, and Jordan Morton, defensive back.
Also earning all-district honorable mention in Eight Man Division I were Yateas Center’s Robert Arnold, tight end, wide receiver and defensive end, Caleb DeNoon, running back and linebacker, and Austin McNett, linebacker.
Also earning all-district honorable mention in Eight Man Division II were Crest’s Clayton Miller, linebacker, Dylan Sedlak, defensive back, and Landon Stephens, defensive end and Southern Coffey County’s Walker Harred and Luke Crat, both defensive ends. Kraft was named all-district offensive lineman for the Titans.