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Goltl, Keyser top All-Area football, volleyball teams
Both athletes
overcame
knee injuries
Call them Most Valuable Players, impact players, game-changers, the franchise.
By any other name, seniors Dillon Goltl (McCook High School senior wide receiver/defensive back/punter) and Traci Keyser (Cambridge High School senior blocker) are the McCook Daily Gazette's All-Area Football and Volleyball Players of the Year for the 2008 fall season.
Goltl and Keyser lead the Gazette's All-Area selections along with Hayes Center's Scott Jorgensen, the All-Area Football Coach of the Year, and Judy Mousel, the All-Area Volleyball Coach of the Year.
Goltl, 6-foot, 170 pounds, was joined on the Gazette's All-Area Football Class B Team by McCook teammates Matt Berry, Tyrone Sellers, Zach Wieser, Nathan Gleason, Chris Schleeman, Aaron Ruppert, Ryan Hardin, Michael Grabowski, Andy Smith and Jeff Lorentz plus the offensive line of Joe Vetrovsky, Tyler Brown, Jake Curl, Taylor Garcia and Seth Schaeffer.
All but Smith are seniors.
The Gazette also features a Class C-1/C-2/D-1/D-2/Six-Man team and a Kansas team.
Goltl, who overcame a torn ACL his junior year, is the All-Area Player of the Year over celebrated teammates Matt Berry and Tyrone Sellers because he changed opposing team's game plans, said Bison head coach Jeff Gross.
Goltl set several school receiving records during his career at MHS. In 2008, he caught 33 passes for 709 yards out of an option-based offense (21.84 yards per catch) with eight touchdowns.
He has 46 career catches for 1,051 yards.
On defense, Goltl made 22 tackles his senior year and was in position for 18 coverage plays. Goltl also had six interceptions.
"The kid had a phenomenal year as a sophomore," Gross said. "He had his dreams shattered his junior year on the first play from scrimmage. Dillon took the injury as hard as anyone and came back with a passion. He never batted an eye with that leg. It's a feel good story.
"Without Dillon, we're a good team. You had to take your shots down the field with him. Columbus loads the box (in the playoffs) and the kid has a huge game and they start backing people out of the box.
"In the Ogallala game, we force the ball out and feed it to Dillon. When the game is undecided, Matt Berry throws a 89-yard touchdown pass to Dillon. He changed the way we did things offensively. He changed the way other teams played defense against us."
Keyser, who will play basketball at Fort Hays State University next year, helped lead the Cambridge Trojan volleyball to four straight state tournament appearances.
Like Goltl, Keyser, a 5-foot-10 blocker, overcame a knee injury. Her knee injury came during the middle of her senior season and she had to sit out four weeks.
"She deserves a lot of credit for the success we have experienced these last four years," Mousel said. "She has been a great leader for us and has really stepped up her level of play these past two seasons. Her blocking game was phenomenal midway through last year and again since she has returned this year.
"She has shut down some big hitters in many key games due to her blocking. Traci has always wanted to improve her game. She was never satisfied with her level of play and I think that says volumes about the type of person she is.
"I will really miss her leadership and work ethic she displayed day after day at practice. I do not remember a practice when she did not give 100 percent. It was unfortunate she had to sit out four weeks.
"Her stats may be down a little because, but her per game stats should be very competitive. I think we play a very tough schedule due to the fact that we are in the RAPC."
Keyser is joined on the All-Area Class C-1/C-2/D-1/D-2 First Team by Cambridge teammates Frankie Petersen, Bailey Soucie and Kellie Ballou.
Four McCook seniors are the Class B representatives on the All-Area Team -- Hanah Swanhorst, Joanna Bryant, Ashley Palic and Tara Powell. They helped the Bison volleyball team set a school record for victories with 19.
2008 ALL-AREA FOOTBALL TEAM
Player of the Year: Dillon Goltl, McCook.
Coach of the Year: Scott Jorgensen, Hayes Center.
NEBRASKA
CLASS B
McCOOK
Matt Berry
Tyrone Sellers
Joe Vetrovsky
Dillon Goltl
Tyler Brown
Jake CurI
Nathan Gleason
Chris Schleeman
Taylor Garcia
Aaron Ruppert
Seth Schaeffer
Zach Wieser
Ryan Hardin
Michael Grabowski
Andy Smith
Jeff Lorentz
CLASSES C-1/C-2/D-1/D-2/SIX-MAN
ARAPAHOE
Dillon Breinig
Garrett Schutz
Dustin Park
Derek Helms
Dalton Hyke
CAMBRIDGE
Jerrel Alexander
Andrew Carpenter
Gus Petersen
Catlin Rice
Taylor Lewis
CHASE COUNTY
Jeremy Mathews
DUNDY COUNTY-STRATTON
Paul Downey
Steven Sander
EUSTIS-FARNAM
Drew Wetovick
Dylan Koch
Jordan Bendler
HAYES CENTER
Brian Christner
Matt Gohl
Austin Lawson
Evan Messersmith
Keifer Messersmith
Heath Vrbas
HITCHCOCK COUNTY
Clive Brown
Alex Pollman
Devin Watkins
Cale Brown
MAYWOOD
Kelvin Arent
MEDICINE VALLEY
Dillon Mortensen
Benjamin Wolfe
Justin Romeo
Tanner Eberle
Clint Bryant
SOUTHERN VALLEY
D.J. Rison
Cody Sellers
Dexter Becker
SOUTHWEST
Thomas Sughroue
Chris Dunn
Anthony Marquardt
WAUNETA-PALISADE
Cody Fanning
KANSAS
CHEYLIN
Caleb Keltz
OBERLIN
Toby Peters
RAWLINS COUNTY
Drew Basgall
Marcus Cahoj
Keegan Peckham
Kevin Wolters
Greg Solko
ST. FRANCIS
Trent Raile
Sam Sowers
Ethan Zweygardt
Shawn Warren
HONORABLE MENTION
Arapahoe: Garth Walbridge, Ethan Jenkins, T.J. Eichenberger.
Cambridge: Delvin Jackson, David Campbell.
Chase County: Schyler Heathers, Daniel Morales.
Cheylin: Chris Walden, Jacob White.
Southern Valley: Michael Hoxmeier, Drew Witte, Ethan Dake, Chris Foster, Jacob Stoelting, Jerome Becker, Seth Gustafson.
Southwest: Justin Malleck, Justin Brooks.
Wauneta-Palisade: Justin Haskins, Adam Simpson, Tanner Kerchal, Will Anderjaska.
2008 ALL-AREA VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Player of the Year: Traci Keyser, Cambridge
Coach of the Year: Judy Mousel, Cambridge
NEBRASKA
CLASS B
McCOOK
Hanah Swanhorst
Joanna Bryant
Ashley Palic
Tara Powell
CLASSES C-1/C-2/D-1/D-2
CAMBRIDGE
Traci Keyser
Frankie Petersen
Bailey Soucie
Kellie Ballou
CHASE COUNTY
Nichole Dickey
Morgan Strand
DUNDY COUNTY
Paige Stute
Hilary Wilson
EUSTIS-FARNAM
Kenzie Banzhaf
Jacey Schultheiss
MAYWOOD
Kadee Arensdorf
Susan Koester
MaKayla Gardner
SOUTHERN VALLEY
Cassie Brooks
Jessica Murdoch
SOUTHWEST
Abby Houghtelling
Mariah Longnecker
Jordan Brooks
Megan Conway
WAUNETA-PALISADE
Blair Dixon
KANSAS
OBERLIN
Adrienne Pauls
Jordan Dreher
Elisha Jones
RAWLINS COUNTY
Leah Sharp
Samantha Leitner
Hillary Chvatal
Anna Reinert
ST. FRANCIS
Jami Pevler
Elizabeth Gienger
HONORABLE MENTION
Arapahoe: Makayla Wendland.
Cambridge: Chelsey Moyer. Jerrica Lewis, Dani Carpenter.
Dundy County: Brooke Hansen, Taylor Lutz, Amanda Downey, Whitney Wilson, Brittany Shillington.
Eustis-Farnam: Katie Fagot.
Hitchcock County: Ashley Garner.
Medicine Valley: Sara Schrock.
Oberlin: Jessica Frederickson.
Southwest: Candace Malleck.
Wallace: Jena Aylward
Wauneta-Palisade: Kaylee Hackney, Sheila Reiner.