The PCM football team has achieved remarkable success, dominating their opponents with a score of 253-72 to clinch their third consecutive district championship this past fall. The Mustangs completed an undefeated run through the district, resulting in 19 players being honored on the all-district team.
Senior Keegan Fenton earned the title of Class 2A District 7 Defensive MVP, while head coach Greg Bonnett shared Coach of the Year accolades with Matt Kovacevich from Centerville. Additionally, PCM”s Zack Woods received the district”s Assistant Coach of the Year award. It is important to note that the all-district recognition is based solely on statistics accumulated during district play.
Fourteen of the Mustangs were named to the first team, with Fenton leading the group. Other first-team selections included seniors Chase Wagaman, Gavin Steenhoek, Braedyn Lester, Dominic Witt, Alex Wendt, Brock Barnett, and Evan Jones, alongside junior Ivan Shannon and sophomores Hayden Shannon, Jake Thomas, Lewis Daye Jr., and Mason Hjortshoj.
The second team comprised seniors Trent Nickelson, Austen Brundage, and Harrison Brinegar, as well as juniors Jax Strait and Jaden Houser. Senior Shay Burns was awarded one of the district”s two Golden Awards, which recognizes players who would have made the all-district team if not for injury.
Fenton”s impressive performance this season included 21.5 tackles, leading the district with eight tackles for loss and ranking second in sacks with three. The district”s Offensive MVP was Centerville quarterback Mack Murdock, although Wagaman was designated the first team quarterback after finishing third in the district with 579 passing yards and second with nine passing touchdowns. He completed 26 of 54 passes and rushed for 114 yards and one touchdown.
Daye Jr. emerged as one of the first team running backs, leading the district with 878 rushing yards and tying for second with nine rushing touchdowns, while also catching two passes for 26 yards. Steenhoek distinguished himself as a first team wide receiver, ranking fourth in the district with 14 catches and second with 377 receiving yards. He also tied for second with six receiving touchdowns, averaging an impressive 26.9 yards per catch.
Ivan Shannon was recognized as the first team tight end, contributing two catches for 32 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line for PCM saw four players honored: Hayden Shannon, Lester, and Thomas made the first team, while Brundage was named to the second team. This offensive unit was instrumental in leading the district with 32 offensive touchdowns, 1,530 rushing yards, and 20 rushing touchdowns, while PCM finished second to Centerville with 2,151 total yards.
Witt was acknowledged as the first team kicker, leading the district with 37 touchbacks on 40 kickoffs and achieving a perfect 27-of-27 in PAT attempts, the best in the league. Wendt and Barnett made the first team on the defensive line, while Hjortshoj and Jones were honored as first-team linebackers. Wendt recorded 18.5 tackles and led the district with five sacks, while Hjortshoj tied for seventh with 27.5 tackles, ranking third with 5.5 tackles for loss and sixth with 1.5 sacks.
Jones totaled 17.5 tackles, and Barnett contributed three tackles. Joining Brundage on the second team were Nickelson, Brinegar, Strait, and Houser. Nickelson”s all-district recognition as a defensive lineman came after he tallied 18.5 tackles and two tackles for loss, tying for seventh in the district with one sack. Strait also had 17 tackles, one sack, and was one of five players to return an interception for a touchdown, covering 43 yards. Brinegar recorded 11 tackles and two tackles for loss as a linebacker, while Houser added 10 tackles as a defensive back.
The final standings for Class 2A District 7 saw PCM at the top with a 5-0 record, followed by Centerville at 4-1, South Tama County at 3-2, Pella Christian at 2-3, Albia at 1-4, and Davis County at 0-5.
The full all-district teams are as follows:
All-District First Team Offense
- Quarterback: Chase Wagaman, sr., PCM
- Running backs: Lewis Daye Jr., so., PCM; Makoa Kaleponi, jr., Centerville; Eric Medina, jr., South Tama
- Wide Receivers: Gavin Steenhoek, sr., PCM; Caleb Volk, sr., PCM; Klayton Lawson, sr., Centerville; Abram Decena, so., Centerville
- Tight End: Ivan Shannon, jr., PCM
- Offensive Line: Hayden Shannon, so., PCM; Jake Thomas, so., PCM; Braedyn Lester, sr., PCM; Braxton Bragg, jr., Davis County; Logan Carracio, sr., Centerville; Daiden Howard, jr., Centerville
- Utility: Isaac Helm, jr., Albia; Ty Pickerell, jr., Albia
- Kicker: Dominic Witt, sr., PCM
- Returner: Adam Kacmarynski, sr., Pella Christian
First Team Defense
- Defensive Line: Alex Wendt, sr., PCM; Brock Barnett, sr., PCM; Toby Belzer, sr., Pella Christian; Ander Rosol, sr., Centerville; Marcus Bear, sr., South Tama
- Linebackers: Mason Hjortshoj, so., PCM; Evan Jones, sr., PCM; Fletcher Mick, jr., Albia; Brian Snyder, sr., Centerville; Kyle Youngbear, jr., South Tama
- Defensive backs: Brecken Ritzert, sr., Pella Christian; Conner Petoyan, sr., Centerville; Eli Cruikshank, jr., South Tama; Cason Young, sr., Davis County
- Utility: Mike Henry, jr., South Tama; Garrett Willard, sr., Pella Christian
- Punter: Hayden Bankson, sr., Davis County
Second Team Offense
- Quarterback: Ryan Brant, so., South Tama
- Running backs: Parker Hemann, sr., Albia; Landon Nunnikhoven, sr., Pella Christian
- Wide Receivers: Eli Hilton, sr., Albia; Nick Upah, sr., South Tama; Mason Simmons, sr., Davis County
- Tight End: Jag Lathrop, jr., Albia
- Offensive Line: Austen Brundage, sr., PCM; Lewis Menninga, so., Pella Christian; Hunter Vander Linden, sr., Pella Christian; Blake Six, sr., Pella Christian; Jason Morrow, sr., Centerville; Lakyr Peska, so., South Tama; Drew Mellies, sr., South Tama
- Utility: Izak Schroeder, so., South Tama
Second Team Defense
- Defensive Line: Trent Nickelson, sr., PCM; Aiden Keegel, so., Albia; Cory Kratofil, jr., Centerville; Darrian Stocker, sr., Albia
- Linebackers: Harrison Brinegar, sr., PCM; Jax Strait, jr., PCM; Curtis Mathes, jr., Centerville
- Defensive Backs: Jaden Houser, jr., PCM; Ben Van Wyngarden, sr., Pella Christian; Jager White, sr., Centerville; Tanner Large, sr., South Tama
- Utility: Garrett Surman, sr., South Tama
- Punter: Bryson Reed, so., Albia
Honorable Mention: Triton Thomas, sr., Centerville; Evan Barber, jr., Centerville; Sloan Phillips, so., Centerville; Max Taylor, so., Davis County; Svend Skaggs, fr., Davis County; Victor Milder, fr., Davis County; Manuel Cervantes, jr., South Tama; Ayden Vest, sr., South Tama; Josh Strong, sr., South Tama.
