Shields, Haveman headline all-state selections

The Iowa Print Sports Writers Association selected its 2018 all-state football teams Saturday with a number of News Advertiser and Osceola-Sentinel Tribune area athletes earning recognition among the state’s best.

At the Eight-Man level, Lenox’s Colton Gordon was the only selection of area players earning a second team offense honor at running back.

Gordon ran for 1,548 yards and 26 touchdowns in 10 games this season, the fourth most rushing yards from scrimmage among any player in Eight-Man.

The Tiger junior also had seven catches for 138 yards and two scores.

In Class A Jacob Webb of Southwest Valley earned a spot on the first team defense for his disruptive play all season for the Timberwolves.

During his senior season, Webb recorded a team-high 44 1/2 tackles with 11 solo tackles for loss and five quarterback sacks.

Webb also returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown.

Central Decatur’s Cole Pedersen was named to the second team all-state defensive team at an at-large position.

Pedersen, an Iowa State football commit, had 54 tackles, five solo tackles for loss and two sacks on defense along with a fumble recovery in his junior year.

Pedersen also served as the team’s punter, booting the rock 14 times for an average of 25.5 yards per kick. As a kickoff returner Pedersen housed a kickoff on an 87-yard return for a touchdown.

Class 1A saw a number of area players rake in high praise as Mount Ayr had both John Shields and Hunter Haveman earn first team distinctions.

Shields, earning his first team spot at defensive line, led the Raiders in tackles with 74 total tackles, while piling up 24 solo tackles for loss and 10 solo sacks on the year.

The senior’s 24 solo tackles for loss led Class 1A and his 10 solo sacks was the second most in the class across the state.

In the process of terrorizing opposing quarterbacks, Shields snagged two fumble recoveries in helping lead Mount Ayr to a 7-3 overall record and a playoff appearance.

Haveman, who was Class 1A’s first team kick returner, returned four kickoffs for touchdowns on 10 total kick returns. His four kickoff returns for touchdowns ties the record for the second-most in an 11-player single season.

As a senior, Haveman brought back scores against West Central Valley, Panorama, Clarinda and AC/GC.

His 466 total kickoff return yards was also the most in Class 1A, averaging 46.6 yards per return.

The first 10-win team in school history picked up plenty of awards for the Interstate 35 Roadrunners.

Richie Griglione and Joey Bregar were first team selections for the Roadrunners while Mason Cassady, Tanner Daniels and Antonio Arzani all picked up second-team distinctions.

Griglione was a force to be reckoned with no matter where he lined up in his senior season. The senior earned his spot on the all-state team in the TE/WR slot after racking up 864 yards receiving and 12 scores.

While calling the plays on the offense, Bregar spearheaded the defensive effort with 101 1/2 tackles, the fourth most in Class 1A, putting him on the second team as a linebacker.

Bregar also recorded nine solo tackles for loss.

Mason Cassady collected a second team honor as a running back after rushing for 1,377 yards on the ground along with 18 trips into the end zone.

The rushing total was good for the seventh most yards rushing in Class 1A.

Blocking for Cassady and the other threats in the Roadrunner backfield was Antonio Arzani who also secured a second team all-state pick as an offensive lineman.

Daniels, another part of I-35’s talented senior class, was also chosen for a second team spot on the Class 1A team as a defensive back.

The senior had 40 1/2 tackles but more notably had five interceptions for the Roadrunners, which was tied for the seventh most of any player across the state in 1A.

A complete list of all-state selections from across the state will run later this week in the News Advertiser.