The all-State and all-Conference teams have been announced for volleyball and football, and Jefferson High is well represented. These selections are a true measure of performance, since coaches can’t vote for their own players.
For volleyball, senior Emma McCauley was named all-state and first team all-conference. Her teammates MacKenzie Layng, Arena Faler and Cameron Toney were selected for the all-conference second team.
Senior running back Dylan Root and sophomore Luke Oxarart were all-state picks for football. In the conference, Root was named to the first team for offense, along with Oxarart as return specialist and Tavan McMaster at offensive line. Second team picks included Brady Armstrong at center, Dalton Noble on offensive line, Zach Zody at receiver, and Oxarart for all-around athlete.
On the defense, Brady Armstrong was named first team as a lineman, and Root was first-team kicker. Lineman Caleb Smartnick was picked for the second team along with Zody and Oxarart at defensive back.
For those keeping track, Florence-Carlton won its second straight Class B football championship last weekend, demolishing Loyola Sacred Heart of Missoula, 48-7. Huntley Project took yet another volleyball championship, taking down Shepherd in three sets.
Meanwhile, basketball and wrestling practices have started, and the turn-out has been great. Wrestling will see its first action at a tournament in Cascade Dec. 2-3. Then the Panthers will host a mixer on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m before hitting the road for tournaments in Whitehall Dec. 9-10 and Great Falls Dec. 16-17.
Boys and girls JV and varsity basketball open the season Dec. 9-10 at a tournament in Red Lodge. The Panthers will host Whitehall on Dec. 15, travel to Anaconda on Dec. 16, then host Manhattan Dec. 17.
Have a happy and thankful Thanksgiving!
