The Class 9B all-state football team is highlighted by Faulkton’s Layne Cotton, who received the All-American designation.

Including Cotton, the state runner-up Trojans finished with four all-state selections, including running back Garrett Cramer, lineman Carson Leonhardt, and linebacker Charlie Deiter.

Potter County, Hitchcock-Tulare, and Herreid-Selby Area each had two selections on the all-state team. Selections for Potter County include wide receiver Ryder Falkenhagen and defensive back Carter Luikens, while Hitchcock-Tulare selections include defensive lineman Jackson Maynard and linebacker Erik Salmen. Tight end Trevor Gill and offensive lineman Kaden Sayler were all-state selections for Herreid-Selby Area.

Cotton was a key player in Faulkton’s run to the Class 9B championship game. The senior passed for 1,134 yards and 16 touchdowns, while rushing for 469 yards and 12 touchdowns. The two-year starter was also a two-time Lake Region all-conference selection.

“Layne has led our team at the QB position the last two years,” Faulkton coach Shayne Geditz said. “He is a dual threat quarterback. He has a good arm and can make throws and also runs the ball hard. He is a good leader at quarterback and safety.”

Cramer was also a key figure in the Trojans runner-up finish this season. The three-year starter finished the season with 947 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, while adding 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

“Garrett is a very solid runner,” Geditz said. “He is patient and allows his blocks to set-up for him. He also has the ability to make a tackler miss. He is a solid all-around player.”

Leonhardt blocked for a Faulkton team that rushed for an average of 223 yards per game and finished with a total of 2,680 yards and 48 touchdowns. “Carson is a 3-year starter on our offensive line,” Geditz said. “He has started at both guard and center. He has done a good job with his snaps and blocking nose-tackles this year.”

Deiter was a key defensive player for Faulkton as a two-year starter at linebacker. He ended the 2023 season with 81 tackles, 31 solo, 3 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, and 3 interceptions. “Charlie plays inside linebacker,” Geditz said. “He does a great job of getting his reads. He does a good job of finding the ball and also tackles well. He does a good job of getting off blocks.”

Falkenhagen was a key contributor in Potter County’s run to the semifinals. The senior had 34 catches for 657 yards and 9 touchdowns, while also rushing for 418 yards and 8 touchdowns. He finished his career with 80 catches for 1,315 yards and 19 touchdowns, while also rushing for 571 yards on 67 carries and 12 touchdowns.

“Ryder Falkenhagen has played three years for the Battlers after moving back from Kansas,” Potter County coach Kyle Kusser said. “He is an extremely well-rounded athlete. He is a great receiver, and you are always one play away from six when he is on the field. Being as great a receiver as he is he is more competitive than almost anyone I have ever coached. That is on offense, defense or special teams. He also is great at trying to find success for others by offering to be a decoy or recommending plays for his teammates.”

Luikens did a little bit of everything for Potter County this season, including on defense where he recorded 68 solo tackles, five assisted tackles, one interception, two fumble recoveries, blocked a punt, and blocked a PAT. For his career, he finished with 168 solo tackles, 53 assisted tackles, seven interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and the two blocked kicks.

“Carter Luikens also played out of position on defense for part of the year,” Kusser said. “He is a cornerback. He had to play linebacker in about half of our games because of scheme and personnel. By the end of the year run into the playoffs he went back to his true position at cornerback. He is a good hitter and cover back and had the speed to chase down and make plays from sideline to sideline.”

Gill finished his senior season with 27 catches for 414 yards and 7 touchdowns.  “Trevor was a force on both sides of the line of scrimmage,” said Herreid-Selby Area coach Clayton Randall. “He could make all the blocks in our run game as well as stretch the field with his speed and pass catching ability. He finished his career with 96 receptions, 1,867 yards and 30 TDs (all Wolverine Football Records). He is a very coachable, team first player.”

Sayler was a two-year starter that helped pave the way for Herreid-Selby Area to rush for 2,500 yards this season. “Kaden was our most consistent offensive lineman,” Randall said. “Started at center last year and moved to guard this year so we could pull and trap him. He makes all of the calls on the line. High IQ player who comes to coaches with answers during the game. We effectively ran the ball for 2,500 yards this season (250 per game, 5.66 per carry).”

Maynard was a leader up front for the Hitchcock-Tulare defense, finishing the season with 48 tackles, 1.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, and one interception. He ended his career with 104.5 tackles, 10 sacks, 24 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, and one interception.

“Jackson a three-year starter on offense and defense,” said Hitchcock-Tulare coach Tom Salmen. “Jackson was our right guard and right defensive tackle. Jackson has a great head on his shoulders for leading his team and figuring out defenses and finding the ball on defense. He is able to direct and guide his team to get the job done.”

Salmen was a key member of the Patriots 2022 Class 9B championship team and continued his key role for Hitchcock-Tulare this season. He ended the year with 73.5 tackles, three sacks, seven tackles for loss, four interceptions, and 67 yards in interception returns. As a three-year linebacker he racked up 196.5 tackles, six sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss, nine interceptions, 10 fumble recoveries, and two touchdowns.

“Erik is physically and mentally strong – deadlift 585, squat 545, clean 275, bench 310,” coach Salmen said. “Erik leads by example, is coachable, and is a positive example to have around your team and school. He has grown into an incredible player to watch. He can carry defenses down the field as he runs, yet has out run many players. He has great instincts to find the ball on defense.”

Area honorable mention selections are Gus Kopecky of Faulkton, Gavin Barber of Sully Buttes, and Collin Tisdall of Herreid-Selby Area.

Kopecky, a three-year starter, had 20 tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries. “Gus has been a main stay on our defensive line for three years,” Geditz said. “He does a good job of rushing the quarterback and playing the run.”

Barber was a three-year starter and had 89 tackles in 7.5 games and two interceptions this season.

“Gavin was our leader and difference maker on the field this season and was unfortunate to lose him the first half of our last regular season game with a collarbone,” Sully Buttes coach Tom Moore said. “With only one senior on the team, we leaned on him very heavily for leadership and production and he produced both. Gavin is a very strong and tough individual that will do anything that is asked of him to make the team better.”

Tisdall had 48 solo tackles, six tackles for loss, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles. “Collin has been a four-year starter at linebacker,” Randall said. “We have won 39 games during that stretch. He plays the position with great instincts and physicality. He is a gamer.”

Here is the complete list of Class 9B all-state players:

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Layne Cotton, Faulkton Area.

Fullback-HBack — Landon Mudder, Avon.

Running Backs — Aziah Meyer, Avon; Nic Gaspar, Dell Rapids St. Mary; and Garrett Cramer, Faulkton Area.

Wide Receivers — Ryder Falkenhagen, Potter County; and Tom Aughenbaugh, De Smet.

Tight End — Trevor Gill, Herreid-Selby Area.

Linemen — Carson Leonhardt, Faulkton Area; Terran Talsma, Avon; Kaden Sayler, Herreid-Selby Area; and Emmitt Maher, Lemmon-McIntosh.

DEFENSE

Linemen — Landon Thury, Avon; Britt Carlson, De Smet; Jackson Maynard, Hitchcock-Tulare; and Jesse Torticill, Corsica-Stickney.

Linebackers — Charlie Deiter, Faulkton Area; Erik Salmen, Hitchcock-Tulare; Paxton Bierema, Avon; and Carter Wright, Corsica-Stickney.

Defensive Backs — Carter Luikens, Potter County; Lucas Flemmer, Dell Rapids St. Mary; and Kadyn Fast, De Smet.

OTHERS

Athletes — Garrett Hermann, Kadoka Area; and Tyler Tjeerdsma, Avon.

Special Teams — Cooper Feddersen, Jones County; and Trace Van Regenmorter, De Smet.

HONORABLE MENTION — Jaxon Fulton, New Underwood; Hiroshi Pickelsimer, Lemmon-McIntosh; Gus Kopecky, Faulkton Area; Gavin Barber, Sully Buttes; Collin Tisdall, Herreid-Selby Area; Grant Wilkinson, De Smet; and Gus Stout, Kadoka Area.

All-American — Layne Cotton, Faulkton Area.