Local Players Named To All-State Team

Wes Vork-NSO

Dec 8

Kerry Rodd-NSO

The Associated Press has named the 2009 All-State football team and four Northland Sports Online players made Honorable Mention at their positions.

Among the players selected to Honorable Mention were the dynamic duo running backs of the Moose Lake-Willow River Rebels, Austin Jacobson and Michael Unzen. The pair of star running backs wreaked havoc with defenses all season as the Rebels ran all the way to the state championship game in Class AA where they lost to Waterville-Elysian-Morristown. Throughout the season the Rebels running attack, led by Unzen and Jacobson, proved to be nearly unstoppable as they were able to run effectively both inside the tackles and around the corner where they used their quickness to elude would be tacklers.

Cody Anderson, a senior at AlBrook High School, was named Honorable Mention at quarterback. Anderson carried the Falcons on his strong throwing arm, at times throwing 40 times a game or more. Throughout the season the senior picked apart defenses in the northland with pin point accuracy while relying on a talented corps of wide receivers to catch the ball and deliver yards after the catch.

Joining Anderson on the Honorable Mention list was teammate Kolten Karppinen who used his speed and soft hands to cradle in throws by Anderson and turn them into big plays.

The AP Player of the Year was offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson of Cretin-Derham Hall who is considered one of the top collegiate recruits in the country.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northlandsportsonline.com