All-North Idaho Team Strong At Skill Positions

Imagine 100 football fields, lined up end to end, stretching nearly 2 miles.

That would represent roughly the yardage piled up by the running backs, wide receivers and quarterbacks named to the 11th annual Spokesman-Review All-North Idaho Football Team as voted by the region’s coaches.

Combined, the skill players gained more than 10,000 yards, and several school records were set.

Gaining the biggest chunk of the yards and headlines were running backs Jason Hall (St. Maries), Josh Mort (Post Falls) and Jeremy Thielbahr (Sandpoint).

Hall, a senior who was also selected at linebacker, set a single-season record with 1,570 yards and 28 touchdowns. He ranks as the all-time leading rusher in school history with more than 3,000 yards. He also had one TD reception and returned two interceptions for TDs, including a school-record 99-yard return.

“He almost had a heart attack at the end of the return,” laughed St. Maries coach Curt Carr said. Hall was also the Lumberjacks’ leading tackler.

Mort and Thielbahr, both juniors, will add to some impressive numbers next year.

Mort rushed for 1,714 yards and 18 TDs, falling just short of the single-season mark (1,753). He ranks as Post Falls’ all-time career rusher with 2,536.

In his first year as a starter, Thielbahr broke singlegame and single-season records. He gained 1,872 yards on 283 carries, scoring 23 TDs and leading Sandpoint to the state playoffs for the first time since 1987.

Senior wide receivers Jim Farris of Lewiston and Brett Hollenbeck of Post Falls were also selected at defensive back.

Farris put up spectacular statistics, catching a school-record 78 passes for 1,510 yards and 18 TDs. His two-year totals were 121 receptions for 2,258 yards and 25 TDs.

Hollenbeck had equally sparkling numbers as he finished a stellar three-year career by making 40 receptions for 842 yards despite missing two games with a hyperextended knee. He finished with 93 career catches for 1,985 yards and 27 TDs. On defense, he had 19 career interceptions, breaking the previous mark of 16.

Holdahl capped a fine career by passing for 1,511 yards. He threw just six interceptions in 175 attempts.

Frei fought back from two in-season injuries - a severely sprained ankle and slightly separated shoulder. Though he passed for more yards last year, Frei was much more valuable to his team this season as he completed 66 of 140 passes for 1,039 yards and 18 TDs.

Joining Farris, Hollenbeck and Hall as two-way selections were Post Falls senior Jeremy Wallace (offensive/defensive line) and Trojans junior Austin Lee (tight end/defensive line).

Others named to the offense were: linemen Ryan Ebert (Lake City), Steve Raebel (St. Maries), Joe Brown (Lakeland), Ryan Scott (Sandpoint) and Kurt Selberg (Post Falls), and placekicker Ben Davis (Coeur d’Alene).

Top to bottom, the defense is loaded with standouts. Joining the aforementioned players on defense are: linemen Derik Rimel (St. Maries), Jeremy Krebs (Sandpoint) and Mark Scates (Coeur d’Alene); linebackers Laki Ah Hi (Lewiston), Ryan Knowles (Sandpoint), Matt Myers (Bonners Ferry) and Mike Heston (Post Falls); and defensive backs Chris Kennedy (Lewiston) and Trevor Walkington (Sandpoint).

St. Maries’ Carr and Post Falls’ Jerry Lee were honored by their peers as co-coaches of the year.

Carr’s Lumberjacks captured the Intermountain League championship and posted a 9-0 regular-season record before dropping a 27-26 heartbreaking decision to Emmett in the first round of the playoffs.

Lee looks back on another season full of first-time accomplishments - though his team fell short of a realistic goal of playing in the state title game.

The Trojans, 0-16 previously against Lewiston, beat the Bengals for the first time since the series began in 1980. And Post Falls won its first league title outright (they shared the title last year).

“They did things that had never been done at Post Falls,” said Lee, whose Trojans were knocked off by Lewiston 30-27 in the semifinals. “Nobody will ever be able to take that away from them.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Color Photos

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: All-North Idaho Football Team

First-team offense Pos Player School Yr QB Jason Holdahl St. Maries Sr. QB Jeremy Frei Lewiston Sr. RB Josh Mort Post Falls Jr. RB Jeremy Thielbahr Sandpoint Jr. RB Jason Hall St. Maries Sr. TE Austin Lee Post Falls Jr. WR Jim Farris Lewiston Sr. WR Brett Hollenbeck Post Falls Sr. OL Jeremy Wallace Post Falls Sr. OL Ryan Ebert Lake City Sr. OL Steve Raebel St. Maries Sr. OL Joe Brown Lakeland Sr. OL Ryan Scott Sandpoint Sr. OL Kurt Selberg Post Falls Sr. PK Ben Davis Coeur d’Alene Jr.

First-team defense Pos Player School Yr DL Austin Lee Post Falls Jr. DL Jeremy Wallace Post Falls Sr. DL Derik Rimel St. Maries Sr. DL Jeremy Krebs Sandpoint Sr. DL Mark Scates Coeur d’Alene Jr. LB Laki Ah Hi Lewiston Jr. LB Jason Hall St. Maries Sr. LB Ryan Knowles Sandpoint Jr. LB Matt Myers Bonners Ferry Sr. LB Mike Heston Post Falls Jr. DB Jim Farris Lewiston Sr. DB Brett Hollenbeck Post Falls Sr. DB Chris Kennedy Lewiston Sr. DB Trevor Walkington Sandpoint Sr.

Co-Coaches of the Year: Curt Carr, St. Maries; Jerry Lee, Post Falls

Second-team offense QB - Travis O’Briant, Post Falls. RB - Matt Myers, Bonners Ferry; Chris Kennedy, Lewiston; David Reed, Mullan. WR - Carson Jeffres, Sandpoint; Al Bevacqua, Lakeland; Ben Scharenberg, Lake City. TE - Andy Gibson, St. Maries. OL - J.D. McElroy, Sandpoint; Kevin Carey, Bonners Ferry; Mike McKeown, Post Falls; Zach Manyon, Lewiston; Derik Rimel, St. Maries; Nick Fierro, Coeur d’Alene. PK - Jason Van Malsen, Lewiston. Second-team defense DL - Matt Antonich, Post Falls; Steve Raebel, St. Maries; Ryan Cook, Moscow; Eric Conklin, Lakeland. LB - Ryan Ries, Post Falls; Cameron Napora, Lakeland; Jon Bergstrom, Sandpoint; Josh Dolan, Post Falls. DB - D.J. Eberlin, St. Maries; Wil Glasscock, Moscow; Travis Lovejoy, Coeur d’Alene; Lane Watkins, St. Maries.