2023 North Dakota 9-Man All-State football teams announced

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - The coaches put four quarterbacks, four running backs, one tight end, one receiver and one lineman on the 9-Man first-team All-State offense squad.

It would be a strange way to play a game, but each of these talented players deserves to be on the list.

Flasher’s Javin Friesz is one of those quarterbacks. Friesz carried the Storm to an eight-win season and a spot in the playoffs.

Javin Friesz — QB — Grant County-Flasher
Walker Braaten — QB — Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn
Tyler Brandt — QB — Wyndmere-Lidgerwood
Dane Hagler — QB — North Star
Lucas Sims — RB — Central McLean
Jangula Gunner Thielges — RB — LaMoure-Litchville-Marion
Connor Kosiak — RB — South Border
Blake Mattson — RB — North Prairie
Luke Martinson — TE — Sargent County
Deng Deng — WR — Four Winds
Nate Tastad — OL — North Prairie

Here’s the first-team defense list:

Josh Wittich — DL — Sargent County
Keaton Wehrman — DL — Alexander
Hunter Tolstad — DL — Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn
Chase Cooper — DL — Wyndmere-Lidgerwood
Easton Benz — DL — New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock
Rueben Clay — LB — North Star
Ryan Pingel — LB — Alexander
Wyatt Kuhn — LB — New Salem-Almont
Daniel Shumacher — LB — South Border
Jaren Rafferty — LB — Hettinger County

They do not pick positions for the second-team:

Riley Morlock — Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood
Treyton Lesmann — Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn
Jacob Wolf — Central McLean
Beau Rider — Alexander
Maddox Juntunen — Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn
Levi Kackman — Wyndmere-Lidgerwood
Grady Whelander — Sargent County
Parker Hubrig — Hankinson
Nick Hansen — Sargent County
Nick Wulfekuhle — Richland
Gentry Richter — Linton-H-M-B
CL Weinberger — Grant County-Flasher
Cole Stock — South Border
Matthew Huether — Hettinger County
Berkley Frantz — South Border
Zachary Gibson — Nelson County
Ross Thompson — Nelson County
Carter Engebretson — New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock
Logan Maddock — New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock
Cole Henderson — North Prairie
Levi Buchholz — South Border
Brett Tastad — North Prairie
Connor Knatterud — New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock
Owen Lesko — LaMoure-Litchville-Marion
Easton Simon — New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock
Brody Nordmark — Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn
Brock Norton — New Salem-Almont
Tallen Binstock — Hettinger County

Nate Tastad with North Prairie was named 9-Man Outstanding Senior Athlete of the Year and Evan Mellmer with South Border was named 9-Man Coach of the Year.