It wasn’t the season the Trenton Bulldogs were hoping for. As the defending Grand River Conference champions and winners of their first district game since MSHSAA moved to a bracket-style format in 2012, it’s safe to say the Bulldogs had their sights set higher than a 4-6 record.
But in the midst of mediocrity, Mason Owen and Jadan Whitney were nothing short of incredible. The coaches of the Grand River Conference took notice when they named the two unanimous all-conference selections – Whitney as a linebacker and Owen as a defensive lineman. The coaches in Class 2, District 8 took notice when they named the two first team all-district selections at those same positions.
Now, the coaches statewide have taken notice as well.
Over the weekend, Whitney and Owen were named to the Missouri Football Coaches Association’s Class 2 all-state third team. It was a just honor for a duo that combined for over 250 tackles this season.
Whitney, a junior, made the move from defensive end to linebacker and the move suited him well. He led the Bulldogs with 133 total tackles, the highest total reached by a Trenton Bulldog in over a decade. Of his 133 stops, 59 were solo tackles and 10 were tackles for loss.
“Jadan did a really good job this year – his first year at linebacker,” Trenton Head Coach Brandon Boswell said. “I think he just has a pretty good instinct, pretty good IQ and he is a quick learner. The thing we noticed this year is just how much Jadan was in on the play sideline to sideline, not just in the middle of the field. He has great speed and great strength and he is a very physical player. Down at the coaches convention you looked at the stats of some of the other players who were all-state and Jadan was right there, so I think that is pretty promising for next year.”
Owen, a senior who was primarily a defensive tackle but also saw time at linebacker and defensive end, racked up 123 tackles, including a team-high 14 tackles for loss. He had two sacks, recovered two fumbles and picked off one pass on the season.
“Mason did a lot of things and his talent was a big reason why we were able to have success up front,” Boswell said. “He had good leadership on defense and just made sure the guys we had up front on the D-line knew what their assignments were. His football IQ was so high that we could move him anywhere. When we needed to move him to defensive end or back to linebacker, he did a good job. He just understands football and when you have kids like that, it just makes your job as a coach that much easier. Mason is a talented kid and like I have said, one of the best players I have ever coached. We are all excited to see what his future holds.”
Owen and Whitney were also both key contributors for the Bulldogs as offensive linemen. Behind the two and their fellow frontliners, Trenton rushed for 2,549 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Quarterback Lathan Croy and offensive lineman Cole Schilling joined Owen and Whitney on the coaches’ all-district team as second-team selections at their respective positions. Owen was named to the KMRN/KKWK All-Star team and KMZU Dream Team as a defensive lineman. Croy was named to the KMZU Dream Team as a quarterback.
The full MFCA Class 2 All-State team is as follows:
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Kinser Madison, Sr. 6’1” 205 Higginsville
RB Cooper Lucas, Sr. 5’10” 215 Lamar
RB Elijah Thirkield, Sr. 6’ 205 Higginsville
RB Tray Stevenson, Sr. 5’10” 205 Malden
WR Jameson Williams, Jr. 6’2” 165 Card. Ritter
WR Isaac Mauldin, Sr. 5’10” 175 Fair Grove
TE Chase Looney, Sr. 6’2” 245 Higginsville
ATH Michael Danner, Sr. 6’ 190 Lamar
OL Seth Fullerton, Sr. 6’2” 220 Lamar
OL Caleb Gouge, Jr. 6’5” 305 Lamar
OL Cliff Mason, Sr. 5’8” 275 Higginsville
OL Jack Buford, Jr. 6’5” 305 Luth. North
OL Ryan Wilson, Sr. 6’3” 275 Univ. Acad.
DEFENSE
DL Ronnie Perkins, Sr. 6’4” 260 Luth.North
DL Andrew Hillman, Sr. 5’9” 240 Lamar
DL Hunter Bayless, Sr. 6’ 220 Lamar
DE T.W. Ayers, Sr. 6’2” 240 Lamar
DE J.J. McCoy, Sr. 6’3” 235 Higginsville
LB Travis Bailey, Jr. 6’2” 210 Lamar
LB Mason Gash, So. 6’ 190 Higginsville
LB Peyton Plunkett, Sr. 6’3” 210 Palmyra
LB Jeremy Tucker, Sr. 6’3” 215 Charleston
DB Landon Hardman, Jr. 5’11” 160 Lamar
DB Trenton Rankin, Sr. 5’9” 165 Higginsville
DB Koel Orchard, Sr. 6’ 170 Liberty MV
DB Carter Otwell, Sr. 6’2” 185 Mtn. Grove
SPECIALISTS
P Zack Rarick, Sr. 5’9” 165 Jefferson
K Noah Mencer, Sr. 5’11” 190 Palmyra
KR Ben Breeze, Jr. 5’7” 155 St. Pius X
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Robert Hunter, Jr. 6’5” 190 Fr. Tolton
RB Donovan Marshall, Sr. 6’ 190 Luth. North
RB Adam Reno, Sr. 6’ 204 N. Callaway
RB Q’nairies Anderson, Jr. 5’11” 180 Charleston
WR Bryce Strawn, Sr. 6’2” 195 Caruthersville
WR Luke Marcum, Sr. 5’9” 145 East Prairie
TE Gabe Goodwin, Sr. 6’2” 215 Palmyra
ATH Canaan Brooks, Sr. 5’11” 205 Luth. North
OL Dakota Jakoubek, Sr. 6’2” 235 Jefferson
OL Jackson Wilson, Sr. 6’1” 237 Malden
OL Dalton Curtis, Sr. 5’11” 260 Ava
OL Lane Fanning, Sr. 6’ 225 Lamar
OL Payton Wallace, Jr. 6’1” 255 Lexington
DEFENSE
DL Baley Bewley, Sr. 6’2” 210 Ava
DL D’Vion Harris, Jr. 6’2” 215 Luth.North
DL Nolan Mills, Jr. 5’9” 240 Lawson
DE Hunter Robertson, Sr. 6’3” 210 Fair Grove
DE Nate Fauquier, Sr. 6’ 225 Warsaw
LB Devin Ruffin, Sr. 6’2” 225 Luth. North
LB Kayden Meyers, So. 6’1” 190 Ava
LB Jordan Delashmutt, Jr. 5’11” 195 N. Callaway
LB Hunter Leach, Sr. 5’11” 210 Lexington
DB Quincey McDonald, Sr. 6’ 165 Ava
DB Jared Phillips, Sr. 5’10” 175 Card. Ritter
DB Peyton Leeper, Jr. 5’10” 180 S. Callaway
DB Austin Edwards, Sr. 5’9” 178 N. Callaway
SPECIALISTS
P Zeke Webb, Sr. 5’9” 250 Willow Sp.
K Tim Branneky, Sr. 6” 180 Luth. North
KR Jaycee Farrar Sr. 5’9” 160 Cole Camp
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Charles Golliday, Sr. 6’ 165 Caruthersville
RB Andrew Martin, Sr. 5’10” 180 Holden
RB Alvaro Porras, Jr. 5’7” 185 Lexington
RB Andrew Graves, Jr. 5’8” 175 Jefferson
WR Nick Beckett, Sr. 6” 180 Fr. Tolton
WR Zeb Riney, Sr. 5’10” 155 Clark Co.
TE Shelby McKinney, Jr. 6’3” 215 El Dorado
ATH Derez Tipler, Jr. 5’10” 170 East Prairie
OL Jackson Powell, Jr. 6’1” 185 Palmyra
OL Jalen Nash, Sr. 6’1” 240 Smt.Christ.
OL Wyatt Graves, Sr. 5’10” 180 El Dorado
OL Kyle Golbricht, Jr. 6’ 270 Clark Co.
OL Brooks Baker, Jr. 6’4” 250 Brookfield
DEFENSE
DL Jeffrey Smoot, Sr. 6’ 275 Macon
DL Mason Owen, Sr. 6’ 225 Trenton
DL Jack Hunziker, Sr. 6’1” 255 Clark Co.
DE Zac Schachtner, Sr. 6’4” 235 Fr. Tolton
DE Josh Laing, Sr. 5’11” 162 Holden
LB Trevor Thompson, Jr. 6’2” 205 Mtn. Grove
LB Kaden Helsel, Sr. 6’ 190 S. Callaway
LB Jadan Whitney, Jr. 5’9” 201 Trenton
LB Brad Kaiser, Sr. 6’ 215 Centralia
DB Braxden Neil, Sr. 6’3” 185 Palmyra
DB KaidenDavenport, Sr. 5’8” 176 Centralia
DB Josh McConnell, Jr. 5’10” 180 Smt.Christ.
DB Nathaniel Bentrup, Sr. 6’1” 173 LeBlond
SPECIALISTS
P Zeb Riney, Sr. 5’10” 155 Clark Co.
K Justin Burns, Jr. 6’1” 165 Lathrop
KR B.J. Fisher, Jr. 6’ 175 Hallsville