Fresh off their runner-up finish in the Class 2 state football championship, the South Callaway Bulldogs are picking up additional postseason acclaim.
South Callaway - which lost to now four-time state champion Lamar 30-15 in the Class 2 title game last Saturday in St. Louis - placed 10 players on the media's 2014 Central Missouri all-district football teams announced Wednesday.
Tim Rulo, who directed the Bulldogs to their first-ever appearance in a state championship and a 14-1 record, was also named Class 2 coach of the year.
Meanwhile, five Fulton players were selected to the Class 3 all-district squad and three North Callaway players received Class 2 distinction.
Senior Cory Hanger highlighted South Callaway's all-district picks as a two-way, first-team selection at wide receiver and defensive back. Hanger was joined on the Class 2 first-team offense by three teammates - senior quarterback Troy Hentges, fellow senior wide receiver Mason Shoemaker and senior linemen Michael Witt.
Also making the Class 2 first-team defense for the Bulldogs were senior linemen Dylan Hare and Luke Horstman, and junior linebacker Dillon Stone.
Hare was a second-team choice on offense as a wide receiver, along with junior lineman Dylan Bailey and senior kicker Caleb Sconce. Hentges was also a second-team selection as a defensive back and was joined by senior lineman Dakoda Ballard.
Fulton junior running back Travis Dean was named to the Class 3 first-team offense and junior lineman Zach Benner was a second-team pick. On the defensive side for the Hornets, junior linebacker Kobe Kaminski was a first-team choice and junior lineman Clayton Bristol and senior defensive back Noah Braun were second-team selections.
In Class 2, North Callaway senior Michael Pezold was a two-way, first-team choice as a lineman on offense and a linebacker on defense. Senior defensive back Cole Branson and junior defensive lineman George Jones were both second-team picks for the Thunderbirds.
The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Hanger rushed for a team-high 69 yards on nine carries and scored on a 3-yard touchdown in the state championship game. He also had four catches for 65 yards, including a dazzling one-handed grab for a 24-yard gain that set up his touchdown run in the second quarter.
Hanger - a unanimous first-team all-Eastern Missouri Conference selection on both offense and defense - topped South Callaway in rushing this season with 1,097 yards (10.5 average) and 19 touchdowns. He also finished with 21 catches for 561 yards (26.7 average) and 10 scores, both team highs.
From his free safety spot on defense, Hanger logged 72 tackles (12.5 for loss), paced the Bulldogs with nine interceptions and shared the team lead with five fumble recoveries. He also returned both an interception and a fumble for touchdowns.
Hanger also proved to be a spark on special teams, returning five punts for scores.
Hentges (6-0, 180) completed 18-of-34 passes for 228 yards, an interception and a 10-yard touchdown pass to Horstman in the title loss to Lamar. Hentges - also a two-way, first-team all-EMO pick - was 84-of-132 (64 percent) on the season for 1,574 yards, 28 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He was third on the team in rushing with 717 yards (7.9 average) and 19 scores.
Defensively, Hentges had 30 tackles, three interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Shoemaker (5-9, 150) - Hanger's partner in the slot - came in second for South Callaway in rushing, gaining 754 yards (9.7 average) and scoring 10 touchdowns. Shoemaker, a unanimous first-team all-EMO selection, also had nine catches for 190 yards (21.1 average) and three scores.
Witt (5-9, 170) was also a unanimous first-team all-EMO pick at center, helping the Bulldogs average 380.6 yards of total offense - including 275.7 rushing.
Hare (6-0, 205) - a unanimous first-team all-EMO defensive choice - recorded 61 tackles, including a remarkable 26 stops for loss. He also had six interceptions, five fumble recoveries and 2.5 sacks, returning three interceptions and two fumbles for touchdowns.
Also a first-team all-EMO selection on offense, Hare finished with a team-high 24 catches for 405 yards (16.9 average) and seven scores.
Horstman (6-2, 205) was a unanimous first-team all-EMO pick on defense, totalling 56 tackles (17.5 for loss). He recorded 2.5 sacks and recovered a fumble. Stone (5-10, 225) - also a unanimous first-team all-EMO defensive choice - topped South Callaway with 80 tackles (28.5 for loss) and seven sacks. He added four fumble recoveries and an interception.
Sconce (6-0, 150), a unanimous first-team all-EMO selection, converted 78-of-98 extra-point attempts and kicked two field goals. Bailey (5-11, 220) - a first-team all-EMO pick - helped Witt anchor the Bulldogs' offensive line.
Ballard (5-9, 195), a first-team all-EMO choice, registered 26 tackles (15.5 for loss) and had two fumble recoveries and a sack.
Rulo is now 66-19 in his seven seasons at South Callaway. He also guided the Bulldogs to the EMO title in their first year as a conference member.
The 5-11, 166-pound Dean - a first-team all-North Central Missouri Conference selection - led Fulton (6-5) in rushing with 1,191 yards (7.9 average) and 11 touchdowns. He finished with 12 catches for 396 yards (16.3 average) and three scores, and also threw a touchdown pass.
Kaminski (6-1, 195), also a first-team all-NCMC pick, logged 144 tackles, three interceptions, two sacks and a fumble recovery. Bristol (5-11, 242) - a first-team all-NCMC choice - ended up with 64 tackles and a sack. Braun (5-10, 164), a first-team all-NCMC selection, accumulated 72 tackles and recovered a fumble.
Benner (6-0, 192) - a first-team all-NCMC pick - was part of an offensive line that allowed the Hornets to average 337 yards of total offense, including 203 rushing.
Pezold (6-1, 205) was a first-team all-EMO choice on both offense (unanimous) and defense. He was a member of the offensive line that helped North Callaway (6-5) average 343.9 yards of total offense, including 185.5 rushing. Pezold paced the Thunderbirds' defense with 168 tackles (104 solo), one sack and a fumble recovery.
Jones (5-9, 260), a unanimous first-team all-EMO pick, logged 79 tackles. Branson (6-1, 185) - a first-team all-EMO selection - recorded 21 tackles and led the team with three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.
The all-district teams were selected by members of the Central Missouri media.