Brandt, Bulldogs top Callaway all-district football picks

Led by senior Will Brandt - a two-way, first-team pick - the South Callaway Bulldogs placed six players on the 2010 Class 2 all-district football team announced this past week.

The North Callaway Thunderbirds also had six players selected to the Class 3 all-district squad, while the Fulton Hornets had one pick.

Brandt - a wide receiver-defensive back - was joined on the Class 2 first-team offense by South Callaway junior running back T.J. Buchholz and senior lineman Ethan Martin. In addition to Brandt, Bulldogs junior linebacker Hunter Leeper made the first-team defense.

Named to the second-team offense from South Callaway was senior Bryan Lechner at an all-purpose position, while junior defensive back Ben Seitz was also a second-team choice.

The Bulldogs' Tim Rulo was picked as the Class 2 all-district coach of the year.

Selected to the Class 3 first-team offense from North Callaway were junior wide receiver Jared Graves and senior kicker Andrew Attebery, while senior quarterback Tylar Walker and senior lineman Jimmy Craighead were second-team choices.

Thunderbirds junior lineman Ty Webster was picked on the first-team defense and senior linebacker Jacob Henricks was a second-team selection.

Meanwhile, Fulton senior linebacker Nick Christensen was a second-team defensive choice.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Brandt - a two-way, first-team all-Mid-Missouri Conference pick - topped South Callaway this season with 38 catches for 768 yards (20.2 average) and 13 touchdowns. On defense, he led the Bulldogs with six interceptions and also had 61 tackles (38 solo).

Buchholz (5-6, 175), also a first-team all-MMC selection, rushed for a team-high 727 yards (4.5 average) and nine touchdowns. The 5-7, 185-pound Martin - a first-team all-MMC choice - helped anchor an offensive line that allowed South Callaway to average 205.2 yards rushing and 95.5 yards passing per game.

Leeper (5-10, 165) - also named to the all-MMC first-team defense - recorded a team-high 152 tackles (61 solo) and paced the Bulldogs with 19 tackles for loss. He also had one sack, one fumble recovery and an interception.

The 6-1, 165-pound Lechner, a first-team all-MMC pick, was second on the team in rushing with 493 yards (6.8 average) and three touchdowns. He also finished with 11 catches for 159 yards (14.5 average) and one score.

Seitz (5-9, 140) - a first-team all-MMC choice - logged 89 tackles (53 solo) and had three fumble recoveries and three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.

Rulo - in his third year at South Callaway - directed the Bulldogs to a school-best 10-2 record and a third straight trip to the state playoffs. South Callaway lost to Mark Twain in sectional play.

The Bulldogs also captured their first-ever Mid-Missouri Conference championship and defeated North Callaway for the first time in the program's 13-year history.

The 6-3, 175-pound Graves - earning second-team all-MMC honors - was second on the Thunderbirds with 22 catches for 453 yards (20.6 average), but scored a team-high 10 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Attebery (6-2, 160), a first-team all-MMC selection, was perfect on his extra-point attempts (40-of-40) this season and connected on 2-of-3 field-goal attempts (34 and 20 yards).

Walker (5-11, 175), despite missing two full games due to a leg injury, completed 73-of-157 passes for 17 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also rushed for 263 yards and four scores. Walker was a first-team all-MMC pick.

Craighead (6-2, 265), who received first-team all-MMC status, was part of an offensive line that helped North Callaway average 184.7 yards rushing and 120.5 yards passing per game.

The 6-0, 175-pound Webster - also a first-team all-MMC choice - was tied for third on the Thunderbirds with 85 tackles (50 solo) and recorded two sacks. Henricks (6-0, 185), a first-team all-MMC selection, was second on the team with 94 tackles (56 solo). He had two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

North Callaway ended the season with a 6-5 record and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. The Thunderbirds bowed to Bowling Green in sectional play.

The 6-2, 205-pound Christensen - a first-team all-North Central Missouri Conference selection - topped Fulton (1-9) with 104 tackles (58 solo).

The Central Missouri all-district teams were chosen by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.