Newberg Graphic Online

Tony Smith 1A coach of the year, others earn honors

Season’s end honors — St. Paul football team places seven players on all-state lists; coach says several others deserved to earn spots

• Published: 2/5/2010 2:09:14 PM

Photo By: Gary AllenProlific —
Under Smith’s guidance the Bucks were second in the nation in scoring with 804 points in 2009.

   ST. PAUL — Honors continue to roll in for the state champion St. Paul football team.
   Six members of the undefeated Bucks squad were first-team all-state selections, while senior Ryan Pierson was named state player of the year and Tony Smith was named coach of the year.
Pierson was one of two St. Paul players to be a first-team selection on both sides of the ball, as both a running back and a defensive back. The other was senior Austin Smith, who was a first-team offensive and defensive lineman.
   Other players earning top honors for the Bucks were senior offensive lineman Reid Davidson, senior center Jay Riggleman, senior defensive end David Ferguson and junior linebacker T.J. Weisz.
Junior quarterback Daley Smith was an honorable mention.
   Coach Smith said he felt the team was well-represented in the all-state selections, but pointed to a couple omissions, with Ferguson not being a first-team player on offense, and junior John Merten not earning any all-state recognition.
   Neither player was a first-team all-league selection, therefore making them ineligible for the all-state ballot.
   Smith said the only reason Ferguson wasn’t a first-team all-league offensive end was because he switched to the position midway through the season. Meanwhile, Merten became a starter at about the same time.
   By the end of the year, Smith said Merten had become one of the best offensive and defensive linemen in the state.
   The seniors — Pierson, Ferguson, Davidson, Riggleman and Austin Smith — will all play in the eight-man all-star game June 19 at Linfield College.
   Not only did St. Paul earn a number of individual honors, but the Bucks’ historic season also moved them into both the Oregon and national record books compiled by the National Federation of High School Associations.
   Offensively, the Bucks broke four national eight-man football records.
   St. Paul set the new national record for points scored in a single season (804), outpacing the 1969 Huntington team which scored 778 points in 13 games. The Bucks also set all-time highs for total yards (6,497), rushing yards (5,301) and rushing attempts (539).
   St. Paul also moved into the national rankings for single-season rushing touchdowns (second with 83), total touchdowns (fifth with 101) and points per game (ninth with an average of over 57 points).
With five state championships, the Bucks moved into a tie with Cove for seventh place all-time nationally and second in Oregon behind Dufur, which has six. The 13-0 season also marked the third undefeated season in St. Paul history, good for a sixth-place tie in the national rankings.

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