10 Grizzlies take home All-League honors in football

The 2025 season was not favorable to the McMinnville varsity football team. Going 1-8 overall and 0-5 in league play, the Grizzlies fought through injuries and learned new concepts, while many played starting roles for the first time at the varsity level.

If measuring the year by record, no one would be pleased. But for the Grizzlies, it was less about success and more about their commitment to one another that made the season special.

Mac faced five top 20 teams in 6A, including three in their conference in No. 6 Sherwood, No. 7 Glencoe and No. 12 Newberg. A team that had a plethora of new faces was thrown into the fire. Their opponents were top tier, but the Grizzlies never stopped battling. They grinded for every yard and rarely lost sight of what was ahead.

The team’s fight stemmed from a respect for their teammates, according to senior offensive weapon and defensive back Ben Mackay, who was most proud of the bonds made this season compared to years past.

“When we stepped onto the field, I knew that the other 10 guys out there with me were going to try their hardest because we all wanted to do it for each other,” Mackay said. “We weren’t doing it for ourselves. And I’d say that bond we had — that brotherhood — was really one of the most memorable things that I’ll look back upon.”

Mackay was electric on both ends of the field as part of an inspiring group of seniors. He was also one of nine Grizzlies to receive All-League honors following the regular season’s conclusion.

Junior Elias Keleher led the team in nominations, securing First-Team status as a punter and Second-Team honors as a defensive lineman. All other Grizzlies earned honorable mentions, including seniors Grant Yochum and Bradley Thompson as linebackers, senior Koda Spencer as a safety, Mackay and junior Colin Hurley as cornerbacks, junior Daniel Dillworth as an offensive lineman, senior Bradley Fish as an offensive center and senior Drew Bizon at quarterback.

Together since middle school, Mackay and his fellow seniors were a core that bought into improving. The exodus of talent from 2024 was massive, but the Grizzlies committed themselves to getting better every day to make up for inexperience as starters.

It was also just enjoyable to collaborate, according to Mackay. The team garnered respect for one another through Wednesday morning breakfasts, dinner on Thursday nights and daily lunches.

The Grizzlies’ one win this season, a 40-0 smothering of 5A No. 36 McKay during Homecoming week, was momentous because of what it meant to the team. With it, they avoided a winless season and were able to build some momentum into future contests. It also showed how important representing McMinnville was to their fourth-year leaders.

“We weren’t playing just for each other, we were playing for the whole city and every alumni that is maybe only coming out for one game a season,” Mackay said. “We made sure to give them a show, cause we were playing for something bigger than ourselves, playing for McMinnville, playing for everything. It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, and I wouldn’t have traded that win for any other win.”

The Grizzlies’ varsity squad will graduate 12 seniors.

The full 2025 PAC Conference Football All-League Teams:

Offensive Player of the Year: Daniel Heninger, Glencoe, RB *Unanimous

Defensive Player of the Year: Jack Wilson, Sherwood, S

Offensive Lineman of the Year: Brock Sahlfeld, Glencoe; Isaac Bean, Sherwood

Defensive Lineman of the Year: Isaac Bean, Sherwood

Coach of the Year: Mark Gribble, Sherwood; Jeremy Johnson, Newberg

First-Team

Defensive Down Linemen

Isaac Bean, Sherwood *Unanimous

Levi Klostreich, Sherwood *Unanimous

Brock Sahlfeld , Glencoe

Ethan Hopper, Liberty

Inside and Outside Backers

Isaac Reynoso, Glencoe *Unanimous

Chace Macken, Newberg *Unanimous

Nathanial Fagan, Sherwood *Unanimous

Tayvin Crowell , Glencoe

Riley Brisson, Liberty

Defensive Safeties

Jack Wilson, Sherwood *Unanimous

Lucas Vaughn , Newberg

Defensive Corners

Ethan Hein, Newberg *Unanimous

Lincoln Schmidt, Glencoe

Specialist/Punter

Eli Keleher, McMinnville

Specialist/Kick Returner

Ethan Hein, Newberg

Specialist/Place Kicker

Brady Kunart, Sherwood *Unanimous

Offensive Guards

Isaac Bean, Sherwood *Unanimous

Landon Parker, Liberty

Offensive Tackles

Brock Sahlfeld , Glencoe *Unanimous

Levi Klostrich, Sherwood *Unanimous

Offensive Center

Porter Braun, Glencoe

Tight End

Luke Greller, Newberg *Unanimous

Quarterback

Parker Sellner, Newberg *Unanimous

Wide Receivers

Ethan Hein, Newberg *Unanimous

King Mills, Glencoe

Jaxon Rekow, Liberty

Running Backs

Daniel Heninger, Glencoe *Unanimous

Mekhi Perry, Liberty *Unanimous

Jack Wilson, Sherwood *Unanimous

Second-Team

Defensive Down Linemen

Zadek Bowlby, Newberg

Porter Braun, Glencoe

Eli Keleher, McMinnville

Tylor Johnson, Newberg

Inside and Outside Backers

Austin Wilhelm, Newberg

Julian Morales , Century

Dallas Ochoa, Liberty

Liam Vaughn, Newberg

Jayden Wallace, Sherwood

Defensive Safeties

Daniel Heninger, Glencoe

Russell Fox, Liberty

Greyson McColloch, Sherwood

Defensive Corners

Jaxon Rekow, Liberty

Bastian Bowden, Sherwood

Specialist/Punter

Brady Kunart, Sherwood

Specialist/Kick Returner

Mekhi Perry, Liberty

Specialist/Place Kicker

Ben Davis, Newberg

Offensive Guards

Zadek Bowlby, Newberg

Isaac Reynoso, Glencoe

Offensive Tackles

Liam Alexander, Newberg

Landon Duyck , Glencoe

Offensive Center

Corden Garcher, Newberg

Tight End

Dallas Ochoa, Liberty

Quarterback

Jaxson James , Liberty

Wide Receivers

Ryder Owens, Century

Michael Brandt, Sherwood

Colton Seifert, Newberg

Running Backs

Chace Macken, Newberg

Deaken Santrizos, Newberg

Lincoln Kemper, Glencoe

Jayden Wallace, Sherwood

Honorable Mention

Defensive Down Linemen

Liam Alexander, Newberg

Noah Elizarraras, Century

Landon Duyck, Glencoe

Nick Peterson, Sherwood

Charlie Westgaard, Liberty

Jackson Robertson, Newberg

James Curbow, Glencoe

Alex Herrera, Newberg

Lukas Thorne, Sherwood

Tyler Bake, Century

Inside and Outside Backers

Lincoln Kemper, Glencoe

Madox Rekow, Liberty

Grant Yochum, McMinnville

Bradly Thompson, McMinnville

Bruno Soldani, Glencoe

Brayden Decker, Liberty

Luke Greller, Newberg

Seamus Holmes, Century

Danny Maldonado, Century

Defensive Safeties

Luke Newport, Liberty

Koda Spencer, McMinnville

AJ Thomas, Newberg

Benny Hurley, Century

Collin Stortro, Glencoe

Defensive Corners

Colton Seifert, Newberg

Ben MacKay, McMinnville

Ben James, Liberty

Cam Jorgenson, Century

Berry Fonua, Glencoe

Colin Hurley, McMinnville

Charlie Green, Sherwood

Specialist/Punter

Ethan Hopper, Liberty

Ben Bondurant, Newberg

Collin Stortro, Glencoe

Specialist/Kick Returner

King Mills, Glencoe

Deaken Santrizos, Newberg

Jack Wilson, Sherwood

Ryder Owens, Century

Collin Stortro, Glencoe

Specialist/Place Kicker

AJ Schmidt, Glencoe

Joe Castro, Liberty

Offensive Guards

Logan Gardner, Newberg

Gabe Lacey, Sherwood

Micah Doelger , Liberty

James Curbow, Glencoe

Offensive Tackles

Kylan Spencer, Liberty

Noah Elizarraras, Century

Daniel Dillworth, McMinnville

Alex Herrera, Newberg

Andres Hernandez, Sherwood

Leland Reed , Liberty

Offensive Center

Colin Brady, Liberty

Bradley Fish, McMinnville

Matthew Charles Moore, Sherwood

Tight End

Noel Wood, Glencoe

Lukas Thorne, Sherwood

Tayvin Crowell , Glencoe

Quarterback

Kia Boatsman, Sherwood

Damian Elizarraras, Century

Nolan Wolfe, Glencoe

Drew Bizon, McMinnville

Wide Receivers

Ben James, Liberty

Lucas Vaughn, Newberg

Benny Hurley, Century

KJ Thompson, Glencoe

Owen Kubin, Newberg

Bastain Bowden, Sherwood

Jermaen Smith, Century

Running Backs

Abraham Castro, Glencoe

Jones Dickover, Sherwood

Ethan Morris, Sherwood