Appleton North linebacker Brock Arndt named Large Schools state Defensive Player of the Year by WFCA

By Paul Lecker
AppletonSportsPage.com

Appleton North senior inside linebacker Brock Arndt was named the state Defensive Player of the Year in the Large Schools Division (Divisions 1-3) and a first-team all-state selection by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association.

Arndt was one of five Fox Valley Association players to earn first-team honors on the 2023 Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-State Football Team, joining Kaukauna offensive lineman Mitch Verstegen and defensive back Carson Van Dinter, Kimberly defensive lineman Sam McGivern and Neenah running back Grant Dean.

Arndt, who was a unanimous first-team pick on the Fox Valley Association all-conference team and was named the FVA’s Defensive Player of the Year and Linebacker of the Year, led the Lightning in tackles with 70, including six for loss.

Xavier had two players grab honorable mention spots – junior defensive end Carter Appl and senior inside linebacker Reid Hietpas.

Hietpas, the Bay Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Linebacker of the Year, finished the season with 95 tackles, including six for loss, and had six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Appl had 68 total tackles, 16 for loss, and 8½ quarterback sacks for the Hawks.

Kimberly offensive lineman Nick Plamann, Kaukauna quarterback Finnley Doriot and Hortonville inside linebacker Miles Sillas were also honorable mention picks on the Large Schools squad.

Terrance Shelton, a senior running back for Division 1 state runner-up Franklin, was named the Large Schools Offensive Player of the Year after finishing the season with 2,092 total yards (1,662 rushing, 430 receiving) and 32 touchdowns.

2023 Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-State Football Team
Large Schools (Divisions 1-3)
First Team
Offense
Line: Logan Gross, sr., Sun Prairie East; Donovan Harbour, sr., Waukesha Catholic Memorial; Jack Hardt, sr., Milwaukee Marquette; Derek Jensen, sr., Hartland Arrowhead; Kristian Peterson, sr., Middleton; Nathan Roy, sr., Mukwonago; Garrett Sexton, sr., Hartland Arrowhead; Owen Strebig, jr., Waukesha Catholic Memorial; Mitch Verstegen, sr., Kaukauna; Alex Warden, jr., Bay Port.
Running back: Christian Collins, jr., Green Bay Notre Dame; Grant Dean, jr., Neenah; Ben Lindley, sr., Waunakee; Ben Ott, sr., Glendale Nicolet; Mason Radobicky, jr., Mukwonago; Terrance Shelton, sr., Franklin.
Quarterback: Tyler Hatcher, sr., Sussex Hamilton; Kasey Helgeson, sr., Mount Horeb/Barneveld; Adam Skifton, sr., Onalaska.
Wide receivers: Nick Kihn, sr., Sussex Hamilton; Brodie Mickschi, sr., Onalaska; Connor Stauff, sr., Sun Prairie East; Drew Wagner, sr., Kettle Moraine.
Tight end/fullback: Robert Booker, sr., Waunakee; James Flanigan, jr., Green Bay Notre Dame.
Defense
Line: Jakob Duren, sr., Waunakee; Sam McGivern, sr., Kimberly; Jace Miller, sr., Franklin; Grey Rumohr, sr., Kettle Moraine.
End: Wade Bryan, sr., Waunakee; Damarcus Chappell, sr., Glendale Nicolet; Jace Gilbert, sr., Hartland Arrowhead; Ross Liegel, sr., Baraboo.
Inside linebacker: Brock Arndt, sr., Appleton North; Drew Braam, sr., Oak Creek; Landon Gauthier, sr., Bay Port; Jonathan Ksobiech, sr., Kettle Moraine; Sam Pilof, sr., Middleton.
Outside linebacker: Ean Ackley, sr., Sun Prairie West; Sam Dickman, sr., Hudson; Mitchell Nigro, jr., Milwaukee Marquette.
Defensive backs: Noah Hait, sr., Kettle Moraine; Keagen Jirschele, sr., Mosinee; Sam Ostrenga, sr., Sun Prairie East; Tre Poteat, jr., Verona; Carson Van Dinter, sr., Kaukauna.
Punter: Connor Breunig, sr., Sauk Prairie.
Kicker: Sean West, sr., Mequon Homestead.
Offensive Player of the Year: Terrance Shelton, sr., running back, Franklin.
Defensive Player of the Year: Brock Arndt, sr., inside linebacker, Appleton North.
Honorable Mention
Offense
Line: Sam Hawker, sr., Monona Grove; Brock Hodge, sr., Oak Creek; Charlie Hoitink, jr., Slinger; Austin Leibfried, sr., Mount Horeb/Barneveld; James Nellis, jr., Grafton; Nate Olsen, sr., Waunakee; Nic Plamann, sr., Kimberly; Grey Rumohr, sr., Kettle Moraine; Andrew Schaefer, sr., Menomonie.
Running back: Ashton Krause, sr., Muskego; Owen Leitel, sr., West Allis Hale; Brennan Litchford, jr., Milwaukee Reagan; Jonah Severson, sr., River Falls; Jack Wesolowski, sr., New Berlin West.
Quarterback: Finnley Doriot, sr., Kaukauna; JP Doyle, sr., Lake Geneva Badger; Brady Hilgart, jr., Grafton; Vance Johnson, jr., Waunakee; Carter Kallies, sr., Bay Port; Drew Kavanaugh, sr., Sun Prairie East; Gabe Passini, sr., Middleton.
Wide receiver: Jacques Brooks, sr., Franklin; Keagen Jirschele, sr., Mosinee; Chris Kiel, jr., Mount Horeb/Barneveld; Langdon Nordgaard, sr., West De Pere; Tommy Teberg, sr., Burlington.
Tight end/fullback: Tucker Grundahl, sr., DeForest; Aiden Krause, sr., Muskego; Luke Leair, jr., Cedarburg.
Defense
Line: Andrew Baumgart, sr., West De Pere; Hudson Fore, sr., Cedarburg; Nick McCullough, jr., Muskego; Peli Orugbani, sr., Milwaukee Marquette; Walker Powers, sr., Mukwonago; Beckett Spilde, sr., Stoughton.
End: Carter Appl, jr., Appleton Xavier; Carl Pevey, sr., Waukesha Catholic Memorial; Stanley Smith, sr., Green Bay Notre Dame; Aiden Tepper-Engh, sr., Hudson.
Inside linebacker: Cooper Catalano, jr., Germantown; Reid Hietpas, sr., Appleton Xavier; Sam Hogland, sr., Waunakee; Miles Sillas, sr., Hortonville; Talan Summers, sr., Franklin; Lamarcus Vinson, jr., Milwaukee King.
Outside linebacker: Sam Dudek, sr., Kimberly; Immanuel Joseph, sr., Franklin; Eli Rife, sr., Kettle Moraine; Charlie Schuster, sr., Pulaski; Owen Szpiszar, sr., Cedarburg.
Defensive back: Griffin Bowers, sr., Mequon Homestead; Noah Holtz, sr., Bay Port; Murphy Monreal, sr., Milwaukee Marquette; Josh Oechsner, sr., Waukesha Catholic Memorial; Jackson Spees, jr., Stevens Point; Logna Zahour, jr., Cedarburg.
Punter: Ashton Fischer, sr., Wisconsin Rapids; Erik Schmidt, jr., Milwaukee Marquette; Sean West, sr., Mequon Homestead.
Kicker: Keegan Fredrick, jr., Marshfield; Ryan McCormack, sr., Mukwonago; Cooper Mueller, sr., Franklin; Erik Schmidt, jr., Milwaukee Marquette.
Small Schools (Division 4-7)
First Team
Offense
Line: Casey Arendt, sr., Port Washington; Charles Garvey, sr., Wrightstown; Harrison Graveen, sr., Edgar; Josh Klann, sr., Lodi; Braxton Riha, sr., Kewaunee; Shane Willenbring, sr., La Crosse Aquinas.
Running back: Demetrius Bergmann, sr., Pepin/Alma; Colton Brunell, sr., Columbus; Karter Butt, sr., Edgar; Owen Carlson, sr., Kewaunee; Jayden Gordon, sr., Kenosha St. Joseph; Koehler Kilty, sr., Stratford; Chase Matthias, sr., Two Rivers.
Quarterback: Mason Lane, sr., Lodi; Cal Smith, sr., Baldwin-Woodville.
Wide receiver: Ethan Feldner, jr., University School of Milwaukee; Evan Olson, sr., Pepin/Alma.
Tight end/fullback: Gavin Leonhardt, sr., Stratford.
Defense
Line: Talan Crist, jr., Darlington; Max Matthias, so., Two Rivers; Noah Sarauer, sr., Baldwin-Woodville; Ezra Waege, sr., Luxemburg-Casco.
End: Carson Clausen, sr., Freedom; Camden Dvorachek, sr., Reedsville; James Seagreaves, sr., Monroe.
Inside linebacker: Colton Brunell, sr., Columbus; Karter Butt, sr., Edgar; Chase Matthias, sr., Two Rivers; Easton Stone, sr., Rice Lake.
Outside linebacker: Caymen Gebheim, sr., Somerset; Koehler Kilty, sr., Stratford; Brady Puls, sr., Lodi.
Defensive back: Eric Kenesie, sr., Kenosha St. Joseph; Brady Link, sr., Columbus; Max Ronsman, sr., Luxemburg-Casco.
Punter: Liam Fingerson, so., Richland Center.
Kicker: Owen Plate, sr., Plymouth.
Offensive Player of the Year: Colton Brunell, sr., running back, Columbus.
Defensive Player of the Year: Easton Stone, sr., inside linebacker, Rice Lake.
Honorable Mention
Offense
Line: Peyton Gundelach, sr., Marshall; Henry Koeppen, sr., Lodi; Ethan Kohlman, sr., Plymouth; Jake Long, sr., Adams-Friendship; Carter Lueck, jr., Stratford; Noah Moul, jr., Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs; Brian Ortega, jr., Kenosha St. Joseph; Noah Sarauer, sr., Baldwin-Woodville; Max Schneider, sr., Prairie du Chien; Cole Schwartz, sr., Johnson Creek; Ian Smith, sr., Northwestern.
Running back: Eli Adams, sr., Potosi/Cassville; Peyton Alvardo, sr., Lancaster; Aiden Meador, sr., St. Croix Falls; Ben Timm, sr., Campbellsport.
Quarterback: Ben Fritsch, sr., Port Washington; Justin Klinker, sr., Two Rivers; Danny Lodi, sr., Sturgeon Bay; Max Ronsman, sr., Luxemburg-Casco; Kade Rosenow, sr., Clintonville.
Wide receiver: Gunner Boegli, sr., Brodhead/Juda; Madden Mahr, jr., Stanley-Boyd; Brock Massey, sr., Mauston; Gavin Sell, jr., Baldwin-Woodville; Sam Wegener, jr., Clintonville.
Tight end/fullback: Caden Anderson, sr., Cameron; Camden Dvorachek, sr., Reedsville; Will Murray, sr., Darlington; Noah Nusbaum, sr., St. Croix Central; Trace Schoenebeck, sr., Luxemburg-Casco; Blake Thiry, jr., Prairie du Chien.
Defense
Line: Logan Brockman, jr., St. Croix Falls; Preston Dahlke, sr., Edgar; Jackson Kitzmiller, jr., Madison Edgewood; Demonte Lee, sr., Milwaukee St. Thomas More; Cole Legas, sr., Mayville; Braxton Riha, sr., Kewaunee; Shane Willenbring, sr., La Crosse Aquinas.
End: Caleb Bartko, jr., Spring Valley; Ryan Koll, sr., Plymouth; Carter Murray, sr., Darlington; Michael Reynolds, jr., Cameron; Storm Tiry, jr., Stanley-Boyd.
Inside linebacker: Damien Bell, sr., Cameron; Reagan Jackson, sr., Darlington; Will Jandrin, sr., Southern Door; Noah Moul, jr., Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs; Madox Stewart, sr., Pepin/Alma; Chase Sturm, sr., Stanley-Boyd; Mariano Talamantez, jr., Racine St. Catherine’s.
Outside linebacker: Adam Boldt, sr., Lake Country Lutheran; Brendan Gaertig, sr., Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs; Trenton Johnson, sr., Grantsburg; Ausitn Remington, sr., Mondovi; Trace Schoenebeck, sr., Luxemburg-Casco; Blake Thiry, jr., Prairie du Chien.
Defensive back: Adam Backus, sr., Mishicot; Walter Berns, sr., La Crosse Aquinas; Jamire Davis, sr., Kenosha St. Joseph; Andrew Figi, sr., Black Hawk/Warren; Willem Hoeffer, jr., St. Croix Falls; Marcus McIntyre, sr., Brodhead/Juda; Zach Orr, jr., Rice Lake; Teegan Streit, sr., Edgar.
Punter: Dylan Leccia, sr., Somerset; Gannon Schwartz, so., Winnebago Lutheran.
Kicker: Sam Crenshaw, sr., Bangor; Tate Eccles, jr., McFarland; Maddix Mueller, sr., Kewaunee.