Kelch, Hunt named All-State in football

For the second straight year, Whitefish senior Mason Kelch was named to the Class A All-State football team as a receiver and safety, but he wasn’t the only Bulldog to get accolades for his play this year.

Senior cornerback Dane Hunt was also named All-State for his play, and he also made the Western A All-Conference second team for his play at receiver.

Also making the Western A All-Conference second team was senior tackle Henry Bennetts, while junior quarterback Carson Gulick received an honorable mention. Ryder Barinowski did it all on special teams, earning second-team honors for both his kicking and punting this year.

On defense, earning Western A All-Conference second-team honors, were junior defensive end Scott Dalen, Bennetts at inside linebacker, senior outside linebacker Carson Krack and senior cornerback Jesse Burrough. Receiving an honorable mention was sophomore outside linebacker Cole Moses.

This season Whitefish battled back from an 0-3 start to earn a berth in the state playoffs for the second straight year. Though they lost to Columbia Falls in the playoffs, the Bulldogs finished the season 4-6 overall and executed a key mid-season overtime victory over the Wildcats. The team will graduate 13 seniors this year.