Leader Fall Sports Awards

We hand out accolades for one heck of a fall season by numerous

Lake County athletes and teams

With winter sports just around the corner, we'd like to look back and give a few props to those local athletes that had great fall seasons. There were several squads this year that made the postseason and had rosters full of all-conference and all-state players. Here are a few awards we'd like to give out:

Most likely to play in a World Cup in the future - James Larson, Polson soccer

We wish there were enough adjectives made up by SportsCenter anchors to describe the soccer skills of James "The Lawman" Larson. He's not just dominant around the ball, he's also about as creative with it as Pablo Picasso is with a paintbrush. Perhaps we're preempting things a little bit by already printing "Larson" Team USA jerseys, but keep your eyes on this guy because he'll be doing something in soccer once he graduates from Polson High School.

Best impression of General Patton's invasion of Italy - The Ronan rushing attack

Patton may have had Sherman tanks, but Ronan head football coach Jim Benn had an offensive line that wreaked havoc on opponents. The stable of running backs carrying the ball were also incredibly talented as the Chiefs literally carried the football across the entire state of Montana and back.

The Bo Jackson award - Shay Duford, Polson volleyball

Being big Boston fans here at the Leader Sports desk, we're wondering when she can sign with the Red Sox. Duford brings an unmatched degree of competitiveness to the field as a pitcher for the Polson softball team during the spring and as a setter for the Polson volleyball team in the fall. This year, it seemed like there were about five of her out there diving for a ridiculous dig or directing the offense as the Lady Pirates advanced to the state tournament in volleyball for the fourth straight year.

Most intimidating lineman - Brady Potts, Arlee football

Potts supplemented his diet of quarterbacks during the season as a defensive lineman by blocking for an impressive Warriors offense. Whatever side of the ball he was on, it was inescapable - he was a huge factor in the game.

Most likely to appear as a weapon on the next Halo game - Sarah Howell, Polson soccer

The Howell-witzer was a weapon of mass destruction out on the soccer pitch for the Lady Pirates - and she is just a freshman. We're thinking that she's the missile launcher that would get you a triple kill during a Slayer match of Halo. Look for three more great years from the soccer star as Polson looks to maintain the success they had this season.

Best volleyball family - The Blevins, Charlo volleyball

Dawn and Kelsie Blevins have the same last name and apparently the same volleyball gene. Both were monster dig machines for the Lady Vikings and brought their Swiss Army Knife array of skills to the volleyball court. There are no worries when the Blevins are on the roster... unless you're playing for the other team.

The Wrecking Ball award - Paul McClurg, Polson football

Polson's senior routinely punished opponents regardless of who had the ball. On defense, McClurg's pursuit of the ball often left opponents writhing on the ground after thunderous hits. On offense, McClurg could be stopped, but rarely by one player. Quite often, it took three or four tacklers to drag an unwilling McClurg to the ground. For the season, McClurg racked up 559 yards on 62 carries for a team-leading 9.02 yards per rush and seven touchdowns.

The Unsung Heroes - Area offensive lines

Take your pick from the area because every Lake County school featured strong running games, but much of the credit for that success goes to the front line, who opened up big running lanes. Charlo head coach Mike Krahn popped his offensive line every chance he got and rightfully so with the seasons Tra Ludeman, Jacen Petersen and company had. He wasn't the only one, however, as each head coach mentioned a strong offensive line performance after big games. The Pirates averaged 6.77 yards a carry as a team this season, the Mission Bulldogs had a dynamic attack featuring Dylan Evans and Dakota Gun Hammer, Zach Tameler dominated for the Arlee Warriors and the three-headed monster in Ronan had a huge season. As talented as they are, however, a lot of the reason for those outbreaks has to do with the boys at the line of scrimmage.

The Energizer Bunny award - Whitney Malatare, Arlee volleyball

Whether it's at the net, in the bleachers or across the street, a ball hanging in the air will be tracked down by Malatare, who just keeps going and going and going. The Arlee Scarlet sophomore was named a Class C first-team All Star this season and if you had the chance to see her, you know why. Malatare missed a stretch of matches in September, but her return sparked Arlee to go on a dominating run to close the regular season. Included in that run was the Spike It Tournament in Arlee where Malatare shined, chasing shots all over the court, frequently lunging to keep play alive. After finishing second at districts, the Scarlets season concluded at divisionals, but it was a very successful year for Malatare and the rest of the Arlee volleyball team.

The Edmund Hillary award - Jimmy Bjorge, Polson Cross Country

Not only did Sir Bjorge overcome a mysterious heart condition to conquer the mighty Goat Hill at the Farragut Invitational and help lead the Pirate boys to another great season, he has continued his tireless training into the cold winter months. Jimmy was the top high school finisher at the lung-busting Mount Sentinel Hill Climb race in Missoula and claimed the overall title at Polson's Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 5K. He is focused on a personal best at January's Phoenix Half Marathon and should come back as a real force in the spring track season, even without the hills.

The Smiling Terminator award - Claudia Hewston, Polson Cross Country

Arnold himself would be proud at the way Claudia set a punishing pace and destroyed her competition week after week, always wearing that calm and confident grin. It is almost like she enjoys the suffering. She came back strong from an amazing freshman year and capped her sophomore campaign with a dominating conference title and another podium finish at state. Fear comes quickly to the minds of all her rivals when they consider her incredible power and gutsy determination. Look for her to lead the Polson girls in their quest for a 2012 state title.

The Da Vinci Award - Mission Girls Cross Country

You'd be hard-pressed to find something Mission's female runners couldn't do. Forget about winning a championship, which they did. Forget about making the honor roll, which they almost all do. Members of this team speak Salish, feed the hungry - there's even a black belt among them. It's a pretty impressive bunch that works hard and gets results out on the course, and the court because oh yeah, they all play volleyball too.