Area football players earn All-State honors

Three members of the Clear Lake football team and one member of the Garner-Hayfield/Ventura football team were named to the Iowa Newspaper Association’s 2013 All-State Football selections Tuesday, Nov. 26.  

Pete Swenson, of Clear Lake, was selected for the Class 3A First Team defense as a utility player.  The 6’3”, 211-pound senior recorded 19 solo tackles and 85 assists during the 2013 season.  His statistics also included four solo tackles for a loss and three solo sacks.  He had a fumble recovery and two interceptions during the season; one interception was returned for a touchdown. 

Clear Lake’s Mitchell Jordan, a 5’11” 269-pound senior,  was named to the Class 3A Second Team as an offensive lineman.  Jordan was also key to the Lion defensive line, making three solo and 11 tackle assists this year.

Logan Kracht, Clear Lake, was chosen for the Class 3A Third Team as punter.  The senior punted 28 times this season for 1,000 yards.  He averaged 35.7 yards each punt, with 60-yards being his longest.

GHV’s Braden Meints was selected to the Class 2A Third Team as a back.  The 6’2”, 180-pound senior, led the team in rushing with 1,289 yards and 12 touchdowns.  He also led the team on defense with 39 solo tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 71 total tackles.

In addition to three teams in classes A, 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A and 8-Man, the INA also named honorary captains for each class. 

The 6-1, 205-pound Trent Solsma was chosen as captain of the 3A Class. Solsma led Bishop Heelan, Sioux City to a 14-0 state championship season, completing 220 of 316 passes for 3,586 yards and 45 touchdowns. Solsma’s 84 career TD passes in just two seasons ranks third in Iowa prep football history. During Solsma’s junior year he led Heelan to a state runner-up finish, passing for city records of 3,177 yards and 39 touchdowns, which had tied for fourth best ever in the state.  Heelan topped Clear Lake in the State play-offs semi-final round this season.