The Wyoming Coaches Association announced its 3A Football All-Conference and All-State picks over the weekend, with a trio of Powell Panthers earning recognition.

Seniors Carson Heinen and Kaelan Groves received 3A West All-Conference and 3A All-State honors, both on the defensive side of the ball. Junior Brody Karhu, who battled injuries for most of the season, was named to the 3A West All-Conference team as a linebacker and as an at-large pick for both offense and defense.

“To have players recognized like this feels great,” said first-year PHS head coach Aaron Papich. “To see them get recognized for their hard work feels pretty good.”

As a defensive end, Heinen finished the season with 55 defensive points. He recorded 29 total tackles, including three tackles for a loss and one quarterback sack, and was a constant presence in opposing backfields.

“He [Heinen] really brought a lot of leadership, being consistent, showing up every day and doing all the things he was asked,” Papich said. “I don’t think he anticipated being recognized on the defensive side of the ball — he’s been such a good tight end for such a long time. I think that was something that coming into the season he was focused on.”

Papich’s defensive system called for Heinen to play a larger role on the defensive line, and the senior captain rose to the challenge.

“To see him [Heinen] get recognized for doing what’s best for the team is pretty awesome,” Papich said.

Groves was also asked to play out of position on both sides of the ball, and he did so without complaint. After losing the starting quarterback position to Ethan Asher early in the season, the senior remained a large part of the team’s offense as a running back and receiver. It was his play as a defensive back, however, where Groves made the largest impact. He finished the season with 98 defensive points, and his five interceptions tied for second in the state. He also had two blocked kicks.

“The way he [Groves] responded at the beginning of the year was incredible,” Papich said. “Both he and Carson played in roles and positions that I don’t think they really expected. I think just wanting to do what’s best for the team and be the best football player he can be in whatever position showed a lot of leadership on his part.”

Karhu was recognized for his play on both sides of the ball, finishing the season with 260 all-purpose yards on offense and 87 points on defense. As a linebacker, the junior recorded 64 tackles (17 solo) and three tackles for loss, despite dealing with a series of nagging injuries.

“At running back and linebacker, he [Karhu] did a really good job with just playing hard-nosed football,” Papich said. “I know a lot of teams really keyed on Brody. Talking to other coaches, they could see he had a motor, and he played with one. Unfortunately, he got a little banged up this year, but we’re pretty excited to have him back [next year], along with a lot of key guys.”

While the Panthers’ season at 1-7 could be characterized as a rebuilding one, Papich said there were a lot of players worthy of recognition.

“Running back Kadden Abraham I thought was extremely deserving,” he said. “He was a guy that played in every single game, and to only be a sophomore and perform like he did was very encouraging going into next season.”

Papich also praised senior lineman Carter Olsen, especially for his play on the offensive line.

“The O-line is a hard position to get a guy recognized on these lists if you’re not one of the top winning teams in the state; offensive lineman don’t really have stats,” Papich explained. “But from a coaching standpoint, he was solid. He was our top offensive lineman, and one of the best in the state, in my opinion.”