PORT ANGELES — Crescent’s Noah Leonard and Quilcene’s Robert Comstock III and Olin Reynolds were named to The Associated Press’ Class 1B All-State Football Team Wednesday in voting conducted by sports writers across the state.
Quilcene sophomore Zach Budnek also earned honorable mention All-State honors along the defensive line.
Leonard, a throwback running back and linebacker in the vein of former Chicago Bears Brian Urlacher and Dick Butkus, was a two-way pick on offense and defense.
He was a first-team All-State selection at linebacker as a junior in 2017.
Crescent head coach Brian Shimko said Leonard is a throwback style of player, somebody who would have had little trouble turning out for Crescent teams through the decades.
“His style of play — I call him an old-school football player,” Shimko said. “He’s the type that you could plug in 10, 20 or 30 years ago and he wouldn’t have any problems.”
Leonard had a mammoth and record-breaking senior season offensively and defensively for the Loggers.
He piled up 2,218 yards on 207 carries (a 10.7 yards per carry average) and caught five passes for 215 yards. He also totaled 43 touchdowns and 10 2-point conversions.
He had a game for the ages against Mary M. Knight, tying a 1B state record previously set by Crescent’s Dylen Heaward with 10 touchdowns in a late-season win in which he recorded 392 rushing yards, 529 yards from scrimmage and four sacks defensively.
Defensively, Leonard added 134 tackles, 16 quarterback sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
“He’s leading on offense, leading on defense and he does what I’ve seen our big guys that have graduated like McCabe Story, Neil Peppard and Wyatt McNeece did for him when he was an eighth grader or a freshman or sophomore — he takes the time to instruct them and make them better and better players,” Shimko said during the season.
A senior, Comstock also was a two-way selection at wide receiver and along the defensive line for a Quilcene team that reached the 1B semifinals for just the second time in school history.
Comstock received honorable mention All-State honors along the defensive line last season.
A tall and strong 6-foot-5, 216-pounder, Comstock hauled in 31 receptions for 643 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also caught 13 2-point conversions.
Defensively, Comstock had 133 tackles, 13 sacks and returned two fumbles for scores. He also blocked three punts.
Quilcene head coach Trey Beathard also said Comstock was the team’s best overall blocker.
Reynolds, also a senior, was picked as a defensive back for the Rangers. He also was impactful offensively for Quilcene with 1,241 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns on 96 carries and four punt return TDs.
Budnek, at 6-foot-3, 228 pounds, both looks and plays the role of nose tackle to the hilt.
“Zach Budnek was our team’s leading tackler from his position of nose guard with 140 tackles,” Beathard said. “He also had nine quarterback sacks and was usually double teamed. He was the best nose guard in the state in 1B.”
Quarterback Marcus King of 1B-state champion Odessa was selected as 1B Player of the Year.
Quarterback Lincoln Victor of Class 4A Union was picked as the Player of the Year for all classifications.
Eastside Catholic running back Sam Adams was the 3A Player of the Year; Hockinson wide receiver Sawyer Racanelli 2A; Royal quarterback Sawyer Jenks 1A and Kalama quarterback Alex Dyer 2B.
The Peninsula Daily News’ All-Peninsula Football MVP and All-Peninsula Football Team members will be released in the Christmas Day (Tuesday) edition of the Peninsula Daily News.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News Quilcene’s Olin Reynolds, right, was selected to The Associated Press Class 1B All-State Football Team as a defensive back.
