With the release of the Des Moines Register's All-Iowa football awards, it officially brings to an end the 2016 football season.

West Branch finished the year 6-4 and lost to eventual state runner-up Regina in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs. However, that did not deter the Bears from being very well represented in the postseason.

Senior Luke Lenoch along with juniors Jacob Barnhart and Jacob Graves were named to the Class 1A team. The DSM Register only names one team per class, along with an Elite team which takes into account all 6 classes.

Lenoch, no stranger to postseason accolades, earns 1st team all-state honors for the 3rd consecutive year. The soft-spoken running back has pretty much re-written the entire record book for West Branch football as it pertains to running backs. He finished his illustrious career with 6,022 yards and 84 touchdowns. Both numbers put him in the top 14 all time in the history of Iowa HS football.

Barnhart and Graves are first timers on the All-Iowa team from the Des Moines Register. At 6'5" and 285 pounds, the big guy helped pave the road for many of Lenoch's 1,838 yards in 2016. He will be a three year starter on the OL when the 2017 season begins. As for Graves, nicknamed Cheese, he was tied for second in all of Class 1A with 7 interceptions on the season. Cheese was also named District 3 Defensive Back of the Year.

Head Coach Butch Pedersen had this to say regarding the above news.

"This is a tremendous achievement for these kids." he said. "It shows the hard work they put in off the field and on the field. All three of them will tell you that it would not be possible without the help of their teammates. And that's what makes our team special. We always stress being a 'family' and togetherness."

Colton Dietz has also received postseason recognition. He was named 1st team all-state by the Iowa Newspaper Association.

Congratulations to these fine young student-athletes.

Here is a link to the the All-Iowa Team.