High school football: Dragon Propst named top offensive lineman

By ERIC VICCARO

eviccaro@stegenherald.com

Ste. Genevieve High School senior Dale Propst was recently honored as the all-Mississippi Area Football Conference offensive lineman of the year.

All-MAFC honors were released on Monday, Nov. 22, and the Dragons are well-represented on this elite squad.

Running back Zach Boyer was a unanimous first-team selection on offense, and Propst also was selected for the first-team offensive line.

“We were glad that Dale was able to win this award because he was more than deserving,” Ste. Genevieve head coach Jay Pope said. 

“Dale was a very good lineman last year,” Pope continued, “so his improvements were really the intangible things that he provided the team this year. He was a tremendous leader and role model for the younger linemen.”

Propst helped pave the way for Zach Boyer’s dynamic 2021 campaign.

“Zach had an incredible season,” Pope noted. “He ended up with some crazy statistics, and etched his name in the MSHSAA record book a few times at the wide receiver position.”

Pope says Zach Boyer will earn more awards, including the possibility for all-state accolades when they are released next week. 

Boyer caught 38 passes for 1,104 yards and 21 TD. He averaged 100.4 yards per game and 29.1 yards per reception. 

What’s more, Boyer rushed 28 times for 419 yards and four more scores. He was explosively prolific, with a 78-yard reception and a 90-yard run this season.

Propst helped Ste. Genevieve total 4,052 yards in offense this season. Aiden Boyer completed 57 percent of his passes. Running backs averaged 8.3 yards per carry.

Aiden Boyer was all-conference second-team quarterback for the Dragons, with Austin McBride (tailback), Kaden Buatte (athlete), Kaden Flye (wide receiver), Dalton McBride (offensive line) and Bryant Schwent (kicker) also second-team selections. Wyatt Springkamper, another wide receiver, was honorably mentioned.

Overall, the Dragons racked up 446 points, 170 points more than 2020. 

Ste. Genevieve scored 50 points or more five times this season. 

Aiden Boyer threw for 1,933 yards and rushed for 137 more with two TD. Boyer had 35 passing TD, with a scant six interceptions. His longest throw covered 80 yards.

McBride was the Dragons’ leading rusher with 1,047 yards on 113 carries (9.27/rush) with 12 TD. He averaged 95.2 yards per game. Flye finished with 23 receptions for 438 yards and seven TD. 

Schwent connected on 45-of-53 extra-point kicks (85 percent); however, he didn’t attempt a single field goal all season. 

Ste. Genevieve actually allowed more points in 2021, 312 versus 273 in 2020. The Dragons faced dynamic offenses from Valle Catholic twice, Kennett and Park Hills Central.

Four Ste. Genevieve players earned first-team defense honors in secondary members Klayton Squires and Flye, linebacker Tanner Weiler and defensive end Dale Propst. Will Vaughn was a second-team defensive tackle.

“Those four guys (on the first team) really improved as individuals this year,” said Pope, who also credited Thomas O’Brien and Carter Klump for their success.

Many teams avoided running toward O’Brien, a linebacker, and Klump, a defensive back who lined up against the opposing team’s best wide receiver and still managed to have five interceptions. 

“Will probably had as much growth this season as anyone after missing last year due to injury,” Pope said of Vaughn. “He will definitely be a guy our defense is going to depend on heavily next season.”

Linebacker Jacob Johns, O’Brien and Klump were defensive honorable mentions.

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