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Washington Evening Journal
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3 Raiders make 1st team All State
Five Williamsburg players have been named to the 2023 Iowa Football Coaches Association/Iowa Print Sports Writer Association Class 3A all-state football teams.
Seniors Derek Weisskopf and Braylon Wetjen, and junior Rayce Heitman were first-team selections for the state champion Raiders, while seniors Clayten Steckly and Braden Plotz made the second team.
Weisskopf, who earned all-state honors for the third straight year as a defensive back (he was 2A all-state first-team as a junior and second-team as a sophomore) was named the Class 3A captain.
The future University of Iowa Hawkeye led the Raiders to a 32-6 record and three consecutive trips to the UNI Dome and state playoff semifinals the last three years, starring in several roles this season.
On offense, Weisskopf completed 64 of 110 passes for 1,123 yards and 20 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He rushed 57 times for 317 yards and two TDs, and caught 14 passes for 212 yards and four scores.
Defensively, Weisskopf totaled 58.5 tackles — 50 of those solos — intercepted four passes and, as the team’s punter, averaged 37.7 yards on 31 kicks.
Wetjen was a first-team all-state pick at wide receiver. He caught 38 passes for 804 yards and 15 touchdowns, rushed 14 times for 212 yards and one touchdown and intercepted six passes on defense.
His 15 touchdown receptions and six interceptions led Class 3A.
Heitman earned first-team all-state honors at linebacker, finishing second in Class 3A in total tackles (118.5), first in solo tackles (107), fourth in tackles for losses (21.5) and eighth in sacks (7.5).
A game breaker, Heitman also had two interceptions and two punt returns for touchdowns — in the same game — caught 32 passes for 506 yards and 10 touchdowns and had four rushing scores.
Steckly was a second-team all-state selection at wide receiver, and Plotz a second-team choice as an offensive lineman.
Steckly caught 43 passes for 579 yards and 10 TDs, the latter tying him with Heitman for 10th place in Class 3A.
Plotz anchored a line that helped Weisskopf, Wetjen and Heitman become first-team all-staters.
“Very deserving of those honors,” said Williamsburg Coach Curt Ritchie of his five all-staters. “They’ve put in the time and it’s nice to see them get rewarded for it.”
