Thiry named Defensive Player of the Year, Schneider repeats as Offensive Lineman of the Year as 12 Hawks make 2023 SWC All-Conference team
Jeremiah Avery, Honorable Mention. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Xander DeHart, Second Team Specialist. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Dawson Eastman, First Team Offense. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Drew Hird (15), Honorable Mention. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Drake Ingham, Second Team Defense. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Daniel Kruk (63), First Team Defense. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Bryce Lenzendorf (44), First Team Defense. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Aiden Martin (68), Honorable Mention. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Nick McCullick (20), First Team Specialist. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Dustin Nolan (45), Second Team Defense. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Max Schneider, First Team Offense, Second Team Defense, and Offensive Lineman of the Year. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Blake Thiry (9), First Team Offense & Defense and Defensive Player of the Year. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Dave Antoniewicz, SWC Assistant Coach of the Year. (Submitted photo)
By Derick Kelly
Junior Blake Thiry and senior Max Schneider were among 12 different Prairie du Chien Blackhawk Football players to named to the 2023 SWC All-Conference team.
Thiry was named the SWC Defensive Player of the Year while Schneider repeated as the SWC Offensive Lineman of the Year to the lead the Hawks all-conference contingent.
Named to the All-Conference Offense First Team was Thiry at Tight End, Schneider on Offensive Line, and senior Dawson Eastman, also on the Offensive Line.
Earning First Team Defense honors were Thiry and fellow junior Bryce Lenzendorf at Linebacker, and senior Daniel Kruk on the defensive line.
Rounding first team selections out for Prairie du Chien is junior Nick McCullick who earned first team specialist honors as kick and punt returner.
Selected to the second team defense was Schneider at defensive end, junior Dustin Nolan at inside linebacker, and senior Drake Ingham at defensive back. Junior Xander DeHart was named to the specialist second team as kicker.
Seniors Jeremiah Avery, Drew Hird, and Aiden Martin were named honorable mention.
Schneider was the first Prairie du Chien Football player to ever repeat as a Conference’s Lineman of the Year, Offensive/Defensive Player of the Year, or Most Valuable Player.
Blake Thiry joins Tyler Hannah as the only PdC players to ever be named SWC Defensive Player of the Year. In fact, the only other PdC players to earn such honors primarily for their defense was Callistus (Kelly) Schissel in 1987 and Larry Mara in 1983 when they were named the SWAL Most Valuable Player at linebacker.
PdC assistant coach Dave Antoniewicz was named the SWC Assistant Coach of the Year, which made him the first assistant coach in program history to be honored with this award.
