Nov. 28—ELLENDALE, N.D. — Seth Irey's coach got in his head at the beginning of August.
"I realized I could make the All-State team in fall camp when one of our coaches said to me, 'keep working hard and you will be an all-stater,'" said Irey, a junior for the Ellendale/Edgeley-Kulm football team.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHis coach was right.
"I found out I was named to the All-State team after wrestling practice when my coaches congratulated me," Irey said. "I just said thanks and went home to ask my dad."
His dad confirmed what his wrestling coaches told him.
Irey was one of four members of the Thunder's roster who were named to the 2025 NDHSCA All-State Division A Football Team earlier this month. His teammates, Drew Thorpe, Ivan Carruth and Brogan Young, were also recognized by the NDHSCA.
Irey's first memory of playing football is when he and his friends would meet up at the football field and just play for hours on end.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"The game didn't end until someone's parents called and said we had to be done," Irey said. "I've been playing football for as long as I can remember. The first time I played organized football was in fourth grade. I got into it because my dad played college football at Valley City State University. I grew up with it every Friday watching our high school team, Saturday's watching college football and Sunday's watching the Vikings."
Irey has been playing varsity level football for the Thunder since his freshman year.
"My favorite thing about playing for E/E-K is the culture," Irey said. "I love how everyone is buying in and trusting the process."
E/E-K finished the season at 9-2 and won the program's first-ever Region championship.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"The hardest challenge I have had to overcome in football would be coming up short on our goals for the three years I've been on the team," Irey said. "My freshman year we wanted to make the playoffs and missed it by a game. My sophomore year we wanted to win a playoff game and lost first round. This year we wanted to win the state championship and we came up short. I really hope that we can go get a state championship as a team next year."
The Thunder lost to Bottineau 36-35 in the quarterfinal round of the Class A state playoffs.
"I don't think (the season) surpassed expectations because we know as a team to expect more, but we can't mad at how it was ended," Thorpe said. "We fought and battled every last second and that's what we need to be excited about for next year."
Thorpe is a junior quarterback and linebacker for the Thunder. He was named to the First-Team defense roster.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"(All-State) wasn't a goal of mine," Thorpe said. "I just wanted to be the best I can be on and off the field and it worked out so I can't be happier. there was never a time I thought of being selected All-State. I just knew I was playing good football all year. I never expected this though. ... I was very, very excited to be selected. It's exciting because I was selected one of the best at my position and not a lot of people can say they have been selected all-state honor."
Thorpe has been playing football since fourth grade.
"I've always liked football from playing a recess to in the backyard," Thorpe said. "That's what made the decision so easy to play. My first memory is probably scoring my first touchdown."
Like Irey, Thorpe has been a part of the varsity roster since his freshman season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I'd attribute my success to my teammates and coaches," Thorpe said. "I'd say my teammates because with them doing their jobs on the field I wouldn't be able to do mine. So my teammates are a huge part in my success. And my coaches — they put in so much time off the field for game plans and how to do things day in and day out. So a lot of my success goes to them as well."
Players and coaches aren't the only ones who deserve the credit for the Thunder's success.
"Being from a co-op school is hard with schedules and practices," Young said. "Our coaches, administrators and bus drivers need credit too."
Young acted as a receiver and cornerback for the Thunder this season. The junior was named to the Class A second-team roster. Young is a third-year starter for the Thunder.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I heard about it the day they came out," Young said of the All-State news. "My mom had called me and told me about it while I was lifting. I was excited but I was prouder for my teammates who made it. I had thought about it but it never was a goal."
Young said throughout the season he was impressed by the contributions the underclassmen made to the team and said he thought the upperclassmen did a good job of leading by example.
Carruth was one who led by example.
The senior running back was a second-year all-stater having picked up second-team honors as a junior. He was named the Region 1 Senior Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the regular season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I guess I was just happy," Carruth said of how he felt when he received the All-State news.
Happy and thankful seemed to be a common feeling between E/E-K's four all-staters.
"Winning the region with my team and being coached by the Region Coach of the Year (were highlights)," Young said. "I would like to thank (Coach Irey) again for trusting us throughout the season and just letting us play football."
2025 NDHSCA All-State Division A Football Team
First Team Offense
Jax Johnson, Sr., QB, Langdon Area/Munich
Emerson Marum, Jr., QB, Bottineau
Tucker Bohmbach, Sr., QB, Killdeer
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIvan Carruth, Sr., RB, Ellendale/Edgeley/Kulm
Hugh Meyer, Sr., RB, Dickinson Trinity
Tucker Omdahl, Sr., RB, Park River Area
Sam Davis, Sr., RB, Langdon Area/Munich
Michael Dukart, Sr., WR, Killdeer
Brooks Crocket, Soph., TE, Northern Cass
Keifer Finley, Jr., OL, Harvey/Wells County
Jaiden Foss, Sr., OL, Velva/Drake-Anamoose/Garrison
Jace Handy, Sr., OL, Killdeer
Seth Irey, Jr., OL, Ellendale/Edgeley/Kulm
Landon Schneider, Jr., OL, Langdon Area/Munich
First Team Defense
Theo Romfo, Sr., DL, Langdon Area/Munich
Carson Coleman, Sr., DL, Bottineau
Jace Peters, Soph., DL, Dickinson Trinity
Drew Thorpe, Jr., LB , Ellendale/Edgeley/Kulm
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWyatt Campbell, Sr., LB, Bottineau
Jack Skalsky, Sr., LB, Beulah
Madden Barstad, Jr., LB, Velva/Drake-Anamoose/Garrison
Aiden Hanson, Sr., DB, Central McLean
Jaxson Reese, Sr., DB, Killdeer
Tyson Leshuk, Sr., DB, Hillsboro/Central Valley
Reese Steffen, Sr., DB, Velva/Drake-Anamoose/Garrison
Second Team
Eli Lyons, Sr., Lisbon
Sawyer Owens, Sr., Hillsboro/Central Valley
Luke Walski, Jr., Northern Cass
Brogan Young, Jr., Ellendale/Edgeley/Kulm
Chase Haffelly, Sr., Hillsboro/Central Valley
Sully Kelsen, Soph., Lisbon
Cash Danner, Sr., Thompson
Reggie Rice, Sr., Grafton
Tate Wolsky, Sr., Carrington
Charlie Yon, Sr., Thompson
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJace Rosinski, Sr., Park River Area
Easton Zigelman, Soph., Grafton
Luke Shirek, Sr., Park River Area
Chase Kling, Sr., Killdeer
Ethan Retterath, Jr., Southern McLean
Cole McClennen, Sr., Shiloh Christian
Chris Hegar, Sr., Central McLean
Anthony Hallet, Jr., Beulah
Jordan Ham, Jr., Dickinson Trinity
Ben Hynek, Jr., Stanley
Johnathan Smith, Sr., Des Lacs-Burlington
Ty Barman, Fr., Ray-Powers Lake
Kyler Fisher, Sr., Des Lacs-Burlington
Cooper Kittleson, Sr., Velva/Drake-Anamoose/Garrison
Logan Vincent, Jr., Velva/Drake-Anamoose/Garrison
Landen Solberg, Sr., Bottineau
2025 NDHSCA Division A Football Senior Athlete of the Year: Jax Johnson, Langdon Area/Munich
2025 NDHSCA Division A Football Coach of the Year: Zach Keller, Bottineau
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