Pintos honored on MFCA All-State and All-District football teams

The Missouri Football Coaches Association honored numerous California players on its All-District teams for District 6. The Pintos selected were (top row, from left): senior Drew Norton (First Team receiver), senior Walker Borghardt (First Team kick/punt returner, Second Team running back), senior Allan Burger (First Team linebacker), senior Nathan Squires (First Team defensive lineman, Second Team offensive lineman) and senior Gavin Pickering (Second Team offensive lineman). Also selected were (front row, from left): senior Jaden Barr (First Team quarterback, First Team punter), junior Landon Mouse (First Team defensive back), senior Ramiro Garcia (Second Team defensive lineman) and junior Brandan Gump (Second Team linebacker).
The Missouri Football Coaches Association honored numerous California players on its All-District teams for District 6. The Pintos selected were (top row, from left): senior Drew Norton (First Team receiver), senior Walker Borghardt (First Team kick/punt returner, Second Team running back), senior Allan Burger (First Team linebacker), senior Nathan Squires (First Team defensive lineman, Second Team offensive lineman) and senior Gavin Pickering (Second Team offensive lineman). Also selected were (front row, from left): senior Jaden Barr (First Team quarterback, First Team punter), junior Landon Mouse (First Team defensive back), senior Ramiro Garcia (Second Team defensive lineman) and junior Brandan Gump (Second Team linebacker).

With the Missouri Football Coaches Association preparing to vote on the Class 3 All-State teams, California senior running back Walker Borghardt made sure his head coach, Marty Albertson, had extra incentive heading into the process.

"I gave him $45 and two packs of family-size Doritos to get me on the All-State list," Borghardt joked.

Even if Borghardt had offered his coach a friendly bribe, it wouldn't have mattered. Albertson could nominate California players and submit their final statistics for the All-State meeting, but couldn't cast a vote. The Central District was represented by two football coaches, Eldon's Shannon Jolley and Boonville's Devin Brown, who put forth all the district nominations.

Although Borghardt was hoping to make the All-State First Team list, he was still pleased to be voted as the Second Team kick/punt returner. Blair Oaks junior Adam Schell was the First Team kick/punt returner.

"It's a culmination of hard work throughout the years," Borghardt said. "It's rewarding to get accolades after the season, knowing that people think you're good."

Two California players - senior quarterback Jaden Barr and senior linebacker Allan Burger - were recognized by the MFCA as All-State First Team selections. While Barr's nomination was expected, some people outside the district may have been surprised to hear Burger's name.

"If you look at Allan Burger, I've never been more proud of somebody," Borghardt said. "All his hard work in the off-season made him a First Team linebacker."

Along with Borghardt, California had three other players make the All-State Second Team: senior receiver Drew Norton, senior defensive lineman Nathan Squires and junior defensive back Landon Mouse. The Pintos didn't have any selections on the All-State Third Team.

"Our most important goal every season is to achieve team success," Albertson said. "If we do well as a team, the individual accolades will come later."

For Squires, receiving the All-State honor was a credit to his fellow Pintos.

"Those guys are great and this season was a lot of fun," he said. "I'm going to miss all my teammates. I'm going to miss them a lot."

While none of the California seniors have committed to play college football yet, Barr, Borghardt, Norton, Squires and defensive lineman Ramiro Garcia each expressed interest in competing at the next level.

"It takes a special individual to play college football," Albertson said. "If someone has the talent and the heart, I always tell them to go for it; you can only do it once in your life. If you don't like it, you can bail out then. It's a game you have to love."

The MFCA also released its All-District selections, with California represented by: Barr (First Team quarterback, First Team punter), Squires (First Team defensive line, Second Team offensive line), Burger (First Team linebacker), Borghardt (First Team kick/punt returner, Second Team running back), Mouse (First Team defensive back), Norton (First Team receiver), Garcia (Second Team defensive line), Brandan Gump (Second Team linebacker) and Gavin Pickering (Second Team offensive line).