DHS linemen, Slaughter among new DSU recruits

• Levi Keck

Press Photo by Dustin Monke Dickinson High senior Levi Keck stands on the sidelines during a game against Fargo South on Oct. 15 at the Badlands Activities Center. The all-state lineman is staying in town and will play for Dickinson State next season.
• Robbie Slaughter

Press Photo by Dustin Monke Richardton-Taylor-Hebron lineman Robbie Slaughter, left, blocks for Adam Woroniecki during a game at Beach on Oct. 12. Slaughter is one of 21 recruits who have signed with Dickinson State.

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The Dickinson State football team’s latest crop of 21 recruits has a little bit of everything, including a bright future.

The Blue Hawks’ 2011 recruiting class includes Dickinson High’s top three linemen, an all-state lineman from Bismarck Century, one of the area’s top 9-man players, seven players from both Montana and Wyoming and a transfer running back.

“It’s a good way to kick off the recruiting season,” said Dickinson State head coach Hank Biesiot, who said he expects to release another list of recruits soon. “We’ve got good balance at all the positions, good prospects at nearly all the positions on the team.

“With any type of recruiting year, you like to have that foundation, where you have most of the bases covered. I think that’s the case, where it’s in the secondary or with running backs and in the trenches.”

The Blue Hawks started this year’s class by storming Dickinson High’s trenches.

Midgets linemen Levi Keck, Chad Cianni and Justin Dvorak have all signed letters of intent to be Blue Hawks next season.

Keck is a 6-foot, 290-pound nose tackle who was a Class 3A first-team all-state selection. Cianni is a 6-5, 300-pound offensive tackle and Dvorak is a 6-2, 240-pound defensive tackle.

“A lot of their (the Midgets’) success was based on the strength of their guys up front,” Biesiot said. “All of those guys bring some unique things to the table.”

Joining them will be another lineman from one of the Midgets’ rivals.

Meyer Bohn, a 6-foot, 225-pound Class 3A first team all-state selection as a lineman at Bismarck Century, is expected to switch to linebacker at DSU.

Bohn and Keck have been selected to represent North Dakota in the Badlands Bowl all-star football game this summer.

Chris Kurkowski, a 6-3, 230-pound tight end and defensive end from Custer County High School in Miles City, Mont., will represent Montana.

Kurkowski was an all-state selection in 2010. He was a member of the Montana Class A state championship teams in 2008 and 2010. He was also this year’s Class A state wrestling champion at heavyweight.

Biesiot likened Kurkowski to Robbie Slaughter, a 6-3, 245-pound all-state lineman who helped Richardton-Taylor-Hebron capture the Region 6 regular-season championship and paved the way for record-setting running back Adam Woroniecki, a University of Mary recruit.

“Robbie is a kid, we think, maybe has his best years in front of him,” Biesiot said.

One of DSU’s most intriguing recruits is transfer Jordan Scott, a 5-11, 205-pound running back who was recruited by NCAA Division I FCS schools coming out of Glendale (Ariz.) Junior College.

Scott had an excellent senior season for North Canyon High School in Phoenix in 2006, earning Class 5A all-state first team honors. He rushed for 1,470 yards and 24 TDs, caught 21 passes for 156 yards and 2 TDs and had and 8 interceptions.

He then went on to play at Glendale before transferring to Idaho State, a FCS school where he did not play after suffering an Achilles’ tendon injury.

Scott had 70 carries for 305 yards and a TD for NCAA Division II California (Pa.) University last season.

He has one season of eligibility remaining.

As always, DSU picked up several Montana standouts.

Ethan Albrecht, a 5-11, 192-pound all-state running back from Laurel, Mont., can also play linebacker and kicker.

Matt McCoy is a 6-1, 210-pound linebacker and Class B all-state selection from Plentywood, Mont. He is the brother of DSU standout linebacker Zach McCoy.

Jaylen Sokoloski, an 8-man all-state selection the past two seasons at Wibaux, Mont., is a 6-2, 170-pound quarterback and safety. He played in three state championship games for the Longhorns and was selected for the Montana 8-man all-star game this season.

Other Montana recruits include:

- Charley Hawbaker, a 5-10, 170-pound defensive back from Scobey, Mont., who was a Class C all-state selection.

- Tyler Girard, a 5-9, 175-pound defensive back from Billings West High School.

- Zach Sandau, a 5-9, 180-pound running back and defensive back from Missoula Big Sky High School.

Five of DSU’s seven recruits from Wyoming were all-state selections in the state’s two largest classes.

“We had a few more kids come in from the state of Wyoming this year than we’ve had a lot of years,” Biesiot said. “I think the staff has done a good job recruiting there.”

Sheridan linemen Kyle Hutchinson and Wes Sessions were Class 4A first team all-state selections. Cheyenne Central quarterback Thad Lane was on the second team.

Cody safety Tate Edwards, Douglas linebacker Paul Foy were Class 3A all-state first team selections.

The Blue Hawks also picked up Riley Moore, a running back out of Casper Kelly Walsh High School and Josh Peterson, a defensive back from Laramie.

DSU comes into the season thin at quarterback, but Biesiot doesn’t expect Lane — a 6-2 speedster who throws well on the run — to have to play immediately.

“Thad is coming off a very good high school career in a good league,” Biesiot said. “We like his athleticism.”

DSU’s lone recruit from South Dakota is Ryan Harrison, a 6-foot-2, 233-pound tight end and linebacker who played for Biesiot’s son, Tony Biesiot, at Lead-Deadwood High School.

Dickinson State football recruits

North Dakota (5)

Meyer Bohn, 6-0, 225, LB, Bismarck Century

Chad Cianni, 6-5, 300, OL, Dickinson High

Justin Dvorak, 6-2, 240, DL, Dickinson High

Levi Keck, 6-0, 290, DL, Dickinson High

Robbie Slaughter, 6-3, 242, DL, Hebron, Richardton-Taylor-Hebron

Montana (7)

Ethan Albrecht, 5-11, 192, RB-LB, Laurel, Mont.

Tyler Girard, 5-9, 175, DB, Billings, Mont. (Billings West High School)

Chris Kurkowski, 6-3, 240, DL, Miles City, Mont. (Custer County High School)

Charley Hawbaker, 5-10, 170, DB, Scobey, Mont.

Matt McCoy, 6-1, 220, LB, Plentywood, Mont.

Jaylen Sokoloski, 6-2, 170, DB, Wibaux, Mont.

Zach Sandau, 5-9, 180, RB-S, Missoula, Mont. (Big Sky High School)

Wyoming (7)

Tate Edwards, 5-11, 165, S, Cody, Wyo.

Paul Foy, 5-11, 185, LB, Glendo, Wyo. (Douglas High School)

Thad Lane, 6-2, 170, QB, Cheyenne, Wyo. (Cheyenne Central)

Kyle Hutchinson, 6-1, 270, OL, Sheridan, Wyo.

Riley Moore, 5-11, 170, RB, Casper, Wyo. (Kelly Walsh High School)

Josh Peterson, 6-1, 185, DB, Laramie, Wyo.

Wes Sessions, 5-11, 210, LB, Sheridan, Wyo.

South Dakota (1)

Ryan Harrison, 6-2, 233, TE-LB, Lead, S.D. (Lead-Deadwood High School)

Transfer (1)

Jordan Scott, Sr., 5-10, 205 RB, Glendale, Ariz., Glendale Junior College, California (Pa.) and Idaho State.

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