1A ALL-LEAGUE: Indian Springs’ Reinke earns coaches’ respect, MVP honors

Indian Springs quarterback Adam Reinke wasn’t fully satisfied with his junior season.

The Thunderbirds won one Class 1A Southern League game, lost their final four contests and missed the playoffs.

Reinke, though, received the ultimate showing of respect from opposing coaches by being voted the league’s Most Valuable Player.

“When I found out, it was very unexpected,” Reinke said. “I know I did well, but throughout the whole league, I didn’t know.”

Reinke, a 6-foot-2-inch junior, carried the Thunderbirds (2-6, 1-5) all season as injuries mounted around him.

Reinke passed for 1,479 yards and 17 touchdowns with only two interceptions, and led the Thunderbirds in rushing with 401 yards and eight TDs. He also caught a pair of TD passes, and was Indian Springs’ leading tackler (48) as a linebacker.

Indian Springs got off to a 2-2 start, but faltered down the stretch without any seniors on its roster.

“It was a tough season, but we did make the best of it,” Reinke said. “We’re going to do a lot better. We’ll have good freshmen coming in. We’ll do better than this year.”

Reinke, who also was voted a first-team linebacker, said his favorite memory this season was a 46-42 loss at Spring Mountain in which the Eagles scored 24 points in the final seven minutes to win.

“Even though we didn’t win, it was a tough game,” Reinke said. “It was a great experience. It was the toughest game I’d ever been through playing football.”

Reinke threw for 313 yards and three scores in the loss.

The statistical highlight of Reinke’s season came in a 72-25 home win over Sandy Valley on Sept. 4, when he passed for 263 yards and four TDs and rushed for 136 yards and four scores.

Coach of the Year went to Spring Mountain’s Aaron Masden, who guided the Eagles (7-4, 4-2) to their first postseason berth since 2005.

Pahranagat Valley junior running back Jensen Jones took Offensive MVP, and senior outside linebacker Dustin Poulsen was named Defensive MVP.