CUBA — While the coaches and players of Cuba High School’s football team have moved onto the basketball season, awards and recognition from the football season were just announced. Seven Wildcats earned All-Conference selections from Quad County Conference coaches.

Senior Cameron Carnal was named second team All-Conference as a wide receiver and as a kicker. Carnal caught 26 passes for 479 yards and three touchdowns, leading Cuba in each category. He showed his athletic versatility by stepping up as the team’s kicker and made 15 extra points and one field goal.

Junior Ethan Noltkamper was named second team All-Conference as a running back and as a defensive back. In just eight games, Noltkamper ran for 942 yards, eight rushing touchdowns and caught four passes for 53 yards and a receiving touchdown. His season was highlighted by a 295 yard and three-touchdown outburst against Bayless with Hancock. On defense Noltkamper made 56 tackles, deflected two passes, made a tackle for loss and returned a recovered fumble for a touchdown.

Junior defensive lineman Zane Brown was also a second team All-Conference selection. Brown made 46 tackles, three tackles for loss, forced a fumble and added a quarterback hurry to his strong junior year. He is expected to anchor Cuba’s offensive and defensive lines next season as a senior.

Seniors Wyatt McMillian, Paco Leos, Noah Halbert and junior Jesse Shireman earned All-Conference honorable mention selections.

McMillian, who was Cuba’s best lineman on offense and defense, earned the selection as an offensive guard. He led the Wildcats with 38 pancake blocks and allowed just one sack on the season. McMillian added 32 tackles, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on defense. He is currently weighing options to continue his playing career in college.

Paco Leos also played offense and defense and earned the selection as a linebacker. Leos led the Wildcats with 67 tackles and racked up two tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, two pass deflections, a sack and a forced fumble. He added 85 rushing yards and a touchdown on offense.

Jesse Shireman earned the selection as a defensive back and was also Cuba’s starting quarterback. Shireman made 37 tackles, deflected a pass and recovered a fumble in Cuba’s back line of defense. He passed for 835 yards and eight touchdowns while adding 113 yards on the ground.

Halbert earned All-Conference as a wide receiver and also started as a defensive back. He caught seven passes for 131 yards and a touchdown and added 124 yards and two touchdowns rushing. Halbert’s best game of the season was in his last game of his career when he ran for a 67 yard touchdown and caught a 57 yard touchdown pass in Cuba’s 32-20 loss to Hermann in Districts. 

The Wildcats will lose Carnal, McMillian, Leos and Halbert to graduation but will return Noltkamper, Brown and Shireman in hopes of building on this season heading into head coach Kaleb Cason’s second year on the job.