Gragert and Rowan selected for Montana all-star teams

Both senior Loggers Jordan Gragert and Zack Rowan will represent Montana in all-star football teams this summer as they also prepare for football scholarships with college programs.

While Rowan secured a spot as a wide receiver on the 2008 Shriner All-Star team, Gragert was the only Logger to make both the Shriner and the Knights of Columbus Montana high school all-star football team.

Jeremy Chumley was chosen as an alternate for running back with the Shriner team.

Rowan said he was surprised and happy when he found out he made the team, which will be July 19 at Memorial Stadium in Great Falls.

“It's a pretty good honor to make it on that team,” he said.

Rowan and Gragert will travel to Butte in July to practice at Montana Tech for a week and on to Great Falls.

“I hope that it gets me ready for college football a little bit more and I help the west side out,” said Rowan.

Rowan recently signed a letter of intent for a scholarship in football to play at the University of Montana - Western in Dillon.

“I like the coaching staff there,” said Rowan. “It's a good fit. Their offense throws the ball a lot, so it'll be good for me.”

Polson High School coach Scott Wilson will head up the coaching staff for the West side team.

Gragert, who was recently awarded a full-ride scholarship to Colorado State University next year for football, was excited to make the teams.

“It's pretty cool that I got it,” he said of the Knights of Columbus team.

That game will be played June 21 at Denton field in Miles City, N.D. Last year, North Dakota won, 30-21, however, Montana leads the series 10-4.

“I plan to go and play and have some fun,” said Gragert, adding it will be cool to play football with Montanans from all four classes throughout the state.

Logger football coach, Neil Fuller was proud of his former Logger football players.

“We've had kids that have gotten scholarships in the past, but it's a big deal because that just doesn't happen every day,” he said.

Last year, Loggers Kyle Baker and Jake Graham were selected for the Knights of Columbus all-star team, and Travis Hjort took the honor two years ago.

The Knights of Columbus is the largest organization of a Catholic laity, with more than 1.6 million members worldwide.

In Montana, the Catholic family fraternal service organization gave $162,823 in contributions in 2006, including $69,051 to youth activities, $45,777 to community activities, and $47,995 to church activities.

The Montana Knights also provided 203,750 hours of volunteer service, 1,041 blood donors, and visited 15,913 of the sick or bereaved.