The Montgomery County football team enjoyed a strong Eastern Missouri Conference season this fall after winning just two games last year.

The Wildcats finished in a tie for second with South Callaway and Wright City in the league standings at 5-2. They were rewarded for their successful season by having nine players on the all-conference team, seven of them earned their first all-league award.

Senior Mason Leu led the way by getting all-conference honors on both sides of the ball. He was named unanimous first-team receiver and first-team defensive back. He was named on the all-EMO team for the second year in a row. He was voted first-team defensive back in 2022.

Leu finished with 776 yards receiving with eight touchdowns and 74 tackles.

Senior James Pollard also earned his second straight all-EMO award as he was named first-team defensive lineman after getting 47 tackles. Last year, he was voted second-team defensive lineman.

Seniors Jacer Brower, Jace Ellis, Dayton Simmons, Christian Naylor and Bryson Hoffman and juniors Tatum Wessel and Trenton Birkner were to the all-conference football team for the first time.

Brower was selected first-team receiver after catching for 758 yards with seven touchdowns. Ellis was voted second-team quarterback and second-team punter after throwing for 1,904 yards with 21 touchdowns, scoring a team-high nine touchdowns and punting for 641 yards.

Simmons was named second-team receiver after catching for 632 yards with eight touchdowns. Naylor earned second-team offensive lineman and first-team place kicker honors after making 37 tackles and kicking 10 points after touchdown and two field goals. Hoffman was named second-team defensive end after finishing with a team-high seven sacks. Wessel was named first-team linebacker after getting a team-high 106 tackles.

Birkner was voted second-team defensive end after getting 52 tackles and 6.5 sacks.

The Wildcats defeated North Callaway, Louisiana, Wright City, Mark Twain and Van-Far in conference play. On Sept. 29, MCHS came back from a 19-0 deficit to edge Wright City 34-33. The Wildcats finished 6-4 overall, their fourth winning season in five years.

Bowling Green and South Callaway handed the Wildcats their only losses in conference play. Bowling Green won the conference title at 7-0. South Callaway played its final year in the EMO.