Posted: Nov. 22, 2009 |(0) Comments

Ian McKechnie spent the last two falls giving New Berlin Eisenhower fans something to cheer about weekly. He gave Eisenhower coaches a weapon to utilize on both sides of the ball and in the kicking game. And he gave sports writers plenty of highlights to fill their papers writing about.

He also gave opposing coaches countless headaches both before and during games.

The most versatile player in the Woodland Conference and the league's Black Division player of the year, McKechnie was one of the most explosive players in the NOW coverage area and was one of two Lions to earn a spot on the All-Suburban Football Team.

"He was the best player in the conference, hands down," Greendale coach Rob Stoltz said. "There's no doubt he was the X-factor against us, even in 2008. The things he was able to do and the problems he presents, you can't duplicate in practice. He's extremely dynamic.

"I think he rubs people the wrong way because he's so competitive, but I love him. He's the kind of kid you'd love to have on your team and the kind you hate to coach against."

McKechnie's versatility put him in the running to become the school's first NOW player of the year. He was one of eight finalists up for the award and finished fourth behind Menomonee Falls running back Cole Myhra, Franklin quarterback Lance Baretz and Whitnall quarterback Joel Stave. None of the players who tallied more points than McKechnie were on the field as much as the Eisenhower senior though.

McKechnie helped the Lions win the Woodland Black Division and finish 9-2 overall by scoring at least one touchdown in all but the final game of the season, a 27-0 shutout loss to Catholic Memorial in the second round of the playoffs.

He finished with 40 catches for 734 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed 22 times for 129 yards and two scores. He returned two punts to paydirt while averaging 11.4 yards per return and a 90-yard touchdown return on a kickoff helped him to a 29.9 yard-per-return average.

Perhaps his most important touchdown catch came in the waning minutes of the Lions' 17-10 win over Whitefish Bay in the first round of the playoffs, a 27-yard pass reception from senior quarterback Brian York.

"He's a nightmare to game plan for," Whitnall coach Rob Leboeuf said. "You never knew where they were going to put him. They did everything with that kid. They changed their offense a little bit, after they lost to Pewaukee, to make him more of the focal point. Defensively, you had to know where he was at all times. You had to account for that kid."

In the kicking game, he connected on 41 of 46 extra-point attempts and two of four field goals to finish with a NOW area-best 155 points.

When McKechnie wasn't busy scoring, he was helping the Lions' defense prevent opposing teams from doing so. He had a team-high 77 total tackles (49 solo) with two sacks and two forced fumbles.

Ike lineman also honored

McKechnie's teammate, defensive lineman Ryan Werner, became the ninth defensive player - and fifth defensive lineman - in school history to make the NOW team in its 21-year history. The 6-3, 205-pound senior finished with 36 total tackles, including seven for loss and 2.5 sacks. He picked off one pass and recovered a fumble.

During the offseason, while the Lions' perimeter athletes were participating in the popular 7-on-7 leagues, Werner, also an offensive guard, ran the team's summer linemen club, organizing and creating scripts for all linemen to work on offensive and defensive techniques.

Costigan is repeat selection

Muskego tackle Kyle Costigan, a 6-5, 270-pound senior who has six Division I college scholarship offers on the table, followed up his breakout junior campaign with another strong effort that earned him first-team all-Southeast Conference honors and a spot on the NOW team for the second straight season, just the third Warrior to achieve that feat and the first since linebacker Chris Simonsen in 1994-95.

Costigan did not surrender a sack in 145 pass attempts.

"This year was the most total yards of offense for Muskego since 2001 and Kyle was one of the main reasons with his blocking," Muskego coach Ken Krause said.