It has been a long road, but Sawyer Racanelli has become a fixture among Montana’s receiving corps.
Racanelli had four catches for a career-high 65 yards Saturday in a 31-20 win over Northern Arizona. The redshirt senior from Hockinson has made catches in six of the Grizzlies seven games and moved into a starting role.
Big things were expected of Racanelli when he arrived at Montana as a transfer from Washington, where he spent two years largely on special teams. But the two-time Class 2A state champion missed all of the 2022 season after suffering a knee injury in spring practice.
Racanelli played a major supporting role last season in doing a bit of everything. He caught 10 passes for 130 yards, threw a touchdown pass and even blocked a punt in the FCS playoffs against Delaware. He appeared in all 15 games and made two starts.
After last season, Racanelli was named the team’s Pat Norwood Award winner for most inspirational player.
Here’s how other collegiate football players from Clark County at four-year programs fared. (Blank signifies a bye week).
Air Force
Kyle Chen, Mountain View, So., DB — Did not play in 52-37 loss to New Mexico.
Black Hills State
Jake Blair, Camas, So.*, QB — Did not play in a 35-14 loss to Western Colorado.
Charlie Bump, Camas, So.*, WR — Had two catches for 25 yards.
Buffalo
Tristan Souza, Camas, Jr., DT — Started at defensive tackle in a 30-15 win over Toledo. Had two tackles.
California
Tobias Merriweather, Union, Jr., WR — Did not play in a 17-15 loss to Pitt.
Rush Reimer, Camas, Sr., OL — Started at left guard for an offense that gained 335 yards.
Central College (Iowa)
Kyle Norton, Evergreen, Jr., RB — Did not play in a 16-13 overtime loss to Coe.
Central Washington
Josiah Cochran, Skyview, Sr.*, DL — Started at defensive tackle in a 14-13 loss to Texas-Permian Basin. Had two tackles.
Dylan Dean, Columbia River, Jr.*, OL — Did not play.
Ty Evans, Skyview, Fr.*, DL — Did not play.
Tyler Flanagan, Woodland, Jr.*, RB — Started at running back. Had 20 carries for 68 yards with a long of 10 yards.
Ben Hallead, Union, Fr., WR — Did not play.
Mitchell Johnson, Mountain View, Fr.*, QB — Did not play.
Vinny Lenzi, Ridgefield, Jr., LS — Did not play.
Jarius Phillips, Camas, So.*, LB — Played in a backup role. Had one kickoff return for 6 yards.
Titan Phillips, Camas, Sr.*, TE — Did not play.
Ty Snider, Ridgefield, So.*, WR — Did not play.
Eastern Michigan
Zyell Griffin, Evergreen, Sr, WR — Played in a backup role in a 38-14 loss to Miami (Ohio).
Eastern Oregon
Wyatt Bartroff, Ridgefield, So., LB — Did not play in a 28-21 win over Montana State-Northern.
Owen Wann, Battle Ground, Jr., LB — Did not play.
Eastern Washington
Brock Harrison, Ridgefield, Grad. student, DL — Started at defensive end in a 35-28 win over Sacramento State. Had one solo tackle.
Tyson Jacobson, Camas, So.*, LS — Handled long-snapping duties. Eastern went 5 for 5 on extra points and 0 for 1 on field goals.
Jonathan Landry, Evergreen, Fr.*, DB — Had one solo tackle.
Aiden Nicholson, Mountain View, Fr., WR — Did not play.
Ahmani Williams, Skyview, Jr.*, LB — Made four tackles, including two solo.
George Fox
Noah Boncore, King’s Way Christian, Fr., OL — Played in a backup role in a 40-14 win over Puget Sound.
Jacob Champine, Battle Ground, Fr., LB — Played in a backup role.
Connor Delamarter, Ridgefield, Jr., LB — Played in a backup role.
Benjamin Rembisz, La Center, So., K/P — Made field goals of 32 and 29 yards and missed a 47-yard attempt. Went 4 for 5 on extra points and had six kickoffs with one touchback and an average of 56.3 yards.
Kameron Spencer, Battle Ground, So., QB — Had one carry for 0 yards.
Idaho
Holden Bea, Washougal, Fr., QB — Did not play in 38-7 loss to Montana State.
Ryan Kawalek, La Center, Fr., OL — Did not play.
Jonathan Stromberg, Skyview, Fr.*, TE — Did not play.
Trenton Swanson, Camas, Fr., WR — Did not play.
Idaho State
Adam Watts, Columbia River, Fr.*, WR — Did not play in a 42-38 loss to Portland State.
Lewis & Clark
Nathan Lien, Evergreen, Sr., OL — Started at right guard in a 47-14 loss to Linfield for an offense that gained 216 yards.
Jack Warren, Heritage, Jr., DL — Had one solo tackle and blocked an extra-point attempt.
Linfield
Sean Emberlin, Seton Catholic, So., WR — Played in a backup role in a 47-14 win over Lewis & Clark.
Kenyon Johnson, Hockinson, So.*, CB — Started a cornerback. Had two tackles, including one solo and an interception that he returned for 6 yards.
J.J. Thompson, Mountain View, Fr., CB — Did not play.
Kellen Wiggins, Skyview, Fr., LB — Did not play.
Griffin Young, Seton Catholic, Jr., TE — Did not play.
Montana
Cooper Barnum, Skyview, Sr., DB — Played in a backup role in a 31-20 win over Northern Arizona.
Cole Grossman, Skyview, Sr.*, TE — Did not play.
Sawyer Racanelli, Hockinson, Sr.*, WR — Started at wide receiver. Had four catches for a team-high 65 yards with a long of 38 yards.
Montana Western
Thomas Brown, Washougal, So.*, DB — Did not play in a 27-21 win over Montana Tech.
Koby Johnson, Washougal, Fr., K — Had six kickoffs with two touchbacks and an average of 59.2 yards.
Northwestern (Iowa)
Gabe Martin, Skyview, Fr., RB —
Oregon
Andrew Boyle, Camas, Sr.*, K/P — Was 1 for 1 on extra points and had a kickoff that produced a recovered fumble in a 32-31 win over Ohio State.
Fox Crader, Evergreen, Fr., OL — Did not play.
Pacific
Jeremiah Katsuta, Central Catholic, Fr., LB — Did not play in a 34-18 loss to Pacific Lutheran.
Pacific Lutheran
Zachary Gable, Mountain View, So., DL — Started at defensive tackle in a 34-18 win over Pacific. Had three tackles, including one solo tackle and 1.5 sacks for a loss of 11 yards.
Pomona-Pitzer
Alex Wood, Union, Sr., DB — Had four tackles, all solo, in a 10-7 win over Redlands.
Portland State
Jacques Badolato-Birdsell, Camas, Jr., RB — Did not play in a 42-38 win over Idaho State.
Tanner Beaman, Skyview, So.*, TE — Started at tight end. Had one catch for 4 yards.
Fyodor Henrichs-Tarasenkov, Skyview, So.*, K — Had seven kickoffs with five touchbacks, one out of bounds and an average of 61.4 yards.
CJ Jordan, Union, Jr., QB — Did not play.
Ben Kapelka, Prairie, Fr.*, OL — Did not play.
Anthony Lamberth, Evergreen, Fr., WR — Did not play.
Jalynnee McGee, Skyview, Sr., RB — Did not play.
Hezephaniah Po Ching, Skyview, So.,* OL — Did not play.
Jalen Salavea, Skyview, Fr., FB — Did not play.
Rob Silva, Camas, So.*, DL — Did not play.
Puget Sound
Cameron Magnussen, Mountain View, Fr., LB — Did not play in a 40-14 loss to George Fox.
Redlands
Kadyn Butcher, Jesuit, Fr., K/P — Did not play in a 10-7 loss to Pomona Pitzer.
Connor French, Prairie, Sr., OL — Did not play.
Rochester
Gavin James-Dues, Mountain View, Jr., DL — Did not play in a 24-0 loss to Ithaca.
San Diego State
Arthur Ban, Evergreen, Fr., TE — Did not play in a 27-24 win over Wyoming.
Southern Oregon
Blake Asciutto, Camas, Sr.*, QB — Started at quarterback in a 54-14 win over Rocky Mountain. Completed 21 of 36 passes for 355 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Had touchdown passes of 27, 7 and 28 yards.
Jackson Clemmer, Camas, Sr.*, TE — Started at tight end. Had four catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns, which were 27 and 7 yards.
Ayden Denbo, Mountain View, Fr., LB — Did not play.
Jeremiah Faulstick, Hockinson, Jr., TE — Had one catch for 9 yards.
Danny McDonnell, Ridgefield, Fr., DL — Did not play.
Kenan Weinmaster, Fort Vancouver, Fr.*, OL — Did not play.
Washington
Roice Cleeland, Jesuit (Ore.), Fr.*, OL — Did not play in a 40-16 loss to Iowa.
Washington State
Carson Osmus, Camas, Fr., OL — Did not play in a 25-17 win over Fresno State.
Western Oregon
Cameron Crooks, Skyview, Fr., DB — Did not play in a 49-20 win over Eastern New Mexico.
AJ Dixson, Prairie, Jr., DB — Did not play.
Zeke Dixson, Prairie, Jr., DB — Did not play.
Jaylen Fite, Evergreen, So.*, WR — Had one catch for 17 yards.
Jonathan McAtee, Skyview, So., DB — Did not play.
LaDamien McCord, Evergreen, So., WR — Did not play.
Andre Northrup, Hockinson, So.*, DB — Did not play.
Xavier Owens, Skyview, Jr.*, DB —Had four tackles, all solo.
Daron Ulrich, Union, Jr.*, DB — Started at cornerback. Had five tackles, including two solo.
Whitworth
Cash Cook, Mountain View, Fr., QB — Did not play in a 48-0 win over Willamette.
Pierson Lameh, Prairie, Fr., LB — Did not play.
Isaiah Sittauer, Battle Ground, So., OL — Played in a backup role for an offense that gained 543 yards.
Willamette
Kayden Gonzalez, Hudson’s Bay, Jr., WR — Played in a backup role in a 48-0 loss to Whitworth.
Did I miss anyone? E-mail sports editor Micah Rice at micah.rice@columbian.com.
