Making Missouri’s All-State Team is an honor given to only the best players of the year, and who can doubt that five young men who played on the 2024-2025 St. Vincent Indians football team — a team with a 12-1 record for the season and that finished first in District — aren’t deserving of the recognition?
The five players honored were seniors James Unterreiner, Boston Tarrillion, John Schwartz, and Nick Buchheit, and junior Carson House.
James Unterreiner
Looking back on the 2024-2025 season, Unterreiner said, “It was just a great season to build back on what we accomplished last year. I feel like I definitely grew a lot as a player and helped solidify our line on offense and defense.”
That’s for sure. St. Vincent's offensive line was led by James Unterreiner and Boston Tarrillion. Both players offered the team standout protection that enabled the Indians to reach the heights they did this season.
According to Unterreiner, he was on his way to Cape Girardeau when he got the call that he had made it on the All-State team.
“I was really happy when I found out,” he said. “I have always hoped I’d make All-State, and I was really hoping I got it this year, but I wasn’t for sure. It was just a pretty big relief to hear that I actually did. It made me feel proud.
Looking forward to graduating from high school in May, Unterreiner said he applied to two colleges but clarified that he was waiting to hear from Georgia Tech.
Carson House
Asked his thoughts on the 2024-2025 season, House said, “I thought it was pretty great overall. I mean, we built a lot of bonds and stuff. It was a good year.”
Despite the quality of players who will be graduating this spring, House still has high hopes for next year.
“I mean, we lose a lot of people, but hopefully, we just build the bonds that we had this year and be a full team.”
According to House, he heard the news that he’d made it on the All-State team from coach Tim Schumer.
“I was at my house shooting guns, and he gave me a call,” he said.
As far as what he considers his high point of the season, Carson said, “For me, I would say it was when we played Jefferson, because the year before that I broke my ankle. Just coming back into that — I mean, it was a big game. The high point for me was when everybody was in the locker room after the games celebrating our wins.”
John Schwartz
Offering his opinion on the 2024-2025 season, wide receiver Schwartz said, “This was definitely my favorite season out of all of them because I grew up playing with everyone who was on the varsity team.
Most of them — if not all of them — were my friends, and I got even closer to them and created a bigger bond with everyone.
This is Schwartz’s second year to make All-State. The reason why is obvious. Schwartz was a very important part of the Indians’ winning 2024-2025 season. In the team’s game against Van-Far, quarterback Nick Buchheit linked up with his fellow senior teammate for two touchdowns, while two-way talent Schwartz got an accompanying two interceptions to keep Van-Far out of reach. That’s the kind of player Schwartz is.
And how did he learn he’d made All-State this year?
Schwartz was sitting in his room when coach Schumer called him on the phone.
“He congratulated me because I was the first person in St. Vincent history to get All-State two times, offensive line,” he said. “That’s how he told me, so I was pretty excited. It felt pretty good.”
Schwartz’s plans following high school graduation involve starting his own landscaping and lawn care business.
“I’m going to be starting it in March, so I’m not going to college,” he said, “I’ll have my own thing going on before school. I’ve been doing it for a while — probably longer than the six years I’ve been doing football.
Boston Tarrillion
Having played football for six years, Tarrillion is a veteran on the gridiron, but making it to the All-State team for the second year in a row was no small accomplishment for the senior who just signed with the University of Central Missouri to play football this fall.
“It felt good. I did it as well last year, so that was my goal for this year — along with winning with the team. It was a personal goal for me, so I felt good to reach it and accomplish it.”
Asked what he thought of the 2024-2025 season, Tarrillion said, “It was a lot of fun playing football. I got bumped up a little bit, but that’s just how it goes. It’s fun. We set a school record, going 12 and 0, but that’s how we wanted to do this.”
Nick Buchheit
Quarterback Nick Buchheit had a pretty good year, especially because it was his first year as a starter.
“I’ve been on the team all four years and finally got my chance to prove myself,” he said. “I found out I had won All-State when I was laying in my bed and my coach called me. He told me that I got All-State, and I was pretty excited, but I was also kind of tired at the same time.”
Asked what he intends to do after graduating in May, Buchheit said, “I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet.”
He isn’t even sure if he’ll play college football.
“Maybe,” Buchheit said. “I don’t know. I haven’t really decided.”
One thing’s for certain, any college that gets Buchheit on its team will have a solid player with a natural talent for the position of quarterback.
Coach Schumer was glad to see five of his best players named to the All-State team.
“They were key parts of our team, you know,” he said. “It's a testament to their hard work and dedication to be on that list.”
A word from the coach
Schumer is already looking forward to next fall, and so are his players.
“We've already started getting in the weight room and preparing on our off-season program,” he said. “I'm getting ready for the season, but, you know, as I told the team this year, after this year, we've got to turn the page. We're going to have a new story, a new team, and we've got to put the work in that they did, and hopefully, we can get back to the same place they did and even more. There's a lot of work to be done, but I know they're excited and ready to go.
“This is Boston’s and John’s second time being on All-State. Boston was the first team Q line as a junior and a senior. And then John was actually first-team defensive back as a junior and the first one in school history to be a first-team on both sides. Nick was second-team quarterback, attacked his senior year and went out with a bang. And then James Unterreiner was first-team All-State. He was very deserving, and I’m very proud of him. Carson was second-team linebacker, but there were like 25 linebackers nominated. I’m so proud of him and happy we get one more year.”
