Prep Redzone Wisconsin 2020 Player of the Year
The wait is finally over! We have our winner for the first Prep Redzone Wisconsin Player of the Year! We started with 30 athletes from across the state and have narrowed it down to five players that met every requirement…
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Continue ReadingThe wait is finally over! We have our winner for the first Prep Redzone Wisconsin Player of the Year!
We started with 30 athletes from across the state and have narrowed it down to five players that met every requirement we looked for in this award. To recap those requirements, first and foremost the player has to be a huge key to the team’s success. If that player wasn’t there would the team be nearly as competitive and successful as they were with them on the team? The second most important requirement was did the player put up numbers that were unmatched by others? Each of the five athletes that made it to the final round of selections checked that off with flying colors as they all were leaders in several statistical categories. The third, and mostly a bonus, requirement was does the player have the talent to play somewhere at the next level? Each of the final five players involved also checked that box. This led to an extremely tough choice, but we have finally come to one!
The winner of the award met and exceeded all of the requirements and perfectly exemplified what we are looking for in our Player of the Year here at Prep Redzone Wisconsin! Without any further delay, our 2020 winner for Prep Redzone Wisconsin’s Player of the Year is Senior LB/RB Austin Dahlke Austin Dahlke 6'1" | 190 lbs | LB Edgar | 2021 State WI from Edgar High School!
Everything you look for in this award Austin has it. The 6’1″ 190 lbs two way star for Edgar High School dominated on both sides of the ball this season. His performance on defense was off the charts while facing some of the toughest competition in the state. On the way to the team’s 9-0 record, Austin was a major key in shutting down 4 ranked teams that included two from the D3 level, one from the D6 level, and one from the D7 level. Dahlke and Edgar’s defense also went up against three of the most prolific rushers in the state this season and completely shut them down. As a defense, Edgar only allowed 1.5 yards per rush and a huge key was Dahlke’s presence in the middle of the defense. Dahlke finished the season as the state leader in TFLs with 26 proving that he was essentially unblockable and had a season long reservation in his opponents’ backfields. That reservation was good for passing downs as well as Austin also led the state in sacks with 13. There was nothing team’s could do about it. Dahlke was going to be in the offensive backfield, and when he wasn’t he was proving that he was a true three down LB as he was 13th in the state in INTs with 4. In the end, Austin Dahlke Austin Dahlke 6'1" | 190 lbs | LB Edgar | 2021 State WI finished in the Top 15 in basically every statistical category for defense. Sacks, TFLs, INTs, Forced Fumbles, Fumble Recoveries. He produced in every way on defense. The craziest proof of how dominant Austin and the Edgar defense was this season is that throughout the entire season they never allowed more than 8 points in a game and three times they shut out opponents!
Austin strengthened his case by also being a big time impact player on offense. Dahlke was the most versatile player in the state in my eyes. He wrapped up the season with over 1,000 yards of total offense and 14 TDs. He added a 15th TD with a pick six as well. There is no question that Austin has become one of Wisconsin’s best recruits in the senior class and the offers and interest coming in from college programs matches that. Austin is currently uncommitted, but he holds offers from Illinois State, Bucknell, University of St. Thomas, Augustana, Valporaiso, Northern Michigan, University of Mary, and Bemidji State. I have also heard that he has began to hear interest from the FBS level wanting him to walk on. The talent is unquestionable, the production is off the charts, and the importance to his team is unmatched. Congratulations from Prep Redzone Wisconsin, Austin! Good luck going forward! We can’t wait to follow your career!