Predictions For Postseason Senior Awards
At the end of each season in Wisconsin there are eight awards that are handed out to the top senior at each position group. With the kickoff of the 2021 season coming up this Friday, I wanted to take the day to go through each award and make my prediction of who will end the season as the recipient of each award. I will also include three other athletes per position that I believe will be firmly in the running for the awards. With everyone in the state returning to play this fall the competition for these awards should be very high! Let’s start with the award given to the top senior QB.
Dave Krieg Award (Quarterback) Watchlist
Caden Pendleton Caden Pendleton 6'6" | 205 lbs | QB Kimberly | 2022 State WI , Kimberly
Caden is poised to put himself right at the front of the pack for this award. He will take the field with potentially the best WR duo in the state with Owen Pawlikowski Owen Pawlikowski 6'3" | 195 lbs | WR Kimberly | 2022 State WI and Cam Wnek Cam Wnek 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR Kimberly | 2022 State WI . Add in the fact that Pendleton is elite at protecting the football, no INTs as a junior, and you get a very talented player that is going to have the ball in his hands very often. Especially as they look to replace stud RB Caleb Frazer Caleb Frazer 6'1" | 195 lbs | RB Kimberly | 2021 State WI who graduated this past summer. This is going to be a fun, high flying offense.
Luke Haertle Luke Haertle 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Lake Country Lutheran | 2022 State WI , Lake Country Lutheran
The Lake Country Lutheran offense goes as Haertle goes. His nearly 1,700 passing yards, 26 passing TDs, 489 rushing yards, and 9 rushing TDs in 9 games last fall look like just the start for Haertle. Look for Luke to top all of these numbers and lead his team into a deep playoff run this fall. The offense returns their leading rusher and four of their five top receivers from last season. Expect Lake Country Lutheran and Haertle to pick up right where they left off. Lots of yards, and lighting up the scoreboard every Friday night.
Quentin Keene Quentin Keene 6'3" | 205 lbs | QB Waunakee | 2022 State WI , Waunakee
Quentin gave us a glimpse of the type of production he can provide during his first stretch as the varsity starter this past spring. From the jump Keene demonstrated poise and comfort with the system as he picked apart defenses all over the field on the way to nearly an 80% completion percentage and 1,112 passing yards, and 18 TDs in 6 games. A huge bonus is that Keene will have star TE, and Iowa State commit, Andrew Keller Andrew Keller 6'6" | 215 lbs | TE Waunakee | 2022 State WI to target once again this fall. He will also have Iowa commit Jack Dotzler Jack Dotzler 6'7" | 265 lbs | OL Waunakee | 2022 State WI protecting his blindside as he looks to lead a high powered offense to another perfect record, like he did in the spring.
Award Winner Prediction: Myles Burkett Myles Burkett 6'1" | 200 lbs | QB Franklin | 2022 State WI , Franklin
The stage looks set for the Franklin offense to be one of the state’s most productive and explosive. With Wisconsin Badgers QB commit Myles Burkett Myles Burkett 6'1" | 200 lbs | QB Franklin | 2022 State WI at the helm we know the ball will be in good hands. In just five games in 2020, Burkett delivered 1,236 passing yards, 11 passing TDs, and added 180 yards and a score on the ground as they made their way to a 5-0 record. Expect Myles to blow those numbers away as he will not only have several more games, he will also have a lot of weapons to work with. All five of the team’s leading rushers return for the 2021 season including some very explosive athletes in Terrance Shelton and Reese Osgood. They also return Burkett’s #1 WR Keaton Arendt Keaton Arendt 6'2" | 190 lbs | WR Franklin | 2022 State WI and dangerous incoming sophomore Jacques Brooks. Expect a lot of big plays from this Franklin offense as Myles leads them into the postseason and eventually claims this award after the season.
Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch Award (Running Backs) Watchlist
Brycen Cashin Brycen Cashin 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Pacelli | 2022 State WI , Pacelli
Cashin is the most productive RB returning to high school fields this fall here in Wisconsin. He ended the 2020 fall season as the second leading rusher in the state with 1,417 yards and 18 TDs in just 7 games. When you look back through his junior season you see that he is a big play waiting to happen. He scored 3 or more times in 5 of his 7 games, and was held under 125 rushing yards one time all season. Expect him to continue to be Pacelli’s bell cow and one of the state’s most productive ball carriers this fall.
Carson Holman Carson Holman 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB Muskego | 2022 State WI , Muskego
This is definitely a darkhorse selection, but you’re not going to find many RBs stepping into a larger void of work from the 2020 season. Muskego is going to run the ball, run the ball, and then run the ball some more. The leading returning RB from the 2020 season is Carson. He will be expected to step up and help fill the void of 1,700+ rushing yards left behind by Alex Current Alex Current 5'11" | 180 lbs | RB Muskego | 2021 State WI and Josh Bulski Josh Bulski 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB Muskego | 2021 State WI . I believe Carson has the talent to be able to step up and carry a much larger workload than his 595 rushing yards and 4 TDs from last season. Holman is definitely a name to have an eye on this fall. He could have a huge breakout season.
Cal Martine Cal Martine 6'0" | 230 lbs | RB Appleton North | 2022 State WI , Appleton North
Get ready for a big season from the big man out of Appleton North. In just six games during the spring season Cal posted 834 rushing yards, and 13 TDs. He scored in every game he played in during the spring and he was only held under 115 rushing yards one time on the way to pounding out over six yards per carry. The 230 lbs back is going to make sure defenders earn every tackle this fall. Even while sharing the backfield with one of Wisconsin’s best QBs in Matthew Schecklman Matthew Schecklman 6'4" | 205 lbs | QB Appleton North | 2022 State WI expect a lot of production from Martine. Big year coming.
Award Winner Prediction: Max Grand Max Grand 5'9" | 185 lbs | RB Ellsworth | 2022 State WI , Ellsworth
If you are going to predict any other senior RB in the state to win this award then you are trying too hard. Max is the most talented RB in the state, and college programs have taken notice. Not only does Grand hold some D2 offers, he also has secured a PWO offer from the Golden Gophers. As for his senior season, prepare to be blown away by the film that he is going to put out. Max is going to shred defenses even more than he did as a junior when he posted 1,019 rushing yards, 16 rushing TDs, 131 receiving yards, and 2 receiving TDs in essentially five games. Besides week one when he had only had two carries, Max scored at least once in every game he played in, and 3 or more times in 4 out of those final 5 games. The big play waiting to happen averaged 10+ yards per carry in every game except one. I believe he can beat all those numbers as defenses are going to struggle to contain the star RB.
Al Toon Award (Wide Receiver/ Tight End) Watchlist
Colin Girdaukas Colin Girdaukas 6'1" | 190 lbs | WR Sheboygan Lutheran | 2022 State WI , Sheboygan Lutheran
The most productive WR from last season is now eligible for this award as Girdaukas enters his final season at Sheboygan Lutheran. Whether you look at his stats over the whole season or game to game it’s very impressive. Colin set the single game receiving yards record last fall, led the state in receiving yards overall, and has the most receptions of any of the returning receivers in the state. He finished 2020 with 58 receptions, 1,495 yards, and 18 TDs in 8 games. Expect all of these numbers to be challenged in 2021 as Colin’s QB returns to the team for 2021, and they will of course be playing in more games. Huge year in the making for Girdaukas.
Elliott Lowney Elliott Lowney 5'11" | 160 lbs | WR Shawano Community | 2022 State WI , Shawano Community
One of the more quiet, yet very productive prospects in the state is Lowney out of Shawano Community. Elliott finished 2020 with 54 receptions, 1,017 yards, and 10 TDs in 9 games. Elliott has excited tape to go along with the impressive stats as he wins reps with quick feet that translate to solid route running. Once he gets the ball in his hands he is hard to contain thanks to his superior game speed. He ended 2020 with nearly 19 yards per reception. So expect to see even more big plays this year. The only thing that might be of concern is that Shawano will be starting a new QB this fall, but who better to target than the WR1 that excells at creating separation with his route running and quick feet?
Evan Redding Evan Redding 5'11" | 170 lbs | WR Menomonee Falls | 2022 State WI , Menomonee Falls
The most explosive receiver in the state is the ultra athletic WR/DB out of Menomonee Falls. Evan finished 2020 with 21 receptions, 461 receiving yards, and 7 TDs. That translates to 22 yards per reception. Redding’s elite acceleration and play speed are impossible to contain if you give him any glimpse of daylight to attack. The opportunities should be even more this season as his older brother and the team’s leading receiver from 2020 is headed to the Golden Gophers, and the team’s leading rusher from last fall also graduated this past summer. MF will be breaking in a new QB, but similar to Lowney above, the best thing you can do for a new QB is give him a very good go to option. Evan is one of the best.
Award Winner Prediction: Addison Ostrenga Addison Ostrenga 6'5" | 220 lbs | TE Sun Prairie | 2022 State WI , Sun Prairie
Might seem a little bold to go with a TE as the winner of this award, but since watching what Ostrenga did this past spring paired with what I saw the Cardinals do at their scrimmage this past Friday I don’t know who else I could choose to win this award. Addison and his QB Jerry Kaminski Jerry Kaminski 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB Sun Prairie East | 2023 State WI have one of the state’s best connections and the opportunities should be bountiful for Ostrenga to pile up elite numbers. This past spring Addison put up 19 receptions, 328 yards, and 3 TDs, along with over 17 yards per reception. With Kaminski taking over the full duties as starting QB you can bet that the numbers for his favorite target are going to shoot through the roof and so will the final numbers. Sit back and enjoy as the Iowa TE commit looks to put together a very special season.
Joe Thomas Award (Offensive Line) Watchlist
Carson Hinzman Carson Hinzman 6'5" | 280 lbs | OL Saint Croix Central | 2022 State WI , St. Croix Central
The biggest competitor to the player I have winning this award is Hinzman. He was the leader on an offensive line that tore through defenses on the ground in 2020. Their offense posted 2138 rushing yards and 30 rushing TDs in just 9 games last fall. Three different RBs had 400+ rushing yards, five ball carriers broke 100 rushing yards, and six ball carriers had a rushing score. Two of those six posted double digit rushing TDs. Expect this team to continue their ways of tearing through defenses as long as Hinzman is leading the way along the offensive line. Another big year coming as St. Croix Central looks to improve on their 7-2 record from 2020.
Joe Brunner Joe Brunner 6'6" | 300 lbs | OL Whitefish Bay | 2022 State WI , Whitefish Bay
Brunner will be leading an offensive line unit that was key to the team’s undefeated 2020 season. In 7 games they posted 1,611 rushing yards, and 17 rushing TDs. They also blocked for another 561 yards through the air and 7 more TDs. The wealth was spread around on the ground behind the Brunner- led offensive line too. Six different ball carriers broke 100 yards rushing in 2020 and five of them scored TDs. You could put a lot of dudes behind this line and they would still put up 25 points per game. Look for the numbers to be even more impressive this fall.
Barrett Nelson Barrett Nelson 6'7" | 260 lbs | OL Stoughton | 2022 State WI , Stoughton
Nelson is returning to Stoughton to pair with Empey, Rousseau and the other talented members of a very good Stoughton offensive line. Barrett is going to be the cream of the crop of potentially the best overall offensive line in the state of Wisconsin. Between the talented line and a hard nosed RB in Darrick Hill Darrick Hill 5'9" | 200 lbs | RB Stoughton | 2022 State WI this team should be able to run at will on defenses. The numbers and success of the team should put Barrett firmly in the conversation for this award when the season comes to an end.
Award Winner Prediction: Billy Schrauth Billy Schrauth 6'5" | 280 lbs | OL St. Mary's Springs | 2022 State WI , St. Mary’s Springs
This is going to be a very tight race as state’s best college prospects will be battling it out for this award. I believe the winner will go to the #1 player in the state, Billy Schrauth Billy Schrauth 6'5" | 280 lbs | OL St. Mary's Springs | 2022 State WI . The two way stud is going to continue to maul defenders and open massive running lanes for his RBs as they look to improve on last season. During the 2021 spring season Schrauth was the major cog on the offensive line that blocked for nearly 2,000 rushing yards in just 7 games. It didn’t matter who was totting the rock behind Billy and his line mates as four St. Mary’s Springs RBs had 140+ rushing yards on the season, and six different ball carriers scored a rushing TD. Look for the season long stats to be even more impressive as Schrauth continues to pave the way.
Tim Krumie Award (Defensive Line) Watchlist
Cameron Done Cameron Done 6'5" | 280 lbs | DL Rufus King | 2022 State WI , Rufus King
I can’t wait to see what Cameron does this fall. He was one of the student athletes that got the short end of the stick last year and wasn’t able to compete as a junior. So now, nearly two years later, Cam is ready to unleash his talents and dominate the trenches. Our DL1 in the state of Wisconsin is going to catch a lot of eyes with his play as he has put on serious size since his last time on the field. He is a D1 level athlete, so make sure you get ahold of his film after each week of the season to see how he dominated that week.
Martell Owens Martell Owens 6'2" | 285 lbs | DL La Crosse Logan | 2022 State WI , La Crosse Logan
The Mankato commit is poised to have a dominant year as he controls the trenches of the La Crosse area high school fields. He finished his 5 game spring season with 32 total tackles, 5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 FF, and 1 INT. With nearly twice as many games coming his way this fall you can expect to see those TFLs and sacks continue to climb as he dominates the line of scrimmage. He has the strength and quickness to win his battles in multiple different ways. Expect a productive year from the big man.
Ben Werner Ben Werner 6'4" | 235 lbs | DL Benton | 2022 State WI , Benton
Ben was living in opponent’s backfields this spring as he piled up a very impressive stat line. He finished his six game spring with 68 tackles, 18 TFLs, 6 sacks, 4 FFs, and 1 FR. With at least three more games to play this fall you can expect to see one of the most impressive stat lines in the state when all is said and done. Expect Werner to be in the mix for leader in sacks and TFLs. The Upper Iowa commit is going to have a big impact on the success of his team in 2021.
Award Winner Prediction: Wesley King Wesley King 6'5" | 270 lbs | DL Appleton North | 2022 State WI , Appleton North
Wesley was one of the biggest winners of the spring season as he was able to showcase his immense talent and earn several D1 scholarship offers along with a handful from the D2 level as well. The 6’5″ 270 DT/NG managed to lead his team in tackles, TFLs, sacks, and fumble recoveries. That should give you a great look into how disruptive King was this spring. Expect more of the same this fall as Appleton North sets itself up to make a deep postseason run with their very talented roster.
John Anderson Award (Linebacker) Watchlist
Ben Rehl Ben Rehl 6'0" | 200 lbs | LB Mukwonago | 2022 State WI , Mukwonago
Possibly the most productive LB returning to the field this year is Mukwonago’s OLB Ben Rehl Ben Rehl 6'0" | 200 lbs | LB Mukwonago | 2022 State WI . The 6′ 200 lbs LB is a heat seeking missile that flies around the field getting involved on every tackle. He finished last year with 98 total tackles, 12 TFLs, 7.5 sacks, and 1 FF in 9 games. That is an elite stat line and it perfectly illustrates the type of player he is. A player that is always around the ball, can get after the QB, and does a good job of evading blocks and making plays in the backfield. As far as I know Rehl has one D2 offer. With another season like last year you can bet there will be others. They will need him to be huge too as they lose a couple other LBs on defense from 2020.
John Harman John Harman 5'11" | 195 lbs | LB Stoughton | 2022 State WI , Stoughton
Another very productive LB that will be needed to take a step forward is Harman out of Stoughton HS. Stoughton graduated a couple of very talented LB/DEs leaving large voids that need to be filled. One spot that doesn’t need to be replaced is the spring’s leading sack artist, LB John Harman John Harman 5'11" | 195 lbs | LB Stoughton | 2022 State WI . In seven games John posted 72 total tackles, 18 TFLs, 11 sacks, 1 FF, and 3 blocked kicks. It is going to be key for him to maintain that impact and even improve on it. If he does then you can expect him to be in the mix for this prestigious award at the end of the year.
Luna Larson Luna Larson 6'2" | 215 lbs | LB Baraboo | 2022 State WI , Baraboo
Luna is not only an elite LB prospect, he is also an impactful weapon on offense. Where I believe he will be most considered for an award is on the defensive side of the ball. That’s where he natural abilities shine the best as he quickly diagnoses plays and puts himself in the right spot to make the stop. He finished 2020 with 77 total tackles, 4 TFLs, 3 sacks, and 3 FFs. Larson is a legitimate FBS level talent, so you can expect him to improve on these numbers as teams continue to struggle to get and keep a hat on him all season long.
Award Winner Prediction: Isaac Hamm Isaac Hamm 6'6" | 270 lbs | LB Sun Prairie | 2022 State WI , Sun Prairie
The player that I believe comes away with the award this fall is none other than the #1 defensive player in the state. Sun Prairie’s Isaac Hamm Isaac Hamm 6'6" | 270 lbs | LB Sun Prairie | 2022 State WI is going to wreak havoc on defensive backfields from his edge rushing position. I got a sneak peak at it during their scrimmage last Friday and his combination of quickness and hand use is going to be nearly impossible to stop in one on one situations. His 29 total tackles, 9 TFLs, 5 sacks, and 5 forced fumbles are all numbers that I believe will be beat this year as he and the Cardinals make a deep playoff run.
Jim Leonhard Award (Defensive Back) Watchlist
Daniel Martens Daniel Martens 5'11" | 190 lbs | DB Franklin | 2022 State WI , Franklin
Daniel has had a great spring and summer where he has caught the attention and landed offers from several programs. Before that strong summer and spring, Martens had a very successful 2020 season as well. He led the team in tackles with 53, and was second on the team in TFLs with 10. Martens lines up all over the field, but we have classified him as a defensive back and I believe the impact he has and the production he puts out will land him squarely in the middle of consideration for this award when the season wraps up.
Jackson Trudgeon Jackson Trudgeon 6'1" | 175 lbs | DB Madison Edgewood | 2022 State WI , Madison Edgewood
Our next player to watch for the Jim Leonhard award is an athlete who is going to be coached by Leonhard this time next year. Trudgeon is a current Badgers commit and is one of the top two way players in the state. At the next level Jackson is going to be playing on the defensive side of the ball and that is where we believe he will shine as well this season. Jackson’s ability to play at all three levels of the defense is going to allow him to have a huge impact on games this season. He is coming off a fall that saw him put up 77 total tackles, 2 TFLs, .5 sacks, 1 FR, 1 FF, and 2 INTs. He produced in every way possible. You can expect more of the same this season.
Jackson Schooley Jackson Schooley 6'1" | 190 lbs | DB Wisconsin Rapids | 2022 State WI , Wisconsin Rapids
This is a darkhorse pick for me, but I have been a big fan of Schooley’s game since first watching his film back in the summer of 2020. Somehow, he has still slipped under the radar when it comes to his recruitment. I believe this year is going to be his time to breakout and finally get the recruiting attention he deserves. Last season he posted 17 total tackles, 1 TFL, and 4 INTs in six games. Those numbers are going to be blown away during the 2021 season. Remember this name.
Award Winner Prediction: Deven Magli Deven Magli 6'1" | 190 lbs | DB DeForest | 2022 State WI , DeForest
I believe the winner of the Jim Leonhard award is going to be our #1 DB in the state of Wisconsin. The ballhawk out of DeForest HS has a nose for the ball and a nose for the endzone when he gets the ball. He finished the spring season with 24 total tackles, 1 TFL, 1 FF, 2 INTs, and 2 INT returns for TDs. Nobody reads and reacts like Magli. That’s why I expect him to continue his ballhawking ways and win this award as he wraps up his high school career before heading to North Dakota. That is if opposing offenses are crazy enough to test him.
Kevin Stemke Award (Kicker/Punter) Watchlist
Michael Karlen Michael Karlen 5'9" | 160 lbs | K Stanley- Boyd | 2022 State WI , Stanley- Boyd
Michael has put himself right in the mix for one of the best kickers in the state. He has also done a solid job of holding down punting duties as well. With his live leg you can bet that Stanley- Boyd will lean on him to put points on the board any time they get stopped deep in their opponents end of the field. Last season, Karlen posted punting stats of 19 punts, 3 punts inside the 20, and nearly 32 yards per punt on average. As a kicker he finished 2020 going 11/14 on field goal attempts, and 20/23 on extra point attempts. With any improvement this fall, Karlen will be borderline automatic on extra points and field goals. If you are a college team looking for a kicker then check him out.
Drew Klein Drew Klein 5'10" | 165 lbs | K Hortonville | 2022 State WI , Hortonville
Klein is a player who you have to go off the potential more than the current output. Drew has only been kicking for one year, yet he has already firmly put himself in the mix for this award as one of the best senior kickers in the state. The Kohl’s kicker rating has him as a 5 star kicker, and he was able to bang through a 44 yard field goal during his team’s scrimmage this past week. Last season, Klein posted 2/5 on field goals and 12/15 on extra points. A big jump is coming for Klein.
Tyler Ebel Tyler Ebel 6'5" | 230 lbs | P DeForest | 2022 State WI , DeForest
Tyler is far and away the #1 punter in the state of Wisconsin and a legitimate D1 prospect. The ball explodes off his foot and hangs in the air forever. Ebel is also very good at pinning teams deep in their own territory and keeping the ball out of the endzone. Looking back to last season, Tyler posted 19 punts for 690 yards, a 36.3 yard average, with 0 touchbacks and 7 kicks inside the 20. That ability to flip the field has been a big bonus for DeForest over the past seasons. Expect more of the same this year.
Award Winner Prediction: Gavin Lahm Gavin Lahm 6'0" | 200 lbs | K Kaukauna | 2022 State WI , Kaukauna
Our projected winner for this award is recent Badgers commit, kicker, Gavin Lahm Gavin Lahm 6'0" | 200 lbs | K Kaukauna | 2022 State WI . Lahm has a cannon for a right leg. In practice he has been successful from as far out as 60 yards, and his in game career long is 50 yards. Those are elite numbers for any level of competition, especially the high school level. It isn’t often that a kicker is must watch on Friday nights, but I can’t wait to see film from Gavin as his 2021 season plays out.