Preseason Watchlist and Predictions for Postseason Awards

At the end of each season awards are handed out to the best senior at each of the eight position groups. I wanted to take the time, before the season kicks off in 23 days, to make a watchlist of three players that I think will be in the running for the award and then make my prediction for who I think will win each award. This means that each position group and award will have four total players listed. For this article, I will be trying to keep it to guys who look like they will be playing this fall. We begin with the most important position on the field. Dave Krieg Award (Quarterback) Watchlist [player_tooltip player_id="30774" first="Argjent" last="Ismaili"]- Kenosha Indian Trail Ismaili looks poised to deliver dimes all over the field for the Hawks this season. He has a plethora of talent to work within himself and the teammates surrounding him. His 1,500+ yards and 15 TDs look like just the start for Argjent. The Hawks offense is going to be fun to watch with him behind center. [player_tooltip player_id="30807" first="Josh" last="Bauer"]- Lourdes Academy Bauer is coming off an amazing statistical season where he posted 2100+ yards and 30 TDs with his arm and then added nearly 1,000 yards rushing and 17 TDs! I fully expect to see more of the same kind of output from Josh this season entrenching him in the thick of the battle for the Dave Krieg Award. Lourdes is poised to make another deep playoff run with Josh running the show on offense. [player_tooltip player_id="30816" first="Brady" last="Hoppert"]- Martin Luther Hoppert sliced and diced defenses last season on the way to 2300+ yards, 30 TDs, and a level two playoff appearance. Not only is Hoppert back and ready for another strong season, but he also returns his two leading receivers from last season. The Martin Luther offense is going to be electric with Brady at the helm. Award Winner Prediction: [player_tooltip player_id="30837" first="Adam" last="Moen"]- Lake Mills Moen dominated as a junior last season and I expect it to be much of the same as he leads the electric Lake Mills offense. Last season, Adam posted 3500+ yards, 39 TDs, and ran for nearly 1,000 yards. That is the type of stat line you expect to see on NCAA 14 or Madden. If you want to watch some high flying offense then watch Moen and Lake Mills this season. Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch Award (Running Back) Watchlist [player_tooltip player_id="30780" first="Josh" last="Bulski"]- Muskego The winner of this award may come down to a battle between teammates. Bulski is a hard nosed, north- south back who knows how to set the tone for an offense. He has no problem picking up the tough yards, yet he can also take one the distance at any moment. His workhorse ability will be a big factor in his argument for this award along with the impressive stats he is sure to put up. Last season, Josh posted nearly 1300 yards, 9 TDs, and over 225 carries. [player_tooltip player_id="30812" first="Zach" last="Wallace"]- Burlington Zach looks like he is entering a position that will allow him to blow up the stat sheet and lead his team to victories all season long. Last season, Wallace posted almost 1800 yards to go along with 23 TDs. He did that all while splitting carries with senior Dalton Damon. Dalton leaves behind a void of nearly 1000 yards and 16 TDs. If Zach can pick up another 75- 80 carries more than last season... watch out. [player_tooltip player_id="30868" first="Tanner" last="Marsh"]- Mondovi With the graduation of his QB and fellow 1,000 yard rusher, Tanner looks set to come into even more opportunity than last season. Even while splitting carries Marsh posted 1400+ yards and 20 TDs. A big bump in those numbers is expected and so is the continued success he has helped the team find. I expect him to lead Mondovi into the playoffs as he entrenches himself into competition for this prestigious award. Award Winner Prediction: [player_tooltip player_id="30741" first="Alex" last="Current"]- Muskego Alex is going to be one of the most exciting players to watch this season. He is the ultimate threat to score every time he touches the ball. If he gets the smallest gap to daylight he is gone and you won’t find a defender who will be able to catch him from behind. Last season he posted over 1500 yards, 22 TDs, and over a 13 yards per carry average on the way to a state championship. Expect much of the same this season. Al Toon Award (Wide Receiver/Tight End) Watchlist [player_tooltip player_id="30735" first="Drew" last="Biber"]- Cedarburg Drew is a big time player on the field and on the recruiting trail as he has recently decommitted from Northern Illinois and opened his recruitment back up. On the field he dominates. His immense size and catch radius is impossible to defend against and it shows. He is coming off 68 receptions, 1100+ yards, and 13 TDs. If he can maintain those numbers while helping lead his team to more success he will be firmly in the battle for the Al Toon Award. [player_tooltip player_id="30821" first="Quentin" last="Redding"]- Menomonee Falls Quentin is a top of the line weapon at the receiver position. Just sit back and watch him work before and after the catch. He is possibly the best route runner in the state and the separation he creates leads to big play after big play. That shows up in his stats because while he doesn’t wow you with his 32 catches he does blow your mind with 688 yards and nearly a 22 yard average per reception! Redding is a threat to score with every catch if you don’t corral him instantly at the catch point. [player_tooltip player_id="30846" first="Riley" last="Krenke"]- Manawa Krenke is a dominant high school receiver. He has the size to go up and get it over defenders and he has the speed and route running to create space and get to openings on the field with ease. Riley also generates impressive numbers in a high powered offense. As the focal point of the team’s receiving efforts, Riley posted 64 receptions, nearly 1200 yards, and 14 TDs. I expect to see a similar pace of output this season as he looks to continue his dominant efforts on the field. Award Winner Prediction: [player_tooltip player_id="30746" first="Jack" last="Martens"]- Cumberland Jack is a beast on the field. He is exactly what you look for in this award competition. He’s a super talented player who also posts eye-popping statistics. Last season alone, Martens put up 94 receptions, nearly 1,200 yards, and 13 TDs. I expect him to continue his nearly 10 receptions a game pace as he looks to end his career in the top three for receptions in state history. You don’t see a career like this very often at the receiver spot. He is my favorite for the award right now. Joe Thomas Award (Offensive Line) Watchlist [player_tooltip player_id="30729" first="Marcus" last="Mbow"]- Wauwatosa East Marcus is the biggest competition for Benzschawel in the race for this award. The Arizona State commit is essentially just as talented. He is a mammoth of a man. He can move any defender he needs to with strength or athleticism, and he handles his huge frame with such ease. There is no wasted steps or movement when he gets going. Mbow is going to be one to watch; not just for this season, but for several seasons to come. [player_tooltip player_id="30740" first="Jim" last="Schwaab"]- Catholic Memorial Jim is another lineman near the top of the rankings in the state. He has the frame, strength, and movement skills that allow him to dominate in high school and become one of the top recruits in the state. He spent the 2019 season leading the offensive line unit from the center position for Catholic Memorial. I believe that he has the ability to play all five positions at this level and the next. [player_tooltip player_id="30753" first="Riley" last="Kennow"]- Indian Trail Another mammoth Wisconsin lineman. If there is one thing Wisconsin high school football does it is pump out prototypical looking linemen. Kennow is the next one. He is 6’5" and nearly 300 lbs. Don’t let that fool you though. He handles it so well already and translates it into power with ease. Kennow is going to be a key to the Indian Trail offense that looks ready to take off. His ability to keep his QB upright will be one of the major deciding factors. He is ready for the task. Award Winner Prediction: [player_tooltip player_id="30724" first="JP" last="Benzschawel"]- Grafton The Badger commit is the best senior lineman in the state. Whatever you look for in a lineman J.P. looks like he has it. Elite size and length? Check. Strength? You bet. Athleticism? An impressive amount. He is going to provide the Grafton running backs with a lot of easy routes to the endzone this season and his QB should feel safer than any QB in Wisconsin. I can’t wait to watch him one more year before seeing what he does at the next level. Tim Krumrie Award (Defensive Line) Watchlist [player_tooltip player_id="30731" first="Hayden" last="Nelson"]- Brookfield Central The Syracuse commit is one of the most physically imposing defensive linemen in the state. He can successfully play every spot along the defensive line and I expect to see him do just that as he continues his reign over the line of scrimmage. Hayden is both strong at the point of attack and quick enough to shoot gaps. You won’t find many linemen at this level that can do much to stop Hayden, which is why I expect to see a season that will put him near the top of this award list. [player_tooltip player_id="30758" first="Daniel" last="Baumgartner"]- Almond- Bancroft Daniel looks like he has the frame to develop into a player who could play anywhere from 1 to 5 technique. He is big, but moves really well. His burst off the snap is hard for any offensive linemen to match leading to him having the upper hand during a lot of plays. Last season Daniel owned the line of scrimmage where he gathered 66 total tackles, and 21 tackles for loss. I fully expect to watch him continue to dominate the line of scrimmage this fall and put up even more impressive stats. [player_tooltip player_id="30763" first="Jason" last="Klauck"]- Kiel Klauck’s performance in 2019 was a major key to Kiel making it to Madison for the state championship game. He just missed double digit sacks with 9.5 and added an additional 35 tackles. While they play less games this year it sounds like, I expect to see Jason’s pace to maintain or improve resulting in similar stats. Klauck owned the line of scrimmage against some of the best competition in 2019. Get ready for him to really show out this season. Award Winner Prediction: [player_tooltip player_id="30726" first="Ayo" last="Adebogun"]- Homestead Ayo is the premier pass rusher in the state. He was one of the leading sack artists in 2019 after collecting 16 of them to go along with 31 tackles for loss, and 75 total tackles. Ayo set up permanent residence in his opponents backfield during 2019 and he is poised to wreck even more havoc coming off the edge in 2020. The Badger commit has everything you could want. Length, speed, flexibility, and strength are off the charts for him. We are lucky to have one more year watching him before he makes to move to Madison. [player_tooltip player_id="28532" first="John" last="Anderson"] Award (LInebacker) Watchlist [player_tooltip player_id="30748" first="Austin" last="Dahlke"]- Edgar Austin is a monster in the middle of the Edgar defense. He picks through the trash in front of him quickly and easily to make tackle after tackle. He also has the speed to be able to stay on the field in passing situations. His ability to never leave the field is going to be a big factor in his race for this award in 2020. Last year he put up 14 tackles for loss, 4 sacks and almost 60 tackles. Look for him to have an even bigger impact this year. [player_tooltip player_id="30767" first="Brock" last="Lampe"]- Kenosha Bradford Brock is a machine at the middle of the Bradford defense. His pursuit is relentless. If the whistle hasn’t blown then he is going 100 mph in an attempt to make a play on the ball carrier. When he gets to the ball he knows how to make them remember who hit them. His stats last year include 127 tackles, and 11 tackles for loss. Lampe is going to continue roaming the middle of the Bradford defense and piling up the tackles in 2020. He will be in the thick of this award race. [player_tooltip player_id="30779" first="Noah" last="Galindo"]- Germantown Noah is another tackling beast to watch for in the race for this award. Last season he was able to collect 120+ tackles, 26 tackles for loss, and 8 sacks proving that he can create pressure on the QB, and stuff the run equally. Not much gets past Galindo as he roams the middle of the Germantown defense. His sideline to sideline range and ability to find his way to the ball carrier in the thickest trash along the line of scrimmage is fun to watch. He should dominate this season. Award Winner Prediction: [player_tooltip player_id="30743" first="Mac" last="Strand"]- Xavier Mac is everything you think of when you think of the type of LBs that dominate in Wisconsin high school football. He has a great frame to hold up against the wear and tear of stopping the running game, he has the range to go sideline to sideline, and he has off the charts production. Last season, Strand delivered over 140 tackles, made 25 tackles for loss, and added 3 sacks. You can expect to see the same type of production this season as he looks to lead his teams to more wins in 2020 and hold his spot as the best LB in the state in my rankings. Jim Leonhard Award (Defensive Back) Watchlist [player_tooltip player_id="30737" first="Clayton" last="Bishop"]- Indian Trail Clayton is going to be a player to keep an eye on this season. He is one of the best defensive backs in the state thanks to his size, speed, and his reactive athleticism. Bishop also does a really good job of sitting back in zone, reading what he sees in front of him, and then reacting quickly with his very good closing speed. Thanks to the offensive power they have I expect to see the Indian Trail defense facing a lot of pass attempts giving Bishop plenty of opportunities to make plays. [player_tooltip player_id="30749" first="Mason" last="Buehler"]- Muskego Another athlete who should face a ton of passing as opponents attempt to keep up is [player_tooltip player_id="30749" first="Mason" last="Buehler"]. Mason will be up to the challenge. He lives in receivers hip pockets and is always ready to make a play on the ball. The only time you see a receiver get away from him is when he is baiting a QB into a bad throw. Then he quickly closes the gap and makes a play on the ball. Mason is coming off 52 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 6 interceptions. He is a playmaker and should be in the race for this award all season. [player_tooltip player_id="30760" first="Jon" last="Verhasselt"]- Freedom Jon is a very good safety prospect. He has proven he can cover a deep half or come right up and play man on a receiver. The fact that he is also an impressive receiver shows up on defense. Jon knows how to find the ball and go get it. I also love to see that he isn’t afraid to separate the receiver from the ball with some hard hits. Verhasselt can do anything you need him to do. In 2019 he finished with 100+ tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 7 interceptions. Jon looks to be in a position to continue his dominant play and put himself right in the thick of this race. Award Winner Prediction: [player_tooltip player_id="30725" first="Hunter" last="Wohler"]- Muskego Wohler is a rare talent at safety. Not only is he the best defensive back in Wisconsin, he was also named a preseason All-American. Hunter’s range, strength, football intelligence, and ability to play at every level of the defense is so special. Last year’s numbers are no surprise. He posted 122 total tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 2 interceptions. Truly proving his ability to play all over the field. You can go ahead and fully expect the same type of season this year. Enjoy the show. Kevin Stemke Award (Kicker/Punter) Watchlist [player_tooltip player_id="30976" first="Jackson" last="Pettit"]- Saint Croix Central Jackson has a strong right leg. During the 2019 season he converted 49/52 extra points and 50% of his kickoffs went for touchbacks. The ball springs off his foot with really nice velocity and his ability to direct some of his kickoffs is really impressive. His consistency will be a key factor in his ability to contend for this award. It is hard to find kickers at the high school level that are as automatic as he is with his leg. Michal Dul- Mosinee Not only is Michal a fine offensive weapon for Mosinee, but he has a really nice leg and has been able to make an impact in the game with his kicking ability. Not only is he a good kicker, but he handles the punt duties as well. He does it all. Dul has one of the highest returning punt averages in the state with a 38.7 yard average and was a perfect 4-4 on his field goal attempts. Michal has found a way to effect the game in so many ways. Mason Dado- Saint Croix Central We have our second member of the Saint Croix Central special teams units. Dado is a very talented punter. With every punt he gives his team the chance to flip the field position battle. His nearly 40 yard average per punt is one of the best returning averages in the state. Dado does an impressive job of directional kicking. He makes it very hard for returners to run underneath it and instead they have to let it pounce and roll deep into their territory. It is a very tricky punt to field and it creates a lot of pressure on the returners. Award Winner Prediction:[player_tooltip player_id="30963" first="Tyler" last="Bittman"]- Arrowhead Tyler has an absolute boot! He easily sails the ball through the endzone on kickoffs and will be able to maintain that at the next level even though they kick from deeper in their own territory. That won’t be an issue. The ball explodes off of his foot and stays in the air for well over 4 seconds on his kickoffs. Bittman is also a reliable field goal kicker. He has proven time after time he can hit from either hash or the middle of the field and has 40+ yard range. Tyler looks like the best kicker in Wisconsin and it should stay that way throughout the season until he collects this award.