’25s Poised to Make a Varsity Impact as Sophomores

In the offseason, I love looking into teams and trying to predict which players are in position to breakout or see a huge increase in their varsity playing time. Following the publishing of our Class of 2025 Rankings I started going through the rankings to see if there were any of those types of players who are in a position to make a larger, or their first, varsity impact in 2022. There ended up being several athletes that fit the bill, so today I want to dive into those players and look at each of their situations as we make our way towards the 2022 season! Let’s check them out! <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="262060" first="Griffin" last="Rousseau"], OL- Stoughton</strong> This is an exciting potential breakout to keep an eye on. Stoughton fielded one of the most talented OLs in WI in 2021. They graduate Wisconsin Badgers commit [player_tooltip player_id="118238" first="Barrett" last="Nelson"], and MNSU- Mankato commit [player_tooltip player_id="31216" first="Gabe" last="Rousseau"]. [player_tooltip player_id="262060" first="Griffin" last="Rousseau"], the #2 player in the Class of 2025, looks poised to step in and fill one of those positions. I’m excited to see which position Griffin takes control of. He could take the OT position where he can let his overall size and length shine, or he can play guard where he can utilize his impressive strength to drive interior DL off the ball as Stoughton looks to continue setting the tone with a strong rushing attack. Either way, I expect to see Griffin on the varsity field in 2022 after a strong offseason of developing his game. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="146365" first="Seth" last="Valeri"], WR- Hortonville</strong> There is a huge workload opening up in the pass catching department at Hortonville HS. Five players finished the season with double digit receptions, and four of them graduate in 2021. This leaves 55 receptions open for the next wave of athletes to step up and take. The athlete that I’ll be looking at to step up is the incoming sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="146365" first="Seth" last="Valeri"]. The 6’ 160 lbs athlete is a twitchy athlete who is already a sudden, sharp route runner. I believe he will be able to step onto the varsity field in 2022 and make an instant impact. He may even be a go-to option as Hortonville transitions to a new QB who may be in the same graduating class as Valeri. Look for a breakout year from the 2025 WR1! <strong style="font-size: 1rem;">[player_tooltip player_id="262068" first="Gus" last="Newel"], RB- Ashwaubenon</strong> I’m intrigued to see if Gus will be able to breakout at the RB position for Ashwaubenon in 2022. They graduate leading rusher Andrew Pludeman who posted 174 carries, 1,075 yards, and 7 TDs. They also graduate second leading rusher Reed Deterville-Kehler who posted 19 carries, 138 yards, and 2 TDs. The two combined for 20 receptions as well. This leaves a void for the 5’11" 170 lbs RB2 in the class of 2025 to step into. Gus’ freshman highlights show an athlete who clearly had superior athleticism compared to the JV competition around him. His superior size also made him stand out as a man among boys at that level. His instincts and playmaking ability jump off the screen as well. I believe he has the tools to be able to step onto the varsity field and tote a solid chunk of that voided workload. Look for Gus to be a factor in the 2022 Ashwaubenon offense. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="205780" first="Kaden" last="Bates"], RB- Oak Creek</strong> Kaden has already seen varsity action, but his 24 carries for 154 yards is just the beginning of what you can expect in 2022! Oak Creek graduates three of their top four leading rushers from the 2021 season. This leaves open a void of 221 carries, 1,310 yards, and 14 TDs. You can bet that Kaden will be looked towards to step into a large portion of that workload. Even as a freshman, Oak Creek had no concern putting Bates on the field. They even used him in situations that left him in pass protection. You won’t find many freshman with that level of trust. That trust makes me believe they are counting on him to take the next step in his development and also the next step in his impact on the team. Look for Kaden to be one of the top rushers for a talented Oak Creek team, if not the leading rusher, in 2022. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="262071" first="Broden" last="Butzin"], QB- Hortonville</strong> I mentioned it above while talking about Valeri, but Hortonville will be looking for a new signal caller with the graduation of QB [player_tooltip player_id="118301" first="Sam" last="Dodd"]. This is going to be a huge role as Hortonville is not shy when it comes to passing the ball. Dodd let it fly 233 times last season finishing with nearly 1,300 yards and 12 TDs. Hortonville will need a leader who has the arm to attack every level of the field. I believe the 5’11" 150 lbs freshman [player_tooltip player_id="262071" first="Broden" last="Butzin"] will have the chance to be the next man up. Our Class of 2025 QB2 has an arm that is developing quickly and showing a ton of potential upside. Broden already attacks the short and intermediate levels with touch, accuracy, and velocity. He isn’t afraid to be aggressive and hit tight windows either. He also has the arm to be able to stretch the field against a varsity defense. I’m excited to see Butzin attempt to win the job, and then see what he can do under the Friday night lights. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="245969" first="MJ" last="Mitchell"], QB- Catholic Memorial</strong> This is going to be exciting to watch! Catholic Memorial is coming off a 14-0 State Championship season. However, they have several key pieces to replace heading into 2022, and the biggest gap that needs to be filled is the one left by senior QB, and Notre Dame baseball commit, Rory Fox. The player who I believe has a great shot at stepping into the role is current freshman [player_tooltip player_id="245969" first="MJ" last="Mitchell"]. The 6’1" 170 lbs athlete displayed a naturally gifted arm at the Prep Redzone Showcase this past December along with proving himself to be a viable dual threat option. That athleticism allowed Mitchell to see some action as a freshman carrying the ball, but he hasn’t gotten a chance to sling it on a varsity field, yet. I’m excited to see his arm in action in a game setting because the zip and accuracy he displayed at the Showcase has me believing he is next up for the powerhouse in Waukesha, WI. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="262072" first="Tyler" last="Van Sluys"], ATH- Grafton</strong> This selection is less about a single position being voided and more about stepping into the role a former player had. Grafton loses senior [player_tooltip player_id="216346" first="Silvio" last="Lanza"] who is committed to UW-Whitewater. I believe the 5’10" 180 lbs athlete [player_tooltip player_id="262072" first="Tyler" last="Van Sluys"] could step into his role. Lanza did it all for Grafton in 2021. He ran the ball, caught it, returned in on punts and kicks, and several other things. Tyler spent 2021 doing that exact same thing on the non-varsity squad. He did it in dominating fashion too. That has me excited to see if he can carry that over to the varsity level after an offseason of growth, and development. Of course I don’t expect him to have as big of an impact as a sophomore, but I do believe Tyler has the athleticism, strength, and versatility to help alleviate the loss of Silvio. Keep an eye on the impact Tyler has next season. I think he is going to have the opportunity to earn a big role on the Grafton varsity squad as a sophomore.