2013 All-Class Football Honors by VarsityKansas (Wichita-Eagle) – click here
2013 All-Class Football Honors by Topeka Capital Journal – click here

It was another great football season in Northeast Kansas with many KNZA, KMZA and KAIR radio listening area teams enjoying great years that saw two State champs crowned and 13 teams making the playoffs between Classes 4A, 3A, 2-1A and 8-Man DI and DII.

With all the great performances as teams this year many individuals enjoyed great season’s for their teams and have been honored with All-Class honors for those great season’s.

In 8-Man football it was the B&B Falcons capping off their final year in school history with their second straight state title and fourth in the last six years, finishing 12-1 on the season and earning a pair of guys on the All-Class teams as seniors, Dustin Rottinghaus and Blake Deters earned those honors at quarterback and end positions. Rottinghaus threw for 2,666 yards, 46 Touchdowns to just six interceptions on the season, amassing over 4,000 passing yards in his B&B career, while Deters caught 62 passes for 1,172 yards and 23 TD’s. Both earning All-Class 8-Man by VarsityKansas and Topeka Capital Journal.

Clifton-Clyde Eagle, Max Schwab also earned All-Class honors his coming at linebacker after helping the Eagles to the semifinals of 8-man Division I level of playoffs, finishing 9-4. Schwab lead the Eagles in tackles with 148 and had an interception on the season; helping him earn All-Class 8-Man honors by both VarsityKansas and Topeka Capital Journal. While, Hanover Wildcat junior, Ethan Fristchi earned All-Class 8-Man honors at offensive line by the Topeka Capital Journal helping the Wildcats to the 8-Man Division II sub-state game for the second straight year this year.

Other Area 8-Man players earning Honorable Mention All-Class honors: Axtell – Andrew Feldkamp (JR), Payton Heinen (SR); B&B – Cameron Haug (SR), Derek Mueting (JR), Ethan Schmitz (JR); Blue Valley-Randolph – Marshall Carey (SR); Clifton-Clyde – Austin Biggerstaff (SR), Caleb Gelino (SR); Hanover – Preston Jueneman (JR), Kent Bruna (SR), Brandon Jueneman (SR); Linn – Brett Peters (SR).  (B&B’s Rottinghaus & Deters, Hanover’s Fristchi and Clifton-Clyde’s Schwab earned honorable mention honors, too)

Class 2-1A the Centralia-Wetmore Panthers ran wild over all their opponents and dominated LaCrosse in the State title game 61-0 to cap off a season of perfection, 13-0 with a 2-1A State championship. With that great season multiple players made major impacts all year and five guys earned All-Class honors with seniors, Sam Steinlage, JT Rosine, Brett Burdiek and Hunter Haulfer, along with junior, Joey Ferron. Steinlage picked the honors at runningback after posting a 1,400-plus yard season and 254 yards in the state title game and Ferron earned the All-Class honors along the offensive line helping the potent Panther rushing attack. For Rosine, Burdiek and Haufler they picked up their honors on defense at defensive back, linebacker and defensive line, helping the Panthers give up just 5.2 ppg and 113 ypg this season.  All five Panthers earned 2-1A All-Class honors by both VarsityKansas and Topeka Capital Journal.

Four other area athletes earned 2-1A All-Class honors by the Topeka Capital Journal, coming from the schools of McLouth, Troy and Jackson Heights. Bulldogs of McLouth finished the season 7-3 making the playoffs again this season and the play of Drew Cerny and Nick McAferty was a big reason as they each earned All-Class honors at defensive back and end positions, respectively. Troy Trojan, Jay Whetstine lead the Trojans on defense with 124 tackles in their 7-4 season that saw them win a playoff game and Whetstine earned All-Class honors at linebacker. Jackson Heights offensive line, Preston Richter helped the Cobras to a 7-2 record and earned himself All-Class honors.

Other Area 2-1A players earning Honorable Mention All-Class honors: Centralia – Andrew Beck (SR), Devin Rempe (SR), Trevor Mars (SR); Immaculata – Drew Sachen (Soph); Jackson Heights – Nate Bryan (SR), Tim Rupnicki (SR), Kyle Algren (SR), Dustin Davis (SR); Jefferson County North – Luke Pyle (SR); McLouth – Brady Sullivan (Sr); Troy – Tristan Speer (JR), Ryan Franken (SR); Valley Falls – Luke Burns (SR), Gates Glassel (SR); Valley Heights – Derek Trimble (SR), Cole Maddox (SR); Washington County – Brett Herrs (SR). (Centralia’s Burdiek, Huafler, Steinlage, Ferron & Rosine, McLouth’s Cerny and Jackson Heights’ Richter earned honorable mention honors, too.)  

Class 3A, four area teams made the playoffs with a pair earning first round victories this year. The Hiawatha Red Hawks for the second straight year won their district and won an opening round playoff game finishing the season 7-4 and senior, Peyton Newell lead the charge on the defensive end for the Red Hawks. Newell the Nebraska Cornhusker commit tallied 76 tackles, 32 tackles for loss and 12 sacks this season earning him All-Class 3A honors by both VarsityKansas and Topeka Captial Journal.

Newell’s teammate and fellow senior, Conner Bigham earned All-Class 3A honors by the Topeka Capital Journal at the end spot playing wideout for the Red Hawks this season and being the top receiver all year. Nemaha Valley Raider, Caleb Meyer also earned All-Class 3A honors by the Capital Journal his coming at defensive back as he helped the Raiders to a 9-2 record and an opening round playoff win over rival Sabetha. Meyer had 51 tackles and three interceptions on defense while tossing for over 1,300 yards at quarterback for the Raiders.

Other Area 3A players earning Honorable Mention All-Class honors: ACCHS – Levi Baker (JR); Hiawatha – Bryce Oldridge (SR), Marshall Swearingen (SR), Shawn Green (SR); Horton – Trey Dishon (JR); Marysville – Coleman Frost (SR); Maur Hill-Mount Academy – Rafael Riqueline (JR); Nemaha Valley – Brad Boeckman (SR), Evan Hermesch (SR), Todd Price (SR), Devin Henry (JR), Andrew Oller (JR);  Pleasant Ridge – Logan McKinney (SR); Riverside – Andrae McGaughy (JR), Zach Halter (SR); Sabetha – Mateo Kirwan (SR), Alex Edelman (JR), Jacob Frey (SR). (Hiawatha’s Bigham and Nemaha Valley’s Meyer earned honorable mention honors, also.)

In Class 4A the Holton Wildcats made another run in the playoffs but it was cut short in the semifinals with a loss to Buhler to wrap up a strong season 12-1 and three players earned All-Class 4A honors for their great play this season. Cooper Zeller anchored the Wildcats offensive line that lead the way for a rushing attack that averaged 380.5 ypg on the season and Zeller earned All-Class honors on the line. Senior, Brendan Hampton earned All-Class at kicker by VarsityKansas as he was 58-62 on his PAT’s and 4-4 on his field goal attempts on the season on top of playing defensive back where he earned All-Class honors from Topeka Capital Journal. Hampton also led the Wildcats in rushing with over 1,500 yards. Senior defensive line, Jake Riederer notched All-Class honors along the line finishing the year with 30 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles.

Jeff West Tiger senior, Justin Scott earned All-Class honors on the defensive line by the Topeka Capital Journal after helping the Tigers to a 7-3 season and a playoff appearance.

Other Area 4A players earning Honorable Mention All-Class honors: Atchison – Tanner Huntington (SR); Holton – Andrew Rieschick (SR), Drake Ewing (SR), Ethan Holaday (SR), Dylan Wheeler (SR); Jeff West – Josh Becker (SR), Ian Mullins (SR), Drew Slimmer (SR); Perry Lecompton – Brendon Neal (SR); Royal Valley – Zach Rottinghaus (SR), Josh Tessendorf (SR); Santa Fe Trail – Tyler Mundy (SR). (Holton’s Riederer & Hampton, Jeff West’s Scott each earned honorable mention honors, too.)

Overall another great year of football in the Northeast Kansas area and next will step up to be another interesting one with plenty of teams changing classifications, district assignments and leagues, too.