Full list of Top 33 Football Players by Topeka Capital Journal -- click here

Five area players and won area coach earned honors by the Topeka Capital Journal as the best in the state. For the players they were named to the list of top 33 players in the state earning All-State honors, while the area coach earned Coach of the Year honors.

Baileyville-B&B, Centralia, Hiawatha and Holton all saw players earn top flight individual honors this season after great years from all four teams. While the Falcons of B&B in their final year as a school also saw their Coach garner the Coach of the Year honors across the State.

For the B&B Falcons the flew high to the fifth state title in school history and won back-to-back state titles for the first time in school history with their 12-1 record this season. The Falcons winning tradition continued this year and also came to a close with the consolidation of the school with Nemaha Valley next year, but the Falcons finished with the appearance in the state title game the last six years and won four of those games.

Leading the charge the last three years for the Falcons has been Head Coach, Justin Coup who was named Coach of the Year this year as he finishes 37-2 in his B&B Falcon career, winning two state titles and having a runner-up finish, too. As the Falcons over the last six years as a school amassed a 75-3 record during that span.

Falcons offense took flight this year behind senior quarterback, Dustin Rottinghaus who was the maestro of a high flying offense this season for B&B tossing for 2,666 yards with 46 TD passes and only six interceptions, while rushing for nearly 400 yards and 14 scores. Rottinghaus also had 53 tackles, a sack, three interceptions and blocked field goal on defense for the Falcons, all helping him to be named to the third 11 as part of the Top 33 by the Topeka Capital Journal.

The Centralia-Wetmore Panthers finished a perfect season with a 2-1A State championship by dominating their opponents all season even in the championship matchup to finish 13-0. Leading the charge were seniors, Sam Steinlage and JT Rosine who lead a stacked roster full of experience for the Panthers this season. Steinlage lead the potent rushing attack of the Panthers running for 254 yards in the State title game and finishing with over 1,400 yards rushing and 26 rushing TD’s, while on defense posting 176 tackles, while recording a pair of interceptions and pair of TD’s on defense. Rosine orchestrated the Panthers offense at quarterback in the single wing attack and ran for over 1,100 yards rushing on the season with 17 TD’s, while passing for 542 yards and six more TD’s; on defense JT registered a trio of interceptions, recovered a pair of fumbles, blocked a kick and had 69 tackles. Steinlage was named to the second 11 of the Top 33, while Rosine was named to the third 11 by the Topeka Capital Journal for All-State honors.

The Holton Wildcats had another strong season finishing 12-1 and making it to the final four in Class 4A, falling in the Sub-State matchup to Buhler to end their season. Wildcats again were led by the rushing attack with the team rushing for 380.5 ypg and senior, Cooper Zeller helped open up the rushing lanes playing on the offensive line. Zeller on defense was a big presence as well for the Wildcats tallying 30 tackles and a fumble recovery on the season helping earn him a spot on the third 11 of the Top 33 by the Topeka Capital Journal.

Hiawatha Red Hawk senior, Peyton Newell earned himself a spot on the first 11 of the Top 33 by the Topeka Capital Journal after helping his team to the a second straight district title this season and another playoff win this year and a 7-4 record overall. The Nebraska Cornhusker commit, Newell registered 76 tackles this year with 32 tackles for loss and 12 sacks, while also blocking three punts/kicks this year, too.

Overall a great and successful football season for many in Northeast Kansas and the five players and Coach earning honors from the Topeka Capital Journal exemplify the success from the area the great play on the football.