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2019 South Dakota High School Football Players of the Year

Here are the top varsity football players in South Dakota by class.

11AAA

Player of the Year
SchoolPositionStats

Tate Johnson

Brandon Valley

RB

304 rush, 1,833 yds, 6.0 avg, 22 TD

Coach Chad Garrow: "Tate has become a mainstay in our offense over the past 2 years. What he lacks in size he makes up for with his heart, physical ability and his overall toughness. His vision, balance and explosiveness make him a dynamic runner between the tackles."

Other Nominees
Player
SchoolPositionStats

Brady Dannenbring

Sioux Falls Roosevelt

QB

183-285 64%, 2,612 yds, 21 TD, 10 INT

Aaron Kusler

Sioux Falls Roosevelt

LB

106 tkls, 7 TFL, 6 sacks, INT; 6 TD

Adam Kusler

Sioux Falls Roosevelt

LB

127 tkls, 10 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT-TD

Thomas Scholten

Brandon Valley

QB

118-191 62%, 1681 yds, 26 TD, 1 INT

Tommy Thompson

Sioux Falls Lincoln

QB

154-232 66%, 1898 yds, 19 TD, 6 INT, 62 rush, 230 yds, 6 TD

Tate Wishard

Sioux Falls O'Gorman

RB

210 rush, 1,217 yds, 5.8 avg, 24 TD

 

11AA

Player of the Year
SchoolPositionStats

Garrett Stout

Pierre

QB/S

150-231, 2446 yds, 38 TD; 128 rush, 1564 yds, 23 TD; 4 KR TD, 1 INT RET TD

Pierre Head Coach Steve Steele:  "I can’t say enough about Garrett, both as a student-athlete, but also as a human. He’s a special one. He did it all on the field for us, playing WR, QB, CB, FS, holding for kicks, returning kicks and wanting to do even more.

"Off the field, Garrett is a great human. He helps in elementary classrooms and really does a lot to help the youth of our community. He was always at the youth football games supporting the kids and taking pictures with them after games. He truly embraced the call to be a servant leader and was always willing to help anyone in need, even coming to help me setup a swing-set for my son…only to stick around and play with him for another hour afterwards. I am very blessed to have Garrett in this community, as he both represents and serves this community extremely well. There truly are too many stories to tell about how much he means to this community."

Other Nominees
Player
SchoolPositionStats

Regan Bollweg

Pierre

TE/DE

40 rec, 842 yds, 11 TD; 42 tkls, 13.5 sacks, FF

Carter Eidem

Brookings

RB

179 rush, 1,057 yds, 15 TD

Gunnar Gehring

Pierre

DL

70 tkls, 15.5 TFL

River Iverson

Pierre

LB

103 tkls, 7 TFL

Parker Phillips

Mitchell

RB

198 rush, 1,107 yds, 12 TD

Maguire Raske

Pierre

RB/LB

124 rush, 1043 yds, 16 TD; 30 rec, 469 yds, 5 TD

Grey Zabel

Pierre

C/DE

46 tkls, 12 TFL, 9 sacks

 

11A

Player of the Year
SchoolPositionStats

Kayden Verley

Canton

RB/WR/QB/CB/K/P/KR/PR

31-57, 419 yds, 6 TD; 204 rush, 1,704 yds, 19 TD; 7 rec, 139 yds; 32 tkls, 6 DEF INT; 47/47 PAT, 39.4 punting avg.

Coach Rich Lundstrom: "The past three years, Kayden has been our best player at whichever position we put him.  He literally does not come off the field.   He has incredible feet, great jumping ability, balance, vision, instincts, and good speed. Kayden is hands down the best player I’ve ever coached."

Other Nominees
Player
SchoolPositionStats

Cody Brown

Madison

G/DT

92 tkls, 18 TFL, 6 sacks, FR, FF, 2 blk punts

Haidyn DeJean

Tea Area

LB

79 tkls, 10 TFL, 6 sacks, FR

Logan Ellingson

Dell Rapids

WR

34 rec, 708 yds, 6 TD; 8 rush, 84 yds, TD; 47 tkls, 3 DEF INT, TD

Coby Maeschen

Dell Rapids

RB

106 tkls, TFL, 4 INT; 507 scrimmage yards, 8 TD

Caleb Metcalf

Lennox

WR

49 rec, 916 yds, 8 TD

P.J. Parmalee

Tea Area

LB

83 tkls, 14 TFL, 4.5 sacks, FR

Tyler Tappe

Madison

QB

202-324, 2,227 yds, 18 TD 

 

11B

Player of the Year
SchoolPositionStats

Jesse Hastings

Mt. Vernon/Plankinton

RB/LB

188 rush, 1,713 yds, 30 TD; Rec TD, KR TD; 3 sacks, 6.5 TFL

Jesse finished his career with 90 touchdowns, he played 11-man football his last three seasons giving him 75 at that level which is believed to be a state record. Hastings is going on to play at NDSU next season. “Running over somebody is way more fun than sitting there dancing to me. I always say the endzone is on the opposite side not around him,” said Jesse.

Other Nominees
Player
SchoolPositionStats

Brady Hawkins

Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan

QB/S

109 rush, 1,038 yds, 9.5 avg, 15 TD; 38-79, 931 yds, 17 TD; 100 tkls, 6 TFL, 4 DEF INT

Nash Hutmacher

Chamberlain

DL/OL

66 tkls, 1 sack, 4 TFL, 3 FR

Ryder Kirsch

St. Thomas More

QB

123-190, 2,219 yds, 30 TD, 2 INT; 16 rush, 160 yds, 3 TD

Trevor Peters

Winner

RB/LB

167 rush, 1,298 yds, 27 TD; 6 TFL, 6 PBU, 3 INT, 3 FR

 

9AA

Player of the Year
SchoolPositionStats

Chase Mason

Viborg-Hurley

QB/LB

165 rush, 1,011 yds, 12 TD; 94-187, 1,565 yds, 14 TD; 71 tkls, 6 INT, 1 sack

Coach Rob Kessler: "Chase is a kid that has all the attributes that could make him arrogant, but he is one of the humblest kids I’ve ever coached, I’ve never heard him brag about himself once, and this is a rare, very mature quality for a young man of his talent. Chase is a gamer, when the game is on the line, he is not afraid to take it on his back, you seen this in the state championship game. Chase is a lead by example teammate, he never gets in trouble, is always doing the right thing, and on the occasion that he does say something during a game or practice, people listen because they know it must be important."

Other Nominees
Player
SchoolPositionStats

Matt Amdahl

Dakota Hills

RB/LB

185 rush, 1293 yds, 16 TD; Rec TD, 2-KR TD, 110 tkls, 3 FF, FR, 2 TFL, 3 INT

Josh Crownover

Bon Homme

QB/DL

94-187, 1,565 yds, 14 TD; 165 rush, 1,011 yds, 12 TD; 93.5 tkls, 8 sacks, 2 FR, TD

Carter Hoffman

Deuel

RB/DB

110 rush, 1,191 yds, 15 TD; 22 rec, 470 yds, 6 TD; 3 DEF INT (1 TD), PR TD, KR TD

Cody Thompson

Lemmon-McIntosh

QB/DB

136-250, 2,689 yds, 40 TD; 74 rush, 395 yds, 11 TD

 

9A

Player of the Year
SchoolPositionStats

Nick Wittler

Sully Buttes

QB/DB

1,897 yds rushing, 28 TD; 1,721 yds passing, 24 TD;

Coach Mark Senftner: "Nick put our team in position to be successful. His play calling and ability to make plays were the key to our offensive production."

Other Nominees
Player
SchoolPositionStats

Kaden Eng

Castlewood

RB/LB

100 tkls, 17 TFL, 2 sacks; 34 rush, 293 yds, 4 TD; 24 rec, 308 yds, 7 TD

Stanley Haskins

Britton-Hecla

RB/LB

151 rush, 1,293 yds, 16 TD; 51 tkls, sack, 3.5 TFL; INT TD

Jett Lamb

Sully Buttes

OL/DL

55 tkls, 15 TFL, 4 sacks 

Tyce Ortman

Canistota/Freeman

RB/DB

142 rush, 1,465 yds, 18 TD; 25 rec, 330 yds, 6 TD; 62 tkls, 4.5 TFL, 6 INT, 2 TD

 

9B

Player of the Year
SchoolPositionStats

Nate Tolley

Colman-Egan

QB/DB

32-51, 583 yds, 15 TD; 128 rush, 1,123 yds, 27 TD; 25 tkls, 7 DEF INT, 2 FR

Coach Chad Williamson: "Nate is an excellent leader and role model for our football program and our school. Nate really worked hard to improve all his skill sets to become the complete QB that he is. We could have thrown the ball with Nate very successfully 20 times a game but chose not to."

Other Nominees
Player
SchoolPositionStats

Sam Adams

Harding County

RB/LB

146 rush, 1,353 yds, 28 TD; 25 rec, 443 yds, 4 TD; 110 tkls, 12 TFL, 5 FF

Wade Begeman

Herreid/Selby Area

QB/DB

155 rush, 1,402 yds, 16 TD; 47-90, 924 yds, 11 TD; 90 tkls, 9 TFL, 3 FR

Camden Hett

Harding County

QB/DB

92-132, 1,682 yds, 20 TD; 85 rush, 1,123 yds, 15 TD, 5 DEF INT 

Brevan Hooks

Wolsey-Wessington

DL/TE

172 tkls, 15.5 sacks

Connor Libis

DR St. Mary

QB/DB

53-88, 910 yds, 17 TD; 106 rush, 632 yds, 17 TD 

Clayton Randall II

Herreid/Selby Area

RB/LB

230 rush, 1,823 yds, 25 TD; 7 rec, 239 yds, 3 TD; 98 tkls, 2 FF, 5 INT

Dalton Voelker

Colman-Egan

DL/WR

 76 tkls, 6.5 sacks, 3 FR; 7 rec, 193 yds, 4 TD

Skylar Zomer

Wolsey-Wessington

QB/DB

97-158, 1,726 yds, 17 TD; 154 rush, 1,013 yds, 28 TD; 54 tkls, 8 PBU, 3 DEF INT

 

All-Nations Conference

Player of the Year
SchoolPositionStats

Mykael Loera-Prado

Lower Brule

RB

118 rush, 2,221 yds, 28 TD; 3 rec TD; 3 DEF INT, 4 FR, 5 FF, 8 RET TD

Coach Zeke Prado: "Mykael is one of the most explosive players to come out of 9-man football this season. Myke has racked up 2,200 rushing yards and 43 TD’s. His ability to make players miss in the open field, create headaches for defensive coordinators. Myke is not just an athlete but a student athlete. He also spends his free time hanging with the kids at Lower Brule elementary."

Other Nominees
Player
SchoolPositionStats

Riyen Carlow

Red Cloud

QB

1st Team All-Nations QB

Isaiah Sorace

Crow Creek

RB

77 rush, 1,092 yds, 16 TD

Luke Wells

Crow Creek

QB

45-56, 994 yds, 14 TD; 66 tkls, 16 TFL, 3 FR, 4 INT

Curious who else made the shortlist? Here is a look back the 2019 South Dakota High School Football Player of the Year Contenders.


Filed Under Football | Varsity Sports | SD High School