The 2024 NEBPreps Football Awards finalists have been unveiled. These awards honor the top high school football players across the state of Nebraska for their excellence on the field, outstanding performances and significant contributions to their teams.
Finalists have been named for Player of the Year (POY), Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY), Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY), Special Teams Player of the Year (STPOY), and the Big Game Chain Player of the Year (POY).
Here are the finalists for each class and category:
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Big Game Chain Player of the Year:
– So. RB Tay Tay Jenkins (Omaha Westside)
– Sr. WR/DB/PK Joe Kolega (Skutt Catholic)
– Jr. QB Jett Thomalla (Millard South)
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Class A
Player of the Year (POY):
– So. RB Tay Tay Jenkins (Omaha Westside)
– Jr. QB Jett Thomalla (Millard South)
– Sr. RB/DB Caden VerMaas (Millard North)
Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY):
– So. RB Tay Tay Jenkins (Omaha Westside)
– Sr. TE Chase Loftin (Millard South)
– Jr. QB Jett Thomalla (Millard South)
Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY):
– Sr. DL Ike Ackerman (Omaha Central)
– Jr. LB Max Clark (Omaha North)
– Sr. LB Sawyer Schilke (Kearney)
Special Teams Player of the Year (STPOY):
– Sr. KR/PR Keynan Cotton (Omaha Westside)
– Jr. KR/PR Darion Jones (Omaha North)
– Sr. PK Alexander Michaud (Millard North)
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Class B
Player of the Year (POY):
– Jr. QB/DB Nate Kelley (Scottsbluff)
– Sr. WR/DB/PK Joe Kolega (Skutt Catholic)
– Sr. LB/DB/RB/P Kyler Lauridsen (Bennington)
Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY):
– Jr. QB Tresten Hass (Seward)
– Jr. QB Michael Knudsen (Gretna)
– Sr. QB Dylan Van Dyke (Skutt Catholic)
Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY):
– Jr. LB Barry Fries (Elkhorn North)
– Sr. DL Jack Jansen (Bennington)
– Sr. LB/DB Kyler Lauridsen (Bennington)
Special Teams Player of the Year (STPOY):
– So. PK Evan Greenfield (Norris)
– Sr. P Kyler Lauridsen (Bennington)
– Sr. P/PK Chance Vertin (Hastings)
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Class C1
Player of the Year (POY):
– Sr. RB Quinn Bailey (Chadron)
– Jr. RB Kip Brigham (Wahoo)
– Sr. RB/LB Darien Whitaker (Boys Town)
Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY):
– Jr. RB Kip Brigham (Wahoo)
– Sr. QB Alek Doty (Sidney)
– Jr. QB Parker Zikmund (Central City)
Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY):
– Sr. LB Brant Gulizia (Auburn)
– Jr. LB Keian Kaiser (Sidney)
– Jr. LB Harrison Krueger (Wahoo)
Special Teams Player of the Year (STPOY):
– Jr. PK Brandon DeAnda (Lakeview)
– Sr. KR/PR Landon Riddle (Sidney)
– Sr. P Noah Shoemaker (Cozad)
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Class C2
Player of the Year (POY):
– Sr. QB Braylon Anderson (Oakland-Craig)
– Sr. RB Conor Booth (Bishop Neumann)
– Sr. WR/DB/PK Max Hammond (Norfolk Catholic)
Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY):
– Sr. QB Braylon Anderson (Oakland-Craig)
– Sr. RB Conor Booth (Bishop Neumann)
– Sr. RB Beau Rohrich (Wood River)
Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY):
– Sr. DL Dawson Amick (Battle Creek)
– Sr. DL Thomas Roberts (Boone Central)
– Jr. LB Keaton Wemhoff (Kearney Catholic)
Special Teams Player of the Year (STPOY):
– Sr. PK Max Hammond (Norfolk Catholic)
– Jr. KR/PR Tavion Johnson (Raymond Central)
– Sr. PK/P Solomon Wiens (Kearney Catholic)
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Class 8-Man 1
Player of the Year (POY):
– Sr. LB/RB Becker Pohlman (Stanton)
– Sr. QB/LB Ethan Shaw (Sandy Creek)
– Sr. QB/DB Barrett Wilke (Stanton)
Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY):
– Sr. QB Michael Koenig (Summerland)
– Sr. QB Ethan Shaw (Sandy Creek)
– Sr. QB Barrett Wilke (Stanton)
Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY):
– Sr. DL Hudson Devlin (Sandy Creek)
– Jr. DB Ethan Latta (Dundy County-Stratton)
– Sr. DL Keaton Thiele (Summerland)
Special Teams Player of the Year (STPOY):
– Sr. PK Alex Diaz (Arapahoe)
– Sr. KR/PR Connor Rempe (Sandy Creek)
– Sr. P/PK Sam Souerdyke (Thayer Central)
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Class 8-Man 2
Player of the Year (POY):
– Sr. QB/DB Kyle Cox (Sandhills/Thedford)
– Sr. RB Jack Molt (Riverside)
– Sr. QB/DB Zaden Wolf (Central Valley)
Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY):
– Sr. QB Kyle Cox (Sandhills/Thedford)
– Sr. RB Grady Kelley (Central Valley)
– Sr. RB Jack Molt (Riverside)
Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY):
– Sr. LB Trevor Carraher (Riverside)
– Sr. LB Mason Geilenkirchen (Archangels)
– Sr. DE Taesian Soto (Central Valley)
Special Teams Player of the Year (STPOY):
– Jr. KR/PR Gage Hedstrom (St. Mary’s)
– Sr. PK/P Andrew Kosch (Archangels)
– Jr. PK/P Hunter Luther (Howells-Dodge)
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Six-Man Football
Player of the Year (POY):
– Sr. RB/LB Maddox Jones (Sumner-Eddyville-Miller)
– Jr. QB/DB Kayde Ramm (Stuart)
– Sr. QB/DB Dylan Young (Hay Springs)
Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY):
– Sr. RB Jett Farwell (Pawnee City)
– Sr. RB Maddox Jones (Sumner-Eddyville-Miller)
– Jr. QB Kayde Ramm (Stuart)
Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY):
– Sr. DB Anthony Kling (Pawnee City)
– Sr. DL Cohen Rhode (Sumner-Eddyville-Miller)
– Sr. DB Dylan Young (Hay Springs)
Special Teams Player of the Year (STPOY):
– Jr. PK Jaycen Hanna (Arthur County)
– So. PK Bode Martin (Sumner-Eddyville-Miller)
– So. KR/PR Jordan Scoville (Sumner-Eddyville-Miller)
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Winners will be announced at the 2024 NEBPreps Football Awards show on Dec. 3 at Hurrdat Sports Bar in La Vista. Doors open at 6 p.m., awards show starts at 6:30 p.m. Reserve your table here.
Stay tuned to NEBPreps social media channels for more updates.
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Contact:
Sausha Durkan: sausha@hurrdatsports.com
