Here is the 2022 Record Newspapers All-Area football team.
OFFENSE
Logan Brasfield, Yorkville, junior, offensive line: The 6-foot-4, 260-pound junior was an all-conference selection in the SPC West. Also played some defensive line for Foxes.
Isaiah Brown, Yorkville, sophomore, receiver: Foxes’ top receiver caught 42 passes for 461 yards and a touchdown. Brown also had 10 punt returns for 101 yards.
Alex Diaz, Plano, senior, offensive line/defensive line: Three-year starter at left guard paved the way for Waleed Johnson and Ray Jones the last two years, both Plano running backs rushing for more than 1,200 yards. First team all-conference in the I-8/KRC. Two-year starter at defensive tackle led team in tackles (61) and sacks (2.5).
Ireland Dye, Plano, senior, offensive line: Three-year starter at left tackle paved the way for Waleed Johnson and Ray Jones the last two years, both Plano running backs rushing for more than 1,200 yards. First-team all-conference in the I-8/KCR.
Cruz Ibarra, Oswego, senior, quarterback: Three-year varsity quarterback, two years as a starter, Ibarra is also a standout wrestler. This season he completed 52.1% of his passes for 1,484 yards and 11 touchdowns. All-conference pick.
Waleed Johnson, Plano, junior, running back: Speedster had spectacular first season as Plano’s lead running back in second varsity season. Honorable mention IHSFCA Class 4A All-State pick ran for 1,285 rushing yards at 8.7 yards per carry, made 17 catches for 235 yards and had 16 total touchdowns.
Tre Jones, Oswego East, senior, quarterback: Navy recruit, all-conference pick and dynamic dual-threat quarterback ran for 802 yards and 10 touchdowns, and also completed 57% of his passes for 715 yards and seven touchdowns. Jones broke Oswego East’s single-game rushing record with 253 yards on just 14 carries with four long touchdowns in win over Oswego.
Jordan Katzenbach, Oswego, senior, receiver: Steady pass catcher and all-conference pick had 33 catches for 448 yards and four touchdowns.
Tim Savchuk, Oswego East, junior, offensive line: The 6-foot-4, 280-pound Savchuk was an all-conference selection in the SPC West. Savchuk had 27 pancake blocks.
Deakon Tonielli, Oswego, senior, tight end: Michigan recruit and one of the state’s top prospects in the Class of 2023 was once again Oswego’s top target in the passing game and an all-conference pick. Tonielli, a three-year varsity starter, had 42 catches for 550 yards and five touchdowns.
Orlando Woodhouse, Oswego East, senior, offensive line: The 6-foot-2, 275-pound senior had 21 pancake blocks.
Gio Zeman, Yorkville, senior, running back: Hard-running Foxes’ senior rushed for 1,094 yards and seven touchdowns on 173 carries as the most consistent threat in Yorkville offense despite missing three games due to injuries. Zeman topped 100 yards rushing in six of his nine games played. Honorable mention all-conference pick.
DEFENSE
Juny Almeida, Oswego East, senior, linebacker: Led Oswego East defense with 79 tackles, with six tackles for loss.
Ben Alvarez, Yorkville, junior, linebacker/fullback: Two-way starter had 45 tackles, seven tackles for loss, a sack, interception, pass defensed and fumble recovery as a second-year starter at linebacker. At fullback rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns and caught four passes for 60 yards. All-conference selection.
Grifen Brown, Oswego, junior, linebacker: Younger brother of spring 2021 Player of the Year Evan Brown emerged as a standout player in his own right. Brown led Oswego in tackles with 70 with eight tackles for loss.
Jake Davies, Yorkville, senior, defensive line: Wyoming recruit and 2021 All-Stater was a huge part of a dominant Yorkville defensive line for a defense that posted five shutouts. Davies made 52 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hurries. At tight end caught 10 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. All-conference selection.
Kyle Gettemy, Yorkville, senior, linebacker: Led Foxes’ defense with 81 tackles, none bigger than on fourth and goal to preserve second-round win over Moline in four overtimes. Had nine tackles for loss, four passes defensed, three quarterback hurries and one interception. Honorable mention all-conference pick.
Blake Kersting, Yorkville, senior, linebacker: Three-year starter seemed to have a knack for making big plays at multiple places on the football field. Kersting had 71 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, three interceptions – including a key pick six in Yorkville’s first-round playoff game – with two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. He also caught 10 passes for 157 yards and five touchdowns. All-conference pick.
Amani Kortie, Yorkville, senior, defensive line: All-conference selection was a 6-foot-3, 340-pound force in the middle of Foxes’ fierce defensive line. Kortie in nine games had 24 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, one quarterback hurry and a pass defensed.
Andrew Laurich, Yorkville, senior, defensive line: Colorado State recruit and three-year varsity player was an Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 7A All-Stater for 10-2 Foxes who reached first quarterfinal since 1999. A leader of fierce defensive line that recorded five shutouts, Laurich had 50 total tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and 17 hurries. Named the Southwest Prairie Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year.
Nick Morrison, Oswego East, senior, defensive back/linebacker: After missing a season because of a shoulder surgery, Morrison returned to have all-conference senior year. Morrison, playing the “hero” position, had 62 tackles, three tackles for loss and an interception.
Mike Polubinski, Oswego East, senior, defensive back: All-conference selection contributed in all three phases for Wolves. Polubinski had 38 tackles, three tackles for loss, 16 pass breakups and seven interceptions at defensive back. Offensively had 15 catches for 175 yards and three TDs. Averaged 13 yards on punt returns.
Andrew Zook, Yorkville, senior, defensive line/offensive line: Recently committed to Lindenwood, Zook was a two-way starter on the line this season for Foxes. Defensively had 47 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and seven quarterback hurries with two pass deflections and one punt block. All-conference pick.
Luke Zook, Yorkville, sophomore, defensive back: A playmaker both on defense and on special teams, Zook made 46 tackles, had seven tackles for loss, had three interceptions, one of them a pick six to beat West Aurora, two passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Also scored two touchdowns on blocked punts. Honorable mention all-conference pick.
Honorable Mention
Hudson Fiene, Yorkville, senior, kicker/punter; Thomas Harding, Plano, senior, receiver/defensive back/returner; Braedon Hellinger, Oswego, senior, linebacker; Hunter Janeczko, Yorkville, senior, linebacker; Michael Parrott, Oswego East, senior, defensive back; Josh Polubinski, Oswego East, senior, wide receiver; Zach Polubinski, Oswego East, senior, linebacker; Sam Tholen, Yorkville, senior, offensive line.