The 2024 SVM All-Area Football Team

FIRST TEAM

Will Birchen, Eastland-Pearl City, jr., LB/OL/K: IHSFCA honorable mention in Class 2A and unanimous first-team all-NUIC LB, posted 92 tackles and two interceptions.

Evan Boettner, Forreston, sr., LB/RB: First-team all-NUIC LB and second-team RB, led the team with 60 tackles and ran for 827 yards and seven TDs on 118 carries.

Wyatt Cassens, Sterling, jr., OLB: First-team all-Western Big 6 selection had 37 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 INT and a block.

Skylier Crooks, Fulton, sr., LB/RB: All-NUIC second-team LB, had 77 solo tackles (40 assisted), 3 TFLs, 1 INT and 3 fumble recoveries. Ran for 11 TDs with 470 yards rushing and 251 receiving with two TDs. Finished his career without a fumble.

Tyson Dambman, Dixon, sr. WR/DB: The all-BNC first team WR had 46 catches for 507 yards and four touchdowns. Led Dixon with three interceptions and had 59 tackles (23 solo).

Eli Davidson, Dixon, sr. LB/WR: The SVM Player of the Year did it all on defense as a first-team All-Big Northern Conference and honorable mention IHSFCA all-state selection. He had 118 tackles (51 solo), 10 tackles for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a touchdown. He was also Dixon’s top receiver, catching 59 passes for 791 yards and 14 TDs.

Elijah Endress, Bureau Valley, sr., RB/LB: IHSFCA honorable mention 2A all-state selection and unanimous first-team all-conference selection, ran for 937 yards and 12 TDs in seven games. Had 75 tackles and 10.5 TFLs.

Zy Haverland, Jr., Eastland-Pearl City, TE/LB/P: All-NUIC first-team TE, OLB and punter. Had 40 tackles and caught two TDs.

Will Howell, Dixon, sr., OL: The all-BNC first teamer helped the Dixon line pave the way for over 2,500 rushing yards and 43 touchdowns, allowing just 10 QB sacks on the season.

Jacob Huisenga, Fulton, sr., TE: All-NUIC unanimous first-team selection with 668 yards and 11 TDs on 41 receptions, also helped block in the run game.

Briar Ivey, Newman, sr, RB/LB: Unanimous first-team all-TRAC RB. Led Comets with 629 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns on 102 carries. Had 35 tackles (25 solo) with two interceptions and three TFLs.

Eddie Jones, Amboy, sr., QB/DB: First-team all-state I8FA and all-conference QB. Threw for 1,067 yards with 17 TDS and 3 INTs. Ran for 195 yards and 4 TDs with 22 assist tackles for the 8-man state champions.

Daniel Kelly, Newman, sr. LB/RB: IHSFCA all-state, unanimous first-team all-TRAC offense and defense. Posted 81 solo tackles (125 assisted) 15 TFL, 4 INTs, 2 TDs, 1 fumble recovery. Had 375 rushing yards, 3 TDs with 237 yards and 1 TD receiving.

Landon Knigge, Dixon, sr., RB: The all-BNC first team selection rushed for 1,268 yards and 18 touchdowns on 134 carries (9.46 YPC) with just one fumble in 10 games played.

Dom Kramer, Fulton, sr., QB: All-NUIC first-team selection had 1,124 yards passing with 7 TDs, rushing for 412 yards and 4 TDs.

Quinn Leffelman, Amboy, sr., FB/DE: First-team all-state I8FA DE, first-team all-conference FB and unanimous DE. Ran for 636 yards and 10 TDs on 54 attempts. Had 55 tackles and 16 sacks for the 8-man state champions.

Karter Livengood, Milledgeville, jr., TE/QB/DE: I8FA All-State, I8FA North Division first-team TE/DE. Had 65 tackles (36 solo), 12 TFLs, 7 sacks, 1 INT, 4 passes defended, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 TDs. Rushed for 299 yards and five TDs.

Cody McBride, Newman, sr., DB/RB: IHSFCA all-state honorable mention, first-team all-TRAC DB and second-team RB. Had 4 interceptions, 54 tackles (31 solo), 1 TFL. Totaled 289 rushing yards, 4 TDs.

Gus Mumford, Polo, sr., QB/DB: I8FA all-state and first-team North QB/DB. He ran for 1,228 yards and 22 TDs on 103 carries, passing for 810 yards and 13 TDs, 1 INT. Added 54 tackles (32 solo), 6 TFL, 4 INTs.

Drew Nettleton, Sterling, sr., QB: The all-Big 6 second team selection was 128-of-205 (62%) passing for 1,701 yards with 14 touchdowns and only four INTs. He finished as Sterling’s all-time leading passer with 2,552 yards.

Kaedon Phillips, Sterling, sr, WR/DB: The All-Big 6 first team selection finished with single season school record 747 yards receiving and nine TDs on 50 catches with 2 rushing TDs and 2 punt return TDs. Had six pass breakups on defense. Sterling’s career receiving leader with 1,150 yards and 14 TDs.

Briggs Sellers, Oregon, sr., G/DT: IHSFCA honorable mention all-state in class 3A and all-BNC first-team selection, the UW-Whitewater recruit was a multi-year starter for the Hawks.

Cullen Shaner, Dixon, sr., QB: IHSFCA all-state and First Team all-BNC selection was 155-of-222 passing (69.8%) for 1,971 yards, 30 touchdowns with just five INTs. He also ran for 527 yards on 83 carries (6.35 YPC) with seven touchdowns.

Draven Zier, Jr., RB Eastland-Pearl City: All-NUC first-team RB with 11 TDs and 920 yards rushing.

SECOND TEAM

Dalton Adamec, Milledgeville, sr., OL/DE

Adam Awender, Eastland-Pearl City, sr., QB

Braden Birdsley, Sterling, sr., OL/LB

Josh Crandall, Oregon, sr., TE/DB

Noah Dewey, Polo, sr., RB/WR/DE

Ryan Gebhardt, Sterling, jr., K

Isaac Goldman, Dixon, sr., OL

Josiah Heald, Fulton, sr., DL/OL

Bryce Helms, Bureau Valley, sr., QB/DB

Aiden Hoggard, Dixon, sr., DL

Brayden Klein, Amboy, sr., RB/LB

Demetree Larsen, Erie-Prophetstown, sr., RB/DB

Braedon Meyers, Fulton, jr., DB/utility

Jacob Newberry, Newman, sr., OL

Ryan Partington, Newman, sr., DL

Jacob Payne, Newman, jr., OL/DL

Wyatt Plachno, Polo, jr. OL/DL

Jared Runkle, Eastland-Pearl City, sr., OL/DL

Keaton Salsbury, Oregon, jr., DB

Alec Schoonhoven, Forreston, sr., OL

Micah-Toms Smith, Milledgeville, sr., RB/LB

Gage Tate, Sterling, sr., DL

Jake Whelan, Dixon, jr., LB

Tyler Zepezauer, Dixon, sr., DL

HONORABLE MENTION

Amboy: Caleb Yanos, Dillon Merriman, Josh Mckendre, Ed Fry, Evan Flanagan, Trevor Stenzal, Cody Winn

Bureau Valley: Brady Hartz, Ryan Wasilewski, Bracin Patnoe, Ayden Andrade,

Dixon: Jayden Neal, James Simpson, Gabe Rowley

Erie-Prophetstown: Derek Naftzger

Forreston: Cohen Kirchner, Dane Setterstrom

Fulton: Mason Kuebel, Landon Boonstra, Kody Schipper

Milledgeville: Konner Johnson, Spencer Nye, Jackson Scidmore

Morrison: Brady Anderson, Colton Bielema, Austin Boonstra, Donny Reavy, Noah Robbins, Tyler Peters

Newman: Evan Bushman, George Jungerman, Matthew Blackert

Oregon: Kade Girton, Kyson Morris, Seth Rote, Hunter Bartel, Gavin Morrow, Avery Lewis, Cooper Johnson

Polo: Gage Zeigler, Kailin Gulbranson, Jeffrey Donaldson, Logan Nelson, Damon Rowe

Rock Falls: Austin Castaneda, Ajay Kobbeman, Logan Thome

Sterling: Jimmy Wadsworth, Deseo Ibarra-Castillo, Cobey Shipma, Quincy Maas, Jerimiah Muhammad, Will Ports

West Carroll: Conner Townsend, Roger Laborn, Raef Pickard-Schingten, Aden Wiest