You have to love the postseason awards season.
A time to reflect at the best and brightest of the season, it allows you to remember the players and moments that made you jump out of your seat and scream in excitement.
An experiment we started last fall, the 2014 Southern Lakes Newspapers (SLN) All-Area Football team is back for year two, which covers the Burlington Standard Press, Waterford Post and Westine Report.
Last year, Waterford’s Jake Bauer was the top player and Catholic Central’s Tom Aldrich was the top coach.
Only four players from last year’s squad are making a return appearance this year.
Last fall, we saw Burlington take the SLC by storm with a new coach and a whole new football culture.
Catholic Central improved upon last year for a very strong season that ended among Division 7’s top teams.
Waterford made it to Level 2 of the playoffs with a hot finish, and Union Grove improved by leaps and bounds in coach Jordan Hein’s second season.
Without further adieu, let’s take a look at this year’s team.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Brad Burling, senior, Burlington
The 6-foot-2, 175-pound quarterback was not only the best football player in the county, as evidenced by his Racine County player of the year honor, he earned all-state accolades and was the Southern Lakes Conference player of the year.
It was the first time a Demon won Racine County’s top honor since Reid Oldenburg in 2004.
The awards keep coming for the pass-run threat, who compiled 2,009 passing yards, 946 rushing yards and 36 total touchdowns.
He tossed 23 touchdowns and only nine picks in 11 games for a 101.8 rating.
Burling’s poise in the pocket allowed him to often go through multiple reads and find the open man, and when the play broke down, nobody was better.
On what will simply go down as “The Play,” Burling eluded several defenders and even ran backward before firing a 50-yard bomb for the game-winning touchdown in the Demons’ 21-20 playoff victory over Wilmot.
Burling’s offseason work with QB guru Bob Berezowitz paid off, and the humble young man made sure to talk about the stellar play of his teammates after each victory.
“On the field Brad used his vision, accuracy, anticipation, mobility, speed, and competitiveness to lead our team offensively,” said Burlington coach Steve Tenhagen. “Brad did a great job leading us on Friday nights. We were in tough situations a number of times this season, and there was never any panic. He did a great job preparing each week and excelled when the game was on the line.”
COACH OF THE YEAR
Steve Tenhagen, Burlington
It was a storybook first year for the hometown kid.
After seven years coaching Delavan-Darien, the 6-foot-4 former UW-Whitewater and Burlington standout receiver returned home to remove the Demons from the Southern Lakes doldrums.
He brought an improved weight room and offseason culture, an entire new offense and defense and many new faces on the coaching staff.
The results?
How about the team’s first conference championship since 1996 and first playoff victory in nearly a decade?
Tenhagen’s principles of quick scoring, a running quarterback and an aggressive, ball-hawking defense produced the most prolific offense in the conference and made stars out of players like Burling, Frankie Hozeska and Hunter Melby.
The guy who used to catch passes from former Burlington teammate and current Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowler Tony Romo has built a solid foundation for future success.
Don’t be surprised if the Demons turn into a perennial conference contender. The glory days of Burlington football are back.
RUNNING BACKS
Cole Kresken, senior, Catholic Central
The first of the all-area encore performers, Kresken took his game to another level this season and topped the 1,000-yard plateau despite missing a game due to a concussion.
In 11 games, the 6-foot, 200-pound impressive combination of size and speed used his natural running instincts to rack up 1,136 yards on the ground, tops in the area.
He scored 14 touchdowns, gained 7.1 yards per carry and went off for 103 yards per game.
Kresken added 200 receiving yards for good measure.
A second team all-county running back and first team all-Metro Classic star, Kresken, a Burlington native, knows how to play the game.
“Cole was the glue for our defense,” said head coach Tom Aldrich. “He is a very talented and gifted athlete who really loves the physicality of playing defense. His ability to make big plays forced opponents to account for him. Cole is an outstanding football player as well as a tremendous individual.”
They don’t get much tougher than Kresken, as he led the Toppers in tackles. With Ben Heiligenthal under center and Kresken running the ball, the expectations will be high for the Toppers in 2015.
Hunter Melby, senior, Burlington
The small scat back ran with the power of a 215-pound hulk, routinely breaking multiple tackles and dragging bigger defenders.
When it was time to turn on the jets, Melby could out-run defensive backs and take it to the house.
Able to cut on a dime without losing much speed, Melby totaled nearly 1,000 total yards running and receiving and had nine total touchdowns.
He went off for 137 yards to upset rival Waterford on the road, scored a long touchdown in a pivotal win over Delavan and tallied the game-winner in a four-overtime thriller at Wilmot.
When Burlington needed him, Melby came through.
Tenhagen said Melby runs tough and did a good job in the passing game.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Frankie Hozeska, senior, Burlington
Playing his first year of high school football, Hozeska left Burlington football fans wondering why the late bloomer waited so long to hit the gridiron.
A serious big-play threat, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound natural caught 30 balls for 509 yards and eight touchdowns, earning first team all-county and all-conference honors.
“He creates matchup problems and catches the football well,” Tenhagen said.
Jameson Radke, senior, Union Grove
“He’s one of the best wide receivers in southeast Wisconsin,” Union Grove coach Jordan Hein said of Radke.
While the numbers (24 catches, 375 yards, seven TDs) didn’t necessarily jump off the page, it was Radke’s presence and athleticism that made the 6-foot-2, 180-pound receiver a problem for opposing defenses.
Radke could elevate in traffic, make diving catches and always found a way to beat his defender when the ball was in the air.
“He’s a very explosive player,” Hein said. “Every team doubled him up and he was still very effective. Jameson is a great route runner, has huge hands and made some spectacular catches.”
TIGHT END
James Tully, senior, Burlington
Whether it was making clutch catches against Delavan or Waterford to help ice victories or blocking downfield for teammates Burling or Melby, Tully played the position better than anyone in the area in 2014.
A second team all-SLC pick, Tully caught 16 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns.
A co-captain for the 6-5 Demons, Tully developed into a solid run blocker, according to Tenhagen.
“He had good size and speed and was solid on third down,” Tenhagen said of the 6-foot-4, 210-pound specimen.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Ryan Simenson, senior, Burlington
A first team all-SLC and second team all-Racine County pick, Simenson helped pioneer a Demon offensive line that gave Burling and Melby plenty of room to roam.
A co-captain, Tenhagen said Simenson was the leader of the offensive line.
Burlington scored 29 points per game, and Simenson was effective in both the passing and running game.
Justin Gresk, senior, Waterford
A second team all-Racine County and first team all-SLC selection, Gresk was the rock of the Wolverine O-line.
Head coach Adam Bakken endorsed Gresk’s skills as one of the area’s best linemen.
Gresk, a 6-foot-2, 235-pound beast in the run game, helped lead a Waterford offense that scored 23.4 points per game.
The 7-4 Wolverines ran for almost 1,900 yards on the season behind their athletic offensive line.
Trevor Meinholz, junior, Catholic Central
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound menace really started to come into his own and dominate opponents as the year went on, according to Aldrich.
“He brings tremendous athleticism and power to his position,” Aldrich said. “Trevor is an excellent puller and is really good at the point of attack. He is fun to watch play.”
Meinholz helped the 8-3 Toppers run for more than 2,200 yards and 32 touchdowns, an average of more than 200 per game.
He spearheaded the line that produced the area’s only 1,000-yard rusher in Kresken.
Evan Storm-Voltz, junior, Union Grove
Hein said the 6-foot, 195-pound Storm-Voltz never left the field all season for the 3-6 Broncos.
His heart and determination earned the junior a role as captain, which is rare for an underclassman.
“Evan is undersized, but he has a huge heart. He played every position on the line and would do anything the team needed.”
Nick Seib, senior, Catholic Central
A first team all-Metro Classic selection, the 6-foot, 200-pound lineman provided quickness and athleticism in the run game and helped keep Heiligenthal’s jersey clean.
Along with Meinholz, Seib helped form the area’s most prolific rushing attack.
KICKER
Brian Dankle, senior, Burlington
A two-time all-area kicker, Dankle will attend the University of Iowa and plans to walk on as a kicker.
And why shouldn’t he?
He was 7-for-11 on field goals, including two more field goals against Waterford, Westosha Central and Delavan-Darien.
His long field goal of 45 yards would’ve been good from 55.
A team captain, Dankle was 39-for-40 on extra-point attempts and had the ability to kick the ball out of the back of the end zone on a regular basis.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Max Fisher, senior, Waterford
A hard-hitting terror to opposing ball carriers, Fisher found his way to the football with superior quickness and toughness.
Fisher tallied 155 tackles, good for 10th in the state.
A first team all-county pick, Fisher was named the SLC defensive player of the year.
He was the clear-cut leader on a Waterford defense that suffocated opponents in the last six games of the season (5-1).
In that stretch, Waterford held opponents to 12 points per game. Fisher busted through the line for a staggering 13 tackles for loss in 2014.
Look for Fisher to challenge for a state championship for the Waterford wrestling squad.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Luke Engel, senior, Waterford
A 6-foot-4, 210-pound strong man, Engel often won the ever-important line of scrimmage battle.
An honorable mention all-state pick, Engel was a first team all-county and all-conference pick.
Behind defensive genius Bakken, Engel and Fisher blossomed and wreaked havoc on the SLC.
Hegeman Tiedt, junior, Burlington
An early favorite for defensive player of the year in 2015, Tiedt is everything a coach looks for in a defensive end.
He’s tall, long, quick and powerful. Tiedt can muscle up and stuff a rusher and has the first step to sack the quarterback.
“He’s a game changer,” Tenhagen said of Tiedt. “Hegeman plays hard every play and is strong against the run.”
Tiedt single-handedly stopped Waterford’s passing game with two sacks and multiple hurries in Burlington’s season-changing victory.
He finished the season with 84 tackles (44 solo), 19 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Jake Kies, sophomore, Union Grove
A second team all-county pick, Kies somehow gets it done in the trenches despite a 5-foot-8, 165-pound frame.
“He is undersized but is mean and fast,” Hein said. “He’s a big-time motor guy and made a lot of big plays for us.”
Kies recorded 11 tackles for loss and six sacks out of the nose tackle. It’s not surprising, though, that the interior lineman has found success.
Hein was a standout defensive lineman and even played for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Under Hein’s tutelage, expect Kies to pile up the postseason awards the next two seasons.
Kramer Brown, senior, Burlington
At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Brown was the real deal all season, and it started with a strong offseason.
“Kramer committed himself in the offseason,” Tenhagen said. “He’s a big, strong player and is solid in his technique.”
Brown totaled 36 tackles (22 solo), including 11 tackles for loss.
Brown landed on the all-SLC second team.
LINEBACKERS
Jack Ritzman, senior, Waterford
A similar tackling machine to Fisher, Ritzman had a whopping 128 tackles with five tackles for loss.
Ritzman, a 5-foot-7, 170-pound pure football player who is quicker than a hiccup, didn’t earn all-SLC or all-county honors, but his presence was a big reason the Wolverines almost knocked off the eventual Division 2 state runner-up Waukesha West in the playoffs.
Jeff Stemper, senior, Catholic Central
A small but tough player who’s always around the football, Stemper was one of the best linebackers and receivers in western Racine County.
“Jeff is about as tough-nosed as they come when it comes to playing football the way you envision it being played,” Aldrich said. “Jeff was truly an exciting offensive player for us.”
Stemper had 57 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Kyle Jones, senior, Burlington
A tall, athletic corner with good ball skills and hitting ability, Jones made two big interceptions for the Demons, one of which was returned for a touchdown to help beat Waterford.
He tallied 54 tackles (28 solo), six tackles for loss, forced a fumble and recorded two sacks.
A team captain, Jones possesses ideal size, strength and speed at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds.
“Kyle was a playmaker on defense,” Tehhagen said. “He can play a number of positions and called our coverages.”
Jones was named first team all-county and second team all-SLC.
Dyln Ross, junior, Waterford
A second team all-county pick and first team all-SLC pick at cornerback, Ross has plus speed and quickness. His versatility made him a threat in the return game as well.
He led the area with three interceptions, added 57 tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown.
A dynamic player on offense as well, the athletic Ross also will excel on the basketball court this winter.
Erik Viel, junior, Burlington
At 6 feet, 150 pounds, it was Viel Island against the world for the shut-down corner.
He had 36 tackles (20 solo), two tackles for loss, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
“He’s our cover corner,” Tenhagen said. “He covered the opponent’s best receiver. He is aggressive in the run game and a good open-field tackler.”
Joe Peterson, junior, Union Grove
The 5-foot-9, 165-pound cornerback has the anticipation of a true No. 1 corner.
He broke up an eye-popping 13 passes, and Peterson was very clutch in big situations, Hein said.
“Joe played running back, QB, receiver and was a stud on our defense out of the corner position,” Hein said. “He has tremendous feet and quickness and is definitely one of the top DBs in the area.”
PUNTER
Dylan Malecki, senior, Waterford
Donning the team for the second straight year is Malecki, who had a solid senior season for the Wolverines at quarterback.
For his efforts, Malecki was a second team all-county and all-SLC selection.
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