Timeline: Meet the last 20 years of State Journal football players of the year

The four-star recruit impacted every phase of the game, but was a greater leader off the field. Lessons from a Super Bowl champion helped him develop into a do-it-all star.

The quarterback was hailed as the best and most charismatic player in a quarter century of Lodi football. He lived up to those expectations.

The Sun Prairie East quarterback plans to continue playing at North Dakota.

The Sun Prairie senior earned all-state honors from The Associated Press

DeForest coach Mike Minick is the All-Area coach of the year after leading the Norskies to the WIAA Division 3 state title. 

`Real deal' delivered for Waunakee defense. 

Heyroth excelled at running back, outside linebacker and kick and punt returner for the Blue Devils. 

Toren Young remembers when he arrived at Monona Grove as a 145-pound freshman and thinks about how far he has come.

WAUNAKEE — Troy Laufenberg didn’t take long to show a glimpse of what Waunakee and prep football fans would be privy to over the rest of his senior season.

MONONA — Jaden Gault got his start in football like most kids — playing pitch-and-catch on a youth flag football team.

MONONA — James Conner is pondering his future like the rest of his peers in the Monona Grove High School senior class.

The decision had already been made as far as Rodney Wedig was concerned.

Max Chamberlin, who led Waunakee to its third straight WIAA state football title, earned Associated Press and Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-State first-team honors at inside linebacker and earned WFCA all-state honorable mention honors as a punter.

Alanis rushed for 2,972 yards, the second-highest single-season total in state history, and 34 touchdowns on a state-record 476 carries. He also racked up a team-high 166 tackles on defense

Tyler Wedel was honored recently as an all-state punter, but that doesn't begin to measure the impact he had on the Spartans, who won a share of their third consecutive Northern Rock Valley Conference title and advanced to the third round of the WIAA Division 3 playoffs.

With Erickson back for his fourth year at quarterback, the Redbirds soared through the regular season unbeaten, averaging 47.6 points per game, and reached the WIAA Division 5 state semifinals before falling to eventual champion Brillion.

The Lodi offensive lineman helped lead his team to the state semifinals.

The Waunakee senior plans to continue playing for the Badgers.

Meet the large schools player of the year.