The Journal-World All-Area teams are carefully selected by the Journal-World’s sports staff.

• Player of the Year: Colton Brusven, Tonganoxie

photo by: Contributed

Colton Brusven

Brusven logged 377 carries for 2,047 yards and 28 touchdowns as the top rusher in 4A in his senior campaign. The Cardinals’ star running back was named First Team All-Frontier League.

• Coach of the Year: Preston Troyer, Tonganoxie

In his second season at the Chieftains’ helm, Troyer led Tonganoxie clear to the 4A semifinal round (42-14 loss to Overland Park-St. Thomas Aquinas) to end the year at 9-3. The season included several notable victories, including a gritty 57-50 road win at then-unbeaten Atchison High in the quarterfinal round of the state football playoff.

• Trevor McGraw, Tonganoxie

photo by: Contributed photo

Trevor Mcgraw

McGraw completed his senior campaign as the first 2,000+ yard passer in Baldwin program history with 2,104 passing yards and 21 touchdowns tallied this fall. McGraw finished the regular season as the top passer in the Frontier League.

• Adrion Seals, Eudora High

photo by: Contributed

Adrion Seals

Seals led the Cardinals at defensive back with 73 tackles, including two tackles-for-loss and five interceptions. On offense, the First Team All-Frontier League senior racked up 619 receiving yards on 31 receptions for six touchdowns.

• Thomas Cromer, Eudora High

Cromer, a three-year starter, blocked for over 10,000 yards in his career with Eudora and ended his season with First Team All-Frontier League honors.

• Wesley Edison, Free State

photo by: Carter Gaskins/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Wesley Edison (7) runs down the sideline past Olathe North’s Nathan Gunderson (20) Friday, Oct. 20, 2023 at Free State High School.

Edison, leading the Firebirds to a 6-0 start this fall, capped his senior season passing for 1,094 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions.

• Hank Fuchs, Free State

photo by: Contributed

Hank Fuchs

Fuchs was a key anchor for the Free State offensive line this season. Earlier this fall, Fuchs announced his commitment to Indiana State for next fall.

• Zander Thomas, Lawrence High

photo by: Carter Gaskins/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence’s Zander Thomas (3) catches his breath after a play on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023.

Thomas led the Sunflower League with 121 total tackles at safety in his final season with the Chesty Lions, pulling down three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, along the way.

• Banks Bowen, Lawrence High

photo by: Carter Gaskins/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence High’s Banks Bowen (4) winds up to throw the ball downfield Friday night, Oct. 13, 2023, for the City Showdown Lawrence at Free State.

Bowen, shining bright in his first season as LHS’ full-time quarterback, finished the season with 2,693 yards of total offense – first in 6A – including 1,676 yards through the air and 1,017 on the ground.

• Brett Davidson, Baldwin High

photo by: Contributed

Brett Davidson

Davidson picked up 45 total tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and four sacks, as a two-way starting lineman for the Bulldogs during his junior season.

• Jake Van Horn, Baldwin High

photo by: Contributed

Jake Van Horn

Van Horn was another essential piece to the Baldwin line, pulling down 44 total tackles, including nine tackles for loss and four sacks, during his junior season.

Honorable Mention: Hyrum Vaeono, Free State; Kem Allen, Lawrence High; Braylen Hoobler, Eudora High; Tristan Kapelle, Baldwin High; Jack Harvey, Baldwin High; Isaiah Holthaus, Tonganoxie.