By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Silver Lake sophomore Kendrick VandeVelde, senior Dayne Johnson and junior Owen Rottinghaus and Rossville senior Conner Bush received All-Big East League first-team football recognition for the 2025 season.
Conner Bush, Rossville
Dayne Johnson, Silver Lake
VandeVelde was named to the first-team offensive line, while Johnson was a first-team pick at wide receiver and Rottinghaus the all-league returner after helping lead Silver Lake to a 7-3 record.
Bush was named to the All-Big East first-team defense at defensive back after helping the 11-2 Bulldawgs advance to the Class 1A state championship game.
Silver Lake's Johnson (defensive back) and senior Jayden Waterer (linebacker) were named to the all-league second team as were Rossville junior Charlie Chance (offensive lineman), senior Jack Donovan (defensive back) and senior Andre Johnson (linebacker).
Rossville and Silver Lake combined for 12 honorable mention picks.
2025 ALL-BIG EAST LEAGUE FOOTBALL
First team offense
Line -- Caleb McCrory, sr., Holton; Hendryx Wahl, sr., Nemaha Central; Holden Edelman, jr., Sabetha; Camden Wittwer, jr., Sabetha; Kendrick VandeVelde, so., Silver Lake.
Quarterback -- Carter Hajek, sr., Nemaha Central.
Running back -- Will Voos, sr., Sabetha; Korleone Holz, sr., St. Marys.
Tight end -- Reid Mitchell, sr., Sabetha.
Wide receiver -- Brody Schwinn, jr., Jefferson West; Dayne Johnson, sr., Silver Lake.
First team defense
Line -- Osiris Unruh, sr., Jefferson West; Danny Childress, jr., Nemaha Central; Kyler Ganstrom, sr., Nemaha Central; Holden Edelman, jr., Sabetha; Roger Browning, sr., St. Marys.
Linebacker -- Cael Frazier, sr., Holton; Jack Macke, sr., Nemaha Central; Amos Brakenhoff, sr., Perry-Lecompton.
Defensive back -- Caleb Strathman, sr., Nemaha Central; Conner Bush, sr., Rossville; Griffin Cumpton, sr., Royal Valley; Curtis Fitzgerald, jr., Sabetha.
All-purpose -- Cole Menold, sr., Sabetha.
Kicker -- Jayton Meyer, jr., Sabetha.
Punter -- Jayton Meyer, jr., Sabetha.
Returner -- Owen Rottinghaus, jr., Silver Lake.
Second team offense
Line -- Kyler Ganstrom, jr., Nemaha Central; Trevor Conklin, sr., Perry-Lecompton; Charlie Chance, jr., Rossville; Josh Rodewald, jr., Royal Valley; Tyler Birch, sr., St. Marys.
Quarterback -- Brixton Schwinn, fr., Jefferson West.
Running back -- Amos Brakenhoff, sr., Perry-Lecompton; Griffin Cumpton, sr., Royal Valley.
Tight end -- Landon Hernandez, sr., Holton.
Wide receiver -- Crayton Holman, sr., Jefferson West; Caleb Strathman, sr., Nemaha Central.
Second team defense
Line -- Tagen Diller, sr., Hiawatha; Eli HInes, jr., Holton; Paxton Henery, sr., Royal Valley; Josh Rodewald, jr., Royal Valley.
Linebacker -- Andre Johnson, sr., Rossville; Micah Lang, jr., Sabetha; Jayden Waterer, sr., Silver Lake.
Defensive back -- Corbin Mayer, jr., Jefferson West; Jack Donovan, sr., Rossville; Lincoln Menold, jr, Sabetha; Dayne Johnson, sr., Silver Lake.
All-purpose -- Ethan Morton, sr., Hiawatha.
Kicker -- Levi Thomas, jr., Nemaha Central.
Punter -- Korban Wilson, sr., Holton.
Returner -- Ethan Morton, sr., Hiawatha.
Honorable mention
Offensive line -- Rafe Scheutz, jr., Hiawatha; Brodie Bahr, jr., Jefferson West; Ethan Keating, sr., Jefferson West; Logan Deters, sr., Nemaha Central; Jacob O'Trimble, sr., Perry-Lecompton; Nathaniel Hammod, sr., Riley County; Martin Loecker, sr., Riley County; Malachi Douglas-Chee, jr., Royal Valley; Ian Deters, jr., Sabetha; Myles Fisher, jr., Silver Lake; Drew Womack, sr., Silver Lake.
Quarterback -- Karson Henry, sr., Hiawatha; Alec Franzier, sr., Holton; Kadrick Woodard, jr., Riley County; Canann Mitchell, sr., Rossville; Kipton Kruger, fr., Silver Lake; Lane Smith, sr., St. Marys.
Running back -- Korban Wilson, sr., Holton; Rielyn Wurtz, sr., Riley County; Manny Oliveira, jr., Royal Valley; Bryson Burgos, sr., Silver Lake.
Tight end -- Grant Warner, so., Holton; 10 Dalton Foster, so., Jefferson West; Jack Macke, sr., Nemaha Central; Brendon Woodard, jr., Riley County; Andre Johnson, sr., Rossville; Landon Gilbert, jr., Royal Valley.
Wide receiver -- Cameron Miller, sr., Rossville; Killian McCann, sr., St. Marys.
Defensive line -- Grant Warner, so., Holton; Lucien Brockhoff, jr., Perry-Lecompton; Chance Gray, sr., Perry-Lecompton; Jaran Vega, sr., Riley County; Camden Wittwer, jr., Sabetha; Zack Acker, jr., Silver Lake.
Linebacker -- Gus Smith, sr., Hiawatha; Gage Moser, jr., Jefferson West; Cooper Pieschl, sr., Jefferson West; Max Tuck, jr., Jefferson West; Kamden Schmitz, sr., Nemaha Central; Kanin Sudbeck, sr., Nemaha Central; John Young, sr., Royal Valley; Malachi Strahm, so., Sabetha; Myles Fisher, sr. Silver Lake; Drew Womack, sr., Silver Lake; Mekhi Ketter, sr., St. Marys.
Defensive back -- Andrew Shupe, sr., Holton; Korban Wilson, sr., Holton; Crayton Holman, sr., Jefferson West; Jayden Seitz, sr., Nemaha Central; Garrett Metcalfe, sr., Perry-Lecompton; Nolan Bausch, sr., Royal Valley; Bowen Bryan, sr., Royal Valley; Charlie Lukert, sr., Sabetha; Grady Bergmann, sr., Silver Lake.
All-purpose -- Brody Thelen, sr., Jefferson West; Jack Donovan, sr., Rossville.
Kicker -- Corbin Mayer, jr., Jefferson West.
Punter -- Connor Noland, so., Royal Valley.
Returner -- Caleb Strathman, sr., Nemaha Central; Kayden Baker, jr., Perry-Lecompton; Jace Hurla, jr., St. Marys.
