For the second year, Ad Astra Radio has compiled an all-area football team. We have an area 11-man team, and an area 8/6-man team, as well as players of the year and coaches of the year.
All of Ad Astra Radio’s sports broadcasters and writers had a say in the selections.
Here’s a capsule look at the area players and coaches of the year.
The all-area list is below these four capsules.
11-man coach of the year, Brent Schneider, Sterling
Here’s how long it had been since Sterling last won a state football championship.
Rocky Balboa was in the midst of two battles with Clubber Lang, showcased in the movie “Rocky 3”. Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” was one of the most popular songs of the year, and the pizza chain Papa John’s was two years away from its founding.
That was 1982, when Sterling dominated Clifton-Clyde 33-6 en route to the Class 2A state title.
While Sterling has often had good to great athletics, football had its struggles. Even in recent years, Sterling’s numbers were so low, the Black Bears couldn’t fill out a junior varsity schedule.
That’s what makes Brent Schneider the choice for the 11-man coach of the year.
Sterling’s roster has been more than full for several years now, and this season, Schneider orchestrated one of the most dominant teams in Kansas. Sterling used its flexbone offense and a powerful offensive line to carve up defenses. That led to big seasons for running backs Zane Farney, who ran for 2,326 yards and 42 touchdowns, and Wyatt Newberry, who rushed for 1,081 yards and 15 touchdowns.
But maybe most impressive was how Sterling responded in the postseason when challenged.
The Black Bears won their first 10 games by at least 12 points each, and eight of those wins were by at least 22 points.
But in the state quarterfinals against Trinity Catholic, the Black Bears ran into a team that was scoring at will, like they usually did. And despite not taking the lead until late, Sterling would win 44-42.
The next week, Smith Center did the opposite. The Redmen held Sterling to a season-low 14 points, but again, the Black Bears would win, 14-6.
Finally, Sterling would use a rarely-seen passing attack late in the state championship in Hutchinson to beat Rossville 35-34.
11-man player of the year, Sam Harp, Andale
On the surface, Sam Harp’s offensive numbers don’t stand out as you might expect for a player named the area player of the year.
Harp, a senior and two-time state champion quarterback, ran for 1,519 yards but averaged nearly 12 yards a carry. Yes, that means on average, Harp got a first down with every rush he had.
Harp also rushed for 33 touchdowns, and he was just as lethal with his passing. While opponents have to plan for Andale’s dominant running attack, Harp proved teams couldn’t discount the Indians’ passing game, as he threw for 885 yards and 12 touchdowns.
While these numbers may not be eye-popping, consider the number of games Andale led big at halftime, and Harp’s nights were over in the third quarter. Only twice did Andale score fewer than 45 points, and those came in the semifinals against Rock Creek and in the Class 3A state championship game vs. Topeka Hayden, games Andale still won by a combined score of 79-13.
8/6-man coach of the year, Matt Barnett, Central Christian
This appeared to have the makings of a rebuilding year for Central Christian. Many top players graduated from last season, which saw Barnett lead the Cougars to a strong 9-2 season, with their only losses coming to non-KSHSAA member Wichita Sunrise, and in the state quarterfinals to powerful Victoria.
Even with a young roster that featured just two seniors and only 14 players overall, Central Christian was better this season. The Cougars were 10-1 and rarely played a full game. In the Cougars’ first 10 games, only Argonia/Attica played the full 48 minutes against Central Christian, and still, the Cougars won 36-0.
But perhaps the real growth was shown in the Eight-man Division 2 quarterfinals. A year after Victoria routed Central Christian 70-28, the Cougars played Victoria close in a 36-22 loss. Victoria later played for the state championship, falling to Hanover 28-20.
8/6-man player of the year, Stephen, Kerschen, Cunningham
The rebirth of Cunningham football – the school didn’t have its own football team from 2015-2018 – has been nothing short of sensational.
Even in 2019, Cunningham’s only win was by forfeit.
Now, Cunningham football is a state power. Trophies are won, and numbers have increased so much that the school will move up to eight-man football for at least the next two seasons.
Kerschen has been at the heart of Cunningham’s rebirth. His freshman year, the Wildcats were state champions. And going out his senior year, Kerschen helped Cunningham win another title, avenging a state-championship loss to Weskan the previous year with a 51-8 win.
Cunningham’s only loss this season came in an eight-man game, 42-40 in overtime to Minneola.
Kerschen was at the heart of a dominant offense that scored at least 44 points in every six-man game. He finished the season with 1,465 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns,
Kerschen was also a menace defensively, recording 62 tackles and a team-leading 10 tackles for a loss of yards. He also led the team with five quarterback sacks.
2025 Ad Astra Radio all-area football team
11-man
Top 11
Jackson Anderson, sr., LB, Hutchinson
Ben Clouse, sr., RB, Buhler
Drew Dechant, sr., QB/DB/P, Trinity Catholic
Zane Farney, sr., RB/DB, Sterling
Hunter Grimes, sr., LB, Andale
Sam Harp, sr., QB, Andale
Emrick Hays, sr., RB, Garden Plain
Ashton Malm, jr., WR, McPherson
Detric McDaniel, sr., WR, Cheney
Kevin Ploutz, sr., OL/DL, Sterling
Jrayton Dansel, jr., LB, Andale
Coach of the year – Brent Schneider, Sterling
Player of the year – Sam Harp, Andale
Second 11
Rick Bertematti, sr., OL, Andale
Malachi Brunk, jr., QB/DB, Inman
Ethan Courtre, sr., OL, Hesston
Jesiah Gooch, sr., LB, Hillsboro
Isaac Hammersmith, sr., OL/DL, Trinity Catholic
Robert Hunter, sr., QB, Hutchinson
Thomas Jenkins, sr., OL, Moundridge
Jacob Miller, sr., DB, Buhler
Wyatt Newberry, sr., RB/DB, Sterling
Cooper Wiens, sr., OL/DL, Inman
Brody Winter, sr., OL, Andale
Third 11
Cole Brawner, so., RB, Haven
Bentyn Chastain, sr., TE/DB, Trinity Catholic
Emery Craft, sr., OL, Andale
Nolan Durr, sr., DL, Cheney
Ethan Eck, sr., DL, Andale
Jack Horsch, sr., RB, Andale
Jacob Lewis, so., WR/LB, Sterling
Jameson Looper, sr., RB, Marion
Kaid McElgunn, sr., WR/DB, Trinity Catholic
Taylor Riemen, jr., OL, Hutchinson
Cale Thomas, sr., OL, Sterling
Honorable mention
John Aldrich, jr., Buhler; Kolton Altvater, jr., Haven; Adrian Baca, sr., Trinity Catholic; Carter Baker, so., Garden Plain; Boston Beck, jr., Kingman; Dane Becker, jr., McPherson; Carter Bengston, jr., McPherson; Cyrus Blough, so., Moundridge; Riley Brawner, sr., Nickerson; Jacob Burklow, so., Buhler; Reece Carmichael, jr., Halstead; Kenny Diaz, sr., Chaparral; Noah Diehl, sr., Halstead; Brayden Dold, so., Garden Plain; GaVaughan Embers, sr., Hudson Ferralez, so., Sedgwick; Carstyn Flores, jr., Cheney; Gunner Goalden, jr., Hesston; Logan Greenwalt, jr., Moundridge; Paul Grill, sr., Moundridge; Max Harmony, Buhler; Dylan Hall, jr., McPherson; Aaron Hein, sr., Hillsboro; Zayne Heslett, jr., Hillsboro; Cody Holzrichter, jr., Haven; Jaxon Hoover, so., McPherson; Jerick Humphreys, jr., Hesston; Logan Isaac, sr., Sterling; Kaizer Kanitz, sr., Moundridge; Ayden Koehn, jr., Cheney; Dylan Larson, sr., Inman; Gavin Larson, jr., Hesston; Andrew Lochard, sr., Smoky Valley; Carlos Martinez, sr., Halstead; Korbyn McClellan, jr., Inman; Brodie McCuan, jr., Hutchinson; Asher McConnaughy, jr., Buhler; Kadon Mercer, sr., Marion; Rylen Morrell, jr., Nickerson; Lane Parthemer, sr., Andale; Jax Pratt, jr., Pratt; Brock Randolph, so., Garden Plain; Taylor Riemer, Hutchinson; Hitch Soyez, jr., Marion; Nixon Standlee, jr., Buhler; Maverick Stauth, sr., Sedgwick; Reece Tolar, sr., Cheney; Brennan VanWyhe, jr., Kingman; Cain Villesenor, sr., Lyons; Lane Weigel, so., Sterling; Oaken Williams, so., Hutchinson; Blaine Wilson, sr., Hesston; Logan Wulf, jr., Moundridge; Xander Young, so., Lyons;
8/6 man
Top 8
Braxton Alpers, sr., QB/DB, St. John,
Landon Daniels, sr., Central Plains
Jaren Garrison, jr., Little River
Piercen Huff, sr.. Central Christian
Stephen Kerschen, jr., Cunningham
Kelby Rice, sr., Little River
Skyler Thimesch, sr., Cunningham
Carson Vineyard, sr., RB/DB, Attica/Argonia
Coach of the year: Matt Barnett, Central Christian
Player of the year: Stephen Kerschen, Cunningham
Second 8
Brodie Crites, jr., QB, Central Plains
Luke Eigsti, jr., DB, Central Christian
Dylan Halderson, sr., LB, Cunningham
Logan Kinsler, sr., Cunningham
Jaxon Konen, sr., Little River
Jameson Miles, jr., E, Peabody-Burns
Logan Schubert, jr., Little River
Brodie Snodgrass, sr., Fairfield
Honorable mention
Easton Alpers, so., St. John; Joesuf Aydelott, jr., Peabody-Burns; Joesuf Aydelott, jr., Peabody-Burns; Cal Barnett, jr., Hutchinson Central Christian; Brody Bock, so., Cunningham; Dylan Brozek, sr., Stafford; Chase Combs, sr., Fairfield; Jhett Ewert, jr., Little River; Claudio Flores, jr., Goessel; Cody Holste, so., Pawnee Heights; Aiden Hurst, jr., Peabody-Burns; Alexis Ibarra, sr., Pawnee Heights; Ty Jeannette, sr., Little River; Logan Kinsler, sr., Cunningham; Cael Kooiman, jr., Central Christian; Jace Reyes, sr., St. John; Humberto Rincon, sr., Chase; Logan Schubert, jr., Little River; Rylan Siemsen, sr., Central Plains; Elijah Stagner, jr., Little River; Karson Sullivan, jr., Central Christian
