The 2025 Football season was a building year for much of the KQRadio area, but there were some extraordinary individual performances that are worth highlighting here in our postseason awards.

Awards

Offensive Player of the Year: Luke Thoreson, Jr. (Roland-Story)

• 75 receptions, 1,206 yards, 16 touchdowns, 16.1 yards per catch

Thoreson set new Roland-Story single-season records in receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns in 2025 as he emerged as one of the top receivers in all of Class 2A. Thoreson’s top performance was a 14 receptions, 125 yards and 4 touchdown day against Oelwein in the regular season finale.

Defensive Player of the Year: Cody Long, Sr. (Roland-Story)

• 70.5 tackles, 46 solo tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble

No one led by example better on the defensive side of the football better than Roland-Story’s Cody Long. Long led the Norsemen with 70.5 tackles with a Bob Sanders-style of play, while also making plays in the backfield and in the passing game as a versatile safety.

Offensive Lineman of the Year: Cole Nohrenberg, Sr. (Webster City)

Nohrenberg anchored a big and physical Webster City offensive line that kept the Lynx in close games throughout the season, going up against some of the most talented defensive fronts in Classes 3A and 4A throughout the season.

Defensive Lineman of the Year: Joel Meier, Sr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

• 36 tackles, 26 solo, 15 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries

The foreign exchange student from Sweden was an absolute wrecking ball for the Cowboys all season long playing both defensive tackle and defensive end for CGD. Meier ranked in the top 5 in Class 1A in tackles for loss, sacks and fumble recoveries.

Coach of the Year: Matt Finn (Roland-Story)

• 7-3 record, first district title since 2008, Round of 16 in 2A Playoffs

The 2nd time garnering Coach of the Year honors, Roland-Story’s stock continues to rise under Matt Finn, as he guided the Norsemen to their first district title in 17 years, as well as to the round of 16 for the 2nd time in 3 years.

All-Area First-Team

Offense

Quarterback: Colin Willis, So. (Roland-Story)

• 151/262, 2,217 yards, 25 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 57.6% completion percentage, 149.5 QBR

Willis emerged as one of the top statistical quarterbacks in Class 2A in 2025, finishing in the top 5 in passing yards and touchdowns while setting school records for those 2 categories in a single-season.

Running Back: Wyatt Gelder, So. (South Hamilton)

• 192 carries, 1,423 yards, 16 touchdowns, 7.4 yards per carry, 158.1 yards per game

Running Back: Selvin Gonzalez, Sr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

• 166 carries, 997 yards, 11 touchdowns, 6.0 yards per carry, 99.7 yards per game

Despite a 1-8 record, Wyatt Gelder ended 2025 as the leading rusher in Class 1A with over 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns, showcasing a bright future for the South Hamilton sophomore. Selvin Gonzalez shared the load with Joel Meier in the backfield, but was the veteran leader of Class 1A’s top rushing offense, just barely missing the 1,000-yard mark.

Tight End: Lyndon Johnson, Jr. (South Hamilton)

• 3 receptions, 50 yards

While not a conventional tight end, Johnson provided to be a valuable lead blocker for the Hawks rushing attack, finishing in the top 10 in rushing in 1A once more in 2025.

Wide Receiver: Luke Thoreson, Jr. (Roland-Story)

• See Offensive Player of the Year above

Wide Receiver: Gavin Pedersen, Jr. (Eagle Grove)

• 15 receptions, 391 yards, 5 touchdowns, 26.1 yards per catch, 7 carries, 99 yards, 2 touchdowns

Luke Thoreson’s case was presented under the Offensive Player of the Year, as Eagle Grove junior Gavin Pedersen emerged as a swiss-army knife for Logan Willard’s offense as an excellent receiver and a capable runner.

Offensive Line: Cole Nohrenburg, Sr. (Webster City)

Offensive Line: Eli Estlund, Sr. (Webster City)

Offensive Line: Gavin Jeter, Jr. (Roland-Story)

Offensive Line: JT Kelso, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

Offensive Line: Gaige Willis, Sr. (South Hamilton)

Nohrenburg and Estlund were the keys to a big and physical Webster City offensive line throughout 2025, as Roland-Story’s Gavin Jeter also captured 1st-team all-district honors out 2A-4. JT Kelso led a CGD offensive line that paved the way for the state’s top rushing attack, while Gaige Willis was a consistent face amongst a beat-up South Hamilton offensive line.

Defense

Defensive End: Ben Swenson, So. (South Hamilton)

• 51 tackles, 32 solo tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Defensive Tackle: Joel Meier, Sr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

• See Defensive Lineman of the Year above

Defensive Tackle: Traesyn Cope, So. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

• 26.5 tackles, 16 solo tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks

Defensive End: Chance Georgius, Jr. (Roland-Story)

• 32.5 tackles, 21 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Joel Meier’s case was made in the defensive lineman of the year post, teammate Traesyn Cope endured a breakout season, which saw him right behind Meier in statistics such as tackles for loss and sacks. Chance Georgius was a big playmaker for the Roland-Story defensive line, as sophomore Ben Swenson put together an impressive individual season.

Linebacker: Huxley Lingenfelter, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

• 69 tackles, 49 solo tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 1 fumble recovery

Linebacker: Hayden Schafer, Sr. (Eagle Grove)

• 80 tackles, 37 solo tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery

Linebacker: Grant Arends, Jr. (Webster City)

• 28 tackles, 14 solo tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception, 5 pass breakups

Linebacker: Wyatt Ramus, Jr. (Roland-Story)

• 49.5 tackles, 34 solo tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble

CGD’s Huxley Lingenfelter makes the 1st-team for the second year in a row with a team-high 69 tackles, while Eagle Grove linebacker Hayden Schafer had an all-state caliber year as his 80 tackles were good for 7th in 1A. Grant Arends emerged as a key piece to the Webster City defense, making big plays in both the run and pass game, while Roland-Story’s Wyatt Ramus had a breakout year with a unit-high 49.5 tackles for the Norsemen.

Defensive Back: Cody Long, Sr. (Roland-Story)

• See Defensive Player of the Year above

Defensive Back: Kolton Hefti, Sr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

• 31 tackles, 22 solo tackles, 2 interceptions

Defensive Back: Blake Larson, Sr. (Roland-Story)

• 45 tackles, 28 solo, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup, 1 interception

Long’s case for the first-team was made in his Defensive Player of the Year choice, as Kolton Hefti became a leader for a CGD secondary that improved by leaps and bounds throughout the year. Blake Larson played a very complimentary role to Cody Long’s role in the Roland-Story secondary.

Punter: Trevor Britten, Sr. (Roland-Story)

• 25 punts, 896 yards, 35.8 yards per punt

Kicker: Israel Torres, Jr. (Webster City)

• 21/24 PAT’s, 1/5 FG’s, 25 touchbacks, 2,084 kickoff yards

Trevor Britten became a special teams weapon with his ability to flip the field, garnering 1st-team all-district honors in 2A-4. Israel Torres saw his confidence as a placekicker grow by leaps and bounds throughout 2025.

Utility: Jaxon Griffith, Sr. (Webster City)

• 165 carries, 894 yards, 6 touchdowns, 5.4 yards per carry, 9 receptions, 145 yards, 2 touchdowns, 41.5 tackles, 31 solo, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 3 pass breakups, 2 interceptions

Griffith’s ability to dictate that game on both sides of the ball was efficient enough to earn him a first-team honor as a utility player, as the Webster City senior was around the football at all times in 2025.

Second Team

Offense

Quarterback: Adrian Whipple, Jr. (Eagle Grove)

• 24/74, 637 yards, 6 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 32.4% completion percentage, 115.3 QBR, 26.5 yards per completion

Running Back: Trenton Robinson, Jr. (Eagle Grove)

• 167 carries, 850 yards, 6 touchdowns, 5.1 yards per carry

Running Back: Kaleb Hansen, Jr. (Webster City)

• 130 carries, 562 yards, 4 touchdowns, 4.3 yards per carry

Tight End: Cooper Nosbush, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

Wide Receiver: Aiden Frey, Jr. (Roland-Story)

• 26 receptions, 453 yards, 4 touchdowns, 17.4 yards per catch

Wide Receiver: Henry Holmes, Sr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

• 3 receptions, 57 yards, 19 yards per catch

Offensive Line: Reece Demuth, Sr. (Eagle Grove)

Offensive Line: Ryland Morgan, So. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

Offensive Line: Parker Stuck, Sr. (South Hamilton)

Offensive Line: Cael Alexander, Sr. (Webster City)

Offensive Line: Nate Beaulieu, Sr. (Webster City)

Defense

Defensive Line: Blake Nelsen, Sr. (Roland-Story)

• 35.5 tackles, 23 solo tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks

Defensive Line: Easton Beyer, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

• 13.5 tackles, 8 solo tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks

Defensive Line: Christian Martinez, Sr. (Eagle Grove)

• 14 tackles, 7 solo tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 sacks

Defensive Line: Jayden Kreitlow, Sr. (Eagle Grove)

• 18 tackles, 3 solo tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 fumble recovery

Linebacker: Carter Barber, Jr. (Roland-Story)

• 38.5 tackles, 26 solo tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss

Linebacker: Arturo Reyna-Salazar, Jr. (Eagle Grove)

• 44.5 tackles, 17 solo tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble

Linebacker: Brody Harris, Sr. (South Hamilton)

• 46 tackles, 23 solo tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery

Linebacker: Tucker Hawkins, Jr. (Roland-Story)

• 33 tackles, 11 solo tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery

Defensive Back: Dylan Terwilliger, Jr. (Eagle Grove)

• 55.5 tackles, 23 solo tackles, 0.5 tackle for loss, 1 fumble recovery, 2 pass breakups, 1 interception

Defensive Back: Paxton Lingenfelter, Fr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

• 24.5 tackles, 21 solo tackles, 3 interceptions

Defensive Back: Kash Northrop, Fr. (South Hamilton)

• 17 tackles, 9 solo tackles, 2 interceptions

Punter: Jose Babcock, Sr. (South Hamilton)

• 7 punts, 231 yards, 33 yards per punt

Kicker: Anir Akdim, Sr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

• 9/14 PAT, 1/1 FG

Utility: Aiden Hrnicek, Sr. (Webster City)

• 11/32, 160 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 135 carries, 699 yards, 13 touchdowns, 5.2 yards per carry, 33.5 tackles, 21 solo tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss