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Spring has arrived, meaning we’re just a few short months away from the 2025 high school football kicking off. That means it’s a perfect time for some preview action to prepare you for the upcoming season.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll have pieces highlighting certain position groups and the top area players in those groups to keep an eye on in the new season.
These lists will include area players who were statistically some of the area’s best in 2024. All submissions were also sent in with stats provided by their coaches.
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Pass-Catchers | Offensive Linemen | Defensive Linemen | Linebackers | Defensive Backs
Braxton Benally, Blackman, Jr.: Benally is one of three standouts in the Blaze’s SPEC room. While his NET punt average doesn’t jump off the page (a lot of that is outside his control), what does is his 11 pinned punts inside the 10-yard line. Field position is one of the most crucial aspects of football, and Benally is an asset because of it.
Tyler Borombozin, Blackman, Sr.: Borombozin is coming off a season where he was named the Region 3-6A Kicker of the Year. He has only missed two PATs in two years out of 62 attempts. One of the best feelings as a coach is to not have to worry about your special teams, and that is the case for Kriesky.
Ethan Najm, Blackman, Sr.: Najm is built like a linebacker, which is the favorite build of any coach. His snapping motion is very fluid and is very much like former Brentwood Academy five-star snapper Luke Raab.
Tommy Bauchiero, Brentwood Academy, Sr.: Brentwood Academy’s had a rich history in recent history producing elite kicking talent. First there was Teagan Lenderink (2021), then London Bironas (2025) and now it’s Bauchiero’s time to stand up. While he didn’t attempt many field goals last year playing under Bironas, he certainly made a statement when he did play, hitting five of his six field goal attempts including a 59-yarder against Christian Brothers- the longest in the state in 23 years.
Drake Golenor, Brentwood Academy, Jr.: Golenor is an athletic snapper, rated a four-star by Kohl’s Kicking, and charting in the top five of their Future Stars Invitational. He has a quick snap and should be a threat in coverage.
Keenan Fisher, Brentwood, Sr.: Fisher had a great first season as the starter, taking over for two Region Kicker of the Years in ambidextrous punter Luke Armistead ‘24 (2022) and Kicker Isaac Hayes ‘24 (2023). He converted 9-for-12 field goals with a long of 47, 24-for-25 PATs, and on kickoff he had touchbacks on 25 of his 31 kicks.
Liam Englehardt, Brentwood, Sr.: Englehardt is coming off a great first year starting for the Bruins. He’s ranked as the No. 31 snapper in the class of 2026, and he has very minimal wasted movement in his snaps and can cover and block. Don’t expect a bad snap from him this season.
Syrus Harr, BGA, Sr.: Harr got a lot of action last season, playing for one of the most electric offenses in the state at BGA. On his 65 PATs, he converted 59 of them, kicking at 91%. He added 24 touchbacks on kickoff to help out his defense.
Blaine Johnson, Centennial, Sr.: Johnson is a very good snapper for the Cougars. He has a very speedy snap, and he is great at forcing fair catches on punt- often beating the gunners downfield. I have him as one of my top snappers in the state this season.
Wells Stanley, Centennial, Sr.: Stanley had an efficient season last year, going 6/7 on field goals with a long of 54 yards. He also had 37 touchbacks on 53 kickoffs, 34 punts with a 41 yard average and eight inside the 20, and 33/37 on PAT. Stanley looks to be one of the best combos in the state this year.
John West, CPA, Sr.: West is another kicker that got his money’s worth going 64/69 on his one pointers. CPA scored a lot of touchdowns, so West only attempted three 3-pointers, but he hit all three, proving to be a reliable leg for the Lions.
Jacob VanOrman, CPA, Jr.: Van Orman had only 16 punts last season, which is crazy. That goes to show how dominant CPA was, and Van Orman joined in on the dominance with a NET average of 40 yards, which is what college punters strive for. On top of that he downed nearly half inside the 20.
Ted Summerer, East Robertson, Sr.: Summerer had an unfortunate year last season, spending most of it on the IR, but he is now a four year starter, and has hit 91 PATs over his high school career and has been guaranteed points for the Indians.
Maddox Stevenson, GCA, Jr.: Stevenson was extremely efficient for Grace last season. He went 30/31 on PATs and a perfect 4/4 from three with a long of 35.
Caleb Durnin, Hillsboro, Jr.: Durnin was an excellent punter for the Burros, averagine 41.3 yards per punt, which is enough to be All-Conference in college. Naturally, he was the All-City Punter of the Year. He was also able to step up and kick field goals when Farag got hurt early, and led the City in FG/XP percentage.
John Farag, Hillsboro, Sr.: Farag struggled with injury in the beginning of the season, but he made the most of his time when he came back going 6/7 on field goals
Jake Walker, Jo Byrns, Sr.: Walker had to step up for JB, and in his first season ever kicking, he went 20/25 on PAT and recorded six touchbacks. He was named All-Region Special Teams co-MVP, again, in his first ever season kicking.
Grant Garner, Liberty Creek, Jr.: Garner has one of the most impressive resumes on this list. He became the starting punter week six, and in that time he punted 27 times for a 41.3 yard average, a long of 61, eight kicks downed inside the twenty, four of which were inside the 10, and ZERO touchbacks. He was named Region 5-3A Punter of the Year as well as TNFCA 3A 1st Team All-State. He also stepped up mid-season at free safety recording 47 tackles.
Travis Wakefield, Lipscomb Academy, Sr.: Every coach wants a snapper built like a linebacker, but Wakefield is literally a linebacker. He starts at tight end and linebacker for the Mustangs, and is a top ranked snapper in the nation. He uses his strong frame to throw maybe the fastest ball in the state and should be a major contributor on all three phases.
Ronit Chandra, MBA, Sr.: Chandra did everything for the Big Red. He had 14 touchbacks on kickoff, averaged 33.5 yards/punt, 12/13 on PAT, and 4/5 on field goals with a long of 53. He should be very valuable for MBA in his senior year.
Andrew Sillay, MBA, Sr.:Sillay is 6-foot-8 and that long frame means he generates a lot of power. He is rated a four-star by Kohl’s and should be very consistent for the Big Red
Maddox Metzgar, MJCA, Jr.: Metzgar only punted in four games, but he made the most of it. He averaged 34.1 yards and converted three fake punts- who doesn’t love a good fake punt. He was named to the DII-A Middle 2nd team All-Region. He also contributed 48 tackles, two sacks, and a pick at linebacker for the Saints.
Tate Merbitz, Mt. Juliet, Jr.: Merbitz was able to split time with our former Kicker of the Year Daniel Echeverria, and he proved to be quite dependable. He was perfect on his 15 PATs and 3-for-4 on field goals. He also downed four punts inside the 10 and two inside the five.
Kaeden Linstead, MTCS, So.: Linstead went 25-for-28 from the spot last season. He only had two field goal attempts, which is unfortunate because one miss brings his average down to 50%; however, his make was from 40 yards, so Linstead is going to be a weapon for MTCS this season.
Braden Griffin, Nashville Christian, Sr.: Griffin had the most action out of anyone on this list, playing for the Eagles’ high powered offense. He attempted 72, yes 72, PATs and scored 65, and he was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals.
Jonathan Baba, Page, Jr.: Baba, as a sophomore, hit an absurd 63 PATs on 64 attempts playing for another dominant offense at Page. He was also 4-for-6 on field goals with a long of 32.
Rohan Kassie Jr., Pearl-Cohn, Sr.: Kassie went 52-for-57 on his PATs last year and should also be taking over for field goals full-time this season.
Carlos Guerra, Ravenwood, Sr.: Guerra is a 4.5 star and ranked the number two kicker in the state for his class. He went 2-for-3 last year with a long of 41 to send the Oakland game to OT and a miss from 55. He also recorded 25 touchbacks on kickoff.
Keith O’Neal, Springfield, Sr.: O’Neal went 4-of-5 on PATs, but his real success was in his 14 punts that averaged 38.2 yards and were pinned inside the 20 twice.
Brayden Dolan, Station Camp, So.: Dolan is the number one snapper in the nation in the class of 2028. He plays linebacker and center for the Bison, and is a key part of their team as a whole. He has received a lot of praise from Kohl’s and his film backs it up.
Gavin Hastings, Station Camp, Jr.: Hastings, a four star, went a solid 8-for-9 on PATs last season. He also contributed two field goals with a long of 34 on four attempts.
AJ Wheeler, Summit, Sr.: Wheeler is a solid snapper for the Spartans. He is a threat in coverage, doubling as a linebacker for Summit and is rated as a four-star recruit by Rubio Long Snapping.
Brody Osborne, Watertown, Jr.: Osborne went 90% from the spot last season going 37-for-40. Osborne’s efficiency will be crucial for the Purple Tigers in 2025.
Curtis Qualls, White House Heritage, Sr.: Qualls was an excellent combo for the Patriots last season. The third year starter averaged 31.8 net yards per punt and went 53-for-55 from PAT.
