The Star’s All-Metro football offense
FIRST TEAM
QUARTERBACK
Skylar Thompson, Fort Osage, senior. In leading Fort Osage to its first state championship, Thompson passed for 25 touchdowns and ran for 21 more. He will attend Kansas State.
RUNNING BACK
Dawson Downing, Bishop Miege, senior. The Eastern Kansas League’s offensive player of the year led the Stags to their second consecutive Class 4A Division I title with 1.904 yards and 42 touchdowns in 203 carries.
A.J. Taylor, Rockhurst, senior. The top-ranked senior recruit in Missouri, Taylor is a versatile playmaker who rushed for 1,721 yards and totaled 22 touchdowns. He has committed to Wisconsin.
Zach Willis, Belton, senior. In a resurgent Belton program, Willis rushed for 2,648 yards and 41 touchdowns. He averaged 8.6 yards per carry and was the Suburban Blue Conference offensive player of the year.
WIDE RECEIVER
Christian Jegen, Mill Valley, senior. The Jaguars’ versatile star gained 2,538 yards and scored 31 touchdowns for the Kansas Class 5A state champions. He caught 65 passes for 1,274 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Isaiah Simmons, Olathe North, senior. Doubling as a wide receiver and defensive back, Simmons paced the Eagles with 815 yards and nine touchdowns. He also had 95 tackles, eight pass breakups, two interceptions and two blocked kicks.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Amani Bledsoe, Lawrence, senior. Rivals.com’s top-rated senior in Kansas led the Chesty Lions to the Class 6A state quarterfinals after an undefeated regular season. He is a Semper Fidelis All-American.
Achillies Griffin, Blue Springs South, senior. The two-way player paved the way for a Missouri Class 6 state-championship offense that rushed for nearly 250 yards per game, and he also recorded five sacks on defense.
Colin Grunhard, Bishop Miege, junior. Grunhard anchored the Stags line, which averaged 512 yards of offense and 57 points per game. They went 12-1 and won the Kansas Class 4A Division I title.
Tom Killilea, St. Thomas Aquinas, senior. The 6-foot-6 senior led a talented line, which placed four players on the All-Eastern Kansas League first team between offense and defense. The Saints were Class 5A semifinalists.
Kirrian Kirby, Blue Valley, junior. Kirby blocked for more than 5,000 yards of total offense, which included three 900-plus yard rushers. The Tigers fell just short of their second state title in three years, falling to Derby in the Class 6A championship.
SECOND TEAM
Quarterback: Joey Dolan, Blue Valley North, senior
Running back: Kobe Hardin, Odessa, senior; Jordan Salima, Truman, senior; JD Woods, Lawrence, senior
Wide receiver: Jafar Armstrong, Bishop Miege, junior; Briley Moore-McKinney, Blue Springs South, senior
Offensive line: Charles Carter, Belton, senior; Matt Gauert, Lee’s Summit West, junior; Jared Green, Shawnee Mission West, senior; Tanner Gulick, Harrisonville, senior; Jeff Heath, Shawnee Mission East, senior
HONORABLE MENTION
Quarterback: Logan Koch, Mill Valley, senior; Noah Nigro, Blue Springs South, senior
Running back: D’Vontae Brown, William Chrisman, senior; DaRon Davis, Hogan Prep, junior; Riley England, Osawatomie, senior; Marcus Harris, Kearney, senior; Vinnie Shabazz, Olathe North, senior; Norvell Trent, Center, junior
Wide receiver: Kentrez Bell, Park Hill, senior; Alex Blake, Blue Valley North, senior; Cameron Hairston, Lee’s Summit North, junior; Sky Tate, Shawnee Mission East, junior
Offensive line: Brandon Gonzales, Kearney, senior; Ben Hecht, Mill Valley, senior; Brennen Kellogg, Oak Grove, senior; Ryan Klepper, Blue Valley North, junior; John Lucero, Raymore-Peculiar, senior; Michael Neisler, Liberty North, junior; Trent Roller, Fort Osage, senior; Jaden Rosenthall, Grandview, junior; Justin Sikes, Garder Edgerton, senior; Anders Vance, Louisburg, senior
This story was originally published December 26, 2015 at 6:29 PM with the headline "The Star’s All-Metro football offense."