Semifinalists for Simone Awards, finalists for Evelyn Gates Award announced

Semifinalists for the 2017 Thomas A. Simone football awards, which honor the best high school football players in the Kansas City area, were announced Tuesday night by PrepsKC.

The Simone media committee chose 10 semifinalists for each of the five awards. Those in the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association and select members of the media will select the four finalists in each category by Nov. 28. Winners will be announced Dec. 5 at the high school of the Simone Award recipient.

On Thursday, the best volleyball player in the area will be recognized with the Evelyn Gates Award. The finalists are Allison Coens, an outside hitter at St. James Academy; Annika Welty, a middle hitter at Park Hill South; Callie Schwarzenbach, a middle blocker at Kearney; and Claire Wagner, an outside hitter at Lee’s Summit.

Here are the semifinalists for the Simone awards:

Simone Award

QB Dante Jackson, Sr., Lawrence: 1,000 yards passing and 14 TD; 1,200 yards rushing and 15 TD.

QB Graham Mertz, Jr., Blue Valley North: 2,900 yards passing, 38 TD and 6 INT.

QB John Raybourn, Sr., Staley: 2,800 yards passing, 40 TD and 2 INT; 880 yards rushing and 9 TD.

WR Ronnie Bell, Sr., Park Hill: 1,600 yards receiving and 21 TD.

RB Milton Braasch, Sr., Shawnee Mission East: 1,600 yards rushing and 27 TD.

RB Phillip Brooks, Sr., Lee’s Summit West: 1,600 yards rushing and 21 TD; 556 yards receiving and 8 TD.

RB Jax Dineen, Jr., Lawrence Free State: 1,500 yards rushing and 23 TD.

RB Ivan Webb, Sr., Schlagle: 2,842 yards rushing and 35 TD; 1 receiving TD.

RB/LB Brady McCanles, Sr., Rockhurst: 1,410 yards rushing and 14 TD; 400 yards receiving.

RB/DB Robert Rawie, Sr., Liberty: 1,300 yards rushing and 20 TD; 2 receiving TD.

Frank Fontana Award

QB Tanner Clarkson, Sr., Platte County: 3,000 yards passing and 38 TDs; 5 rushing TD.

QB Tate Collum, Sr., Grain Valley: 1,600 yards passing and 14 TD; 500 yards rushing and 15 TD.

QB Carter Putz, Sr., Bishop Miege: 2,100 yards passing, 31 TD and 3 INT; 440 yards rushing and 9 TD.

QB Amaun Ryan, Sr., Center: 2,300 yards passing, 28 TD and 3 INT; 419 yards rushing and 7 TD.

QB Javion Shelby, Sr., KC Central: 1,900 yards passing and 16 TD; 939 yards rushing and 10 TD.

QB Peyton Soria, Sr., Excelsior Springs: 700 yards passing; 1,200 yards rushing and 25 TD.

QB/DB Diego Bernard, Sr., St. Joseph Lafayette: 2,148 yards passing, 24 TD and 7 INT; 1,095 yards rushing and 8 TD.

RB Dalton Bock, Sr., Tonganoxie: 1,400 yards and 13 TD.

RB Isaac Miller, So., Smithville: 1,400 yards rushing and 15 TD; 1 passing TD.

RB/LB Jeremiah Wilson, Sr., Center: 1,300 yards rushing and 16 TD; 12 receiving TD.

Buck Buchanan Award

LB Nick Allen, Sr., BV Southwest: 151 tackles, 97 solo, 21 TFL, 3  1/2 sacks.

LB Brighton Ramirez, Sr., Park Hill: 142 tackles, 83 solo, 36 TFL, 7 sacks, 4 forced fumbles.

DL Daniel Carson, Sr., William Chrisman: 73 tackles, 49 solo, 17 TFL, 6 sacks.

DL Javier Derritt, Jr., St. Thomas Aquinas: 38 tackles, 18 solo, 3  1/2 sacks.

DE Tyler Miller, Sr., Staley: 77 tackles, 45 solo, 29 TFL, 11 sacks.

DE Spencer Roe, Sr., Lawrence Free State: 43 tackles, 23 solo, 8 TFL.

TE/DE Jacob Sykes, Sr., Rockhurst: 74 tackles.

OL/DL Daniel Parker, Sr., Blue Springs: 34 tackles, 20 solo, 20 TFL, 16 sacks, 2 forced fumbles.

OL Ben Becker, Sr., Park Hill South

OL TJ Kennedy, Sr., Lee's Summit

Bobby Bell Award

LB McCauley Bowers, Sr., Richmond: 121 tackles, 97 solo, 12 TFL, 4 forced fumbles.

LB Dylan Downing, Jr., Bishop Miege: 106 tackles, 68 solo, 8 TFL, 2 forced fumbles, 2 INT.

LB Cody Faust, Sr., Pleasant Hill: 123 tackles, 70 solo, 2 TFL, 3 forced fumbles, 2 INT.

LB Joey Foster, Sr., Basehor-Linwood: 78 tackles, 56 solo, 20 TFL, 12  1/2 sacks, 1 forced fumble.

LB John Lillig, Sr., St. Pius X: 109 tackles, 38 solo, 7 TFL, 3 sacks.

DE Nick Kruse, Sr., Harrisonville: 98 tackles, 44 solo, 21 TFL, 6 sacks.

DE Michael Smith, Sr., Platte County: 58 tackles, 23 solo, 11 TFL, 16  1/2 sacks.

C/DL Sidney Gates, Sr., Center: 89 tackles, 23 TFL.

OL Jack Burns, Sr., Bishop Miege

OT Marshall Kellner, Sr., De Soto

Otis Taylor Award

TE Caleb Marquez, Sr., Blue Springs: 36 receptions for 411 yards and 5 TD; 8 rushing TD.

WR Ronnie Bell, Sr., Park Hill: 89 receptions for 1,605 yards and 21 TD.

WR JD Benbow, Sr., Staley: 51 receptions for 890 receiving yards and 14 TD; 263 rushing yards for 10 TD.

WR Jaden Clark, Sr., Belton: 72 receptions for 1,079 yards and 12 TD.

WR Dominic Gicinto, Sr., Raytown: 85 receptions for 1,341 yards and 10 TD.

WR Jackson Heath, Sr., BV Northwest: 54 receptions for 771 yards and 6 TD.

WR Daniel Jackson, So., Bishop Miege: 44 receptions for 1,040 yards and 13 TD.

WR Logan Talley, Jr., Mill Valley: 78 receptions for 1,108 yards and 11 TD.

WR Jonathon Watts, Sr., Platte County: 56 receptions for 867 yards and 9 TD.

WR Tre Wheaton, Sr., Blue Springs: 42 receptions for 689 yards and 6 TD.

This story was originally published November 15, 2017 at 10:52 AM with the headline "Semifinalists for Simone Awards, finalists for Evelyn Gates Award announced."