The high school sports fall season has officially arrived.
The Courier & Press has begun preparations for our 2026 football season coverage. First up were our annual players-to-watch lists and a look at the potential top teams. But who gets the nod for preseason Player of the Year? This is where you come in.
The Courier & Press high school football preseason Player of the Year poll will remain open through noon CT, Friday, Aug. 21. A reminder, this has zero bearing on who will be selected as the Metro or Southwestern Indiana Player of the Year after the season. This is pure bragging rights. To vote multiple times, simply refresh the page.
Below is the poll and brief information from the 2025 season on the nominees:
Luke Brown, Memorial: The senior quarterback completed 64% of his passes for 1,905 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Bret Buecher, North Posey: The junior running back ran for 1,383 yards on 188 carries with 12 touchdowns.
Khale Campbell, Gibson Southern: The senior defensive lineman had 51 tackles, 17 for loss, and five sacks.
Grayson Carter, Memorial: The senior linebacker had a team-high 105 tackles, five for loss, with three fumble recoveries.
Brandon Casebolt, Tell City: The senior running back ran for 919 yards on 124 carries and 13 touchdowns.
E’Ani Clardy, Reitz: The senior had 44 tackles and five interceptions at defensive back. Will also see time at wide receiver (three catches last year).
Colton DeJarnette, Central: The junior linebacker had a team-high 108 tackles with one sack.
Brodie Farmer, Castle: The senior linebacker had a team-high 120 total tackles and 3.5 sacks, plus two interceptions.
Lane Hewig, Tecumseh: The senior had 47 tackles, 17 for loss, and is a starting offensive lineman.
Mason Jones, Boonville: The senior had 62 tackles, 10 for loss, at linebacker. He also ran for 304 yards and five touchdowns.
Hudson King, Forest Park: The senior accounted for 1,060 offensive yards with six total touchdowns. Also had a team-high 102 total tackles with one interception and one forced fumble.
Dax Kramer, Tecumseh: The senior running back rushed for 1,292 yards on 228 carries with 12 touchdowns. Also caught 11 passes and two more scores.
Tre Lance, South Spencer: The junior rushed for a team-high 773 yards and five scores. He also had 68 tackles, eight for loss, two sacks and one interception at linebacker.
Jaylen Maners, Jasper: The senior quarterback completed 169 of 291 attempts for 2,161 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also rushed for 410 yards and six more scores.
Hunter McKinney, North: The junior running back rushed for a team-high 1,009 yards on 143 carries and nine touchdowns.
Brody Phillips, Vincennes Lincoln: The senior had 44 catches for 638 yards and eight touchdowns. Also had 63 tackles, 11 for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception.
Noah Ring, Southridge: The senior had a team-high 102 tackles, five for loss, and two sacks at linebacker. Moving to fullback after starting last year on the offensive line.
Carson Sanders, Vincennes Lincoln: The junior linebacker had 120 total tackles, eight for loss, two forced fumbles and one interception. Will also see time at H-back.
Carter Schickel, North Posey: The senior quarterback completed 210 of 319 passes for 2,528 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Eli Wargel, Mater Dei: The senior lineman had 85 total tackles, 14 for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Amyr Wilford, Reitz: The sophomore running back led the SIAC with 1,474 yards on 190 carries and 13 touchdowns.
Tyce Winchell, Heritage Hills: The senior ran for 529 yards and seven touchdowns, while completing 9 of 22 passes for 84 yards in limited opportunities. He had 42 tackles with two interceptions on defense.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Vote for Courier & Press high school football preseason Player of the Year
Reporting by Kyle Sokeland and Markos Tsegaye, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kyle Sokeland and Markos Tsegaye, Evansville Courier & Press | USA TODAY Network
