GREEN BAY – Evan Williams was 6 years old and playing Tiny Mites football in his native state of California when he decided enough was enough.
He wanted to quit the sport.
But Williams’ mother encouraged her young son to at least play one game before making a final decision.
So what happened? He scored a bunch of touchdowns, thought football wasn’t all that bad and was hooked from then on.
Good thing for the Green Bay Packers, who have watched the now 24-year-old Williams blossom into one of the NFL’s best young safeties – a hard-nosed and heady player who produced 100 tackles, five pass breakups and three interceptions last season.
But that’s not the moral of the story. It’s what he learned from that episode that would help lead to an NFL career and he has carried with him in his life.
“Just to be persistent,” Williams said. “Adversity is guaranteed, and it’s always going to be about how you respond that is ultimately the determining factor of whether you get what you want. But it’ll always be about responding in the face of adversity when things get tough.
“And I think it also has something to say about just making a commitment to something and following through to something that you say you’re going to do. It definitely takes away from you when you say you’re going to do something, or you tell yourself in your head you’re going to do something, and you don’t end up doing it.”
Williams imparted plenty of wisdom to a crowd of nearly 1,000 people who filled the Lambeau Field Atrium on Wednesday, June 17, for the annual Northeast Wisconsin High School Sports Awards show.
The event, which was presented by Piggly Wiggly, honored hundreds of prep standouts with player of the year awards handed out in 28 categories. Several premier awards were also presented, including boys athlete of the year, girls athlete of the year, coach of the year, boys team of the year, girls team of the year and our Courage Award and Trailblazer Award recipients.
The show, produced with the support of Cellcom, recognized high school athletes, coaches and teams in the Appleton, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Manitowoc, Marshfield, Oshkosh, Sheboygan, Stevens Point, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids markets for their achievements during the 2025-26 school year.
Taking part in a Q&A segment as the program’s guest speaker, Williams spoke on one very important lesson he has learned through his journey to the NFL that he leans on today.
Building good habits.
“You can’t think that you’re going to slack off in one area of your life and think that won’t translate to another,” he said. … It’s about your process. It’s about your habits. Whether you know it or not, you’re forging an ultimate self [daily], who you want to be. So if you keep making those mistakes in other areas of your life, they’re going to bleed right into your perspective sport. Understand how you’re constantly creating yourself.
“We say a lot: You’re either living or you’re dying. And that’s the truth. So just might as well go as hard as you can every day. Establish those habits while we’re here, and you’ll be happy with the result.”
Winneconne’s Brody Schaffer and Neenah’s Celia Gentile were named boys and girls athlete of the year, respectively.
Schaffer was a three-sport standout for the Wolves, starring in football, basketball and track and field.
He was the Bay Conference offensive player of the year and defensive back of the year in football this past season as the Wolves won the WIAA Division 4 state championship.
An explosive dual-threat quarterback, Schaffer threw for 1,833 yards and 20 touchdowns while completing 67% of his passes. He also ran for 1,198 yards and 23 TDs.
Defensively, he produced 40 tackles and six interceptions, two of which were returned for scores.
In basketball, Schaffer was a first-team all-Bay Conference selection after averaging 20.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, five assists and 3.1 steals per game. He also scored 1,308 points for his career.
This spring, Schaffer was one of the state’s top track and field athletes in leading Winneconne to the Division 2 state team title.
He qualified for the state meet in three events, finishing second in the long jump and third in the 100-meter dash and was a member of the Wolves’ 800 relay team that took fourth.
Schaffer also was chosen as one of the WIAA’s Scholar Athlete Award winners. He will play football in college at the University of Iowa.
Gentile was a three-point standout, as well.
She played No. 1 singles for the Rockets in tennis, winning the Fox Valley Association title and earning the No. 11 seed at the state meet, where she won two matches in Division 1 and finished with 29 victories.
In basketball, Gentile earned honorable-mention all-conference honors for a Neenah team that won 19 games and tied for third place in the competitive FVA.
This spring, she qualified for the state track and field meet in four events in Division 1, finishing second in both the long jump and triple jump. She was also part of the Rockets’ 400 relay team that took fifth and 800 relay team that placed seventh as Neenah finished as the Division 1 state runners-up.
Ron Prochnow earned coach of the year honors after guiding Reedsville boys basketball to the WIAA Division 5 state title. It was the Panthers’ first state basketball championship in 80 years.
In doing so, Prochnow became just the third high school basketball coach in Wisconsin history to win a boys and girls state championship. He coached the Augusta girls to the Division 4 title in 1996.
Winneconne football was named boys team of the year. The Wolves capped an undefeated 14-0 season by scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter to rally past Little Chute in the Division 4 state championship game.
The Wolves won four games by shutout this season and had 10 games in which they allowed eight points or fewer. They were led on the gridiron by a talented group of athletes who also helped form one of the state’s best track and field teams this spring with Winneconne capturing the Division 2 track championship.
Oostburg basketball was named girls team of the year after earning its second consecutive Division 3 state championship to complete a perfect 30-0 record.
On its way to the title, Oostburg beat some of the state’s best programs with victories over Division 1 state qualifiers Arrowhead, Notre Dame and Pewaukee, Division 2 state qualifiers Beaver Dam and Whitefish Bay, Division 4 state qualifier St. Mary Catholic, along with wins over D1 powers Appleton East and Stevens Point.
Oostburg finished the season ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation in the MaxPreps Small Town Top 25.
Little Chute’s Jenna Whalley was the Courage Award recipient. The junior shared her story of determination and perseverance after she battled her way back to the dance floor and softball field following a serious ski crash.
Mary Beth Nienhaus of Appleton received the Trailblazer Award. Nienhaus was an educator and coach for 33 years – the majority of those spent at Appleton West High School.
She’s a member of the St. Mary Catholic – her alma mater – and Appleton West Halls of Fame. She is also enshrined in the Wisconsin State Golf Association, Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and Wisconsin Golf Coaches Association Halls of Fame and is an inaugural member of the Fox Cities Golf Hall of Fame.
Nienhaus’ generosity through her philanthropic work can be seen and experienced throughout the Appleton area. She is also an avid and active volunteer and has participated in 55 mission trips throughout the United States and third-world countries.
Below are all the award winners and nominees:
PREMIER AWARDS
Boys athlete of the year: Brody Schaffer, sr., Winneconne. Other nominees: Grady Lenn, sr., De Pere; Nathan Ramus, sr., Appleton North.
Girls athlete of the year: Celia Gentile, jr., Neenah. Other nominees: Autumn Crowe, jr., St. Mary Catholic; Rory Salvesen, sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood.
Coach of the year: Ron Prochnow, Reedsville boys basketball. Other nominees: Lacey Behnke, Manitowoc Lutheran girls volleyball; Mike Buchan, Bay Area Ice Bears girls hockey.
Boys team of the year: Winneconne football.
Girls team of the year: Oostburg basketball.
Courage Award recipient: Jenna Whalley, jr., Little Chute.
Trailblazer Award recipient: Mary Beth Nienhaus, Appleton.
FALL AWARDS
Boys cross-country runner of the year: Grady Lenn, sr., De Pere. Other nominees: Eli Akey, jr., Wausau West; Logan Boehnlein, jr., Seymour; Fisher Carroll, fr., Stevens Point; Cooper Erickson, sr., Stevens Point; Thomas McCarthy, sr., Berlin; Brayden Michaels, sr., Green Bay Preble; Jacob Nuthals, sr., Green Bay Preble; Garrett Pickering, jr., Campbellsport; Garrett Strong, so., Stevens Point; Zach Verhagen, sr., Neenah; Grant Wenzelow, sr., Winneconne.
Girls cross-country runner of the year: Sam Zilm, fr., Neenah. Other nominees: Maggie Behler, jr., Kohler; Eva Busch, so., Appleton North; Lucy Dolan, sr., Assumption; Maggie Gerth, so., Pulaski; Elsa Gruber, sr., Neenah; Ava Helmbrecht, sr., Appleton North; Hannah Huza, sr., Hortonville; Izzy Malloy, so., Neenah; Hannah Miller, so., Kewaunee; Natalie Portmann, jr., Manitowoc Lincoln; Elsa Weiland, so., Neenah.
Football – 8 player of the year: Bo Bijl, sr., Oakfield. Other nominees: Austin Harmsen, jr., Oakfield; Lincoln Laabs, sr., Oakfield; Colt Miller, sr., Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas; Logan Schuh, sr., Sevastopol; Emmitt Stiles, sr., Almond-Bancroft.
Football – 11 player offense: Patrick Greisen, sr., West De Pere. Other nominees: Kingston Allen, jr., Notre Dame; Landen Baker, sr., Mayville; Mitchell Boeder, sr., Kewaunee; Haiden Carlson, jr., Marshfield; Heath Cousin, sr., Brillion; Eric Cumber, sr., Ripon; Aiden Dirksen, sr., Bay Port; Richie Flanigan, jr., Notre Dame; Judeah Kniskern, sr., West De Pere; Gavin McInnis, sr., Little Chute; Deven Miller, sr., Plymouth; Brady Moon, sr., Bay Port; Ayden Nerdahl, jr., Amherst; Bryce Ott, sr., Oshkosh North; Brett Paulsen, sr., Kewaunee; Logan Prall, sr., Waupun; Brody Schaffer, sr., Winneconne; Gannan Schwartz, sr., Winnebago Lutheran; Carson Staffeldt, sr., Seymour; Treve Stoffel, sr., Mosinee; Ashton VanBeek, jr., Neenah; Sam Vokes, sr., Fond du Lac; Kavanaugh Weyenberg, sr., Kaukauna.
Football – 11 player defense: Ben Wenzel, sr., Appleton North. Other nominees: Bauer, jr., Lourdes Academy; Mason Bratonia, sr., De Pere; Blake Buhr, sr., Sheboygan North; Daniel Buntin, sr., Wrightstown; Maverick Butt, sr., Edgar; Cayden Cavanaugh, jr., De Pere; Trent Dunk, sr., Kimberly; Noah Faccio, sr., Little Chute; Treyvon Fox, sr., Appleton North; Brock Gauthier, sr., Bay Port; Nixon Heinke, sr., Freedom; Blake Heltemes, sr., Campbellsport; Maddux Hermus, jr., Kimberly; Eli Janssen, sr., Kimberly; Reece Joten, jr., Little Chute; Niko Kleinschmidt, jr., D.C. Everest; Brennen Resch, sr., Kimberly; Xavier Salzman, sr., Seymour; Hudson Samolinski, sr., Winneconne; Owen Steger, sr., Mayville; James Thiel, sr., Little Chute; Mason Trimberger, sr., Luxemburg-Casco; Mason Werner, sr., West De Pere.
Girls golfer of the year: Emma Cunningham, jr., Green Bay Southwest. Other nominees: Paige Clausen, sr., Hortonville; Payton Dudra, sr., Bay Port; Madelyn Gicius, jr., Bay Port; Emma Hudson, jr., De Pere; Isabel Johnsen, jr., Bay Port; Myah Johnson, jr., Bay Port; Eva Kentop, fr., Bay Port; Olivia Kernen, sr., Hortonville; Morgan Lewis, jr., Seymour; Reese Osowski, sr., West De Pere; Lyla Schueler, so., Seymour.
Boys soccer player of the year: Hezekiah Mletzko, sr., D.C. Everest. Other nominees: Cal Calhoon, jr., Freedom; Diego Cardenas Valdes, jr., Kohler; Cade Dirkse, sr., Oostburg; Roman Glad, jr., Hortonville; Carson Kaiser, sr., Ripon; Liam Paradiso, sr., Kimberly; Ezra Schaser, jr., Fox Valley Lutheran; Huj Chi Vang, sr., Green Bay Preble; Liam West, sr., Notre Dame; Trey White, sr., Neenah; Aissen Witter, sr., D.C. Everest.
Girls swimmer and diver of the year: Afton Scoresby, sr., Appleton North. Other nominees: Elise Brazzale, so., Appleton North; Kiersten Dietschweiler, jr., Oshkosh West; Sydney Hansman, jr., Neenah; Sydney Josephson, fr., Appleton East/Kaukauna/Hortonville; Kate Keehan, so., Stevens Point; Alyssa Leon, jr., Wausau West; Erin Leon, jr., Wausau West; Maddie Loken, so., Appleton North; Anna Mulroy, sr., Neenah; Klare Pilger, sr., Stevens Point; Natalie Portier, sr., Bay Port.
Girls tennis players of the year: Vivie Auth, so., and Adel Schneider, sr., St. Mary Catholic. Other nominees: Vivi Bigari, jr., Notre Dame; Charlotte Bullard, sr., and Melanie Pellegrino, sr., Kohler; Ana Cristescu, sr., and Maria Cristescu, so., De Pere; Olivia Gaskill, sr., and Rosie Whitlinger, jr., Appleton North; Celia Gentile, jr., Neenah; Lexie Hankel, sr., West De Pere; Kate Jannette, sr., and Mariel Pante, sr., Xavier; Molly Merrill, sr., and Evelyn Herdrich, jr., Newman Catholic; Sydney Michalkiewicz, so., and Rebekah Thomas, jr., Neenah; Anna Miller, jr., Notre Dame; Ava Motto, sr., and Cecelia Alexander, sr., Neenah; Ella Motto, jr., Neenah; Taylor Peterson, sr., and Jordin Popp, sr., Manitowoc Lincoln; Sasha Quandt, jr., Lourdes Academy; Gwen Rau, sr., and Peyton Peterson, sr., Sheboygan Falls; Alexia Stephens, so., Bay Port; Grace Villwock, sr., Kohler.
Boys volleyball player of the year: Nathan Ramus, sr., Appleton North. Other nominees: Cam Diekfuss, jr., Neenah; Luke Heise, sr., Appleton West; Alex Krause, jr., Kimberly; Landon Kue, sr., Appleton North; Sam Kuehl, jr., Appleton North; Camden Monroe, jr., Fond du Lac; Clay Torrey, sr., Kaukauna; Blake Zielinski, sr., Kimberly.
Girls volleyball player of the year: Peyton Carlson, sr., Waupaca. Other nominees: Malia Bodoh, sr., Winneconne; Meghan Bruss, jr., Bay Port; Natalie Bystol, sr., Shawano; Alayna Deprez, sr., Luxemburg-Casco; Aubrey Frey, jr., Luxemburg-Casco; Bri Hagglund, so., Kimberly; Katie Kornowski, sr., Stevens Point; Tenley Kuehn, sr., Green Bay Preble; Kenzie Loberger, sr., Fox Valley Lutheran; Marissa Mehlhorn, sr., Manitowoc Lutheran; Sydney Neilitz, sr., Xavier; Sydnee Nelson, sr., Oshkosh West; Taylor Neuenschwander, sr., Bay Port; Lucy Ripley, jr., Oconto Falls; Lilly Romjue, jr., Neenah; Riley Schmitz, sr., Fox Valley Lutheran; Ellie Shultis, jr., Fond du Lac; MacKenna Shultis, sr., Fond du Lac.
WINTER AWARDS
Boys basketball player of the year: Andrew Jensen, sr., Kaukauna. Other nominees: Jake Broeske, sr., Lomira; Joseph Daly, sr., New London; Donovan Davis, jr., Freedom; Cade Dirkse, sr., Oostburg; Maddix Gulseth, jr., Roncalli; Brennen Hackbarth, sr., Sheboygan Lutheran; Grant Hardy, sr., Appleton North; Gabe Heiges, sr., Fox Valley Lutheran; Alex Krause, jr., Kimberly; Will Krueger, jr., De Pere; Kyler Marks, sr., Seymour; Bryce Ott, sr., Oshkosh North; Chris Pohl, sr., Marshfield; Ben Prochnow, sr., Reedsville; Logan Ramczyk, jr., Xavier; Nathan Ramus, sr., Appleton North; Hayden Redington, sr., Berlin; Matthew Rosplochowski, so., Appleton North; Kayden Schultz, sr., Plymouth; Tyler Schwalbach, so., Kaukauna; Gannan Schwartz, sr., Winnebago Lutheran; Will Sweeney, sr., Appleton North; Jamison Zavatchin, sr., Oostburg.
Girls basketball player of the year: Ady Ketterhagen, sr., Oostburg. Other nominees: Awut Alic, jr., Oshkosh North; Leah Awe, so., Stevens Point; Ellie Buss, sr., Neenah; Autumn Crowe, jr., St. Mary Catholic; Haylie Dulas, jr., Kimberly; Hailey Hafner, jr., Xavier; Kinsley Ketterhagen, so., Oostburg; Riley Ketterhagen, sr., Oostburg; Rowan Klesmit, sr., Neenah; Brynn Krull, sr., Xavier; Melia Lemorande, sr., Bay Port; Tay Maass, sr., Appleton North; Grace Mitchell, jr., Winneconne; Finley Morgan, jr., Laconia; Leah Nordin, sr., Shawano; Kardyn Peppler, jr., Hortonville; Jada Seubert, jr., Stevens Point; Ella Sweeney, jr., Appleton East; Abby Tassoul, sr., De Pere; Ava Van Vonderen, jr., Kimberly; Kaia Waldrop, sr., Notre Dame; Destiny Webster, sr., Notre Dame; Olivia Williams, jr., Bay Port.
Gymnast of the year: Jazlyn Kurth, fr., Marshfield. Other nominees: Chloe Mueller, so., Stevens Point; Riley Mueller, so., Stevens Point; Raylin Rothmeier, jr., Medford/Colby; Neva Schlies, sr., Oshkosh West/North; Clara Sieracki, sr., Valders/Roncalli.
Boys hockey player of the year: Cooper DePuydt, sr., Wausau West. Other nominees: Cale Adamovich, sr., Fox Cities; Griffen Bunnell, sr., D.C. Everest; Zachary Burdick, jr., Stevens Point; Chase Crass, sr., Wausau West; Cooper DePuydt, sr., Wausau West; Jonah Dickens, sr., Tomahawk; Max Greenya, sr., De Pere Voyageurs; Braeden Hart, sr., Notre Dame; Brayden Lamer, jr., Tomahawk; Grady Miller, sr., Stevens Point; Grant Molski, sr., Stevens Point; Andrew Ostermann, jr., Fox Cities; Jerome Poirier, sr., Stevens Point; Jett Reilly, so., Tomahawk; Julian Scalcucci, jr., Wausau West; Mark Sutton, sr., Neenah/Hortonville/Menasha; Dayne Wafle, sr., De Pere Voyageurs; Tripp Wroblewski, so., Notre Dame.
Girls hockey player of the year: Faye Brunke, sr., Bay Area. Other nominees: Aisling Buchan, so., Bay Area; Lily Cichy, sr., Wisconsin Valley Union; Addison Dahl, sr., Bay Area; Cami Flohr, so., Central Wisconsin; Madeline Kelter, sr., Central Wisconsin; Kennedy Kohlman, so., Fond du Lac/Warbirds; Ava McDonald, sr., Bay Area; Evie Mursau, sr., Fox Cities; Campbell Spees, jr., Wisconsin Valley Union; Hannah Von Haden, sr., Bay Area; Jayden Yirkovsky, jr., Central Wisconsin.
Boys swimmer and diver of the year: Carter Tebon, jr., Bay Port. Other nominees: Caleb Bartolazzi, sr., Bay Port; Caleb Bergin, sr., Oshkosh West; Cash Braun, sr., Appleton North/East; Bennett Daul, sr., Bay Port; Jacob Faust, sr., Stevens Point; Hayden Hollenbeck, sr., Appleton West/Hortonville/Kaukauna/Kimberly; Ethan Pasholk, jr., Appleton West/Hortonville/Kaukauna/Kimberly; River Reeves, sr., Oshkosh North/Lourdes; Atticus Retzak Krump, sr., Green Bay United; Griffin Schilz, sr., Bay Port; Will Van Ermen, sr., D.C. Everest.
Boys wrestler of the year: Liam Crook, sr., Kaukauna. Other nominees: Tucker Athey, so., Bay Port; Murphy Beyer, jr., Freedom; Cashtyn Botting, sr., Hortonville; William Christopher, sr., New London; Sawyer Dailey, sr., Plymouth; Kolin DeGroot, sr., Kaukauna; Collin Hamm, so., Weyauwega-Fremont; Niko Kleinschmidt, jr., D.C. Everest; Colton Klug, jr., Brillion; Declan Koch, sr., Neenah; Cael Leisgang, sr., Seymour; Nehemiah Lendobeja, sr., Kaukauna; Max Matthias, sr., Two Rivers; Carson Neubert, jr., Luxemburg-Casco; Olin Neuville, jr., De Pere; Seth Race, sr., Cedar Grove-Belgium; Liam Richards, jr., Oostburg; Izaiah Sanchez, sr., Shiocton; Owen Schacht, jr., Mishicot; Logan Schad, jr., Kiel; Alois Schlumpf, sr., Bay Port; Landen Sheppard, jr., Neenah; Blake Underwood, sr., Marathon
Girls wrestler of the year: Taylor Whiting, sr., Lena. Other nominees: Dakotah Athey, jr., Bay Port; Angie Bianchi, sr., Two Rivers; Lillie Banks, sr., Menasha; Chesney Bartoszek, jr., Wrightstown; Katherine Cook, jr., Freedom; Kiley Georgel, sr., Luxemburg-Casco; Brooke Huffman, jr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Mercedes Kruse, so., West De Pere; Kylee Kurszewski, sr., Neenah; Emjay Neumann, sr., Manitowoc Lincoln; Erika Sleznikow, jr., Marshfield.
SPRING AWARDS
Baseball player of the year: Jack Brenner, sr., Fond du Lac. Other nominees: Jacob Coisman, jr., Luxemburg-Casco; Ryan Halfmann, sr., Kimberly; Carson Hawley, sr., Bay Port; Maddux Hermus, jr., Kimberly; Ira Hilbelink, jr., Cedar Grove-Belgium; Parker Lawson, sr., Bay Port; Brett Paulsen, sr., Kewaunee; Calvin Roth, sr., Stevens Point; Brett Rybarczyk, sr. Sheboygan North; Logan Wierzba, sr., West De Pere; Braun Wotruba, jr., Pulaski.
Boys golfer of the year: Vince Sigl, sr., Seymour. Other nominees: Austin Dobbe, sr., Winneconne; Drew Grant, jr., Kimberly; Jonathan Huenink, sr., Appleton North; Sawyer Krambs, sr., Wausau East; Sawyer Krueger, jr., Winneconne; Grant Lawton, fr., De Pere; Evan MacCaux, sr., Kewaunee; Dane Moore, so., Mishicot; Connor Ness, sr., Bay Port; Derek Watry, so., Xavier; Tyson West, jr., Kimberly.
Boys lacrosse player of the year: Reshawn Vaughn, sr., Neenah. Other nominees: Cade Brockington, sr., De Pere Central; Alex Ciak, sr., Notre Dame Academy; Rylan Davia, jr., Appleton United; Jaylen Kempfer, sr., Appleton United; Reid Lindenberg, jr., Kimberly; Quinn Macdonald, sr., Bay Port; Jude Marsh, so., Neenah; Owen Selissen, sr., Bay Port; Tristan Wadzinski, jr., De Pere Central; Tyler Rahn, jr., Kimberly; Roen Willis, jr., Appleton United
Girls lacrosse player of the year: Grace Peters, sr., De Pere Central. Other nominees: Ashlyn Brandt, sr., Bay Port; Lily Lyons, jr., Bay Port; Lucy Phillips, sr., Notre Dame; Maria Imhoff, sr., Wausau; Riley Harris, jr., Appleton United; Delilah Hein, jr., Neenah; Ainsley LeClair, sr., Neenah; Josie Mroczkowski, jr., Neenah; Eva Orr, jr., Bay Port; Cami Prentice, jr., Pulaski; Quinn Rice, sr., Wausau.
Girls soccer player of the year: Emily Urban, sr., Kimberly. Other nominees: Serene Adamski, fr., Notre Dame; Amelia Castleberg, sr., Stevens Point; Brinley Dunsirn, sr., Appleton North; Kennedy Ebben, jr., Kimberly; Arden Getschman, jr., Cedar Grove-Belgium; Suri Hottmann, sr., Winneconne; Kalli Knowles, sr., Plymouth; Helayna Krueger, so., Xavier; Harper Neace, jr., Winneconne; Vada Sousek, so., Kimberly; Gabby Wasco, jr., Xavier.
Softball player of the year: Tenley Kuehn, sr., Green Bay Preble. Other nominees: Madison Babcock, jr., Fox Valley Lutheran; Addison Braun, sr., Waupun; Amaya Brooks, sr., Brillion; Grace Danoski, sr., Hortonville; Sophie Hermus, sr., Kimberly; Madelyn Hoppe, jr., D.C. Everest; Rylee Hraby, sr., Medford; Aubree Itzen, sr., Stevens Point; Kendra Rettler, so., Seymour; Rory Salvesen, sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Kaia Waldrop, sr., Notre Dame.
Boys tennis player of the year: Alex Thomas, sr., Notre Dame Academy. Other nominees: Hunter Brown, jr., Neenah; Henry Farrell, jr., Neenah; Liam Hankel, so., West De Pere; Augustine Luy, jr., Notre Dame Academy; Colin Meixl, sr., Kimberly; Carson Slowinski, sr., Stevens Point; Cale Vogel, sr., Appleton West; Truman Vogel, sr., Appleton West; Rafe Zifferblatt, jr., West De Pere; Tudor Cristescu, sr,, and Alex Kaufman, sr., De Pere; Gianni Frausto, sr., and Cavin Baltus, sr., Plymouth; Sam Hahnke, sr., and Spencer Munson, sr., Appleton North; Hunter Holschuh, sr., and Jackson Lawson, sr., Kimberly; Brady Lawatsch, sr., and Luke Grassl, jr., Neenah; Will Matthews, jr., and Tully Smith, jr., Stevens Point; Reid Potter, sr., and Gavin Steiner, sr., Oshkosh West; Giovanni Zifferblatt, so., and Brayden Hagenow, fr., West De Pere
Boys track and field athlete of the year: Grady Lenn, sr., De Pere. Other nominees: Lincoln Arneson, jr., Denmark; Keaton Dauk, jr., Pulaski; Cooper Effa, sr., Little Chute; Maximus Davis, jr., Green Bay Preble; Hunter Dehart, so., Coleman; Cooper Erickson, sr., Stevens Point; Chris Marcell, sr., Marathon; Kolton Peters, jr., Coleman; Nolan Phillips, sr., Freedom; Wyatt Rouamba, sr., Xavier; Hudson Samolinski, sr., Winneconne; Brody Schaffer, sr., Winneconne; Grant Wenzelow, sr., Winneconne; Kaleb Williams, sr., Fox Valley Lutheran.
Girls track and field athlete of the year: Emma Severson, so., Neenah. Other nominees: Caroline Basehoar, sr., Xavier; Maggie Behler, jr., Kohler; Lera Black, jr., Ashwaubenon; Eva Busch, so., Appleton North; Ellie Davel, so., St. Mary Catholic; Juliana Doerner, so., Mishicot; Emerson Fabry, sr., Pulaski; Celia Gentile, jr., Neenah; Zuzanna Mosienska, sr., Little Chute; Sydnee Nelson, sr., Oshkosh West; Ashley Parrish, jr., Appleton North; Isabel Parrish, jr., Appleton North; Selci Sirrell, so., Berlin; Ayden Smith, sr., New London.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Packers’ Evan Williams tells high school sports standouts persistence pays off
Reporting by Brett Christopherson, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brett Christopherson, Appleton Post-Crescent | USA TODAY Network
