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The Kevin Stemke Award is presented annually to the state's top senior kicker or punter as part of the WSN Senior Football Awards. The award is named after former Green Bay Preble and University of Wisconsin standout Kevin Stemke. At Wisconsin, Stemke was presented with the Ray Guy Award as the nation's top punter and holds UW records for highest punting average in a career (43.5) and total punting yards (10,660).

The pre-season watch list was trimmed down to 25 semi-finalists, and five finalists for the award have now been selected. Winners are announced the week of the state finals.

Kevin Stemke Award Finalists:

Andrew Brees, Greendale – An outstanding athlete who is also one of the state’s top receivers, Brees made headlines with a kick that he actually missed. In Level 1 of the playoffs with his team trailing 22-20 against Pius XI, Brees got to attempt the rarest of field goals – the free kick. Following a Greendale fair catch with only seconds on the clock, Brees lined up like a kickoff but was actually attempting a record-setting 66-yard field goal. The kick sailed just wide left but had plenty of leg. He knocked 60% of his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks and made field goals of 46, 43, and 37 this season. “I believe that no kicker is more talented than Andrew Brees,” Greendale coach Rob Stoltz said. “Aside from his stats, his leg strength is incredible.

Drew Meyer, Arrowhead – One of the state’s top collegiate kicking prospects, Meyer was an honorable mention selection at kicker last season and followed it up with a strong off-season that saw him climb to #12 in the country in respected kicking guru Jamie Kohl of Kohl’s Professional Kicking & Punting Camps’ rankings. He’s followed it through during the high school season, connecting on 9 field goals this season, including a long of 46 yards. Meyer is also an outstanding punter, ranked #13 in the nation by Kohl.

Peter Mortell, Notre Dame – The latest in a long line of Green Bay area punting prospects that includes award namesake Kevin Stemke (Green Bay Preble), Mortell has a booming leg that he is still learning how to utilize. Ranked as the nation’s #8 punter by Kohl’s Professional Kicking & Punting Camps, Mortell also was invited to the elite Kohl’s/ESPN Underclassmen Challenge in Orlando, Fla. over the summer. He’s followed it up with an equally impressive senior season that saw him named 1st team all-FRCC after averaging an impressive 44.8 yards per punt. He had a long of 68 yards with two others over 50 yards.

Sam Oliden, South Milwaukee – Like several of the kickers on this list, Oliden made waves during the playoffs. With South Milwaukee tied 23-23 with Pius XI in the closing seconds of a Level 2 playoff game, Oliden completed an amazing comeback by kicking a 52-yard field goal as time expired to give the Rockets a 26-23 win. He connected on 5 of 8 field goal attempts this year, while 12 of his 46 kickoffs went for touchbacks. He also handled punting duties for South Milwaukee, averaging 37.8 yards per kick with the opposition averaging less than one yard per return.

Tyler Wedel, McFarland – Like others on this list, Wedel plays other positions at a high level. While has racked up some impressive totals as the quarterback at McFarland, he entered the state record books as a kicker this year. He booted a 54-yard field goal in Level 1 of the playoffs during a 30-13 victory over Madison Edgewood, good for seventh all-time in state history. He was able to control games with his leg in multiple ways, including deep kickoffs (33 touchbacks on 62 kickoffs and an average of 55.9 yards per kickoff), booming punts (40.4 yards per punt with seven over 50 yards and a long of 59), and of course field goals as well (3 for 4 on the season including the 54-yarder).