Wisconsin High School Sports | Wisconsin Sports Network | WisSports.net

Wisconsin Sports Network and WisSports.net are happy to announce Waunakee's Troy Laufenberg as the 2014 recipient of the Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch Award as the most outstanding senior running back in Wisconsin, part of the WSN Senior Football Awards.

Laufenberg is one of the most versatile players in the state, excelling at running back, kicker, and punter for the Warriors, plus playing a little in the secondary. The last six games, he lined up as the quarterback in a shotgun set and threw the ball quite well, while still doing damage on the ground.

He rushed 360 times for 2242 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2014, with a huge Week 1 performance in a win over Madison Edgewood, going for 350 yards and 5 scores. In his quarterback role he completed 23 of 43 passes for 296 yards and 5 touchdowns.

A three-year varsity player, Laufenberg went for more than 1400 yards with 21 touchdowns as a junior. He was also a key member of the 2012 team that advanced to the state finals, tying a state record for most consecutive wins in the process.

Recently named a WFCA First Team All-State selection, Laufenberg is still entertaining college interest from a host of schools, and took a visit to Wisconsin for the Badgers' dominating win over Nebraska last weekend.

Laufenberg is the second Waunakee player to receive the award, joining Leo Musso, who won it in 2011.

Finalists for the award were Laufenberg, Ryan Borton of Muskego, Dom Conway of West De Pere, Ethan Danz of Appleton North, and Demaris Purifoy of Wauwatosa West.

Past winners of the award include Appleton North's Steve Lichtfuss (2009), Kenosha Bradford's Melvin Gordon (2010), Waunakee's Leo Musso (2011), Big Foot's Mason Dixon (2012), and Saint Mary's Springs' Ike Floyd (2013).

The award is named after "Crazylegs" Hirsch, a legendary athlete from Wausau High School who later starred at both the University of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan. Hirsch spent 12 seasons in professional football, including nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams who moved him to end. His 1951 season is one of the greatest receiving years in NFL history. He caught 66 passes for a record 1495 yards and 17 touchdowns. The yardage mark wasn’t broken for 19 years while his 17 touchdowns tied the record and wasn’t broken until 1984. He later served as the Wisconsin athletic director from 1969 to 1987, overseeing a revival of UW athletics. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. Hirsch passed away in 2004. 

The voting panel for the WSN Senior Football Awards consisted of:  Travis Wilson, WSN Content Manager and Head Football Writer;  Norbert Durst, WSN Content Producer; Dennis Semrau, Wisconsin State Journal; Justin Hull, WSCO The Score 95.3 in Appleton; JR Radcliffe, NOW Newspapers; Dan Barwick, WSN Contributor; Jimmie Kaska, iHeartMedia Eau Claire; Fan Vote