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

The following article was originally published in NOW Newspapers under the "State of Play" feature, a series of bi-weekly feature columns penned by WSN General Manager Travis Wilson.

The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) presents both an Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year award in the state of Wisconsin each season, and usually, there are pretty clear candidates that emerge very early in the season. By the mid-point of the regular season, a handful of possible recipients usually stand out and it's a race to the finish to see who will grab the award. However, this year the process of handicapping not only a favorite, but a top five for Offensive Player of the Year heading into Week 7 might be as difficult as ever.

It takes the right combination of name recognition, statistical success, and team success to win the award. Generally, the player must be from a very successful team that is either unbeaten or a favorite for a state title. Though last year we saw Brown Deer's Zach Baun receive the award in a close vote, despite the fact that his Falcons finished just 8-3 overall and went out in Level 2 of the playoffs. His individual brilliance was too much to pass up however, despite a strong pool of candidates.

To be clear, the Offensive Player of the Year is presented by the WFCA, and I do not have a vote in the process (it is voted on by the 21 District Reps). However, below is my take on the top ten candidates right now (in alphabetical order), though there is a long ways to go before the selection is made after Level 4 of the postseason, and more candidates could certainly emerge.

Ben Bredeson, OL, Arrowhead – I don't believe the Offensive Player of the Year has ever gone to a lineman, but in a year without a clear-cut favorite at a skill position, perhaps Bredeson will get some support. He's a four-year starter for the most high-profile program in the state, and was recruited by virtually everyone before committing to Michigan. Arrowhead is looking like one of the best teams in the state, with an offense putting up solid numbers.

Garrett Groshek, QB, Amherst – It's not unheard of for small school players to receive the honor, but they have to put up eye-popping numbers, be on dominant teams, or a combination of both. Groshek fits the bill, as Amherst has been one of the most dominant teams in Wisconsin, against a very good schedule. He likely will go over 1000 yards both rushing and passing for a third straight year. Currently, he has more than 1700 yards of total offense with 25 combined touchdowns, averaging 15 yards per rush and completing 68% of his passes with a 139.6 passer rating.

Max Meylor, QB, Mount Horeb/Barneveld – One of the state's most prolific passers the last three years, Meylor entered 2015 as one of the favorites, and hasn't disappointed. He's thrown for 1412 yards while completing 64.9% of his passes, though has just a 10-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio currently. That will need to improve over the final several weeks for him to have a chance, and with two losses already and unlikely to win a conference title, the Vikings may need a Level 4 or state finals playoff run for Meylor to pull it out.

Blair Mulholland, RB, Kimberly – There is no questioning Mulholland's talent and production, and as a key member of back-to-back state championship squads, he has the team success needed to win the WFCA Offensive Player of the Year honors. He went for 938 yards and 16 touchdowns in the first five weeks of the season. However, after a 50-carry game against Appleton North, he sat out last week's victory over Wausau West due to nagging injuries. He missed three weeks last season as well, and he likely needs to come back this week and put up solid numbers to remain in the hunt. Of course, with Kimberly blowing out most opponents, he may not get a significant amount of carries the rest of the way.

Ben Nienhuis, QB, Oconomowoc – The only non-senior on the list, Nienhuis may face an uphill battle for that reason if nothing else. He's been outstanding in the Raccoons turnaround season however, throwing for 1533 yards and 22 touchdowns through the first six games of the year. Oconomowoc is a surprising 6-0 but faces fellow unbeaten Slinger this week.

Nik Ohuafi, RB, De Pere – A bit of a darkhorse candidate, Ohuafi didn't even start the year as the running back for De Pere, but has made up for lost time by going for 1081 yards and 11 touchdowns in the last five games for the Redbirds. De Pere is undefeated heading into the final three weeks, though a match-up with defending league champion Bay Port looms in the final week of the season. A big game by Ohuafi and an undefeated regular season for the Redbirds could really catapult his candidacy for Player of the Year from darkhorse to strong contender.

Mason Stokke, RB, Menomonie – Just two weeks ago, Stokke may have been considered the favorite, as he was putting up big numbers and Menomonie was undefeated and ranked first in the WisSports.net Division 2 Coaches Poll. However, after two straight losses, the Mustangs need to focus on just getting enough wins for the playoffs. Stokke was solid in the two defeats (306 rushing yards, 5 TD), but will Menomonie's record at the end of the year be good enough to keep him in the discussion? There's also the matter of him being one of the state's top defensive players, and he may garner support as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

Brandon Thull, RB, Kewaskum – Thull broke on the scene last year, going for more than 2000 rushing yards with 30 touchdowns. He's managed to be even better thus far in 2015, averaging 171.3 yards per game, increasing his yards per carry average from 7.5 to 9.6. He'll likely get plenty of carries to build up impressive rushing totals, and if the Indians remain undefeated (they face fellow unbeaten Berlin this week), his case for the award could be similar to 2012 WFCA Offensive Player of the Year Mason Dixon of Big Foot.

Cole Van Lanen, OL, Bay Port – Similar to Bredeson, Van Lanen could get some consideration in a season perhaps bereft of top-line offensive favorites. A multi-year starter and state champ in the discus and shot put this spring, Van Lanen has absolutely dominated defenders this year. A Badgers commit, his stock nationally has risen considerably over the last 12 months, to where he is ranked in the top 50 in the country in the senior class. 

Toren Young, RB, Monona Grove – The state's top-ranked senior running back by WisSports.net and an Iowa commit, we figured Young would be in the race for Player of the Year honors. He's firmly established himself as a top two or three contender, rushing for 1149 yards and 12 touchdowns in the first six games for the Silver Eagles. Despite a surprising loss to Oregon in Week 3, Monona Grove has a chance to secure a share of a seventh straight Badger-South Conference title. Perhaps the favorite right now, an early playoff loss could derail Young's chances however.