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The Al Toon Award is given annually to the state's top senior wide receiver or tight end as part of the WSN Senior Football Awards. The award is named after former University of Wisconsin athlete Al Toon, who went on to play in the NFL for several very successful seasons before multiple concussions ended his career early. Toon is an active member of the community in the Madison area both in the business world and in various charitable endeavors.

The pre-season watch list was trimmed down to 15 semi-finalists, and five finalists for the award have now been selected. Winners are announced the week of the state finals.
 
Al Toon Award Finalists:

Terrell Carey, Madison West - A three-year varsity standout, Carey has added even more to his plate this year by rushing for more than 200 yards, racking up more than 400 return yards, and earning First Team All-Conference on defense. Still, it is catching the ball where he excels most, catching 51 passes for 1,107 yards and 12 touchdowns in 10 games. "Terrell is extremely explosive and very hard to bring down," said head coach Brad Murphy. "He knows how to setup defenders and make sharp cuts out of his breaks."

Zach Clayton, Oconomowoc - Clayton, an Oregon State baseball commit who also holds a Wisconsin preferred walk-on offer for football, teamed with Ben Nienhuis for one of the most dangerous passing combos in the state. Very physical with good size and athletic ability, Clayton is tied for the state lead through Level 4 playoff games with 95 receptions, racking up 1,524 receiving yards, adding 16 touchdowns. "Zach is a very driven athlete who is ultra-competitive and made plays in all phases of the game," said head coach Ryan McMillen. He's a versatile athlete with a unique body type for the athleticism he possesses."

Reid Hilbelink, Cedar Grove-Belgium - Despite constant attention, Hilbelink has been one of the most explosive players in the state from the receiver spot, averaging21.95 yards per catch. On the season he's hauled in 83 catches for a new state record 1,821 yards with 22 touchdowns. A two-time First Team All-Conference choice at both receiver and defensive back, he did most of his damage in the first half of games, as the Rockets produced a number of blowouts. "As explosive as he was on the deep ball, the yards after catch were also impressive, making defenders miss and breaking many tackles and outrunning them to the end zone," head coach Dan Schreurs said. "He is very quick to gauge his opponent and find their weakness, at which point he works with the QB to take advantage of it."

Tyler Hughes, Onalaska - Hughes suffered a knee injury that wiped out more than half his junior season, but came back more dedicated than ever as a senior. He's teamed with Sample to post one of the best receiving duo seasons in state history. Hughes leads the team with 77 catches for 1,316 yards in 11 games, as the Hilltoppers claimed an outright Mississippi Valley Conference title. He's hauled in 15 touchdowns on the year. "Many times he has caught a short pass and taken it for a touchdown because of his speed," said head coach Tom Yashinsky. "He is our only player that plays the full game both ways and never shows signs of tiring."

Jalen Sample, Onalaska - Sample teams with Hughes for a devastating 1-2 punch, as his size and speed allow him to make big plays down the field. He caught a tied for state-best 22 touchdowns this year (at least one in every game) to go with 72 receptions for 1,408 yards in 11 games. "Last year Jalen was raw and we asked him to improve in a few ares," head coach Tom Yashinsky said. "We asked him to get to be a better blocker, better route runner and catch the ball with his hands instead of off his body. He came back this year better than we could have imagined."