skip navigation

Tim Krumrie Award Finalists for top senior defensive lineman

10/27/2016, 11:00am CDT
By Travis Wilson

The Tim Krumrie Award is given annually to the state's top senior defensive lineman as part of the WSN Senior Football Awards. The award is named after Tim Krumrie, a former Mondovi and University of Wisconsin athlete who would go on to star in the NFL for 12 seasons, including two Pro Bowl appearances.
 
The pre-season watch list was trimmed down to 15 semi-finalists, and eight finalists for the award have now been selected. Winners are announced the week of the state finals.

Tim Krumrie Award Finalists:

Blaze Beltran, Pewaukee - A multi-year starter on both sides of the ball, Beltran is second in the state in sacks with 18.5, totaling 67 tackles and 12 tackles for loss on the season. The 2016 Division 1 heavyweight wrestling champion, Beltron is a team captain for the Woodland-West conference champs. "He has a great work ethic, never has a bad day, encourages his teammates, and has played his best in our biggest games," said head coach Justin Friske.

Michael Buetow, Saint Mary's Springs - Buetow has wreaked havoc in opposing backfields the past three years as the Ledgers came up just short for a third straight title. In his senior season he had 59 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. "The award exemplifies what Mike Buetow is all about: hard work, hustle, and never lets up," said legendary head coach Bob Hyland. "Stats don’t show Mike’s ability because we had many blowouts so he did not play entire games. No one could block him all year. He is the strongest and most tenacious player I have ever coached."

Austin Goehring, Kiel - Another two-way standout, Goehring racked up more than 500 receiving yards with 6 touchdowns on offense, but also did big-time damage on defense once again. After recording 17 sacks as a junior, he had 15.5 sacks with 30 tackles for loss and 59 total tackles in 12 games. "I have been coaching football for over forty years and I cannot think of a better defensive end that I have had the privilege of working with," said head coach Mike Dressler.

Caiden Haake, Pepin/Alma - Haake is a returning First Team All-State defensive end who could be a finalist for the running back award as well, rushing for 1,704 yards and 32 touchdowns on the year. Also the team's punter, kicker, return man, and leading receiver, Haake has 142 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, and 15 sacks for the Eagles, giving him 31.5 sacks the past two years. He's also a state champion in the discus and #1 in his class. "He is the type of player that a coach wants to have on his team," said head coach Mike Olson.

Logan McCormick, Kimberly - An Honorable Mention All-State pick for the Papermakers last year, McCormick has been every bit as good in 2016. The Defensive Lineman of the Year in the VFA-North, McCormick has 33 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 4 fumble recoveries for head coach Steve Jones. " He continues to make huge plays week in and week out even when he is constantly taking on double teams," Jones said. "Like all elite players, Logan plays his best in the biggest games. He is the best vocal leader on our team and he is also our best special teams player. He adds so much value to our team that does not always show up in the box score."

Jacob Powell, Arrowhead - Powell's unique blend of strength and athletic ability allow him to cause havoc around the field for the Warhawks as a three-year starter. In 9 regular season games he posted 56 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, and 7 sacks, adding an interception for head coach Fritz Rauch, who raves about him. "He is an outstanding high school football player," said Rauch. "I truly think he's in the top five of the guys I've coached." That's an impressive comment from Rauch, who coached future NFL players Ben Gardner and Shelby Harris while at Homestead.

Aaron Vopal, De Pere - A unanimous First Team All-Conference pick and the Defensive Lineman of the Year in the FRCC, Vopal is a monster at 6-7, 290 pounds. He earned a scholarship from and committed to Wisconsin in the off-season but did not rest on his laurels. "Aaron took the initiative in the off-season to elevate his game from being a good player on the field to being a player on the field that the opponents have to pay attention to," commented head coach Chad Michalkiewicz. "He dedicated himself in the weight room in the off-season to separate himself on the field in both size and strength." A two-way starter up front, Vopal had 63 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks for the Redbirds.

Hawk Wimmer, Franklin - At 6-4, 310 pounds Wimmer is a dominating presence on the interior of the Sabers' defensive line, but his size isn't all he has going for him. "He is unbelievably athletic for his size and commands double teams from opponents," head coach Louis Brown said. "Our defense has given up 4 points in the 1st half of games this year and he is the main reason why." On the season he has 76 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, and 6 sacks to go with 3 forced fumbles.

Tag(s): News Archive  News  Travis Wilson  Senior FB Awards