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

The WSN15 series will celebrate the 15th Anniversary of WisSports.net by looking back at the top players, teams, and moments of the past 15 years (2003-2017).

The Top 15 Players countdown is not a recruiting ranking and not indicative of what the players did after high school. It is a ranking of the top high school players, the impact they had for their team, and the dominance they displayed while in high school.

Brookfield East did not have a rich football tradition in the WIAA, qualifying for the playoffs just twice prior Tom Swittel's hire in 2010. The Spartans quickly became a contender, and in 2013, a freshman named Sam Santiago-Lloyd made his debut.

After rushing for 378 yards and 6 touchdowns in his first season, he saw his sophomore year cut short. It was just setting the stage for the historic next two seasons.

In 2015, Santiago-Lloyd quickly made it known that he was going to be a force to be reckoned with. In the first game of the season, he went for 199 yards and two touchdowns, as he would go over 100 yards in all but one game that year. 

While he finished with 188 yards and a score, Brookfield East dropped a hard-fought game against rival Brookfield Central during the regular season. However, the Spartans got the job done in the playoffs, winning 34-31 as Santiago-Loyd pounded out 130 yards and 3 touchdowns, just a week after going for 330 and 4 scores against Whitefish Bay. While the season would end in Level 3 the next week against Homestead, Santiago-Lloyd carried the ball 41 times for 271 yards and 2 scores.

He would finish with 2,251 yards and 31 touchdowns on 266 carries in 12 games that year, and impressively, was a full-time star linebacker on defense as well, with 74 tackles and 4 interceptions.

As just a junior, he'd earn First Team All-State recognition on both offense and defense from the WFCA.

Heading into his senior season, there were big expectations, but he dealt with injuries early in the season, as the Spartans would finish third in the Greater Metro Conference. Santiago-Lloyd's injuries limited how much he could contribute on defense, but his strength on offense grew beginning in Week 8.

Beginning in a loss to Marquette on October 7th, Santiago-Lloyd rushed for at least 150 yards in seven straight games. During that stretch, he rush 222 times for 1,354 yards and 20 touchdowns.

B'East would get hot in the playoffs, advancing to the Division 2 state title game. In an outstanding shootout against Monona Grove, Santiago-Lloyd would carry the ball 37 times for 197 yards and 5 touchdowns as the Spartans claimed their first state title, 43-36.

After his senior season, Santiago-Lloyd would earn First Team All-State from the WFCA once again, adding state Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press. For his career, he'd finish with 4,743 rushing yards and 65 touchdowns.

Three All-State selections, a Player of the Year honor, a state title, and some huge big-game performances left an indelible mark on the state landscape.

#15 - J.J. Watt, Pewaukee
#14 - Jayme Wells, Kimberly
#13 - Travis Frederick, Big Foot
#12 - Travis Beckum, Oak Creek
#11 - Sam Santiago-Lloyd, Brookfield East
#10 - Garrett Groshek, Amherst
#9 - Leo Musso, Waunakee
#8 - Blair Mulholland, Kimberly
#7 - Gabe Carimi, Monona Grove
#6 - Ben Hempel, Franklin
#5 - Mike Newkirk, Ladysmith
#4 - Eric Brunner, Greendale
#3 - John Clay, Racine Park
#2 - Josh Oglesby, Saint Francis
#1 - Melvin Gordon, Kenosha Bradford

Others Considered

For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.