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The Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch Award is given annually to the state's top senior running back as part of the WSN Senior Football Awards. The award is named after former Wausau High School athlete Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch, who went on to play for the University of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan before starring at end in the NFL for 12 seasons. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the National High School Hall of Fame, and later went on to serve as Wisconsin's athletic director from 1969 to 1987.

The pre-season watch list was trimmed down to 35 semi-finalists, and six finalists for the award have now been selected. Winners are announced the week of the state finals.

Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch Award Finalists:

Kallion Buckner, Middleton - Buckner was an all-league pick for the Cardinals last season, rushing for 1,134 yards and 13 touchdowns. He's carried much more of the load as a senior, rushing 218 times for 1,721 yards and 26 touchdowns, averaging 7.9 yards per carry in the tough Big Eight Conference. Listed at just 165 pounds, he runs with great balance and power, and has a burst that is difficult to contain in tight spaces. Buckner has also been involved in the passing game, with 13 catches for 214 yards and three touchdowns. While he's generally kicked away from as the team's primary punt and kick returner, he does have a kickoff return for a score as well for head coach Jason Pertzborn, who raves that Buckner has grown more as a player and person from freshman year to senior than almost any player he's coached.

Joey Giorgi, Grafton - Giorgi finished just short of 1,000 yards last year but made sure he'd hit that and then some in 2019, eclipsing the 1000-yard mark in just four games. Through the team's ten games leading up to Level 2, he has 264 carries for a state-best 2,265 yards and 29 touchdowns. He's displayed his versatility with 28 catches for 371 yards and four scores in the North Shore Conference as well. "Not only is he explosive and dominant on the ground, he has allowed zero sacks this year on pressures and leads the way in our quarterback runs and jet series," said head coach James Norris.

Tanner Keller, Waterford - Keller is part of one of the state's top rushing attacks, leading the way with 1,601 yards and 20 touchdowns on just 145 attempts, an average of 11.0 yards per carry, despite sharing time with Dominic Miller, who is over 1000 yards himself. This marks the third straight season that Keller has eclipsed 1200 rushing yards, as he is up to 4,551 career yards and 62 touchdowns. Despite sitting the second half of six games this year, he also has 11 catches for 112 yards and two scores, a kick return touchdown, a punt fake return score, and three punt returns for touchdowns. He's back-to-back as the Southern Lakes Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Rashad Lampkin, Brookfield Central - Lampkin was a WFCA Large School All-State selection last year when he ran for 2,217 yards and 30 touchdowns. He's been perhaps even more important to the Lancers this season as one of the few returning offensive weapons. In 11 games he had 284 carries and 1,570 yards with 22 touchdowns on the ground. Lampkin is also the team's leading receiver, with 25 catches for 230 yards and a couple scores, including the game-winning touchdown catch in a win over Menomonee Falls late in the year that helped the team grab a share of the Greater Metro Conference title. 

Adam Siegel, New Berlin West - Siegel has been a catalyst as the Vikings are 9-1 entering a Level 2 showdown with rival New Berlin Eisenhower, a team they beat earlier this season. Improving from 961 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior, he carried the ball 295 times for 2,104 yards with 26 touchdowns in his senior campaign. Siegel posted at least 100 yards in every game this year, and in the opening postseason win over Greendale, had 45 carries for 240 yards and a touchdown. He's also a full-time starter on defense.

Tyler Tenner, Racine Lutheran - Tenner broke the state's all-time rushing record, set just last season by Iola-Scandinavia's Bryce Huettner. His 6,932 career yards are a new mark in the state. For the season, Tenner had 2,315 yards and 31 touchdowns on 238 carries, an average of 9.7 yards per attempt. He also had four receiving touchdowns, played defense full-time, and was a dangerous return man for the Crusaders, who went undefeated until a Level 3 loss to Saint Mary's Springs.

EDIT: New Berlin West's Adam Siegel was listed as a junior on the roster we received and during this season, but it was brought to our attention that he is a senior, and he was added to the list after the initial release.

Travis Wilson serves as the WisSports.net General Manager, Football Editor, and contributing writer for other parts of the site. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisWSN.

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