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Al Toon Award Finalists for top senior wide receiver or tight end

11/17/2020, 12:00pm CST
By Travis Wilson

Cumberland receiver Jack Martens

Al Toon Award Finalists

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 will be announced the week of November 23rd.

Cyle Kowalski, Mosinee

Mosinee has one of the top passing attacks in the state, spearheaded by the top receiving production duo in Wisconsin. Cyle Kowalski is among state leaders in all major receiving categories, hauling in 46 passes for 840 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. That follow a junior campaign that saw him catch 63 balls for 1,131 yards and eight scores. He's had at least 120 yards receiving in each of the last four games for the Indians.

Drayton Lehman, Mosinee

Mosinee senior Drayton Lehman is one of the top two-way skill position players in the state, and could have been a contender for the Jim Leonhard Award as top defensive back. As it is, he's one of the most productive receivers in Wisconsin, leading the state with 95 catches. He's second in both yards (1,149) and touchdown catches (tied with 13). In a replacement game last week against Cadott, Lehman tied a state record with 20 receptions, totaling 188 yards and four scores in the team's 35-23 victory.

Jack Martens, Cumberland

Cumberland senior Jack Martens is wrapping up one of the most prolific careers of any receiver in state history. Heading into Level 2 for the unbeaten Beavers, Martens has 244 career receptions, which places second, and 3,202 receiving yards, good for third on the state's all-time list. His 36 receiving touchdowns are currently tied for fifth. After catching 94 passes for 1,190 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, he's been even better in the abbreviated 2020 campaign. So far he has hauled in 80 catches for 1,033 yards and 13 touchdowns, with three more scores on the ground. He's also a shutdown defensive back for Cumberland. Martens earned WFCA Small School All-State recognition last season and is likely to be a three-time First Team All-Conference choice.

Preston Ruedinger, Lourdes Academy

A scholarship basketball player, Lourdes Academy senior Preston Ruedinger has put his talents to work quite well on the football field the last few seasons also. In his senior campaign he has caught 48 passes for 770 yards and 10 touchdowns heading into Level 2 of the postseason. It's an outstanding follow-up to a junior campaign that saw him catch 42 passes for 779 yards and 13 scores. He already holds school records for most touchdown receptions in a season and career, and could break the mark for single-season receptions and yards this week. "He flips the numbers advantage on the field due to his speed and ability to take the top off of the defense," said Lourdes head coach Kevin Wopat. "He makes it a lot easier to run the ball with a thinner box." Some of his biggest games have come against some of the top competition this year. In a 39-32 win over Coleman he caught five passes for 190 yards and four scores, with eight catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns against New Holstein.

Quinn Taege, Freedom

Freedom senior Quinn Taege is one of the most versatile players in the entire state, and he's been a huge part of the success for the Irish. He spends a considerable amount of time lined up as a traditional tight end, but also has the athletic ability to split out wide. Head coach Frank Mattia raves about his blocking ability on power and toss plays especially. His ability to also get out into routes and make plays is special, as he leads the team with 51 catches for 426 yards and seven touchdowns. He's also an outstanding defense lineman, with 14 tackles for loss and seven sacks this season.

About the Author

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.

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.

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