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Wisconsin Sports Network and WisSports.net are happy to announce Mukwonago's Wynn Stang as the 2022 recipient of the Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch Award as the most outstanding senior running back in Wisconsin, part of the WSN Senior Football Awards.

Wynn Stang went over 1000 rushing yards last year while sharing time in the Indians' backfield, and burst out of the gates in 2022 with one of the best starts we've ever seen. After a 304-yard, four-touchdown performance in a win over Sussex Hamilton in Week 1, he ran for 470 yards and six touchdowns in a high-scoring victory over Sun Prairie East in Week 2, good for the second-most yards in a single game in state history.

For the season he has 2,761 yards on the ground with 42 touchdowns, averaging 8.5 yards per carry. In a state semi-final victory over Sussex Hamilton to send the Indians to their first championship berth since 2004, Stang ran for 371 yards and six touchdowns on 33 carries.

"In all my years coaching, Wynn practices harder than any kid I have ever coached," said Mukwonago head coach Mike Gnewuch. "Every time he gets the ball in practice, he runs as hard as he can.

"Not only is he an exceptional running back, but he is a tremendous blocker, receiver, and special teams player. Wynn is a competitor and loves playing football. He is the school record holder in touchdowns in a season and career as well as rushing yards in a season and career."

Finalists for the award were Stang, Trevor Asher of Elmwood/Plum City, Cortez LeGrant of Sun Prairie East, Najeh Mitchell of West De Pere, Blake Schraufnagel of Mayville, and Nate White of Milwaukee King.

Past winners of the award include Appleton North's Steve Lichtfuss (2009), Kenosha Bradford's Melvin Gordon (2010), Waunakee's Leo Musso (2011), Big Foot's Mason Dixon (2012), Saint Mary's Springs' Ike Floyd (2013), Waunakee's Troy Laufenberg (2014), Kimberly's Blair Mulholland (2015), Darlington's Hunter Johnson (2016), Waukesha West's Peter MacCudden (2017), Iola-Scandinavia's Bryce Huettner (2018), Racine Lutheran's Tyler Tenner (2019), Muskego's Alex Current (2020), and Durand-Arkansaw's Simon Bauer (2021).

The award is named after "Crazylegs" Hirsch, a legendary athlete from Wausau High School who later starred at both the University of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan. Hirsch spent 12 seasons in professional football, including nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams who moved him to end. His 1951 season is one of the greatest receiving years in NFL history. He caught 66 passes for a record 1495 yards and 17 touchdowns. The yardage mark wasn’t broken for 19 years while his 17 touchdowns tied the record and wasn’t broken until 1984. He later served as the Wisconsin athletic director from 1969 to 1987, overseeing a revival of UW athletics. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. Hirsch passed away in 2004. 

The voting panel for the WSN Senior Football Awards consisted of:  Travis Wilson, WSN General Manager and Head Football Writer;  Norbert Durst, WSN Content Manager; Dennis Semrau, ESPN Madison; Jonathan Krause, WSCO The Score 95.3 in Appleton; Jimmie Kaska, WEAU in Eau Claire; Dan Barwick, WSN Contributor; Colton Wilson, WSN Content Producer; Fan Vote

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.