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The WSN 8-Player Football Awards were launched in 2016 to recognize the outstanding players participating in reduced player football. Awards presented will be Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. All players are eligible regardless of grade level.

Each year, a preseason Watch List will be produced, then narrowed down to five finalists to be announced after the first week of playoff games. Winners will be announced following the 8-Player State Championship.

These awards are not associated with any conference nor the WFCA awards, and are presented independently by WisSports.net.

Jared Kaufman of Three Lakes/Phelps has been selected as the 2023 8-Player Football Offensive Player of the Year by WisSports.net. 

Kaufman was the most productive offensive player in the state this season as the Bluejays advanced to Level 2 of the playoffs. He threw for 2,130 yards and 35 touchdowns with just two interceptions, accounting for a 143.2 passer rating.

He also ran for 719 yards and 12 touchdowns with 13 rushing two-point conversions. Kaufman even caught a touchdown this year.

Five times this year Kaufman posted a passer rating of at least 150 points, including a perfect 158.3 mark against Niagara when he completed 12-of-12 passes for 263 yards and seven touchdowns.

The only two losses for Three Lakes/Phelps this season came against state champion Florence, though Kaufman was outstanding in both matchups, throwing for more than 450 yards and five touchdowns with 198 rushing yards in the two games as well.

For his career, Kaufman threw for 5,011 yards and 73 touchdowns, both the second-most in 8-player history. He ran for 1,879 yards and 30 touchdowns in four varsity seasons as well.

Kaufman was the Northern Border Co-Offensive Player of the Year and a WFCA Honorable Mention All-State selection.

Other finalists for the award included Logan Hanson of Thorp, Jared Schultz of Northwood/Solon Springs, Braden Sitte of Gibraltar, Grant Smiskey of McDonell Central, and Grant Vandervest of Algoma.

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.