Talented group headline Simone finalists
By PrepsKC staff
Posted: December 2, 2015 - 6:35 AM
Tonight at Arrowhead Stadium the finalists for the 33rd Annual Thomas A. Simone Awards were announced live on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.
The winners will be announced Tuesday, Dec. 8 at the high school of the Simone Winner.
The finalists for the 33rd Annual Thomas A. Simone Memorial Award, which is given annually to the most outstanding football player in the Kansas City metropolitan area, are:
Adam Cofield, Sr. RB/LB, Blue Springs South – Ran for 1,373 yards and 16 touchdowns, leading the Jaguars to an unbeaten state title. 86 tackles as a top LB, also a Buchanan Award finalist.
Christian Jegen, Sr. WR/DB, Mill Valley – Two-way 1st-Tm all conference performer. Had 66 receptions for 1,288 yards and 16 touchdowns and 805 rushing yards with 14 more scores. Also an Otis Taylor Award finalist.
Skylar Thompson, Sr. QB, Fort Osage – A two-time Simone Award finalist, finished with 2,127 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. Ran for 1,100 yards and 21 TDs. Committed to Kansas State.
Zach Willis, Sr. RB, Belton – Ran for 2,628 yards on 308 carries with 41 touchdowns. Led Belton to the Pirates best season since 2007. Was the Suburban Small 6 Offensive Player of the Year.
The 24th Annual Buck Buchanan Memorial Award will be given to the best lineman/linebacker in Missouri’s and
Kansas’ top two classes (MO 5-6, KS 5A-6A). The finalists are:
Amani Bledsoe, Sr. OL/DL, Lawrence – 82 tackles and 8 sacks. Also had 3 blocked punts and 42 offensive pancake blocks. Was Sunflower League’s Andre Maloney MVP. Over 50 FBS offers.
Adam Cofield, Sr. LB, Blue Springs South – 86 tackles, six sacks, 13 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery at linebacker for the state champion Jaguars. Was Suburban Big 6 Defensive Player of the Year.
Chester Graves, Jr. DL, Park Hill – 108 tackles and 12 sacks as a defensive lineman. Recorded 38 tackles for loss. Elite Class of 2017 recruit. Was Suburban Mid 6 Defensive Player of the Year.
Sima Thomas, Sr. DL, Fort Osage – Finished with 83 tackles, 11 sacks and 29 tackles for loss for the state champion Indians. Forced 4 fumbles. Was Suburban Small 7 Defensive Player of the Year.
The 17th Annual Frank Fontana Award will be given to the most outstanding small class (MO 1-4, KS 1A-4A) football player in the metro. The finalists are:
Jabril Cox, Sr. QB/DB, Raytown South – Threw for nearly 1,900 yards and 18 touchdowns and ran for another 1,000 with 13 TDs in just 11 games. Had 21 tackles and an interception on defense.
Dawson Downing, Sr. RB, Bishop Miege – A two-time Fontana Award finalist. Ran for 1,900 yards and 42 touchdowns in just 12 games. Capped his Miege career with 231 yards and 6 TDs in the state title game.
Kobe Hardin, Sr. RB, Odessa – In first year playing high school football, burst onto the metro scene and set an Odessa school record with nearly 2,700 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns.
Logan Hinck, Sr. QB, Kearney – Passed for 1,742 yards, 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions, leading Bulldogs to a state title. Ran for another 1,147 yards and 13 TDs, averaging 6.8 yards per carry.
The 16th Annual Bobby Bell Award will be given to the best lineman/linebacker in Missouri’s and Kansas’ smallest four classes (MO 1-4, KS 1A-4A). The finalists are:
Cale Garrett, Sr. LB, Kearney – Two-time Bell Award finalist. Had 160 tackles, including 117 solo, for the state champion Bulldogs. 538 career tackles in four varsity seasons. Last year’s Class 4 Defensive POY.
Jase Hollingsworth, Jr. OL/DL, Odessa – Two-way First-Team All Conference player had over 60 tackles and a defensive touchdown for the state runner-up Bulldogs.
Brock Hughes, Sr. LB, O’Hara – O’Hara’s all-time leader for tackles in a season and career. Tallied 204 stops in just 11 games this year. West Central Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Kaelin Key, Sr. DL, Bishop Miege – 72 tackles, 28 tackles for loss and 5 sacks for the state champion Stags. A four-year starter, was the EKL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
The 9th Annual Otis Taylor Award will be given to the top tight end/wide receiver in the metro area. The finalists are:
Jafar Armstrong, Jr. WR, Bishop Miege – Had 65 catches for 1,262 yards and 15 touchdowns. Had two games with over 200 receiving yards. Has nearly 2,700 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns in two seasons.
Christian Jegen, Sr. WR, Mill Valley – Also a Simone finalist with over 2,000 all-purpose yards this year for the state champion Jaguars.
Briley Moore-McKinney, Sr. WR, Blue Springs South – Finished with 672 yards and 15 touchdowns receiving. A two-way starter, also had 26 tackles and three sacks for the unbeaten state champs.
Isaiah Simmons, Sr. WR, Olathe North – Tallied over 1,200 yards on just over 30 catches with 16 touchdowns. Also ran for 145 yards and two TDs. Holds offers from nearly a dozen Big 12 and Big 10 schools.
The Simone Awards are voted on by the member head coaches of the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association (GKCFCA) and a 12-member media committee.
In addition to the above award finalists, the following awards were presented on tonight’s show.
Ryan Schartz of Fort Osage and Joel Applebee of Mill Valley were recognized as the Time Warner Cable SportsChannel Missouri and Kansas Coaches of the Year. Howard Rice of Southwest and
Xanthanus Pierro of East were given the Interscholastic League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year Awards.
By PrepsKC staff
Posted: December 2, 2015 - 6:35 AM
Tonight at Arrowhead Stadium the finalists for the 33rd Annual Thomas A. Simone Awards were announced live on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.
The winners will be announced Tuesday, Dec. 8 at the high school of the Simone Winner.
The finalists for the 33rd Annual Thomas A. Simone Memorial Award, which is given annually to the most outstanding football player in the Kansas City metropolitan area, are:
Adam Cofield, Sr. RB/LB, Blue Springs South – Ran for 1,373 yards and 16 touchdowns, leading the Jaguars to an unbeaten state title. 86 tackles as a top LB, also a Buchanan Award finalist.
Christian Jegen, Sr. WR/DB, Mill Valley – Two-way 1st-Tm all conference performer. Had 66 receptions for 1,288 yards and 16 touchdowns and 805 rushing yards with 14 more scores. Also an Otis Taylor Award finalist.
Skylar Thompson, Sr. QB, Fort Osage – A two-time Simone Award finalist, finished with 2,127 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. Ran for 1,100 yards and 21 TDs. Committed to Kansas State.
Zach Willis, Sr. RB, Belton – Ran for 2,628 yards on 308 carries with 41 touchdowns. Led Belton to the Pirates best season since 2007. Was the Suburban Small 6 Offensive Player of the Year.
The 24th Annual Buck Buchanan Memorial Award will be given to the best lineman/linebacker in Missouri’s and
Kansas’ top two classes (MO 5-6, KS 5A-6A). The finalists are:
Amani Bledsoe, Sr. OL/DL, Lawrence – 82 tackles and 8 sacks. Also had 3 blocked punts and 42 offensive pancake blocks. Was Sunflower League’s Andre Maloney MVP. Over 50 FBS offers.
Adam Cofield, Sr. LB, Blue Springs South – 86 tackles, six sacks, 13 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery at linebacker for the state champion Jaguars. Was Suburban Big 6 Defensive Player of the Year.
Chester Graves, Jr. DL, Park Hill – 108 tackles and 12 sacks as a defensive lineman. Recorded 38 tackles for loss. Elite Class of 2017 recruit. Was Suburban Mid 6 Defensive Player of the Year.
Sima Thomas, Sr. DL, Fort Osage – Finished with 83 tackles, 11 sacks and 29 tackles for loss for the state champion Indians. Forced 4 fumbles. Was Suburban Small 7 Defensive Player of the Year.
The 17th Annual Frank Fontana Award will be given to the most outstanding small class (MO 1-4, KS 1A-4A) football player in the metro. The finalists are:
Jabril Cox, Sr. QB/DB, Raytown South – Threw for nearly 1,900 yards and 18 touchdowns and ran for another 1,000 with 13 TDs in just 11 games. Had 21 tackles and an interception on defense.
Dawson Downing, Sr. RB, Bishop Miege – A two-time Fontana Award finalist. Ran for 1,900 yards and 42 touchdowns in just 12 games. Capped his Miege career with 231 yards and 6 TDs in the state title game.
Kobe Hardin, Sr. RB, Odessa – In first year playing high school football, burst onto the metro scene and set an Odessa school record with nearly 2,700 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns.
Logan Hinck, Sr. QB, Kearney – Passed for 1,742 yards, 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions, leading Bulldogs to a state title. Ran for another 1,147 yards and 13 TDs, averaging 6.8 yards per carry.
The 16th Annual Bobby Bell Award will be given to the best lineman/linebacker in Missouri’s and Kansas’ smallest four classes (MO 1-4, KS 1A-4A). The finalists are:
Cale Garrett, Sr. LB, Kearney – Two-time Bell Award finalist. Had 160 tackles, including 117 solo, for the state champion Bulldogs. 538 career tackles in four varsity seasons. Last year’s Class 4 Defensive POY.
Jase Hollingsworth, Jr. OL/DL, Odessa – Two-way First-Team All Conference player had over 60 tackles and a defensive touchdown for the state runner-up Bulldogs.
Brock Hughes, Sr. LB, O’Hara – O’Hara’s all-time leader for tackles in a season and career. Tallied 204 stops in just 11 games this year. West Central Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Kaelin Key, Sr. DL, Bishop Miege – 72 tackles, 28 tackles for loss and 5 sacks for the state champion Stags. A four-year starter, was the EKL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
The 9th Annual Otis Taylor Award will be given to the top tight end/wide receiver in the metro area. The finalists are:
Jafar Armstrong, Jr. WR, Bishop Miege – Had 65 catches for 1,262 yards and 15 touchdowns. Had two games with over 200 receiving yards. Has nearly 2,700 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns in two seasons.
Christian Jegen, Sr. WR, Mill Valley – Also a Simone finalist with over 2,000 all-purpose yards this year for the state champion Jaguars.
Briley Moore-McKinney, Sr. WR, Blue Springs South – Finished with 672 yards and 15 touchdowns receiving. A two-way starter, also had 26 tackles and three sacks for the unbeaten state champs.
Isaiah Simmons, Sr. WR, Olathe North – Tallied over 1,200 yards on just over 30 catches with 16 touchdowns. Also ran for 145 yards and two TDs. Holds offers from nearly a dozen Big 12 and Big 10 schools.
The Simone Awards are voted on by the member head coaches of the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association (GKCFCA) and a 12-member media committee.
In addition to the above award finalists, the following awards were presented on tonight’s show.
Ryan Schartz of Fort Osage and Joel Applebee of Mill Valley were recognized as the Time Warner Cable SportsChannel Missouri and Kansas Coaches of the Year. Howard Rice of Southwest and
Xanthanus Pierro of East were given the Interscholastic League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year Awards.
