2023 Superior Telegram All-Area Football Team
Dec. 1—SUPERIOR — The 2023 Superior Telegram All-Area Football Team features a dozen players including six seniors, five juniors and one sophomore from three area schools.
Northwestern junior running back Boden Teal headlines this year's crew, as his record-breaking campaign for the Tigers netted him the Superior Telegram 2023 Player of the Year award.
Five Northwestern teammates join Teal in All-Area honors including seniors Ian Smith and Camden Trzynka, juniors Bryce Ronchi and Cooper Lawton and sophomore Finley Nelson.
Superior had five Spartans earn All-Area accolades including seniors Braylon LeMieux, Nick Zauhar, Gavin Rivord, Lucas Williams and junior Garet Rivord. Northwood/Solon Springs junior quarterback Jared Schultz is the Evergreens' lone All-Area selection.
Here is more on the players:
Boden Teal
Northwestern
Junior RB/DB
* Broke Northwestern's single-season receiving yards record after hauling in 28 passes for 766 yards, a benchmark that had previously stood since 1987. Teal led the Tigers in yards from scrimmage (1,430), interceptions (4), and yards per carry (9.6), while also scoring 16 touchdowns — 11 through the air and five on the ground.
* Teal earned First-Team All-Conference honors in the Heart O'North on offense and defense, while also being selected to the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) All-Northwest Region squad at wide receiver and defensive back.
* Northwestern head coach Jovin Kroll has had a litany of quick, elusive players come through his program in recent years, but Teal's quickness, football IQ and big-play potential makes him one of a kind. "Boden has electric quickness, exceptional football knowledge, collegiate-level ball skills and elite field vision; when the ball is in his hands, explosive plays happen."
Ian Smith
Northwestern
Senior OL/LB
* Was a two-way enforcer at the line of scrimmage for the Tigers. Before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery after the Week 7 win against Cumberland, Smith's 54 tackles — 12 of which were tackles for loss — were team-high figures for Northwestern. Despite missing the last five games of the season, Smith still finished with the fifth-most tackles on the team.
* Smith earned First-Team All-Conference honors in the Heart O'North on offense and defense and was selected to the WFCA All-Northwest Region squad on the offensive line.
* "Ian was the physical and emotional leader of our football team," Kroll said. "He was an intimidating presence at middle linebacker to any opponents. He did anything we asked of him: running the football, lead blocking from the backfield and anchoring our line. Defensively, Ian closed the middle of the field from opponents' run games, and he moved sideline to sideline with cat-like speed. He is a player who never needed a break; he played every play of every game when he was available."
Lucas Williams
Superior Spartans
Senior WR/RB/DB
* Finished as Superior's leader in three major statistical categories including tackles (59), rushing yards (301) and receiving yards (180) this fall. His talent as a ballcarrier, receiver and special teams player made him a versatile weapon for Superior head coach Bob DeMeyer.
* Earned Second-Team All-Conference honors at defensive back in a stacked Big Rivers Conference this season. His 2023 campaign marked the second consecutive year in which Williams earned Superior Telegram All-Area honors.
* "Lucas has started and played almost every snap as a two-way player each of the past two seasons," DeMeyer said. "His character and commitment to training and preparing to be a varsity athlete have been the biggest factors in the success he's had. He is a tremendous blocker and route runner and a punishing runner with the ball in his hands. He was the guy on defense who truly took charge, knowing everyone's alignment, the opponent's tendencies and he got to the football quickly and finished physically."
Jared Schultz
Northwood/Solon Springs
Junior QB/DB
* Schultz put together one of the most statistically dominant performances in Northwood/Solon Springs history this season. He amassed more than 3,000 yards from scrimmage, including 1,323 through the air and 1,695 on the ground. Schultz also protected the ball remarkably well, scoring 39 touchdowns while turning it over just four times.
* Earned First-Team All-Conference honors in the Lakeland-East Conference, both offensively and defensively. Was selected as the Lakeland-East Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year. It was his second consecutive season winning conference Offensive Player of the Year. He also earned WFCA All-Region Offense honors.
* "Jared is the heart and soul of our football team," Northwood/Solon Springs head coach Dan Henken said. "He is a great leader on and off the field. Team captain and an easy young man to coach. The best football player on the field every time we lined up. A tremendous athlete and competitor. Also, his willingness to be coachable and his high football IQ allowed us to do lots of things scheme-wise that put pressure on our opponents."
Cooper Lawton
Northwestern
Junior RB
* Cemented himself among elite company this year by joining Northwestern's 1,000-yard single-season rushing club. Lawton tallied 1,184 rushing yards stemming from 172 carries, which also led to 16 touchdowns. Lawton also had 11 catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns, giving him 19 total scores for the season, tied for most on the team.
* Earned First-Team All-Conference Heart O'North honors as a running back.
* "In the open field, few Tigers have ever been faster, and as the year moved along, Cooper became better and better as he developed into the Tigers; workhorse running back," Kroll said. "Cooper's rare combination of strength and speed will make him one of the area players to watch again next fall."
Garet Rivord
Superior
Junior OL/DL
* Was a standout two-way athlete who brought physicality to the line of scrimmage for the Spartans this fall. Rivord's 43 tackles were the fifth-most for Superior this year.
* Earned Second-Team All-Conference honors on the defensive line in the Big Rivers Conference.
* "He's another who is very dedicated to our weight room and training to be a three-sport athlete," DeMeyer said. "His technique, physicality and athleticism made him so valuable. He consistently graded out very high on both sides of the ball and every week he was one of the most disruptive defensive players in the Big Rivers."
Camden Trzynka
Northwestern
Senior OL/DL
* Trzynka tallied 27 tackles, four of which were for a loss, while also recording one sack and a forced fumble this season.
* Was selected as one of Northwestern's team captains this year. Trzynka also earned First-Team All-Conference honors in the Heart O'North Conference at both offensive and defensive line.
* "Cam is a great example of the type of success a player can have when they dedicate time to the weight room while playing three sports each year," Kroll said. "All the work he did in the wrestling room, at track and field, and in the squat rack combined to create a force up front on the football field; he is not only a strong player, but his football IQ is off the charts. His positive leadership will be missed, but will serve as an example to younger Tigers for years to come."
Braylon LeMieux
Superior
Senior OL
* Anchored Superior's offensive line this season with his physically gifted size and frame.
* Earned First-Team All-Conference honors in the Big Rivers Conference.
* "Braylon is an imposing figure on the football field," DeMeyer said. "He committed himself to the weight room and developed the speed, agility and quickness to be an outstanding lineman in our league. Every opposing coach commented on how athletic and physical he was, as he earned First-Team All-Conference recognition."
Bryce Ronchi
Northwestern
Junior RB/LB
* Ronchi's 81 tackles were the most on the team by a wide margin, as the player with the second-most had just 61 tackles. Tied for the team lead in total touchdowns (19), all of which were rushing scores. His 868 rushing yards were second-most on the team behind only classmate Cooper Lawton.
* Earned Second-Team All-Conference honors in the Heart O'North this season at both running back and linebacker.
* "Bryce was our hard-nosed fullback, gaining the tough yards when we needed them against stacked boxes," Kroll said. "His work in the offseason in the weightroom is a great example to our athletes of what can be accomplished when they truly dedicate themselves to becoming the best they can be, each and every day. Bryce plays with leverage, speed and power; he should be a terrifying runner, blocker and tackler his senior year."
Finley Nelson
Northwestern
Sophomore OL/OLB
* The lone sophomore to make the 2023 All-Area Football Team roster. Finished as Northwestern's second-leading tackler (61), which included a team-high 21 tackles for loss — nearly double the second-most on the team. Had a team-high six sacks this year.
* Earned First-Team All-Conference honors in the Heart O'North at outside linebacker.
* "Finley shut down an entire side of the field playing edge his sophomore year," Kroll said. "His TFL and sack numbers were at a level that we have seen in the past from some of our all-state players. He really grew throughout the season at outside linebacker. He also started on the offensive line and blossomed into our top pulling lineman once Ian was done for the year. Finley epitomizes what people think of when they envision a Northwestern football player: he is strong, explosive and aggressive, and he loves to hit; the sky's the limit for Finley over the next two seasons."
Nick Zauhar
Superior
Senior WR/LB
* Zauhar's 54 tackles made him Superior's second-leading tackler for the 2023 season. His versatility as a slot wide receiver and tough, gritty linebacker — in addition to his special teams contributions — made him one of the Spartans' top players this year.
* "Nick is an outstanding leader and a very high character young man," DeMeyer said. "He has developed into a very good football player because of the time he invested and the way he approached everything he does — with all-out tireless effort. He played as a slot receiver and ball carrier, he was on many of our special teams and consistently made plays on defense due to his physical preparation, durability and mental toughness."
Gavin Rivord
Superior
Senior DL
* Was a dominant presence on Superior's defensive line this season largely because of his aggressive mindset and resolute technique.
* "Gavin is a great teammate who relentlessly gives all he has every snap of the ball," DeMeyer said. "As an undersized defensive lineman, he knew the importance of using solid technique and playing fast and physical. His love of his team and mindset in practice and games was inspiring to all of us."
