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The top 30 Fond du Lac area high school football players to watch in 2023

Lance LeQue, Fond du Lac Reporter
·8 min read

FOND DU LAC - Before this season began, the head coach of every Fond du Lac area high school football team was asked to nominate players for a "Watch List" in 2023.

The athletes chosen were considered and ranked based on their performances and accomplishments from previous seasons, along with the likelihood of having a breakout year, this season.

The Top 30 Fond du Lac area football players to watch in 2023 are:

  1. Cole Legas – Senior DT/OL – Mayville – 6’1”, 230: 4-star recruit. #12 Defensive Lineman in Class of 2024, according to WisSports.net. 2022 WFCA All-Region Team and unanimous First Team All-Conference. WSN Tim Krumrie Aware Pre-Season Watch List. Three-year varsity starter. Last season: 52 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, an interception and two defensive touchdowns.

  2. Benjamin Timm – Senior RB – Campbellsport – 5’8”, 166: 4-star recruit. #18 Running Back in Class of 2024, according to WisSports.net. 2022 WFCA All-Region Team and unanimous First Team All-Conference. WSN Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch Award Pre-Season Watch List. Last season: Second in Flyway with 1,915 rushing yards along with 23 touchdowns.

  3. Bailey Schepp – Senior QB/OLB – Oakfield – 5’9”, 160: Wissports.net Class of 2024 Linebackers “Others to Watch List”. 2022 WFCA All-Region and First Team All-Conference linebacker. John Anderson Award Pre-Season Watch List. Last season: 80/136 passing (58.8%), 1211 yards, 17 touchdowns, 5 interceptions; 68 total tackles (25 solo), 1.5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble, 2 INTs.

  4. Max Mengel – Senior TE – Fond du Lac – 6’3”, 220: 4-star recruit. #4 Tight End in Class of 2024, according to WisSports.net. Second Team All-Conference in 2022. WSN Al Toon Award Pre-Season Watch List. Last season: 12 receptions for 195 yards and three touchdowns, averaging better than 16 yards per catch.

  5. Cohen Raddemann – Senior CB/WR/QB – Mayville – 5’11”, 160: Wissports.net Class of 2024 Defensive Backs “Others to Watch List”. First Team All-Conference cornerback in 2022. Jim Leonhard Award Pre-Season Watch List.

  6. Noah Moul – Junior OG/DE – St. Mary’s Springs – 6’3”, 215: First Team All-Conference defensive end and Second Team All-Conference offensive line in 2022.

  7. Hunter Sabel – Senior RB – Oakfield – 5’11”, 190: Wissports.net Class of 2024 Running Backs “Others to Watch List”. First Team All-Conference in 2022. WSN Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch Award Pre-Season Watch List. Last season: 116 carries for 788 rushing yards (6.8 ypc), 12 touchdowns, 11 two-point conversions, 87.6 rush ypg, 16 catches for 279 receiving yards (17.4 yards/rec), 4 touchdowns; 66 total tackles (34 solo), 5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 1 INT.

  8. Jacob Haller – Senior CB – Fond du Lac – 5’11”, 160: Wissports.net Class of 2024 Defensive Backs “Others to Watch List”. Second Team All-Conference in 2022. Jim Leonhard Award Pre-Season Watch List. Last season: 40 total tackles (29 solo).

  9. Halden Krueger – Senior LB – Fond du Lac – 6’2”, 175: Wissports.net Class of 2024 Linebackers “Others to Watch List”. Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2022. John Anderson Award Pre-Season Watch List. Last season: 108 total tackles (64 solo), nine TFL, four passes defensed, one forced fumble. 16 tackles in a game 3x (15 solo vs. Oshkosh West; 14 solo vs. Oshkosh North).

  10. Corbin Hanrahan – Senior ILB – Fond du Lac – 6’1”, 200: Wissports.net Class of 2024 Linebackers “Others to Watch List”. Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2022. John Anderson Award Pre-Season Watch List. Last season: 63 total tackles (43 solo), eight TFL, two forced fumbles.

  11. Payton Borchardt – Senior RB/DB – Mayville – 6’2”, 180: Wissports.net Class of 2024 Running Backs “Others to Watch List”. Second Team All-Conference in 2022. WSN Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch Award Pre-Season Watch List. Big shoes to fill, replacing last season’s Player of the Year in Wisconsin – Blake Schraufnagel. Decent size, speed, and athleticism to fulfill the open playmaker role for the Cardinals.

  12. Oscar Blohm – Senior OL/DE – WLA – 6’1”, 240: Second Team All-Conference offensive and defensive line in 2022. Four-year starter on the D-line and three-year starter on the O-line. “Crucial contributor in controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.” – Coach Loehr.

  13. Kalvin Mullins – Senior WR – Fond du Lac – 5’11”, 155: Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2022. WSN Al Toon Award Pre-Season Watch List. Last season: fourth on the team with 15 receptions and third-leading receiver with 411 yards (27.4 yards per catch).

  14. Tanner Dalske – Senior RB/WR – Fond du Lac – 6’1”, 180: Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2022. Last season: 417 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 62 carries (6.7 yards per carry). Second on team with 41 catches, fourth in yards with 402, tied for team-lead in receiving touchdowns with four. Returned 12 kicks for 319 yards (26.6 avg.)

  15. Jack Karst – Senior OLB/RB – WLA – 5’10”, 175: Second Team All-Conference linebacker for the past two seasons. Three-year starter on defense. “Undersized, but makes up for it with passion and a high motor.” – Coach Loehr.

  16. Noah Gensler – Senior WR/DE – WLA – 6’3”, 180: Second Team All-Conference wide receiver in 2022. WSN Al Toon Award Pre-Season Watch List. Four-year starter on offense. Last season: third in the Flyway with 507 receiving yards. “Will be the anchor of WLA’s young receiving corps this year, along with playing defensive end.” – Coach Loehr.

  17. Koby Sacotte – Senior WR/S – Lomira – 5’8”, 145: Second Team All-Conference wide receiver in 2022. WSN Al Toon Award Pre-Season Watch List. Last season: Lions’ leading receiver with 28 catches for 382 yards and three touchdowns. Returning two-way starter. Sacotte “is a tough and physical athlete who just keeps getting better and better. His work ethic will set him apart this year as he hopes to lead the Lions to a playoff berth.” – Coach Gregory

  18. Sebastian Paul – Senior DT/OL – WLA – 6’3”, 215: Second Team All-Conference defensive tackle in 2022. Three-year starter on both sides of the ball. Another crucial piece of the line for the Vikings.

  19. Mitchell Moser – Junior RB/DB – Oakfield – 5’9”, 160: Second Team All-Conference utility player and defensive back in 2022. Last season: 59 total tackles – 38 solo, 3 TFL, 4 INTs.

  20. Connor Steers – Senior QB – Lomira – 6’2”, 195: Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2022. Entering his second full season as starting quarterback. Last season: Ran for 988 yards with seven touchdowns and passed for 898 yards and four touchdowns. “His offseason work ethic and approach have put him in a position to have a breakout senior season and help this program take the next step forward.” – Coach Gregory

  21. Luke Pendowski – Junior K – Campbellsport – 5’11”, 170: Second Team All-Conference in 2022. Pendowski had never played football before last season. “Luke worked hard this offseason on kicking fundamentals and has decided to join us as a position player as well,” according to Coach Wondra. “This season he’ll also be playing tight end and cornerback for us.”

  22. Ethan Van Beek – Sophomore K – Laconia: Second Team All-Conference in 2022.

  23. Matthew Leonard – Senior DE – Laconia: Second Team All-Conference in 2022.

  24. Sawyer Hardesty – Junior TE/DL – Mayville – 6’1”, 210: Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2022.

  25. Austin McCartney – Senior OL/DL – Mayville – 5’10”, 210: Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2022.

  26. Braedon Weiglein – Senior ILB/OL – Mayville – 6’2”, 210: Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2022.

  27. Sam Loehr – Senior QB/S – WLA – 5’11”, 180: Honorable Mention All-Conference cornerback in 2022. Loehr will be entering his second year as starting quarterback and the leader of the Vikings on offense while also transitioning to safety to be the field general on defense.

  28. Jackson Goldapske – Senior WR/LB – North Fond du Lac – 6’0”, 158: Honorable Mention All-Conference wide receiver in 2022.

  29. William “Chop” Simmons – Senior OL/LB – WLA – 6’0”, 220: Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2021. Three-year starter on both sides of the ball. Vocal leader of the O-line and the anchor on defense for the Vikings.

  30. Connor Klapperich – Senior QB/DB – Fond du Lac – 6’0”, 190: Will take over at quarterback, once again, after starting for the Cardinals in 2021 when he threw for 1652 yards and 16 touchdowns. Klapperich also ran for 621 yards and four touchdowns, that season. Last year, he transitioned to Fondy’s defensive backfield and finished second on the team in tackles with 78 (48 solo) and tied for the team-lead with two sacks.

More: The Top 15 Oshkosh Area High School Football Players to Watch in 2023

More: Fond du Lac football shows potential in opener vs Sussex Hamilton: game recap and feature

More: Three top running backs, a quarterback and a versatile athlete: Vote for the Fond du Lac/Oshkosh high school athlete of the week

More: Week 1 Fond du Lac area high school football scoreboard and recap

Contact Lance LeQue at LLeQue@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @LanceLeQue.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: The top 30 Fond du Lac area high school football players to watch in 2023