Seven players from Class 8A state runner-up Oswego highlight the first and second teams. First Team Offense Alfonso Aguilar, West Aurora, senior, offensive line: Considered one of program’s best ever on offense. Also played on defense. Conference’s lineman of the year. Brett Berggren, Batavia, s enior, wide receiver: Caught 61 passes for 996 yards and 13 touchdowns. Ran for 243 yards, three TDs. Holds program receiving record with 2,113 yards. All-conference. Jake Buckley, Kaneland, senior, offensive line: Two-way starter led attack that netted 2,514 yards rushing. Had 40 tackles, 10 for loss. All-state. Conference’s lineman of the year. Committed to North Central College. Caden DuMelle, Jacobs, senior, running back: Had 152 carries for 1,342 yards, 15 TDs. School career rushing leader with 3,622 yards, 39 TDs. All-state. All-conference. Zach Hultgren, Burlington Central, senior, offensive line: Key blocker for offense that ran for more than 2,000 yards, with no sacks allowed, no penalties. Honorable mention all-state. All-conference. Committed to Miami of Ohio. Asa Johnson, Aurora Christian, senior, quarterback: Completed 65% of passes (191 of 294) for 2,597 yards and 32 touchdowns. Ran for 717 yards, 14 TDs. All-state. Conference’s player of the year. Committed to Northern Illinois. Cooper Kowalczyk, St. Charles North, senior, offensive line: Third-year starter for offense that had 4,778 total yards. All-conference. Committed to Western Illinois. Gavin Mueller, South Elgin, senior, tight end: Caught 32 passes for 515 yards, 20 TDs. Had 59 carries, 546 yards, three TDs. All-state. All-conference. Committed to Miami. Ryan Myers, Batavia, senior, offensive line: Powered offense that ran for 2,457 of its 5,180 total yards. All-state. Conference’s offensive lineman of year. Committed to Princeton. Keaton Reinke, St. Charles North, senior, wide receiver: Caught 51 passes for 819 yards, six TDs. All-state. All-conference. Committed to Northwestern. Michael Vander Luitgaren, Batavia, junior, quarterback: Completed 65% of passes (193 of 297) for 2,708 yards and 31 TDs with four interceptions. Ran for 204 yards, three TDs. Conference’s offensive player of the year. Jasiah Watson, Oswego East, senior, running back: Ran for 1,271 yards, 13 TDs. All-conference. Honorable mention all-state. South Elgin's Gavin Mueller (1) breaks free on a run against West Aurora during a Upstate Eight West game in Aurora on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Sean King / The Beacon-News) First Team Defense Wyatt Brandt, St. Charles North, senior, linebacker: Had 90 tackles, seven for loss, three sacks. All-conference. Andrew Culotta, Batavia, senior, defensive back: Had 56 tackles, 22 passes defended, three interceptions. All-conference. Noah Hedlund, Burlington Central, senior, linebacker: Had 74 tackles, four for loss, three pass breakups. Honorable mention all-state. Conference’s defensive player of the year. Tyler Meziere, Bartlett, senior, cornerback: Had 24 tackles, five interceptions, two returned for TDs, four pass breakups. Filled in at quarterback, passing for 517 yards and six TDs, running for 614 yards and 10 TDs. As receiver, caught 14 passes for 226 yards, three TDs. All-conference. Tony Minnec, Batavia, senior, linebacker: Had 98 tackles, 26 for loss, four sacks, 21 hurries, two interceptions. Conference’s defensive player of the year. Aidan Nuno, Burlington Central, senior, defensive line: Two-way starter had 39 tackles, eight for loss, seven sacks, 29 pressures. Also had 37 pancake blocks, no sacks allowed. All-state. Conference’s lineman of the year. Gavin Pecor, Batavia, senior, defensive line: Had 48 tackles, 19 for loss, seven sacks, 40 pressures. Honorable mention all-state. Conference’s defensive lineman of the year. Lucas Retzler, Jacobs, senior, defensive line: Two-way starter had 60 tackles, seven for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles on defense. Honorable mention all-state. All-conference. Dylan Reyes, Geneva, senior, defensive back: Four-year varsity standout had 49 tackles, two for loss, two interceptions. All-conference. Kaleb Stumpenhorst, Oswego, senior, kicker/punter: Made 26 of 26 extra-point kicks and 13 of 16 field-goal attempts, with career long of 50 yards and 42-yarder in final minute to win playoff semifinal. Had 31 touchbacks on 43 kickoffs. Conor Tully, Oswego, senior, linebacker: Had 116 tackles, 9 1/2 for loss, four passes defended, two forced fumbles after missing previous season due to injury. Mariano Velasco, Oswego, senior, cornerback: Two-way starter had 51 1/2 tackles, 11 for loss, nine pass breakups, six interceptions, returning four for TDs. Caught 30 passes for 753 yards, 10 TDs. All-state. All-conference. Oswego's Conor Tully (40) reacts after a sack against Lane Tech during a Class 8A second-round playoff game at Lane Stadium in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. (Talia Sprague / The Beacon-News) Second Team Offense Darin Ashiru, Batavia, junior, wide receiver: Caught 55 passes for 819 yards, six TDs. All-conference. Mason Atkins, West Aurora, senior, quarterback: Completed 62% of passes (95 of 154) for 1,512 yards, 21 TDs, five interceptions. Holds school career records for passing yards with 4,467 and TDs with 62. Ran for 602 yards, eight TDs. Honorable mention all-state. All-conference. Signed with Ball State. Henry Crumlett, Burlington Central, senior, offensive line: Three-year starter allowed no sacks or pressures in one of Rockets’ strongest position groups. All-conference. Gavin Delaney, Yorkville, senior, offensive line: Two-year starter at right tackle powered Foxes’ run back to playoffs. All-conference. Jake Eissens, Aurora Christian, senior, offensive line: Two-way starter was big for offense that topped 4,000 yards, averaging 41 points. Had 45 tackles, six for loss. Honorable mention all-state. All-conference. Carter Grabowski, Kaneland, senior, running back: Had 174 carries for 1,232 yards, 18 TDs. Caught 16 passes for 240 yards, two TDs. Honorable mention all-state. All-conference. Connor Griffin, Oswego East, senior, offensive line: Two-year starter had 28 pancake blocks to lead attack that averaged 300 yards a game. All-conference. Michael Harris, Marmion, senior, offensive line: A force on Cadets’ line, allowing no sacks. All-conference. Dominic Klimpke, Aurora Christian, senior, wide receiver: Caught 48 passes for 766 yards, 11 TDs. All-conference. Teddy Manikas, Oswego, senior, wide receiver: Caught 52 passes for 778 yards, five TDs. Had 1,079 all-purpose yards, including 98-yard punt return for TD. All-conference. JT Padron, St. Charles North, senior, quarterback: Completed 59% of passes (163 of 276) for 2,313 yards, 25 TDs, five interceptions. All-conference. Darrion Thurman, South Elgin, senior, running back: Had 141 carries for 1,279 yards, nine TDs. Caught 11 passes for 192 yards, two TDs. All-conference. West Aurora's Mason Atkins (2) throws a pass against Belleville East during a Class 8A first-round playoff game in Aurora on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (Sean King / The Beacon-News) Second Team Defense Brady Alstott, Kaneland, senior, defensive back: Had 83 tackles, five for loss, one sack, seven pass breakups, two interceptions. All-conference. Jack Coates, Jacobs, sophomore, linebacker: Had 122 tackles, seven for loss, five sacks, one interception. All-conference. Luke Gardner, Batavia, sophomore, defensive back: Had 92 tackles, seven for loss, two interceptions, seven passes defended, two forced fumbles. All conference. Quinten Jackson Jr., Oswego, junior, defensive back: Had 51 tackles, two for loss, four interceptions, four passes defended. Nick Michalek, Sandwich, senior, defensive back: Two-way starter had 68 tackles. At running back, had 169 carries for 1,348 yards, 12 TDs, his third straight season topping 1,000 yards. All-conference. Rogan O’Neil, Kaneland, junior, linebacker: Had 70 tackles, 12 for loss, two sacks. All-conference. Ethan Pilip, Oswego, junior, defensive end: Had 63 tackles, 20 1/2 for loss, 5 /12 sacks and one interception, making impact after being promoted due to injury. Andrew Shaw, Oswego, senior, defensive line: Had 45 tackles, five for loss, 1 1/2 sacks anchoring defensive front. Declan Smith, St. Charles North, senior, defensive line: Had 54 tackles, 15 for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery. All-conference. Lucas Tenbrock, St. Charles North, senior, punter/kicker: Averaged 43 yards a punt, made 42 of 42 extra-point kicks, 5 of 6 field-goal attempts, converted six onside kicks. Honorable mention all-state. All-conference. Committed to Iowa State. Dillon Viscogliosi, Yorkville, junior, linebacker: Had team-high 88 tackles, five for loss, one sack, one interception. Kellen Younie, West Aurora, senior, linebacker: Had 63 tackles. Conference’s defensive player of the year. Batavia's Luke Gardner (24) looks to wrap up Glenbard North's Donato Gatses (22) in the first quarter of a Class 7A state quarterfinal game in Batavia on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News) Honorable Mention Landon Arnold, Burlington Central, senior, quarterback. Bryce Baxa, Yorkville, sophomore, defensive line. Cooper Beaty, Plano, sophomore, linebacker. Jack Beetham, Yorkville, senior, quarterback. Jalen Carter, Kaneland, senior, athlete. Jalen Callaway, Aurora Christian, sophomore, running back. Brodie Curry, Aurora Central Catholic, senior, linebacker. Colin Ford, Waubonsie Valley, senior, tight end. Jayden Garcia, West Aurora, senior, defensive back. Braden Harms, St. Charles North, senior, wide receiver. Drew Kleinhans, Oswego, junior, quarterback. Bennett Konkey, Geneva, junior, wide receiver. Charlie Larson, Metea Valley, junior, quarterback. Cam Loghmani, Oswego, junior, linebacker. Colin McEniry, Marmion, junior, wide receiver. Stilian Pavlov, Waubonsie Valley, senior, offensive line. Bryce Riley, West Aurora, junior, athlete. Trey Seifrid, Aurora Central Catholic, senior, running back. Vinnie Testa, Marmion, senior, linebacker. Lesroy Tittle, West Aurora, senior, wide receiver. William Tracy, Waubonsie Valley, senior, linebacker. Dane Turner, Geneva, senior, defensive back. ...read more read less