Twelve Kansas high school senior football players have been selected by the NFF Coach Bill Snyder Family/Sunflower Chapter as 2024-25 scholar-athletes based on their performance on the field, in the classroom and through school/community involvement.
 
Nominated by their head coach, the student-athletes will be recognized at the annual chapter awards dinner. The event will take place at the Shamrock Plaza at Bill Snyder Family Stadium on the campus of Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., May 7. The reception begins at 5 p.m. followed by dinner at 6 p.m.

Once again, the Kansas Shrine Bowl joins as a supporting partner in recognizing its latest Hall of Fame inductees. Media wishing to attend should contact jbollig84@gmail.com. A limited number of tickets are available to the public by clicking HERE.
 
The list of student-athletics includes:
 
Jace Adler, Wide Receiver/Defensive Back, Andover Central High School
2024 statistics 53 tackles, 31 solo, 5.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 3 forced fumbles, 4 passes defended…440 return yds (PR and KOR)...61 receptions for 909 yds, 11 TDs…Starting safety for 3 seasons, and wide receiver for the better part of 3 season…Sports in Kansas and Wichita Eagle Class 4A Defensive Player of the Year…Consensus First Team Class 4A First Team Defense…KFBCA Top 11 Selection…2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection…Principal's Honor Roll…Marshal in the 2024 ACHS Graduation…Top 5 percent of ACHS Class of 2025…Read with kids at a local elementary school…Football fundraiser by doing yard work…Coached by Derek Tuttle.
 
Max Armstrong, Running Back, Olathe South High School
In his career, rushed for 2,936 yards on 492 carries and 27 TDs. As a senior, rushed for 1,228 yards n 194 carries, giving him a 6.3 per rush average and 136.4 rushing yards per game...A Kansas All Classes Top 33 selection…Two-time Team Captain…Consensus Class 6A First Team Running Back…2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection…Finalist for Kansas City Metro Running Back of the Year…Honor Roll selection every year…Principal's Excellence in Education Award (3.75 or higher GPA) received every year…Falcon Flight Crew Leadership Club at Olathe South…Selected to attend Olathe Leadership Conference…Student Ambassador for USD 233 (created videos for SEL lessons)...Coached by Ron Litchfield.
 
Josh Burdick, Quarterback, Cheney High School
in 2024, completed 145 of 219 passes for 1,943 yards with 23 TDs and 3 INTs. For his career, he was 515 of 777 for 6797 yards with 83 TDs and 15 INTs… also returned kickoffs this season, averaging almost 21 yds per return with a long of 73 yds…Starting QB three years leading team to a 30-5 record and 3A state title as a junior…2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection…2024 Wichita Eagle Class 3A Offensive Player of the Year…Consensus Class 3A First-Team All-State selection and Top 11 (all classes) pick…Principal's honor roll…30 ACT…Varsity Basketball, Baseball, Boys Glee, Show Choir, Jazz Band, Band, FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) leader…Volunteer at local basketball and baseball camps, Volunteer tutor for Spanish students, Volunteer at church activities…Coached by Shelby Wehrman.
 
Finn Cusick, Defensive Line, Bishop Miege High School (Roeland Park, Kan.)
2024 statistics include: 40 Tackles (30 Solo), 4 TFL's, 4 Sacks, 8 QB Hurries…2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl Selection…2024 First Team All-Eastern Kansas League and Class 4A All-State Defense…Was a finalist for the Bobby Bell Award, recognizing the top small class defensive player in the Kansas City region…Member of the All-Simone Team…Was a Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Scholar Athlete and selected to play in GKCFCA All-Star Game…National Honor Society…First Honor Roll…Kairos Retreat Leader…Herd Executive…Competes in Track…Coached by Jon Holmes.
 
Trey Hoover, Defensive and Offensive Line, Manhattan High School
In 2004, consensus Class 6A All-State First-Team Offense...As a senior had 32 tackles including four for loss...2024 Kansas Football Coaches Association Class 6A First Team Defense…Three-year starter, finishing as state champion in 2022 and runner up in 2024…2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection…Academic Honor Roll…Distinguished Service Graduation Program…Community & School volunteer with 106 hours completed….Flint Hills Breadbasket Donation Drive Volunteer…Special Olympics Basketball Tournament-Scorekeeper…Coach & Referee Youth Baseball League…Coached by Joe Schartz.
 
Eli Johnson, Defensive Line, Beloit High School
In 2024 had 68 Tackles, 17 TFL, 8 Sacks, 1 Defensive TD and for his career 119 Tackles, 10 Sacks, 22 TFLs… 2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl Participant, 2024 Sports In Kansas 2A Defensive Player of the Year, 2024 KFBCA Top 11 All Classes…Consensus 2A First Team All-State Defensive Line…Also participated in basketball, track and trap shooting…in April of 2025, threw a personal best 187-0 in the discus and last year finished second at state…Was a captain of the basketball team…Named to Honor Roll (All four years), National Honor Society, 116 Hours of Community Service, FCA, FFA…Coached by Brad Gober.
 
Kaeden Kasselman, Defensive Line, Garden Plain High School
For his career, had 148 total tackles, including 69 solo...2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection…Consensus Class 2A All-State pick at Defensive Line…Sports In Kansas 2A Defensive Player of the Year Finalist…As junior, earned First Team All-State recognition on both Defensive and Offensive Line…Two-year Team Captain…Also competes in Track, and finished fifth in Class 2A Discus competition last year…Honor Roll for 4 Years…National Honor Society for 2 Years (Vice President Senior Year)...Renwick Education Foundation White Award…CYM (Catholic Youth Ministry)...STUCO…Essential Food Kits for Homeless…Parish Breakfasts for Charity…Coached by Todd Rice.
 
Cooper Marx, Running Back/Linebacker, Andale High School
As a senior, rushed 43 times for 733 yards (17.0 y/c) and 12 TDs…Had 26 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries and an interception…2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection…Consensus First Team Class 3A All-League, All-State and Top 11 selection…Team Captain and First Team League Defensive MVP at linebacker…Three time state football champion…Principal's honor roll…Played Basketball and Track (placing at state five times in two years of varsity competition)...In 2025 got off to a good start when he eclipsed an 18-year-old state record in the hammer throw with a toss of 200 feet, 4 inches…Coached by Dylan Schmidt.
 
Dalton Meyers, Linebacker, Hays High School
Senior year stats 78 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 3 interceptions…2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl Participant…2023 & 24 Sports in Kansas Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year Finalist… Consensus 2024 Class 5A First All-State Defense selection…2024 Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year…Also lettered in wrestling, finishing third in Class 5A 175 lbs. weight class this year…Also lettered in track finishing second in the javelin in Class 5A at 191-1 last year…Special Olympics of Kansas referee and volunteer…Hays Wrestling Club volunteer…American Red Cross volunteer…STUCO member…Four year Academic Honor…Coached by Tony Crough.
 
Bravin Powell-Brown, Quarterback, Gardner-Edgerton High School
As a senior, passing: 37-75, 891 yards, 16 TDs, 2 INTs and rushing: 194 carries, 1,412 yards, 27 TDs…Ran for three TDs and threw for two TDs in the State Championship game...Career record in the playoffs is 14-1…2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection…2022 State Champion Runner-up as a starter, and 2023 & 24 Class 6A State Champion as a starter…2023 First Team All-State Class 6A and All-Simone Team…2024 First Team Class 6A All-State and All-Simone Team…2024 Sports in Kansas Class 6A Offensive Player of the Year…2024 Sports in Kansas Top 11 selection…Two year Varsity Captain…Volunteer for youth program camps…Helped coach local flag football teams…Volunteer at local nursing home…Coached by Jesse Owen.
 
Jensen Schrickel, Defensive Back/Wide Receiver, Topeka-Hayden High School
2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl Selection…Team Captain…KSHSAA All-State Top 33 (all classes)...Consensus Class 3A First-Team All-State wide receiver…Sports in Kansas 3A Offensive Player of the Year Finalist…Class 3A State Runner-up (2 yrs)...Superior Honor Roll: 4 years…National Honor Society: 3 years…Hayden Award: 2 year…6 time State Champion (long jump--2x, 400 meters, 4x100 m relay, 4x400 m relay--2x)...4x400 meter relay 4A State Meet record holder…4x400 meter relay school record holder…Future Business Leaders of America (2 years)...Ronald McDonald House…Harvesters…CAST for Kids (fishing camp for developmentally delayed children)...Parish events (set-up, clean-up, game supervision) for Christ the King Catholic Church, Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church…Coached by Bill Arnold.
 
Isaac Winter, Running Back/Linebacker, Conway Springs High School
Four year record in football: 40-9…Rushed for 1,934 yards (9.0 average/carry) as a senior….Sports in Kansas Class 1A Offensive Player of the Year…KSHAA Covered Top 11 selection…Consensus First Team Class 1A All-State Running Back…Two-year captain on state champion teams…Helped team to first undefeated season in over 20 years….4-year academic letterman, member of the National Honor Society and 4-year Principal Honor Roll Recipient…Other activities include basketball, tennis, powerlifting, NHS steering committee, student council…Red Cross Community Blood Drive…Coached by Matt Biehler.
 
The chapter will also present the following special recognition awards:
 
Coaches of the Year
Andover Central head coach Derek Tuttle and Southeast of Saline head coach Mitch Gebhardt were named the Don Fambrough Coaches of the Year. The legendary late Kansas head football coach, Fambrough was also a member of the Jayhawks' 1947 Orange Bowl team. He led the Jayhawks to the 1973 Liberty and 1981 Hall of Fame bowls.
 
A native of Grinnell, Kan., Tuttle played two years at Bethany College before completing his education at Kansas State. He has been a fixture at Andover schools since 1998 and became head coach at Andover Central in 2019, registering a 57-15 record in six years. That includes Class 4A runner-up finishes in 2019, 21, 23 and the title this past season, defeating Bishop Miege 49-42. Gebhardt, who graduated from Ellsworth High School and Fort Hays State University, is 143-74 in 22 years combined at Lincoln and Southeast of Saline. Southeast of Saline is 54-4 in his last five seasons. The Trojans claimed the Class 2A title this past season with a 36-28 win over Nemaha Central.
 
Lifetime Achievement
The Kansas Coaching Legends Lifetime Achievement award will be given to Tom Young. Trailing only Silver Lake's C.J. Hamilton and Pittsburg Colgan's Chuck Smith as the winningest HS football coach in Kansas history with a 343-11 record in 44 years (Hanover: 1971-79; Wellington: 1980-82; Derby: 1983-2003; Leavenworth: 2004-05; McPherson: 2006-14). He has state championships in 1979, 1982, 1994. He is originally from Adams, Neb.
 
Officiating Award
The John and Phil Laurie Officiating Award goes to David Haynes, a resident of Wichita, Kan. He has been self-employed in the construction industry for the past 20 years and began working high school football in 2014. Since then, he has worked 19 playoff games in that span. He officiated high school basketball from 1992-2000 working several substate rounds. He also officiated college basketball from 1995-2023, working numerous KCAC and Jayhawk conference championships. Haynes worked several NAIA regional championships and three NJCAA Division I National Tournaments, twice officiating the national championship.
 
Legacy Award
The Dick Foster Legacy Award, created last year and awarded posthumously to the Jayhawk Conference coaching legend will be presented to Troy Morrell. Born in Benkelman, Neb., and a graduate of Buhler, Kan. High School, he played at Butler Community College and later Fort Hays State University. He returned to Butler as the OL coach and OC from 1996-1999. From 2000-14 he was the Butler head coach, amassing a 154-22 mark including a 30-3 mark in the NJCAA Region VI playoffs. He won NJCAA national titles in 2003, 07, 08.
 
2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame Class
Additional honorees announced earlier include the 2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame class including Dane Simoneau who played at Salina Sacred Heart High School and Washburn, and currently serves as the Ichabods offensive coordinator; Collin Sexton, who played at Abilene High School and Kansas State University and currently serves as Deputy Athletics Director of the University of Kansas; the aforementioned C.J. Hamilton, and Kent Sedlacek, who played at Hanover for Tom Young and is Senior Executive Gift Planner at the KSU Foundation.

Thank You to Our Sponsors
The chapter could not conduct this event and present the awards without the support of sponsors such as Dillons, Geiger Ready-Mix, Great Western Manufacturing, Bennington State Bank, Canvas Wealth Partners, Sunflower Bank, Edward D. Jones (Hutchinson), Polsinelli, Rack Coach, Athlete Builder, Chicken 'N Pickle, Depasquale Moore, KCFC, Mammoth Sports Construction, Kansas Shrine Bowl, Kansas Pregame, Sports in Kansas, Lazer Down.
 
About the Coach Bill Snyder Family/Sunflower Chapter NFF
The Kansas Chapter received its National Football Foundation Charter Nov. 25, 1991, at halftime ceremonies of the Kansas-Missouri football game. It then evolved into the Jayhawk Chapter and later transitioned to the Sunflower Chapter. It was renamed the Bill Snyder Family Sunflower Chapter. Its mission is to recognize outstanding high school seniors who excel on the gridiron, in the classroom and as leaders in their schools and communities. 
 
About the National Football Foundation
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, the National Football Foundation (NFF) is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. 
 
About the NFF Chapter Network
The NFF Chapter Network, spread across 120 outposts in 47 states, serves as the pulse of a nationwide effort to encourage leadership, sportsmanship and academic excellence among America's young football players. The first meeting to discuss the formation of chapters was held by the Cincinnati Club in 1954, and today more than 12,000 passionate members carry on the legacy of the early pioneers, which is simply to Build Leaders Through Football. Collectively, they host more than 300 events each year, reaching more than 500,000 football players at 5,000 high schools.
 
About the Kansas Shrine Bowl
The Shrine Bowl of Kansas, Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that produces annual events and related activities with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Children's. The Shrine Bowl of Kansas, Inc has existed since 1974 and has sent nearly 4.0M to Shriners Hospitals for Children. The flagship event has been the Kansas Shrine Bowl, an East vs. West all-star senior football game that began in 1974. Kansas Shrine All-Star Events also include the Kansas Masonic All-State Marching Band Camp, the Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Cheer Camp, the KWCA Kansas Shrine Duals and many other game week events. All Kansas Shrine All-Star Events are produced and presented to benefit Shriners Children's.