We are celebrating the new year in style, unveiling our Outside the Huddle All-Area teams for the 2024 football season.
We will release our All-Area squads, in addition to our individual award winners, over the next week or so.
Next up, the Big School Offense.
QB: Jimmy Sullivan, senior, Carroll – Sullivan capped his prep career in impressive fashion, throwing for 2,001 yards, rushing for 718 more and accounting for 34 total touchdowns. As a three-year starter for the Chargers, no situation seem to phase him, no matter the opponent. He was an easy choice for First Team All-SAC and was part of the IFCA’s Top 50 team. He is now an early enrollee at the University of Iowa.
QB: Tristen Newsome, senior, North Side – It never seemed like Newsome got the pub he deserved this season. His completion percentage of 75 percent was unmatched in the area. He threw for 1,575 yards and 15 touchdowns and was also North Side’s leading rusher with 749 yards and seven scores on the ground. He was voted All-SAC Second Team and Class 5A Senior All-State by the IFCA.
RB: Nathan Foster, junior, Leo – Foster opened the season with a 20-carry, 168-yard effort against Bishop Luers and was rarely slowed down from there. For the year, the upstart junior amassed 1,312 yards on the ground to go with 11 touchdowns. He AVERAGED nearly a first down per touch at 9.8 yards. He also saw spot action on defense. Foster was voted All-NE8 First Team.
RB: Jordan Davis, junior, Snider – Another break-out junior in the offensive backfield, Davis was a versatile weapon for the Panthers, rushing for over 700 yards and nine touchdowns while adding 168 yards receiving and a pair of scores. He was voted First Team All-SAC.
WR: Maalik Moore, sophomore, North Side – A year ago, Moore burst onto the scene as a freshman to lead the Legends in receiving. He showed that was not a fluke by once again pacing the squad in receptions (39), receiving yards (648) and touchdowns (10) in 2024. At 6-foot-3, Moore has a prototypical build for a wideout, which has already led to scholarship offers from the likes of Purdue, Vanderbilt and Miami (FL). He also is a standout defensively as he picked off four passes for the Legends’ defense. He was one of just a trio of sophomores to be named All-SAC First Team.
WR: Stratton Fuller, senior, Columbia City – West Point doesn’t accept guys who are complacent, and Fuller definitely showed he is the opposite of that. His game-winning catch on the final play against Leo in Week 8 was one of many big-time plays that Fuller made over his prep career. For the season, he led the Eagles in receptions (22), receiving yards (355) and receiving touchdowns (seven). He added 416 yards and five scores on the ground while also being the team’s leading return man. On defense, he had 19 tackles, two tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and an interception.
TE: Brock Schott, senior, Leo – The University of Miami is known as “Tight End U” and it is getting a prototypical one in Schott. At 6-3, 230 pounds, Schott was a matchup nightmare at both tight end and defensive end for the Lions. He hauled in 28 balls for 462 yards and five touchdowns while also thriving as an extra blocker. He added 52 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 10 sacks on the edge defensively. Schott was named an Indiana Mr. Football position winner at tight end and was named to the IFCA’s Top 50 team.
OL: Kameron Kauffman, senior, Warsaw – A scheme is only as good as the players who execute it, making Warsaw’s ‘Bart Ball’ flexbone tough to master, but fun to thrive in. Kauffman was a key catalyst at guard. The 6-2, 240-pound senior was strong and powerful up front for the Tigers. He was named All-Northern Lakes Conference for his efforts, as well as to the IFCA’s Top 50 squad.
OL: Caiden Abbs, senior, Carroll – Sometimes you just need a dude where you simply have to tell him where to go and he will go to work. That’s Abbs, a mainstay along the Chargers’ offensive front for multiple seasons. At 6-3, 290 pounds, there weren’t too many defensive linemen who could get the best of him physically. Seeing action at center and tackle displayed Abbs’ versatility for Carroll as well. He was a First Team All-SAC selection as well as a Top 50 player according to the IFCA.
OL: Will Davis, senior, Snider – A road grater along the front line, Davis has been a mainstay up front for the Panthers for several years. He ended his prep career playing some truly great football, opening up holes and protecting QB Aaron Vance. He was voted Class 6A Senior All-State by the IFCA.
OL: James Miller, senior, East Noble – Anyone who is willing to line up at the nose on defense is a dude. A full beard in high school also signifies you are a dude. Miller fits both categories. The senior was a beast at 6-1, 250 pounds in plowing the way for one of the top running teams in the entire area. He was named First Team All-NE8 and to the Class 4A Senior All-State squad.
OL: Mitchell Miller, junior, Homestead – Miller may not have the towering physique of a prototypical dominant lineman, but his compact frame at 5-9, 245 pounds is used to devastating effect up front. He is very fleet afoot, allowing him to pull from his guard spot and engage on the other side of the line post-snap. He was voted All-SAC First Team as a junior and will return next year to anchor the Spartans’ offensive line.
AT-LARGE: Tony Decker, senior, Huntington North – One of the surprises of the season was the Vikings, and Tony Decker led the way at quarterback. He threw for 2,000 yards and over 20 touchdowns while also rushing for 700 yards and 20 more scores. Perhaps most importantly, he was the leader of a team that changed the trajectory of a program. He was All-NE8 First Team for his efforts.
AT-LARGE: Landin Hoeppner, senior, Leo – Heading to West Point with Stratton Fuller of Columbia City, Hoeppner is prepared to meet the challenges of the military like he did on the prep gridiron. A versatile and dynamic athlete, Leo could put Hoeppner anywhere and expect excellence. On offense, he was the Lions’ leading receiver in yardage (529) and touchdowns (seven). He also rushed for close to 300 yards and four scores. He also added a pair of punt returns for scores and returned one of his two interceptions to the house. He was voted First Team All-NE8 and to the IFCA’s Class 4A Senior All-State team.
K: Lucas Nguyen, junior, Bishop Dwenger – As automatic as they come in the area. Nguyen hit all 11 of his field goal attempts this season, the longest coming from 46 yards, which set a school record. He is rated a four-star kicker by Kohl’s Kicking with another year of eligibility left. He put 27 of his 45 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. He was named both All-SAC First Team and Class 4A Junior All-State.
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