HANCOCK COUNTY — Mt. Vernon senior tight end George Burhenn was one of nine Indiana High School football players to be selected for an Indiana Football Coaches Association Mr. Football Position Award.
The IFCA released the winners of position awards Monday.
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Burhenn has verbally committed to play football next season at Purdue University.
In his senior season at Mt. Vernon, Burhenn had 38 catches for 784 yards (20.6 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns. He also had 16 carries for 127 yards and one touchdown.
Other Mr. Football position award recipients include: Mason Wunderlich, Evansville Mater Dei (quarterback), Micah Coyle, Center Grove (running back), Leighton Jones, Brownsburg (offensive lineman), Joe Walker, Warren Central (wide receiver), Joshua Mickens, Lawrence Central (defensive lineman), Drayk Bowen, Andrean (linebacker), Dillon Thieneman, Westfield (defensive back), and Elijah Slibeck, Warren Central (kicker).
Burhenn was one of three Hancock County football players to be named to the IFCA Top 50 All-State Team, released over the weekend.
Burhenn was joined on the offensive side by New Palestine junior offensive lineman Ian Moore (6-6, 290), who has verbally committed to play at Ohio State University. Moore is ranked No. 1 in his class, nationally, by Rivals.com for offensive tackles.
New Palestine sophomore defensive lineman Michael Thacker, who has received offers from Tennessee and Ball State, was chosen on the defensive side. Thacker was the only sophomore selected to the Top 50. During his sophomore season, Thacker had 103 total tackles, 74 solos, and 34.5 tackles for loss. He had 13 sacks and 20 quarterback hurries.
The IFCA also released its junior and senior all-state teams, by class.
The Class 4A Senior All-State team includes New Palestine left tackle Luke Burgess (6-8, 290), who has verbally committed to Louisville, and Greenfield-Central running back Andrew Zellers (6-0, 195), who rushed for 1,065 yards (133.1 yards per game) and 15 touchdowns.
The Class 4A senior defensive unit included one player from each Hancock County Class 4A school. Greenfield-Central was represented by defensive lineman Brad Allen (5-10, 235). Allen had 13 tackles for loss among his 45 stops. He also had four sacks.
Mt. Vernon defensive back Eli Bridenthal (6-3, 185) had 36 tackles, including 31 solos and one tackle for loss. He had two interceptions with 53 yards in returns, and three broken up passes. Bridenthal has signed to play Division I baseball at Xavier.
New Palestine defensive back Isaiah Thacker (6-0, 185), who has committed to play wide receiver at Ball State University, had 32 tackles, three interceptions, three defended passes, a caused fumble and fumble recovery.
Greenfield-Central had two selections on the Class 4A Junior All-State team, including junior offensive lineman Brayden Flener (6-2, 300) and junior defensive back Kirk Knecht (6-1, 175), who had four interceptions and a fumble recovery to go with 40 total tackles.
Eastern Hancock was represented on two Class 2A all-state teams.
Kain Sotelo (6-2, 185) was selected, as a linebacker, to the Class 2A Senior All-State team. Also one of the state’s top rushers on offense, Sotelo had 80 total tackles, including 58 solos. He had 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and two passes defended.
Sophomore tight end Kayden Ruble (6-2, 225) was named to the Class 2A Junior All-State team. Ruble had 26 catches for 310 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 11.9 yards per reception.
