Butler Eagle Sweet 16 football team 2025: Meet the county’s offensive all-stars
Karns City, Mars and North Catholic’s offenses were prolific, and they are well represented in this year’s Butler Eagle Sweet 16 Offense.
The three teams, who had some of the best running games (Gremlins and Planets) and a WPIAL-leading passing game (Trojans), make up eight of the 16 first-team spots, across nearly every position group.
Selected from every Butler County-area football team, here are the 2025 first team and honorable mentions, listed alphabetically:
Adam Budzilek, sr., C/DL, Mars: Budzilek has won multiple all-WPIAL awards throughout his career and is a two-time captain for the Planets. Despite missing four games, he was the fulcrum of an offensive line that averaged 214.3 yards per game on the ground and provided protection for a sophomore, first-time-starting quarterback in Colin Yurisinec. On defense, he had 15 tackles and a sack. Budzilek has offers from Clarion and Seton Hill.
Joe Felitsky, sr., QB, North Catholic: No quarterback had a better set of weapons to get the ball to than Felitsky, and he took full advantage, leading the WPIAL with 3,388 yards and 46 touchdowns as the Trojans averaged an impressive 44.2 points a game to make the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals. Felitsky, who became just the third QB to lead the WPIAL in passing yards two years in a row, recently earned a scholarship offer from Gannon on top of one from John Carroll.
Sean Franklin, sr., OT, Mars: Franklin’s been a mainstay tackle for a while now, and recently earned a preferred walk-on offer from Pittsburgh. Like Budzilek, he was a key piece of an offense that averaged 31.4 points per game, including a five-game stretch of section games when the Planets scored 44.8 per. He was a captain and three-time all-WPIAL honoree.
Amos Glenn, sr., RB/KR, Freeport: Already a household name as a running back in Freeport heading into the season, Glenn made an even more impressive name for himself in 2025 as a dynamic return weapon. The senior scored on seven punt and kick returns, a crazy number, and had 18 more on the ground and two more receiving to win the Butler Eagle Scoring Trophy. He rushed for 1,008 yards on 137 carries and had 208 receiving yards.
Gabe Hein, sr., WR/DB, Mars: The Sacred Heart commit has been a prolific receiver for a couple years, with multiple 200-yard games the last two seasons. He finished his senior season with 57 catches, 952 yards and 12 touchdowns, near the top of the WPIAL in each category. He also had a rushing TD, and on defense he produced 46 tackles and four interceptions.
Cole Johnston, jr., QB/S, Karns City: What a jump Johnston took in one year. The junior became a focal point of the Gremlins’ typically strong run-first offense, finishing second on the team with 769 rushing yards and 18 TDs while improving as a passer with 1,232 yards and 13 TDs against nine interceptions. He also had 17 tackles, forced fumble and recovery on defense while pinning eight of his 21 punts inside the opposing 20-yard line.
Wade Potocnak, sr., OT/DL, Freeport: Last year’s Allegheny Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year, Potocnak was singled out by coaches as a key piece in a run game headlined by Glenn, helping the Yellowjackets average 146.9 yards per game and score 28 TDs on the ground. He was equally impressive on defense, finishing third on the team with 85 tackles, plus four TFLs and a sack.
Logan Schade, sr., RB/S, North Catholic: The Trojans’ passing game got a lot of shine, but Schade provided plenty of headaches for defenses, keeping them honest with his own playmaking ability. He finished with 1,104 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns, including a monster 344-yard game against Blackhawk early in the season.
Hunter Scherer, sr., RB/DL, Karns City: Scherer was the lead back of a four-horse run game that shredded teams all season en route to a District 9 Class 2A championship and PIAA playoff appearance. He had team highs in carries (134), yards (774) and touchdowns (21), and added 194 receiving yards and three TDs. He also provided 46 tackles (11 for loss) with two sacks and two fumble recoveries on defense.
Logan Skibinski, sr., RB/LB, Union/A-C Valley: Half of the two-headed monster that was the Falcon Knights’ run game, Skibinski shredded defenses for 1,180 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, and 221 yards and two TDs receiving as U/ACV started 9-0 and made the District 9 semifinals. He also was one of their top defenders, with 42 tackles (three for loss) and two sacks; and he had a punt return TD.
Sean Slaughenhoupt, sr., OG/DL, Karns City: Named the District 9 Region 1 Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year, Slaughenhoupt was a key road grader in a Gremlins offense that ran for 3,235 yards and 54 TDs. He was also a menace on defense, finishing with 65 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and eight sacks (second on the team).
Preston Simko, sr., WR, North Catholic: It’s difficult for high school receivers to crack 1,000 yards, and Simko, a transfer from Butler High in his lone season with the Trojans, reached that mark. The senior had just 39 catches, but he torched defenses for 1,020 yards (26.2 per catch) and 18 touchdowns, leading the WPIAL in TDs and yards. He’s recently picked up offers from Gannon, Morehead State and Slippery Rock.
Jacob Reich, sr., OT/DL, Slippery Rock: Reich has started the past three seasons for the Rockets, playing notable time at all five offensive line spots throughout and providing veteran leadership for the past two. He earned District 10 Region 4 first-team honors on offense and second-team as a defensive lineman.
Will Waskiewicz, jr., WR/DB, North Catholic: The second of three Trojans receivers to crack 700 yards this season, Waskiewicz led the team in receptions (53) and finished second with 898 yards and 11 TDs. He had five interceptions and three TDs on defense and special teams.
Tommy Wuycheck, sr., OT/DT, Seneca Valley: A three-year starter on the offensive line, Wuycheck was a “physical and vocal leader,” according to first-year head coach Don Barclay. He earned Big 56 All-Section second-team honors and has received an offer from Grove City. He had 26 tackles on defense.
Ayden Yocum, sr., RB/DB, Mars: Yocum went from a dependable backup his sophomore and junior seasons to a breakout sensation in his first and only year as a starter, rushing for 1,767 yards, 8.1 yards per carry and 18 touchdowns on 219 touches, easily the top back in the county. He produced four straight games with 230-plus yards, including 327 against Montour. And on defense he had 46 tackles and three blocked field goals.
Nicco Baggetta, jr., QB/S, Butler; Demetrius Crosby, sr., WR, Summit Academy; Adam Gehm, sr., TE, Seneca Valley; Owen Heginbotham, sr., RB/DB, Karns City; Ryker Kennedy, sr., WR/CB, North Catholic; Max Lindner, sr., OG/LB, North Catholic; Andrew Loebig, sr., QB, Seneca Valley; Jonnie Maestra, jr., OG/DL, Mars; Lucas Martin, sr., OL/DL, Butler; Cayden Parker, sr., RB/LB, Seneca Valley; Kole Scott, sr., RB/LB, Slippery Rock; Noah Yori, so., C/DE, Union/A-C Valley
