Butler Eagle Scoring Trophy watch list: Which of these players can win the title in 2026?
It’s a tricky one this year.
Of the Butler Eagle’s 32 Sweet 16 football all-stars on offense and defense last year, only three are back. That kind of turnover means loads of opportunity for an unknown — or unsung — player to step up and grab the Butler Eagle Scoring Trophy.
Freeport’s Amos Glenn won it last year, and like seemingly every starting running back in the area in 2025, he has graduated. So now we get to find out who the new Glenn will be.
Here’s a way-too-early list of possible contenders to take home the trophy.
While Baggetta showed growth as a passer last season as a first-year full-time starter, it was his running that helped carry the Golden Tornado to a 7-3 record that revived excitement in the program. Unafraid to lower his shoulder, he recorded 11 rushing touchdowns on 115 carries and had a few two-point conversions. He is coming off an injury that saw him miss the second half of the track and field season, during which he is a javelin thrower.
Head coach Dan Reed’s early projection is Bish and Micah Kindel, a sophomore, are the most likely to replace the more than 2,400 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns that graduated with Max Gallagher and Logan Skibinski last year. Bish, younger brother of former U/ACV star Owen Bish, averaged 12.3 yards on 15 carries and caught 18 passes for 383 yards (21.8 yards per catch) and three touchdowns last season. He brings some explosiveness to the offense as rising sophomore Andrew Kifer continues to develop at quarterback.
The multi-talented Johnston should be considered the early front-runner for the trophy after scoring 18 touchdowns on the ground in a potent four-headed rushing attack — he also rushed for 769 yards and threw for 1,232 more and 13 TDs (the scoring trophy doesn’t count passing TDs, though). The Gremlins are still figuring out who will step up into bigger roles in the backfield, but Johnston is fully entrenched under center after taking big steps last year.
Someone has to replace the lead back role left behind by the graduated Mark Klemz. Kollinger seems likely to be next in line, despite just 12 total offensive touches, 126 yards and a touchdown last season in eight games according to MaxPreps.
On the one hand, Waskiewicz is the top returning pass catcher in a pass-first offense, meaning he should have a chance to improve on his team-leading 53 receptions, 898 yards and 11 TDs. On the other hand, who will be the Trojans new quarterback with the accurate Joe Felitsky gone? Projecting a receiver to win a scoring trophy is tricky, but Waskiewicz, who also had three defensive and special teams scores last year, seems like the best bet.
Hunter Schroder is a returning junior for Mars who had 41 carries, 316 yards and four touchdowns. Known more as a linebacker, senior Jameson Garvin had five TDs but only 26 carries for 75 yards. The Planets lost a ton of seniors from last year’s explosive team and have a first-time head coach in Zachary Benedek.
Butler track and field sprinter Kevin Shriver gets a nod here, too, as another possible candidate.
Moniteau’s Aidan Shakley provided some solid backup carries behind Brendin Sankey last year and might be poised for a bigger role as the Warriors try to continue their rebuild.
Junior Paxton Cene might be the new feature back at Freeport after rushing for 221 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore, the top marks for any returning player on the team.
Looking at returning kickers, Freeport senior Judah Thompson made 47 of 49 PATs last year.
