Meet the 16 players who cracked the 2026 Butler County Football Preseason Sweet 16 Offense
It’s easy to associate a quarterback with being a leader on the football field. They handle the ball on nearly every offensive play, and their performance, good or bad, has a profound effect on any game’s outcome.
The Butler County area has its share of quality quarterbacks, but leaders can emerge from every position on the gridiron.
Here’s a look at the top offensive players entering the 2026 season. It’s the Butler Eagle’s Preseason Sweet 16 Offense.
After passing for 1,375 yards and 12 TDs last year, Baggetta is battling for the starting QB spot in camp. His athleticism — he ran for 11 touchdowns and 470 yards on 115 carries — will be evident no matter where he plays.
He averaged 17.5 yards on 33 offensive touches as a sophomore and will now get more opportunities in the ground game.
In his first year as a starter, Cook tossed for over 900 yards and 11 TDs. Look for better numbers in an offense that’s gone multiple to keep defenses guessing.
He is Mars’ top returning receiver (19 catches for 239 yards) after standout Gabe Hein’s graduation and will see more passes coming his way from either Nate Walker or Colin Yurisinec, who are battling for the starting job.
After playing guard last year, he will line up at tackle in 2026. All other starters on the Gremlins’ front will be new, and Emrick is the clear leader.
He’s entering his third year of starting on Moniteau’s front. A guard, Hazlet is the heart of the Warriors’ line, maybe of the entire team.
He’s closing in on 30 career starts at QB, and you won’t find another signal caller in Butler County with more experience. As a junior, he passed for 1,232 yards, rushed for 734 and accounted for 31 offensive TDs.
A rare four-year starter, Kemp, a guard, put on some weight (now 245 pounds) but still moves very well. His career has been marked by consistent improvement.
His 2025 campaign included 1,488 passing yards and 10 TDs while leading the Falcon Knights to the co-op’s best record ever ... and he was just a freshman.
Another standout guard in the county, Noah endured with his teammates last year’s 0-10 record. He’s ready to lead a line that will be blocking for skill players just waiting to break out.
Freeport coach John Gaillot and several of his players compared Pomaybo’s ability to that of former Yellowjackets star Amos Glenn, who rushed for 2,362 yards and 33 TDs over the last two years. Look for Pomaybo to make the most of his one season as a starter.
Whoever starts at QB for the Golden Tornado will benefit from Simko’s desire to improve on a junior season that yielded 32 catches, 457 yards and three TDs.
He is a front-runner to spearhead a Gremlins’ ground attack dripping with tradition but has to replace plenty of yards that departed at graduation.
He led North in receptions last year with 53, good for 898 yards. Eleven of his 14 total TDs came through the air, and the Trojans are talking about finding more ways to get him the ball. He’s also a capable kick returner.
He was thrown into the fire as a freshman starter and has since rounded into a dependable member and leader of the front. He’s moving from center to tackle this season.
Another returning starter who is battling for his job in camp. With his stats from last year — 1,607 passing yards and 14 touchdown passes — he belongs on this list.
