Here are 13 IHSA All-State football players from around Springfield, including SHG's Drew Ward
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Drew Ward doesn’t care where he plays.
The versatile 6-foot-1 senior just wants to help the Sacred Heart-Griffin football team in any way he can.
Ward indeed makes an impact in all phases.
Offensively, he has furnished 37 catches for 624 yards and six touchdowns prior to the Class 4A quarterfinal at Rochester on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 4 p.m.
He initially began the year as a slot receiver. He moved to the outside where his athleticism could inflict even more damage.
“He’s really good at getting open and making plays, so when you have a guy like that, it’s easy to throw to. He’s got a lot of athletic ability,” said junior quarterback Cam Brinkman.
Both Brinkman and Ward earned all-state nods in Class 4A by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association.
It’s a distinction that Ward never saw coming. Ward, after all, was largely confined to a defensive role last season with three total receptions. He was also a quarterback beforehand.
“It’s been awesome being able to play with Cam and run routes for him, knowing that he’s going to find the right guy,” Ward said.
Ward also provides so much more.
He patrols the defensive backfield and even uncorked a 44-yard field goal in a 45-15 win over Carterville in the second round on Saturday, Nov. 8. He additionally performs kickoffs and punts.
“He’s all-state because he’s such a utility knife,” SHG coach John Allison said. “He does a little bit of everything. You can’t just say receiver/DB, but it’s inside and outside receiver, corner and safety, kicker, field goals, kickoffs, punting — you can’t even quantify how important he is to the team because of everything he does.”
That doesn’t even include his proclivity for baseball.
Ward, who is uncommitted, helped elevate the SHG baseball team to the Class 2A state title over the spring. The State Journal-Register all-area outfielder hit .324 with 24 RBIs. He also pitched 17 1/3 innings with a 2.83 ERA.
Sometimes good athletes can do anything, Brinkman said.
“I think he could be a college kicker, but obviously he’s going to play baseball,” Brinkman said when asked about Ward’s penchant for kicking. “It’s definitely good to have somebody who can just go out and nail a 45-yarder like that.”
Fellow junior receiver Andrew Wolters also complements Ward with team-bests 43 catches for 727 yards and nine scores. He had just seven catches as a sophomore.
Brinkman, who also excels at basketball, adds another dimension with his feet and totals more than 3,000 yards passing and rushing combined.
“Cam makes the right reads and finds the open guys,” Ward said. “Getting us the ball is all on him.”
Here is the complete list of all-state picks from the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association in the Springfield area, including three repeat selections:
All-state honorees in the Springfield area
Class 6A
Colten Knoedler, Chatham Glenwood
The senior quarterback completed 143 of 233 (61.4%) passing attempts for 2,260 yards and 31 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He bested his own previous school record of 30 passing TDs from 2023, while also rushing for six scores. He has a slew of other records to his name over his three-year starting career. He finished with program-bests 7,317 passing yards, 90 touchdowns, and 470 completions over his career. The two-time all-state honoree also mopped up most passing yards in a game (475) and season (2,643); most completions in a game (22) and season (177); and most passing TDs in a game (6).
Class 5A
Brody Scheffler, Springfield High
The senior quarterback finished the regular season completing 128 of 209 passing attempts for 2,147 yards and 26 touchdowns and three interceptions before the Senators fell to New Lenox Providence Catholic in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. Over his three-year starting career, the two-time all-state selection generated more than 6,000 passing yards and 60 touchdowns.
Class 4A
Cam Brinkman, Sacred Heart-Griffin
The junior quarterback has led the Cyclones to the Class 4A quarterfinals with 2,185 passing yards and 22 touchdowns with eight interceptions on 145 of 226 (64.2%) attempts. He has also rushed for 845 yards and 16 scores.
Connor Broughton, Rochester
The senior defensive lineman has produced 56 tackles (24 solo), including 20 ½ for loss and 6 ½ sacks. He has also forced two fumbles.
Kaiden Stout, Rochester
The senior running back has carried the Rockets to the Class 4A quarterfinals with 965 rushing yards and seven TDs on 127 attempts. He also has 22 catches for 397 yards and five scores.
Drew Ward, Sacred Heart-Griffin
The senior has 37 catches for 624 yards and six touchdowns. Defensively, he has doled out 37 tackles (20 solo) with three for loss. He has additionally converted four field goals.
Class 3A
Matthew Miller, Williamsville
The senior running back has powered the Bullets to the Class 3A quarterfinals with 1,265 rushing yards and 27 scores on 119 carries. He also has 14 receptions for 177 yards and three scores.
Class 2A
Cash Lynch, Pana
The senior receiver and defensive back dominated both sides of the ball. The two-time all-state honoree totaled 547 rushing yards and 10 TDs on 46 carries, while also nabbing 36 catches for 641 yards and 11 scores. Defensively, he set a new school record with 10 interceptions, to go along with 39 tackles. He totaled 17 interceptions the past two seasons combined.
Class 1A
Gage Honn, Athens
The senior running back catapulted the Warriors back to the playoffs with 1,634 rushing yards and 24 TDs on 250 carries. He eclipsed 200 rushing yards in four games. He also converted 23 point-after attempts.
Rylan Reimolds, Rushville-Industry
The senior running back and linebacker surpassed last year’s output with 1,611 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on 175 carries. He ran for over 200 yards in four games.
8-Man
George Bailey, Kincaid South Fork
The senior running back has assembled a monumental season with 2,252 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns on 182 carries en route to the semifinals. He recorded three games with over 300 rushing yards. He also has 67 tackles, including six for loss.
Brody Lush, Kincaid South Fork
The senior receiver has summoned 47 catches for 869 yards and nine TDs. He has also posted 55 tackles and six interceptions, not to mention one forced fumble and three blocked field goals.
Caden Ward, Pawnee
The senior quarterback became the all-time passing leader in the Illinois 8-Man Football Association in the first-round win over Flanagan/Woodland. Milledgeville’s Connor Nye held the previous record with 4,244 passing yards.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSFCA all-state: SHG’s Drew Ward highlights Springfield area picks
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