You know AJ Dillon as a Green Bay Packers running back. A 6-foot, 247-pound road grader who provides the thunder in the Packers’ rushing attack.
But he wants you to know he’s more than just a football player.
More than a guy who has scored 16 career TDs. More than a guy who has accumulated 2,355 total yards during his three seasons in the NFL. And more than a guy who wears No. 28, cuts through tackles like a combine and spends his fall and winter Sundays running, catching, blocking and trying to win games.
Much more.
And that’s a message he hoped to convey during an appearance on Wednesday’s Northeast Wisconsin High School Sports Awards show, which was presented by Festival Foods and produced by USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.
“The greatest piece of advice I ever got is from my grandfather when I was looking at colleges,” Dillon said during a Q&A segment. “I was trying to figure it out, narrow it down like what my decision was going to be, where I was going to go to school. … And he told me never let football use you, use football. And that can relate to any sport.”
That grandfather happens to be Thom Gatewood, a College Football Hall of Famer who enjoyed an outstanding and record-breaking career at the University of Notre Dame as a wide receiver and played in two NFL seasons with the New York Giants.
And that message has become something of a mantra for Dillon, who has certainly maximized the opportunities football has given him. He knows football will end at some point. And he’s making sure he’s ready for life’s next chapters.
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“Take those opportunities you have (in sports) and let those people that you meet, let that lead to something that you can always use,” Dillon said. “And so me with football, that’s something I’ve always tried to instill in my life. Obviously, football is right now. But realistically, football is a very, very short time in my life in the grand scheme of things.
“And so, while I’m playing football, every connection I make, every person I meet – whether I might not ever get in that field – if someone gives me a business card, I shake their hand and make sure I email them later and say, ‘Thank you for your time. It was a pleasure meeting you.’ Because you never know what your next phase of life is going to be.
“So I would just try to make sure you capitalize on every engagement, interaction and embrace everything that your sport allows you to have.”
The Northeast Wisconsin High School Sports Awards show honored more than 300 prep standouts, with player of the year awards handed out in 25 sports. Several premier awards were also presented, including boys athlete of the year, girls athlete of the year, coach of the year, boys team of the year, girls team of the year and the Courage Award recipient.
The event recognized high school athletes, coaches and teams in the Appleton, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Manitowoc, Marshfield, Oshkosh, Sheboygan, Stevens Point, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids markets for their achievements during the 2022-23 school year. Nominees were selected by USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin sports staff members.
Mosinee’s Davin Stoffel and Wittenberg-Birnamwood’s Reese Rogowski – both excelled in three sports – were named boys and girls athlete of the year, respectively.
Stoffel was an all-state wide receiver and linebacker and the Al Toon Award winner as the state’s top senior receiver. He also earned all-state mention in basketball and baseball and was one of the winners of the WIAA’s Scholar Athlete Award.
He’s set to play college football at South Dakota State, which won the FCS national championship last season.
Rogowski was an all-state performer in volleyball and basketball and competed in four events in the recent WIAA state track and field meet. The senior made the podium in three of those events: long jump and 200- and 400-meter dash.
She also was a WIAA Scholar Athlete Award recipient and will compete in track at North Dakota State.
Is there any wisdom Dillon can impart on Stoffel, Rogowski or anyone else who might be making the athletic leap to the next level or simply striving for success in any facet of life?
Dillon noted the importance of finding a daily routine that works and then sticking with it. And paying close attention to the details.
“Once you start with (a routine), it kind of flows,” the 25-year-old Dillon said. “And I think that’s been the biggest thing for me even now. I never necessarily feel overwhelmed because it’s just part of the routine. I know what I’ve got next. I know what I have after this. …
“The details are so big. … And that’s where it comes down to when you’ve got people who are so good at their craft. It’s being on top of the details. … Making sure you’re on top of your stuff. And that’s where a lot of people get in trouble kind of steering away, deviating from their path.
“You just stay along the course. Trust what you know. Trust what you’ve been taught. Stick with your details. Follow the plan. You’re going to put yourself in the best position to whatever your ceiling is, whatever the peak performance is. You’re going to put yourself in the best position if you know that you’re doing it right.”
Below are the award winners and nominees:
PREMIER AWARDS
Boys athlete of the year: Davin Stoffel, Sr., Mosinee. Other nominees: Conner Krach, Sr., Newman Catholic; Ben Smith, Jr., Hortonville.
Girls athlete of the year: Reese Rogowski, Sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood. Other nominees: Alexa Kinas, Jr., Kaukauna; Joey Perry, Sr., Winneconne.
Coach of the year: Brett Damrow, Howards Grove girls volleyball. Other nominees: Jeff Matczak, Kaukauna wrestling; Bill Miller, Denmark baseball; Tim Roehrig, Kaukauna softball; Sara Rohde, Notre Dame girls basketball; Brian Winchester, De Pere basketball.
Boys team of the year: De Pere basketball. Other nominees: Kimberly football; Notre Dame hockey.
Girls team of the year: Kaukauna softball. Other nominees: Howards Grove volleyball; Notre Dame basketball.
Courage Award recipient: Sam Coon, Sr., St. Mary’s Springs.
FALL AWARD WINNERS
Boys cross country runner of the year: Aloysius Franzen, Jr., Stevens Point. Other nominees: Bode Erickson, Jr., Stevens Point; Cooper Erickson, Fr. Stevens Point; Mason Gates, Sr., Manitowoc Lincoln; Riley Huss, Sr., Little Chute; Noah Jahnke, Sr., West De Pere; Grady Lenn, Fr., De Pere; Isaac Nowak, Sr., Notre Dame; Ethan Olds, So., Stevens Point; Logan Salzmann, Jr., Kimberly; Aaron Schimke, Sr., Kaukauna; Matthew Schmoll, Sr., West De Pere.
Girls cross country runner of the year: Sara Mlodik, Jr., D.C. Everest. Other nominees; Sophia Bablitch, Jr., Rosholt; Emma Coon, Sr., De Pere; Lucy Dolan, Fr., Assumption; Hope Dragseth, Jr., De Pere; Reese Fauske, Fr., Kaukauna; Sydney Fauske, Jr., Kaukauna; Lilie Fouts, Jr., Xavier; Mikaela Helling, Sr., Two Rivers; Annalise Minorik, Jr., Xavier; Kate Schmoll, So., West De Pere; Sophie Yetter, Jr., Winneconne.
Football – 8 player: Conner Krach, Sr., Newman Catholic. Other nominees: Logan Amacher, Sr., Owen-Withee; Thomas Bates, Sr., Newman Catholic; Ben Hardesty, Sr., Newman Catholic; Sam Marquardt, Sr., Lena/St. Thomas; Sam Todd, sr., St. Mary Catholic.
Football – 11 player: Blake Schraufnagel, Sr., Mayville. Other nominees: Connor Akey, Sr., Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln; Brock Arndt, Jr., Appleton North; Josiah Azure, Sr., Bay Port; Blake Barry, Sr., Kimberly; Cole Bensen, Sr., Bay Port; Bradley Bushke, Sr., Mayville; Ethan Doucette, Sr., Kimberly; Dante Draghicchio, Sr., Bay Port; Gabe Egan, Sr., Cedar Grove-Belgium; Cal Hansen, Sr., Appleton North; Noah Hofmann, Sr., Kaukauna; Jase Jenkins, Sr., Neenah; AJ Korth, Sr., Menasha; Carter Kriewaldt, Sr., Freedom; Chase Matthias, Jr., Two Rivers; Seth Miron, Sr., Kimberly; Najeh Mitchell, Sr., West De Pere; Caden Popp, Sr., Appleton North; Brandt Rice, Sr., Wausau West; Taylor Schaefer, Sr., Southern Door; Davin Stoffel, Sr., Mosinee; Jack Verstegen, Sr., Little Chute; Ben Youngworth, Sr., Kimberly.
Girls golfer of the year: Grace Durkin, Sr., Notre Dame. Other nominees: Ava Beranek, Jr., Bay Port; Norah Berken, Jr., Kaukauna; Danielle Bruecker Sr., Wrightstown; Ava Frederiksen, Jr., Stevens Point; Aliisa Helminen, Fr., Xavier; Adalyn Johnston, Jr. Bay Port; Lilly Kaminski, Sr., Denmark; McKenna Lowe, So., Kaukauna; Hannah Miller, Sr., Sheboygan North/South; Riley Pechinski, Sr., Stevens Point; AJ Powell, Sr., Appleton North.
Boys soccer player of the year: Emmett Lawton, Sr., Notre Dame. Other nominees: Elliot Bordini, Sr., Notre Dame; John Callaway, Jr., Fox Valley Lutheran; Caleb Hendrikse, Sr., Sheboygan Christian/Lutheran; Camden Herlihy, Sr., Oshkosh West; Pace Jefferson, Sr., Seymour; Ryan Lautenschlaeger, Sr., Plymouth; Jacob Lorge, Sr., D.C. Everest; Everett Saeger, Sr., Kiel; Tony Schmitz, Sr., Sheboygan Christian/Lutheran; Seth Schroeder, Jr., Winnebago Lutheran; Brady Wazny, Sr., Bay Port.
Girls swimmer and diver of the year: Allison Greeneway, Jr., Appleton North. Other nominees: Bry Bellile, Sr., Ashwaubenon; Jenna Breitbach, Sr., Stevens Point; Naomi Cortina, Jr., Neenah; Ana Flanagan, So., Appleton North; Amber Hess, Jr., Kohler/Sheboygan Lutheran/Sheboygan Falls; Ivana Neverman, So., Green Bay United; Sienna Nitke, Jr., Ashwaubenon; Klare Pilger, Fr., Stevens Point; Ella Romberg, Sr., Appleton North; Taya Schmidt, Sr., Pulaski; Amber Winter, Sr., Merrill.
Girls tennis players of the year: Ana Cristescu, Fr., and Sophia Fergus, Sr., De Pere. Other nominees: Mia Bailey, So., Wausau West; Julia Gurholt, So., Kimberly; Kate Jannette, Fr., Xavier; Maggie McGinnis, Sr., Xavier; Olivia Minikel, Jr., Manitowoc Lincoln; Izzy Murray, So., Neenah; Olivia Pethan, Sr., Fox Valley Lutheran; Melissa Petrinski, Sr., Fond du Lac; Keagan Potter, Jr., and Kate Conger, Jr., Oshkosh West; Julia Tackmier, Sr., and Allison Roever, Sr., Green Bay Southwest; Sophia Torke, So., and Grace Villwock, Fr., Kohler.
Boys volleyball player of the year: Gavin Tate, Sr., Appleton North. Other nominees: Jade Breckheimer, Jr., Kaukauna; Noah Harmon, Sr., Neenah; Brady Koester, Jr., Kimberly; Liam Richards, Sr., Appleton West; Mason Tienor, Sr., Kaukauna.
Girls volleyball player of the year: Saige Damrow, Sr., Howards Grove. Other nominees: Olivia Baerl, Jr., Howards Grove; Emily Bruss, Jr., Pulaski; Ella Demetrician, Jr., Appleton North; Autumn Flynn, Sr., Luxemburg-Casco; Karissa Fortune, Sr., Appleton North; Grace Fruzen, Jr., Manitowoc Lincoln; Mallory Gozdziewski, Jr., Howards Grove; Macy Herman, Sr., Kimberly; Mattea Kiepert, Jr., Xavier; Rachel Koss, Sr., Freedom; Olivia Lasee, Sr., Appleton North; Abby Ongna, Jr., Marshfield; Mariah Potter, So., Xavier; Sydney Pitz, Sr., St. Mary’s Springs; Molly Rohde, Sr., Hortonville; Kennedy Schmitz, Sr., Fox Valley Lutheran; Katie Schulz, Sr., Kimberly; Belle Shea, Jr., Xavier; Paige Siehr, Sr., Valders; Taylor Tetzlaff, Sr., Kaukauna; Kaitlyn VanderWerff, Sr., Central Wisconsin Christian; Greta Wise, Sr., NEW Lutheran; Maddie York, Jr., Manitowoc Lincoln.
WINTER AWARD WINNERS
Boys basketball player of the year: John Kinziger, Sr., De Pere. Other nominees: Jaydon Awe, So., Stevens Point Pacelli; Logan Baumgartner, Sr., Medford; Riley Brooks, Sr., Ripon; Steven Clark, Jr., Oshkosh North; Brady Corso, Jr., Neenah; Jamariea Dalton, Sr., Fond du Lac; Drew Daoust, So., Southern Door; Caleb Glaser, Sr., Appleton East; Marcus Hall, Sr., D.C. Everest; Will Hornseth, Jr., De Pere; Zach Kinziger, So., De Pere; Cal Klesmit, Sr., Neenah; Emmett Lawton, Sr., Notre Dame; Jeremy Lorenz, Sr., Brillion; August Maurer, Sr., Hortonville; Mitchell McCarty, Sr., Campbellsport; Michael Metcalf-Grassman, Sr., Shawano; Seth Miron, Sr., Kimberly; Xzavion Mitchell, So., Oshkosh North; Jon O’Neill, Jr., Kaukauna; Mason Prey, Sr., Newman Catholic; Connor Pytleski, Sr., Green Bay Southwest; Dawson Schmidt, Sr., Shiocton; Tanner Schumacher, Sr., Howards Grove; Alex Sherwood, Sr., Xavier; Cole Uhlenbrauck, Sr., St. Mary Catholic; Grant Warren, Jr., Marathon.
Girls basketball player of the year: Allie Ziebell, Jr., Neenah. Other nominees: Lydia Aalsma, So., Waupun: Sammi Beyer, Sr., Appleton East: MaKenzie Drout, Sr., Kimberly; Trista Fayta, Jr., Notre Dame; Anna Fogle, Sr., Sheboygan North; Gracie Grzesk, Jr., Notre Dame; Kyla Hendricks, Sr., Bay Port; Emily Jaenke, Sr., Fox Valley Lutheran; Sadie Jarmolowicz, Sr., Freedom; Emma Jossie, Sr., Stevens Point; Ady Ketterhagen, Fr., Oostburg; Alexa Kinas, Jr., Kaukauna; Ava Kok, Sr., Neenah; Tierney Madigan, So., Laconia; Danielle Minsaas, Sr., Marshfield; Trinity Mocadlo, Sr., Hortonville; Payton Morgan, So., Laconia; Mallory Ott, Sr., Oshkosh North; Kayl Petersen, Jr., Waupun; Reese Rogowski, Sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Megan Schuman, Sr., Brillion; Paige Seckar, Jr., Oshkosh West; Kiara Shea, Sr., Winnebago Lutheran; Lizzie Steingraber, Sr., New London; Chloe Vogel, Sr., St. Mary Catholic; Rainey Welson, So., Hortonville; Lexie White, Sr., Wausau West.
Gymnast of the year: Abby Roecker, So., Waupun. Other nominees: Lydia Barr, Fr., Oshkosh West/North; Meghan Haas, Sr., Sheboygan South/North; Kyla Krause, Jr., Medford; Kate Malchow, Sr., Medford; Olivia Navin, Sr., Oshkosh West/North.
Boys hockey player of the year: Hunter Bill, Sr., Notre Dame. Other nominees: Talan Blanck, Jr., St. Mary’s Springs; Carsen Gause, Jr., Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln; Thomas Gerum, Sr., Wausau West; Brenden Gruber, Sr., Notre Dame; Mason Keller, Sr., Stevens Point; Samuel Lyons, Sr., Bay Port; Michael McIntee, Sr., Notre Dame; Devin Rustlie, Jr., Bay Port; Caden Schmirler, Sr., Mosinee; Drew Schock, So., Notre Dame; Kade Smigaj, Sr., Stevens Point.
Girls hockey player of the year: Anna Byczek, Sr., Bay Area Ice Bears. Other nominees: Hannah Baumann, Sr., Central Wisconsin Storm; Emily Bill, So., Bay Area Ice Bears; Claire Bradford, Sr., Bay Area Ice Bears; Julianne Bradford, So., Bay Area Ice Bears; Stacey Cloute, Sr., Bay Area Ice Bears; Chloe Lemke, Sr., Central Wisconsin Storm; Ava Rode, So., Central Wisconsin Storm; Hailee Scheier, Sr., Fond du Lac/Warbirds; Ella Spies, Sr., Fond du Lac/Warbirds; Allison Waara, So., Fond du Lac/Warbirds; Tristan Wicklund, Jr., Central Wisconsin Storm.
Boys swimmer and diver of the year: David Mayer, Jr., D.C. Everest. Other nominees: Camden Barwick, Sr., D.C. Everest; Ben Coley, Sr., Plymouth; Dylan Dettloff, Sr., Sheboygan North; Ryan Foucault, Sr., Neenah; Drew Gaerthofner, So., Neenah; Evan Harrison, Jr., Two Rivers/Roncalli; Turner Long, Sr., Bay Port; William Nicol, Sr., Bay Port; Forest Olsen, Sr., Plymouth; Konnor Pilger, Sr., Stevens Point; Zeb Schermacher, Jr., Plymouth.
Boys wrestler of the year: Greyson Clark, Sr., Kaukauna. Other nominees: Michael Alexander, Sr., De Pere; Nick Alexander, Sr., Wrightstown; Brock Arndt, Jr., Appleton North; Mycah Beckett, So., De Pere; Ostin Blanchard, Sr., Campbellsport; Silas Dailey, Jr., Plymouth; Caleb Dennee, So., Marshfield; Ryder Depies, Sr., Merrill; Luke Dux, Sr., Neillsville/Greenwood/Loyal; David Gauderman, Sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Jacob Herm, So., Neenah; Gunner Hoffmann, Sr., Neillsville/Greenwood/Loyal; Lucas Peters, Jr., Kaukauna; Wyatt Skebba, Sr., Hortonville; Jake Stoffel, Jr., Appleton North; Mitchell Thompson, Sr., Kewaunee; Nathan Vande Hey, Sr., Freedom; Jacob Ward, Sr., Bay Port; Sloan Welch, Sr., Auburndale; Garrett Willuweit, Sr., Marshfield; Bryan Winans, Sr., Kaukauna; Easton Worachek, Sr., Luxemburg-Casco; Caden Young, Sr., Shawano.
Girls wrestler of the year: Madalyn Sokolski, So., Bonduel. Other nominees: Angie Bianchi, Fr., Two Rivers; Brooke Corrigan, So., De Pere ; Caitlyn Kelley, Sr., Florence/Niagara; Hailie Krueger, So., New London; Taylor Whiting, Fr., Oconto Falls.
SPRING AWARD WINNERS
Baseball player of the year: Camden Kuhnke, Sr., Hortonville. Other nominees: Easton Arendt, Jr., De Pere; Thomas Burns, Sr., Hortonville; Brayden Deering, Sr., Kimberly; Jackson Fox, Sr., Stevens Point; Brennan Huber, Sr., Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln; Nate Langbehn, Jr., D.C. Everest; Lucas Miller, Sr., Denmark; Max Mueller, Sr., Chilton; Ethan Plog, Jr., Bay Port; Nate Vela, Sr., Hortonville; Noah Wech, Jr. Manitowoc.
Boys golfer of the year: Winston Knobloch, Sr., Winneconne. Other nominees: Grant Bauman, Sr., Peshtigo; Aiden Cudney, Jr., Kimberly; Dawson Fish, Sr., Xavier; Mason Haupt, Jr., West De Pere; Spencer Lynch, Sr., St. Mary Catholic; Rasmus Madsen, Sr., Appleton North; Will Mauthe, So., Fond du Lac; Hogan Miller, Sr., Sheboygan North; Mason Schmidtke, Sr., Sheboygan North; Jack Weisenberger, Sr., De Pere; Pierce Zimmel, Sr., Lomira.
Girls soccer player of the year: Taylor Schad, Sr., Kiel. Other nominees: Alexis Bahr, Sr., Cedar Grove-Belgium; Hailey Batzner, Jr., Plymouth; Greta Czachor, Sr., De Pere; Kendall Duellman, Jr., Assumption; Cora Erickson, So., Cedar Grove-Belgium; Senah Hanes, Jr., Kimberly; Emily McCarthy, Jr., Kimberly; Abby Moore, Sr., Kiel; Abby Reinl, Sr., Sheboygan North; Grace Sundquist, So., D.C. Everest; Alli Wettstein, Sr., De Pere.
Softball player of the year: Karly Meredith, So., Kaukauna. Other nominees: Katie Geydoshek, So., Green Bay Preble; Kylie Hanson, Sr., Luxemburg-Casco; Addison Lund, Jr., Menasha; Kally Meredith, Sr., Kaukauna; Paige Miller, Sr., Kaukauna; Kenna Mix, Jr., New London; Rylie Murphy, Jr., Freedom; Ava Schill, Sr., Assumption; Morgan Vertz, Jr., Pulaski; Alyssa Woelfel, Sr., New Holstein; Ashley Wolfe, Sr., Green Bay Preble.
Boys tennis player of the year: Nicholas Balthazor, Sr., De Pere. Other nominees: Wesley Auth, So., St. Mary Catholic; Jaren Baltus, Jr., Plymouth; Nick Bittner, Jr., and Nate Hall, Jr., Xavier; Aidan Burich, Jr., and Mason Olson, Sr., Notre Dame; Matt Gugluizza, Jr., Notre Dame; Joshua Horak, Jr., Xavier; Ayden Knuth, Jr., and Cohen Newberg, so., Manitowoc; Aiden Meixl, So., Kimberly; Satchel Moss, So., and Ben Kotchen, Sr., Neenah; Owen Plate, Jr., Plymouth; Jacob Stinski, So., Oshkosh West.
Boys track and field athlete of the year: Cade Stingle, Sr., Shiocton. Other nominees: Jacob Abel, Sr., Waupun; Simon Alexander, Sr., Denmark; Cavan Dobberstein, Sr., Fox Valley Lutheran; Bode Erickson, Jr., Stevens Point; James Flanigan, So., Notre Dame; Ayden Hart, Sr., Winneconne; Aiden Janke, Sr., Athens; Liam Richards, Sr., Appleton West; Ben Smith, Jr., Hortonville; Charlie Vater, Jr., Iola-Scandinavia; Kyle Wisniewski, Sr., New London.
Girls track and field athlete of the year: Eliza Aitken, Sr., West De Pere. Other nominees: Sophia Bablitch, Jr., Rosholt; Mikaela Helling, Sr., Two Rivers; Alexa Kinas, Jr., Kaukauna; Thea Kral, So., Ashwaubenon; Lydia Merrick, So., Freedom; Sara Mlodik, Jr., D.C. Everest; Joey Perry, Sr., Winneconne; Reese Rogowski, Sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Kendal Stingle, Sr., Shiocton; Bella Thomas, Fr., Assumption; Sophie Yetter, Jr., Winneconne.
Contact Brett Christopherson at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @PCBrettC.