Meet the News-Leader's 2022 All-Ozarks high school football teams

For the first time since the 2016 season, the Springfield News-Leader is bringing back its All-Ozarks football team as we honor the best high school athletes from across southwest Missouri.

In addition to our Dominant Dozen, in which we name the 12 most impactful football players of the season, we're giving you our choices for who the top players in the region were at each position regardless of class and conference.

The News-Leader is announcing a first and a second team along with honorable mention selections. Athletes were chosen by News-Leader observations, conversations with coaches and others, observing highlight films and weekly statistics, the player's team's strength of schedule and seeing the impact each player had on their teams throughout the season.

Here are the News-Leader All-Ozarks football teams for the 2022 season.

First Team All-Ozarks

QB - Cole Feuerbacher, Glendale, Sr.

The state's second-leading passer, there wasn't a more talented quarterback than Glendale's Feuerbacher. He threw for just under 3,000 yards with 30 touchdowns. He also rushed for just over 1,000 yards with six scores.

ATH - Bear Shore, Camdenton, Sr.

There weren't many who made a bigger leap this year than Shore at Camdenton. He helped lead the Lakers to an Ozark Conference title by throwing for 2,014 yards and 24 touchdowns along with 711 yards on the ground and 15 rushing touchdowns.

ATH - Wil Carlton, Marionville, Sr.

Carlton has been one of the best small-school players in the state for the last three seasons. He ended his career by throwing for 1,544 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 1,272 yards and 27 scores.

RB - Ramone Green II, Nixa, Sr.

The area's leading rusher exploded this year after sitting out the majority of the 2021 season with a collarbone injury. He went off for 2,223 yards and 32 scores on the ground and re-established himself as one of the area's best if he wasn't the best.

RB - Luke Gall, Carthage, Sr.

The best all-around player in the Ozarks was a threat to score every time he touched the ball. Carthage's senior star went off for 2,000 yards on the ground to go along with 40 touchdowns on 246 carries — that's 16.2% of his touches out of the backfield.

RB - Cade Muscia, Lebanon, Sr.

Muscia was the star running back for one of the best rushing attacks in MSHSAA history. He had 2,016 yards on the ground to go along with 30 touchdowns for an offense that finished as the No. 5 rushing offense the state has ever seen.

WR - Isaiah Green, Neosho, Sr.

Neosho's offense exploded this year and Green was the reason for the group's resurgence. He was the state's leading receiver with 1,473 yards and 17 touchdowns on 112 receptions. He was a big-play threat down the field and was incredibly impressive in one of the state's best conferences.

WR - Wyatt Andrews, Glendale, Sr.

Even when defenses knew where the ball was going, it didn't slow down Andrews who caught 109 passes for 1,389 yards and 14 touchdowns. His connection with Feuerbacher was special as he proved to be one of the best route runners we've seen in the area over the last few years.

WR - James Dowdy, Reeds Spring, Jr.

Dowdy turned into the most explosive wide receiver in southwest Missouri by averaging 25.4 yards per catch and by being one of just three players to finish the year with more than 1,000 yards receiving. His seven-catch, 223-yard performance with two receiving touchdowns, a kickoff return for a touchdown and an interception defensively in the state semifinals will be something Reeds Spring football fans will talk about for a long time.

TE - Watson Hafer, West Plains, Sr.

As far as tight-end prospects in the area, there might not be one better than Hafer. He's a big-bodied receiver who you just have to throw it up to. He caught 39 passes this season for 500 yards and four scores.

OL - Talan Chandler, Nevada, Jr.

Chandler showed that he might be the best offensive lineman in the Ozarks throughout his debut season with the Tigers. He led one of the area's best ground attacks as someone his plethora of ball carriers could just run behind.

OL - Garrett Davidson, Nixa, Sr.

Anchoring Nixa's offensive line was a dominant center who helped give the Eagles one of the best rush offenses in the state. Davidson is a strong 5-foot-11, 260-pound monster who you don't want running at you in the open field.

OL - Dontrell Holt, Joplin, Jr.

Holt continued to be a dominant force on the Eagles' offensive line as a 6-foot-5, 290-pounder who did an excellent job at protecting more of a pocket passer this season compared to years past. He's going to make a college really happy when he commits to whatever big-time college he chooses.

OL - Ryan Davis, Lamar, Sr.

The best offensive lineman in an offense that finished the year with 4,598 yards on the ground, this senior has been one of the Ozarks' best over the last few years. The Tigers had the 14th-best ground attack in the state's history and it's because a lot of the ground game came behind Davis.

OL - Drew Musche, Carthage, Sr.

The Tigers continued to have one of the better offensive lines in the area and Musche was the standout of the unit. He's a 5-foot-11, 215-pounder who took a step up from being a third-team all-conference player last season.

DL - Caden Wiest, Reeds Spring, Sr.

The ball was rarely run Wiest's way and when teams did, he usually made them pay. He finished the year with over 100 tackles and was among the area's leaders with 6.5 sacks this season. He's a physically gifted player and someone who left an incredible legacy wearing a Reeds Spring uniform.

DL, Andrew Link, Kickapoo, Sr.

One of the best overall players in the area, the Missouri State commit finished the year with nine sacks on a defense that was one of the best in the state. Defenses frequently ran away and put multiple players on him every play. He made an impact on every down whether he was making the play or not.

DL - Micah Lindsey, Carthage, Sr.

Lindsey has been one of the state's best defensive linemen for several seasons and it wasn't different this year. He finished with 94 total tackles and six sacks to continue the Tigers' reign as one of the area's best defenses.

DL - Eben Crain, Reeds Spring, Sr.

Crain was one of the area's breakout players on the defensive line while finishing the year among the area's tackle leaders. He was named the Big 8 East's defensive player of the year in a conference that saw many great defensive linemen. He was dominant against the run the entire season on one of the elite defenses in the Ozarks.

LB - Luke Gall, Carthage, Sr.

Also one of the best on the defensive end, Gall is an All-Ozarks selection on both sides of the ball. He finished the year with 106 total tackles with 59 being solo. His sideline-to-sideline speed limited offenses all year.

LB - Draven VanGilder, Joplin, Sr.

VanGilder continued to be one of the more feared linebackers in the area in 2022 as he finished among the area's leading tacklers. He had 130 total with 86 of them coming all by himself. His toughness has always stood out and he's a sure tackler in the open field.

LB - Lincoln Renfro, Seneca, Sr.

The best player on Seneca's dominant defense, Renfro was the leader of one of the best teams in the area. He had 82 total tackles with 40 coming by himself on a defense that held teams to 21 points or fewer in nine of the team's 13 games.

DB - Samias Pickett, Kickapoo, Sr.

Leading the best secondary in the Ozarks, Pickett proved once again to be the corner that you don't want to throw at. He only had one interception this season but that was thanks in large part to teams not throwing at his side of the field. The Chiefs didn't allow a single touchdown through the air this season.

DB - Spencer Ward, Nixa, Jr.

There might not be a faster player in the Ozarks than Nixa's Ward who has established himself as one of the area's elite players. He led the area in tackles with 151 total and an incredible 114 being recorded as a solo. Division I attention should be in his present and future.

DB - Tracen Cobb, Reeds Spring, Sr.

Reeds Spring had a special secondary and Cobb was among its leaders. He came down with four interceptions this season in a defense that allowed a little over 100 yards through the air per game. His work in the Wolves' defense this year was critical to finishing as the Class 3 runners-up.

DB - Austin Wilkerson, Lamar, Sr.

There hasn't been a better small-school player on the defensive side of the ball than Wilkerson in recent years and he continued to be among the best players in the Ozarks this season. He led one of the best defenses in the state in tackles with 109 and continued to be a lockdown defensive back for the Class 2 runner-up.

K - Kaleb James, Nixa, Sr.

There wasn't a kicker in the area quite at James' level this season. He booted 76 total touchbacks and was 70-for-71 on his PAT attempts. His furthest field goal this season came from 36 yards out and he finished the season as one of the state's leading scorers. He should get some college attention.

Second Team All-Ozarks

Offense

• QB - Blandy Burall, Reeds Spring, Jr.

• ATH - Wyatt Woods, Republic, Jr.

• ATH - Joel Beshore, Lamar, Sr.

• RB - Jared Siler, Neosho, Sr.

• RB - Jackson Marrs, Seneca, Jr.

• RB - Avious Steadman, Nevada, Sr.

• WR - Kam Durnin, Camdenton, Sr.

• WR - Heston Miller, West Plains, Sr.

• WR - Drew Ripko, Mountain View, Sr.

• TE - Caden Wiest, Reeds Spring, Sr.

• OL - Eben Crain, Reeds Spring, Sr.

• OL - Jose Juarez, Lamar, Jr.

• OL - Carter Nation, Republic, Jr.

• OL - Hunter Means, Mountain Grove, Sr.

• OL - Gabe Norton, Camdenton, Sr.

Defense

• DL - Jayden Antonelli, Nixa, Jr.

• DL - Case Sanderson, Nevada, Sr.

• DL - Trevor Wilson, Central, So.

• DL - Lucas Ott, Webb City, Sr.

• LB - Adam Lewis, Reeds Spring, Sr.

• LB - Gage Depee, Ozark, Jr.

• LB - Hugh Eaton, Marionville, Jr.

• DB - Addison Abshire, Reeds Spring, Sr.

• DB - Jackson Marrs, Seneca, Jr.

• DB - Davion King, Carthage, Sr.

• DB - Matt Jones, Kickapoo, Sr.

Special Teams

• K - Kam Durnin, Camdenton, Sr.

Honorable Mention

• Prestin Ames, Strafford, So.

• Nathan Bartel, Lebanon, Sr.

• Peyton Blecha, Kickapoo, Sr.

• Kael Combs, Nixa, Sr.

• Sam Daugherty, Fair Grove, Jr.

• Tyson Elliott, Mountain Grove, Sr.

• Rolly Fisher, Forsyth, So.

• Kolby Ghan, Marionville, Sr.

• Jax Glendenning, Lebanon, So.

• Elliott Goings, Strafford, Sr.

• Aaron Gross, Forsyth, Sr.

• Gavyn Hoover, Seneca, Jr.

• Cooper Jadwin, Carthage, Sr.

• Dakota James, Houston, Sr.

• Connor Knatcal, Nixa, Sr.

• Kellen Lindstrom, Glendale, Jr.

• Carter Mahen, Ava, Sr.

• Roberto Mayorga, Marionville, Sr.

• Tae'Sean McShane, Central, Sr.

• Brock Mooneyham, Ash Grove, Sr.

• Hudson Moore, Carthage, Sr.

• Clayten O'Hara, Pierce City, Sr.

• Carter Pruett, Mountain View, Jr.

• AK Rael, Strafford, Sr.

• Quin Renfro, Joplin, Jr.

• Trustin Richards, Rolla, So.

• Dalton Russell, Marionville, Jr.

• Connor Sandridge, Republic, Sr.

• Brett Schwanke, Buffalo, Sr.

• Gavin Smith, Lebanon, Jr.

• Zack Strahan, Forsyth, Sr.

• Davin Thomas, Joplin, So.

• Jordan Tyler, Nixa, Sr.

• Drew Vaughan, Mountain Grove, Sr.

• Jerrett Walls, Forsyth, So.

• Paxton Wehner, Kickapoo, Jr.

• Drelando Wells, Central, Sr.

• Ricky Woodhouse, Skyline, Sr.

• Blane Young, Marionville, Sr.

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or Twitter at @WyattWheeler_NL. He's also the co-host of Sports Talk on Jock Radio weekdays from 4-6 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: News-Leader 2022 high school football postseason teams