Four Illinois prep football standouts receive first-team all-state honors from coaches association

QUINCY — A quarterback who helped his team make history, a linebacker who tackled everything in sight and a pair of all-purpose performers who have pushed their team into the state semifinals share one thing in common.

They have been named first-team all-staters.

The Illinois High School Football Coaches Association released its all-state teams Tuesday with Quincy High School junior quarterback Bradyn Little, Quincy Notre Dame junior linebacker Taylin Scott, and Camp Point Central junior running back/linebacker Elijah Genenbacher and senior running back/defensive back Drew Paben picking up honors in their respective classes.

Unity-Payson junior lineman Brady Muegge was an honorable mention all-state selection.

Little helped the Blue Devils reach the Class 7A state quarterfinals for the first time in program history, along with guiding them to an 11-1 record and the first undefeated regular season since 1935. QHS also went 6-0 in winning the Western Big 6 Conference championship.

Named the MVP of the WB6, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Little completed 230 of 321 passes for 3,422 yards with 45 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He established new single-season records for completions, yards and touchdowns, while breaking all the career records as well.

Scott, a 6-foot, 200-pound middle linebacker, racked up tackles sideline-to-sideline as the Raiders reached the second round of the Class 2A playoffs. He finished with 181 total tackles, including 95 solo stops, to go with 31 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, two sacks and two interceptions.

He blocked one punt that was returned for a touchdown and blocked an extra-point kick.

Genenbacher has been a force on both sides of the ball for the Panthers in their 12-0 season and spot in Saturday’s Class 1A state semifinals against Greenfield-Northwestern. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound junior has rushed for 794 yards and a team-leading 20 touchdowns, while leading the defense with 95 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one interception.

Paben has been an offensive dynamo. The 5-foot-9, 145-pound senior has rushed for 1,015 yards, averaging 12.5 yards per carry with 15 touchdowns, while catching 10 passes for 232 yards and one touchdown. He’s also completed three passes. Defensively, he has 27 tackles, three interceptions and one forced fumble.

Muegge had 65 tackles with 14 tackles for loss, five sacks and three forced fumbles as the Mustangs won six games and reached the Class 2A playoffs.