To start the 2024 football season, scheduling changes made it a challenge for the 5 AAA/AA football schools in the Black Hills Area to be eligible for annual postseason football awards outside of potential All-State selections.
These challenges brought together the coaches and ADs from the schools of Douglas, Rapid City Central, Rapid City Stevens, Spearfish and Sturgis to create an annual opportunity of postseason recognition for the football players of their respective schools. Starting with the completion of the 2024 football season, those 5 schools will implement an annual process of nominating and voting to determine the 11AAA/AA All-Area Football Offensive and Defensive teams.
Each year there will be 22 players, 11 from offense and 11 from defense, selected to represent the Black Hills Area AAA/AA schools on the All-Area team.
Congratulations to the following athletes on their selection to the first annual 11AAA/AA All-Area Football team for the 2024 season announced 11/24/24:
Offense:
- Quarterback – Carter Williams – Senior – Sturgis Brown Scoopers
- Running back – Hunter Walters – Senior – Spearfish Spartans
- Running back – Sully Jost – Junior – Sturgis Brown Scoopers
- Running back – Weiland Benbo – Junior – Rapid City Central Cobblers
- Wide Receiver – Jack Day – Junior – Rapid City Stevens Raiders
- Tight end – Easton Graff – Junior – Rapid City Central Cobblers
- Offensive Lineman – Elias Gillen – Senior – Rapid City Stevens Raiders
- Offensive Lineman – Layne Bixby – Junior – Rapid City Central Cobblers
- Offensive Lineman – Asher Peil – Junior – Spearfish Spartans
- Offensive Lineman – Layton Loup – Senior – Spearfish Spartans
- Offensive Lineman – Gunner Sarkela – Senior – Sturgis Brown Scoopers
- Honorable Mention – Thomas Hughes – Sophomore – Spearfish Spartans
- Honorable Mention – Ben Paepke – Senior – Rapid City Central
- Honorable Mention – Paiden Sandal – Junior – Douglas Patriots
- Honorable Mention – William Waddell – Senior – Rapid City Stevens Raiders
- Honorable Mention – Teigen Wormstadt – Senior – Sturgis Brown Scoopers
- All-Area Offensive MVP – Elias Gillen – Senior – Rapid City Stevens Raiders
Defense:
- Defensive Lineman – Aaron Morovits – Senior – Sturgis Brown Scoopers
- Defensive Lineman – Cooper Myers – Senior – Rapid City Stevens Raiders
- Defensive Lineman – Aiden Kracht – Senior – Spearfish Spartans
- Defensive Lineman – Lucas Giersberg – Senior – Douglas Patriots
- Linebacker – Kalvin Ketelsen – Senior – Sturgis Brown Scoopers
- Linebacker – Laythan Lucas – Junior – Spearfish Spartans
- Linebacker – Kaelem Brooks – Senior – Rapid City Stevens Raiders
- Defensive Back – Dylon Doren – Senior – Spearfish Spartans
- Defensive Back – Karsen Seyer – Sophomore – Spearfish Spartans
- Defensive Back – Luke Hanzlik – Senior – Rapid City Stevens Raiders
- Defensive Back – Jadon Blair – Senior – Sturgis Brown Scoopers
- Honorable Mention – Chevi Leslie – Senior – Rapid City Central Cobblers
- Honorable Mention – Austin Pigman – Senior – Rapid City Stevens Raiders
- Honorable Mention – Evan Wilson – Senior – Spearfish Spartans
- Honorable Mention – Brodie Slancauskas – Sophomore – Douglas Patriots
- All-Area Defensive MVP – Kalvin Ketelsen – Senior – Sturgis Brown Scoopers