At the beginning of the season, I predicted speedy playmakers would dominate the area high school football scene. That proved true as four players -- Thunder Ridge's Joel Struckhoff, Osborne's Damon Schurr, Smith Center's Truitt Kuhlmann and Bird City-Cheylin's Jeremiah White -- each exceeded 2,000 rushing yards. From 2007-10, the area had one 2,000-yard rusher. The quartet played on teams that won at least eight games, and Struckhoff helped the Longhorns finish 13-0 and win the Eight-Man, Division II championship. However, the area also produced its share of highlight reel plays, top performances, surprises, great coaching moves and sadly -- several key injuries. Here is my second annual awards from the high school football season:

Best Player: Joel Struckhoff, Thunder Ridge. While Schurr, Kuhlmann, Thunder Ridge senior lineman Dakota Foreman and several others were in the running, no one affected the game in all three phases like Struckhoff, eight-man's all-time leader in career rushing yards and touchdowns. This year, he exceeded 100 yards in every game and finished with 238 carries for 2,314 rushing yards and 43 rushing touchdowns. He also recorded 111 tackles, two interceptions, four fumble recoveries, 26 passes defended, averaged 34.7 yards per punt and had 38 touchbacks as Thunder Ridge's kicker. (Note: The HDN will vote on a Super 11 team, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year later this week. Those awards will appear in mid-December).

Best Offensive Game: Dylan Wissman, Otis-Bison. Since his freshman year, Wissman always has impressed with his speed, intelligence and stiff arm. However, he played sparingly in the middle of the 2011 season because of a concussion and several blowout wins. But he was healthy in the first round of the playoffs in a 68-20 win against Moscow. In one half, Wissman rushed 16 times for 314 yards and five touchdowns.

Best Defensive Game: Multiple candidates for this award, but Foreman delivered a terrific performance in the state championship win against Baileyville-B&B. He had 15 tackles, 21âÑ2 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry that forced an interception.

Best Special Teams Game: Damon Schurr/Mike Schellinger, Osborne. In a Week 9 60-14 victory against Quinter that sealed the district title, Schellinger, a lineman, blocked a punt and Schurr had a 23-yard punt return.

As well, Osborne delivered a short kickoff and the ball bounced past Quinter senior Logan Reed. Schurr, an all-state sprinter, surprised nearly everyone when he sprinted past Reed and fell on the ball.

Best Turnaround: Plainville joined 2010 Cheylin, 2010 Osborne, 2009 Otis-Bison, 2008 Quinter and 2006 Sharon Springs as area teams that had massive one-season turnarounds. Plainville, under third-year coach Joe Simon, went from 3-6 to 10-2 and the Class 2-1A sub-state title game.

Best In-Season Turnaround: Ellis started out 0-4 with four blowout losses and had problems with turnovers. But the Railers scrapped their usual pro-style offense, went to the spread and pulled off five straight wins. Ellis lost 35-34 in the final seconds to Johnson-Stanton County in the first round of the Class 2-1A playoffs. Plenty of credit to the coaching staff led by head coach Butch Hayes and senior quarterback Riley Hunsicker, who paced the area with 291 yards of total offense per game and accounted for 34 scores.

Best Play: Outside of the famous Boise State-Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl, I have never seen an ending like the Class 2-1A championship game, a 20-14 overtime win by Centralia against La Crosse. The biggest play was the Leopards' 80-yard halfback pass from senior wideout Austin Webs to junior wideout Clayton Basgall in the final minute. It could have set up the game-winning score, but the Leopards eventually fumbled at the 1-yard line.

Best Play II: Thunder Ridge trailed Ashland 28-24 in the final minute of the second round of the Eight-Man, Division II playoffs. The Longhorns had fourth down at the Ashland 2-yard line and called an isolation play -- their bread and butter -- for Struckhoff. Ashland senior Chance Stebens nearly tackled Struckhoff in the backfield, but Struckhoff broke free and scored in an eventual 32-28 victory.

Best Game: Many opportunities to chose from, but Thunder Ridge vs. Ashland is the pick. A great back-and-forth contest that featured two teams that could have won the state championship. The game came down to the final seconds when Ashland fumbled deep inside Thunder Ridge territory.