Photo illustration by Travis Rosenau Springfield quarterback Parker Kuehn was named the 2025 All-Journal Offensive Football Player of the Year on Friday as voted on by The Journal’s sports staff.

SPRINGFIELD — Leading what was once again the area’s top scoring football team this season, Springfield Tigers junior quarterback Parker Kuehn wasn’t a new face when it came to his offense or opposing defenses.

But his role did change a bit in Year 2 as the Tigers’ main man under center.

After graduating the 210-pound, wrecking ball running back Gavin Vanderwerf this past spring, the Tigers had to rely more on their quarterback again this season.

Vanderwerf, last season’s All-Journal Offensive Football Player of the Year, ran for 1,562 yards and 11 touchdowns last season as the Tigers advanced to their third consecutive state championship game, with Kuehn still adapting to his first year as the varsity starting quarterback. Kuehn still showed up in many ways, throwing for 2,411 yards and 32 touchdowns with eight interceptions in 13 games.

This year, the 6-foot-3 QB threw for 2,413 yards, 35 TDs and just six interceptions in 10 games, completing 67% of his passes. With touchdown passes to seven different players throughout the year, Kuehn guided the Tigers to a 9-1 season, a Section 3A runner-up finish and was also chosen by The Journal’s sports staff as this year’s All-Journal Offensive Player of the Year.

“It’s a great honor,” Kuehn said. “I think a lot of good work gets you that and just the team. It’s a team award, basically, and everyone helps me get here. I think my teammates did a great job blocking up front and my receivers did a great job. … Coaches got me into this position in order to get this award, so huge credit to them first off, and then offseason work and all that helps me.”

Without Vanderwerf, the Tigers had to divvy out the handoffs to a few different running backs and saw success on the ground, led by Paytin Johnson’s 991 yards and eight TDs. But ultimately, losing someone with the talent of Vanderwerf left big shoes to fill and more responsibility for the Tigers’ signal caller, even if he won’t take credit for it.

“We had some really good guys step up and fill [Vanderwerf’s] shoes,” Kuehn said. “And I think the game plans every week were just focused on using what we had back there with Paytin, [Colton] Sell, Adiel [Trevino], anyone back there, and just worked out with our pass game.

“I think we did a good job of that. I think we passed more this year, maybe that’s a result of that, but I thought everybody stepped up and did a great job to fill in for Gavin.”

For Kuehn to step in and take more control of the offense this year, confidence was one area he needed to develop.

“I think I just had more confidence going into this year,” Kuehn said. “[Head coach Adam] Meyer, he trusted me more and allowed me to call different protections based off of what I saw, and I think there was a deeper level of trust this year. I just had more faith in myself to go and make plays.”

Kuehn made plenty of plays this year, thanks again to a large supporting cast of more-than-capable receivers. His top target was senior Isaac Fredin, who hauled in 55 catches for 686 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also often found junior Madden Lendt through the air as Lendt had 35 catches for 651 yards and 10 TDs.

“Everybody knew their job and they did it to the best of their ability,” Kuehn said. “The receivers did a great job on their routes, progression reads for me, it was usually always clean being able to see them downfield. And that’s only because the run game was so good thanks to Paytin and Adiel and Aiden [Moriarty] and Sell. Everyone just complimented each other.”

Kuehn also complimented his other senior receiver Kadyn Anderson and junior Braxton Brown for taking another step up this year at his wideout position.

On Oct. 31, the Tigers played in their fourth consecutive Section 3A finals game, meeting Murray County Central in a rematch from Week 2 of the regular season. In that Week 2 matchup, the Tigers rolled to a 33-15 win in Springfield, but the section finals saw MCC flip the script with a 31-20 win to end the Tigers’ state tournament streak.

“They played a great game, but I was obviously sad and a little shocked to see us play like that,” Kuehn said of the section finals game. “But it just adds fuel to the fire for next year. … It just helps us want to get better next year and work towards that goal again.”

Kuehn will be without Fredin and Anderson next season, but he said they left a legacy on the program for the younger players that will inspire them to step up next year even more.

While Kuehn will now get on the basketball court and look to make a run at state there, he already has a vision in his mind for next football season.

“I think we’re gonna have another great team,” he said. “And one that’s capable of going to state and winning a state championship. That’s the goal for us every year, and I don’t think that’s going to change next year. I think we always want to get there and do our best.”