MORAN — For all of Brayden Lawson’s highlights quarterbacking the high-power Marmaton Valley High Wildcats this season, it was almost too easy to forget his dominance on the other side of the ball.
After all, it’s not often a team’s signal-caller also lines up on the defensive line.
He did both with aplomb in 2024, finishing off his storied high school career by earning unanimous first-team All-Three Rivers League honors at both quarterback and defensive line.
It’s also no coincidence Iola Register readers voted Lawson as the Register’s Male Athlete of the Month, selecting him over Iola’s Easton Weseloh (football) and Cole Moyer (cross country) and Humboldt’s Mason Sterling (football).
Humboldt volleyball standout Skylar Hottenstein was voted the Female Athlete of the Month, as the top vote-getter in a four-way race that included Iola’s Kaysin Crusinbery (volleyball), Southern Coffey County’s Karley Ohl (volleyball) and Crest’s Peyton Schmidt (cross country).
Lawson and Hottenstein will each receive a gift certificate for a free specialty pizza from Rookies in Iola. Hottenstein will be featured in a later article.
LAWSON emerged in his freshman year at Marmaton Valley, and promptly took over as the team’s quarterback.
His 2024 season was jaw-dropping in every sense of the word. He threw for 1,700 yards and 30 touchdowns (compared to three interceptions), while rushing for 654 yards and 18 more touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, he led Marmaton Valley with 88 tackles, including eight tackles for loss and 6.5 quarterback sacks. He forced three fumbles, recovered a fumble and even had an interception.
And for all the fun Lawson had on offense, his biggest thrills came on defense.
“I enjoy it. It’s physical and fun, “ he said. “I just take pride to get to go out and hit people.”
The Wildcats wrapped up an 8-2 season with a loss to Frankfort on a cold and drizzly regional night earlier this month, but that did little to douse his appreciation for what the Wildcats did on the field this season.
“Our target going into the season was to go back and win league again,” Lawson said.
The Wildcats did so, going undefeated in TRL play.
“We also wanted to win our district, because we didn’t do that last year,” he continued.
