Vote now for the High School On SI Iowa Class 4A high school football regular season player of the year.

Five nominees have been narrowed down from hundreds of worthy candidates for this honor. Along with taking into consideration individual statistics, the High School On SI committee factored in the win-loss record and the importance to the team that each player represented.

Voting will conclude on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT. Winners will be revealed once voting has wrapped up.

There will be a separate vote for the player of the year in each class that includes playoff performance and factors in the regular season.

Here are the five nominees for the High School On SI Iowa Class 4A Player of the Year.

Ethan Carpenter, Clinton, Senior, Running Back/Linebacker

Carpenter seldom came off the field for the River Kings this year. The senior carried the ball 221 times for 1,388 yards, scoring 20 touchdowns. He had seven receptions for 79 yards, scoring two more touchdowns. On defense, Carpenter tallied 32.5 tackles, with 5.5 for loss and had a pick-6.

In his final game, Carpenter ran for 211 yards and two touchdowns, helping Clinton secure a 43-6 victory.

Texton Bollers, Clear Creek Amana, Junior, Quarterback

Bollers put on a clinic this fall for the Clippers. He completed 59 percent of his passes for 1,821 yards and 17 touchdowns. His yardage total led all of Class 4A, as he added 343 yards rushing and six more scores.

In a tough loss to defending state champion Cedar Rapids Xavier, Bollers threw for 206 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Cash Parks, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Senior, Quarterback

Parks, who has committed to Bemidji State, once again has the Saints on the short list of contenders. Unbeaten, Parks has thrown for 1,092 yards and 11 touchdowns, completing 66 percent of his passes. He has another 235 yards rushing and eight scores while even catching a touchdown pass.

Parks went 5-for-8 passing for 110 yards, with three of those completions going for touchdowns in a Homecoming win over Williamsburg.

Jayden Stephens, Waverly-Shell Rock, Junior, Wide Receiver/Defensive Back

One of the top prospects in the state, Stephens has led the Go-Hawks on both sides of the football. He has 45 receptions for 835 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging almost 19 yards per catch. On defense, Stephens has 27.5 tackles with five interceptions, including a touchdown.

In a big win over playoff qualifier Algona, Stephens had three receptions for 102 yards, with two of those reaching the end zone.

Justin Ehlers, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Junior, Quarterback/Defensive Back

It would be tough to have had a better regular season than Ehlers, as the junior completed 60 of 92 for 1,112 yards and 14 touchdowns without an interception. He had a quarterback rating of 217, adding 348 yards on the ground and five more scores.

Ehlers also had two interceptions on the defensive side of the ball. In a win over Lewis Central, he completed 7 of 10 for 151 yards, adding 50 rushing yards and a TD.