80°FOOTBALL: Area players garner district honors
12:56 AM
Nov 20
2009
Nov 20
2009
For the fifth time in 10 years, the Northwest District Offensive Player of the Year in Division III came from Bellevue as senior quarterback Curt Watson was named this year’s recipient Thursday when the all-district teams for all divisions were released.
Watson completed 151-of-268 passes for 2,423 yards and 17 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 2009. Although the Redmen finished 5-5, district voters could not overlook Watson after he added 416 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing.
Over the past two seasons, Watson threw for 4,997 yards and 42 touchdowns to just 14 interceptions with a 58 percent completion rate. He shared the award this season with Defiance running back Aaron Swanson (1,583 yards, 20 touchdowns).
“He’s had a great three years for us,” Bellevue coach Ed Nasonti said. “He’s a great kid on and off the field and has worked very hard to achieve this success.”
Also in Division III, Perkins defensive end Nico Caponi — the 2009 Sandusky Bay Conference Most Outstanding Performer — was named the district Lineman of the Year after making 76 tackles and five sacks along with eight tackles for loss.
In Division VI, St. Paul senior right tackle Alex Simon was named the Lineman of the Year, as he helped anchor a Flyer line for an offense that averaged 409 yards and 48 points while going 10-0 in the regular season.
Simon shared the award with Bucyrus Wynford’s Teven Eatman. The Flyers and Royals play Saturday with a trip to the state semifinals at stake.
St. Paul coach John Livengood was named Coach of the Year — with Fremont St. Joseph’s Todd Drusback — after leading the Flyers to a second straight 10-0 season despite losing last year’s All-Ohio Player of the Year Eric Schwieterman for five games and running back Brian Griffin for almost three weeks.
Watson joined former Bellevue players Pete Lepley (WR, 2000), Jeff Polley (QB, 2001), Greg Keys (RB, 2004) and Derrick Berberick (RB, 2006) as the top offensive players in the district this decade. Russ Kuhns also won the award in 1997 for Bellevue as a running back.
“We always preach individual recognition comes through team success,” Nasonti said. “We’ve had some players that have had some excellent years on some outstanding teams. We feel we have a proud football tradition at Bellevue, and are always proud of our kids that achieve postseason honors.”
Below is a look at area players recognized in the district:
Sandusky seniors Daquez Davis and Eddie Wimbley were first-team selections on the offensive and defensive lines, respectively. Davis was a first-team Greater Buckeye Conference selection in 2008 and ’09, while Wimbley was named the GBC Defensive Player of the Year after making 59 tackles (12 for loss) and three sacks this season.
Also for Sandusky, Devin Jenkins was an honorable-mention selection after making 62 tackles and seven sacks, and Norwalk’s Dustin Crabtree was an honorable-mention pick as well. Crabtree ran for 672 yards and eight touchdowns while throwing for 515 yards and four touchdowns in just six games after replacing Tyson Ringle at quarterback after a season-ending injury in Week 3.
Other area first-team selections besides Watson and Caponi included Perkins senior offensive lineman Adam Ferbeck, Clyde senior offensive lineman David Weisz, Perkins senior linebacker Nathan Mawhirter (73 tackles, 1 interception), Pirate senior defensive back Kyle Finn (46 tackles, three sacks, seven pass breakups) and Clyde junior kicker Jordan Colson (30-of-31 PATs, 7-of-10 FGs).
Second-team selections included Perkins quarterback Spencer Bryant (86-of-135, 1,318 yards, 16 TDs), Bellevue sophomore reciever Miles Foos (52 catches, 977 yards, 7 TDs), Oak Harbor junior receiver Zach Priesman (33 catches, 351 yards, 6 TDs), Clyde senior tight end Kyle Smetzler (17 catches, 284 yards, 3 TDs), Clyde senior running back Kade Kramer (200 carries, 1,083 yards, 9 TDs), Oak Harbor senior linebacker Mike Mallernee (85 tackles, 2 sacks) and Willard senior defensive back Eric Devlin (89 tackles, 3 INTs).
Bellevue offensive lineman Shawn Zieber and Oak Harbor offensive lineman Zach Sandwisch also were named second team. Clyde defensive linemen Gage Goble and Alex Ellenberger, Willard linebacker Anderson Showman and Oak Harbor junior safety Davey Burkett were all honorable-mention selections.
Five area players were named first team, led by Edison senior fullback Dylan Howard (1,032 yards, 14 TDs) and Port Clinton senior receiver Allen Tigner (62 catches, 752 yards, 3 TDs).
Three of Howard’s Edison teammates also were first team, including senior defensive lineman Kyle Cory (64 tackles, 6 sacks), senior offensive lineman Josh Gebelle and junior linebacker Kyle Matula (149 tackles, 4 INTs).
Second-team selections included Huron running back Derek Dowell (1,011 yards, 15 TDs) and Tiger defensive lineman Zach Grieves (76 tackles, 5 sacks), along with Edison defensive back Ryan Tiura (38 tackles, 4 INTs).
Making the honorable-mention team was Huron’s Jake Hillman at receiver and defensive back, along with teammates Mason Krebs (DL), Jerod Blakely (DB) and Brian Bollenbacher (P). Edison quarterback Zach Yovanov and offensive lineman Bob Deehr also were named honorable mention.
The only first-team selection belonged to Margaretta defensive back Devin Jones, who made 61 tackles and had six interceptions for the Polar Bears as a junior.
Making honorable mention were Western Reserve running back Blake Buckhannon and quarterback Brett Pickens, as well as Margaretta linebacker Bryce Fredrick and New London receiver Clayton LaFleur.
St. Paul dominated the first team with seven selections, including Simon on the offensive line and running back Brian Griffin, who picked up 1,058 yards and 19 touchdowns in just eight games.
After filling in at quarterback and completing 24-of-46 passes for 460 yards and seven touchdowns, senior Dan Tracht returned to receiver and was named first team after catching 25 passes for 471 yards and six touchdowns in five games at the position.
Despite appearing in just five games at quarterback and sitting out the second half in four of those games because of large margins, senior Eric Schwieterman was named first team after completing 44-of-58 passes for 697 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions.
Schwieterman was named the district and All-Ohio Player of the Year in 2008, but broke his thumb in August and missed five weeks of action at the quarterback position.
Defensively for St. Paul, defensive lineman Joel Boose was first team with 63 tackles and eight sacks while Justin Wilde was a defensive back selection with five interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
Jim Roth was named first team punter for the Flyers, booting 16 punts for a 35.1 average.
Offensive lineman Darren Hainline was a second-team selection for the Flyers, while Monroeville’s Jeremy Krill (77 tackles, 2 sacks) and Justin Jones (23 punts, 33.8 average) also were second team at defensive line and punter, respectively.
St. Mary Central Catholic’s Zeb Kromer also was a second-team selection at linebacker with 89 tackles, three sacks, seven forced fumbles, 15 tackles for loss and two interceptions in nine games.
Six Monroeville players rounded out the area’s honorable-mention list, including Ryan Stower (WR), Dakota Schwan (OL), Brian Ringholz (QB), Justin Sparks (DL), Sam Schwab (DL) and Eric Leber (LB).
Watson completed 151-of-268 passes for 2,423 yards and 17 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 2009. Although the Redmen finished 5-5, district voters could not overlook Watson after he added 416 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing.
Over the past two seasons, Watson threw for 4,997 yards and 42 touchdowns to just 14 interceptions with a 58 percent completion rate. He shared the award this season with Defiance running back Aaron Swanson (1,583 yards, 20 touchdowns).
“He’s had a great three years for us,” Bellevue coach Ed Nasonti said. “He’s a great kid on and off the field and has worked very hard to achieve this success.”
Also in Division III, Perkins defensive end Nico Caponi — the 2009 Sandusky Bay Conference Most Outstanding Performer — was named the district Lineman of the Year after making 76 tackles and five sacks along with eight tackles for loss.
In Division VI, St. Paul senior right tackle Alex Simon was named the Lineman of the Year, as he helped anchor a Flyer line for an offense that averaged 409 yards and 48 points while going 10-0 in the regular season.
Simon shared the award with Bucyrus Wynford’s Teven Eatman. The Flyers and Royals play Saturday with a trip to the state semifinals at stake.
St. Paul coach John Livengood was named Coach of the Year — with Fremont St. Joseph’s Todd Drusback — after leading the Flyers to a second straight 10-0 season despite losing last year’s All-Ohio Player of the Year Eric Schwieterman for five games and running back Brian Griffin for almost three weeks.
Watson joined former Bellevue players Pete Lepley (WR, 2000), Jeff Polley (QB, 2001), Greg Keys (RB, 2004) and Derrick Berberick (RB, 2006) as the top offensive players in the district this decade. Russ Kuhns also won the award in 1997 for Bellevue as a running back.
“We always preach individual recognition comes through team success,” Nasonti said. “We’ve had some players that have had some excellent years on some outstanding teams. We feel we have a proud football tradition at Bellevue, and are always proud of our kids that achieve postseason honors.”
Below is a look at area players recognized in the district:
Division II
Sandusky seniors Daquez Davis and Eddie Wimbley were first-team selections on the offensive and defensive lines, respectively. Davis was a first-team Greater Buckeye Conference selection in 2008 and ’09, while Wimbley was named the GBC Defensive Player of the Year after making 59 tackles (12 for loss) and three sacks this season.
Also for Sandusky, Devin Jenkins was an honorable-mention selection after making 62 tackles and seven sacks, and Norwalk’s Dustin Crabtree was an honorable-mention pick as well. Crabtree ran for 672 yards and eight touchdowns while throwing for 515 yards and four touchdowns in just six games after replacing Tyson Ringle at quarterback after a season-ending injury in Week 3.
Division III
Other area first-team selections besides Watson and Caponi included Perkins senior offensive lineman Adam Ferbeck, Clyde senior offensive lineman David Weisz, Perkins senior linebacker Nathan Mawhirter (73 tackles, 1 interception), Pirate senior defensive back Kyle Finn (46 tackles, three sacks, seven pass breakups) and Clyde junior kicker Jordan Colson (30-of-31 PATs, 7-of-10 FGs).
Second-team selections included Perkins quarterback Spencer Bryant (86-of-135, 1,318 yards, 16 TDs), Bellevue sophomore reciever Miles Foos (52 catches, 977 yards, 7 TDs), Oak Harbor junior receiver Zach Priesman (33 catches, 351 yards, 6 TDs), Clyde senior tight end Kyle Smetzler (17 catches, 284 yards, 3 TDs), Clyde senior running back Kade Kramer (200 carries, 1,083 yards, 9 TDs), Oak Harbor senior linebacker Mike Mallernee (85 tackles, 2 sacks) and Willard senior defensive back Eric Devlin (89 tackles, 3 INTs).
Bellevue offensive lineman Shawn Zieber and Oak Harbor offensive lineman Zach Sandwisch also were named second team. Clyde defensive linemen Gage Goble and Alex Ellenberger, Willard linebacker Anderson Showman and Oak Harbor junior safety Davey Burkett were all honorable-mention selections.
Division IV
Five area players were named first team, led by Edison senior fullback Dylan Howard (1,032 yards, 14 TDs) and Port Clinton senior receiver Allen Tigner (62 catches, 752 yards, 3 TDs).
Three of Howard’s Edison teammates also were first team, including senior defensive lineman Kyle Cory (64 tackles, 6 sacks), senior offensive lineman Josh Gebelle and junior linebacker Kyle Matula (149 tackles, 4 INTs).
Second-team selections included Huron running back Derek Dowell (1,011 yards, 15 TDs) and Tiger defensive lineman Zach Grieves (76 tackles, 5 sacks), along with Edison defensive back Ryan Tiura (38 tackles, 4 INTs).
Making the honorable-mention team was Huron’s Jake Hillman at receiver and defensive back, along with teammates Mason Krebs (DL), Jerod Blakely (DB) and Brian Bollenbacher (P). Edison quarterback Zach Yovanov and offensive lineman Bob Deehr also were named honorable mention.
Division V
The only first-team selection belonged to Margaretta defensive back Devin Jones, who made 61 tackles and had six interceptions for the Polar Bears as a junior.
Making honorable mention were Western Reserve running back Blake Buckhannon and quarterback Brett Pickens, as well as Margaretta linebacker Bryce Fredrick and New London receiver Clayton LaFleur.
Division VI
St. Paul dominated the first team with seven selections, including Simon on the offensive line and running back Brian Griffin, who picked up 1,058 yards and 19 touchdowns in just eight games.
After filling in at quarterback and completing 24-of-46 passes for 460 yards and seven touchdowns, senior Dan Tracht returned to receiver and was named first team after catching 25 passes for 471 yards and six touchdowns in five games at the position.
Despite appearing in just five games at quarterback and sitting out the second half in four of those games because of large margins, senior Eric Schwieterman was named first team after completing 44-of-58 passes for 697 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions.
Schwieterman was named the district and All-Ohio Player of the Year in 2008, but broke his thumb in August and missed five weeks of action at the quarterback position.
Defensively for St. Paul, defensive lineman Joel Boose was first team with 63 tackles and eight sacks while Justin Wilde was a defensive back selection with five interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
Jim Roth was named first team punter for the Flyers, booting 16 punts for a 35.1 average.
Offensive lineman Darren Hainline was a second-team selection for the Flyers, while Monroeville’s Jeremy Krill (77 tackles, 2 sacks) and Justin Jones (23 punts, 33.8 average) also were second team at defensive line and punter, respectively.
St. Mary Central Catholic’s Zeb Kromer also was a second-team selection at linebacker with 89 tackles, three sacks, seven forced fumbles, 15 tackles for loss and two interceptions in nine games.
Six Monroeville players rounded out the area’s honorable-mention list, including Ryan Stower (WR), Dakota Schwan (OL), Brian Ringholz (QB), Justin Sparks (DL), Sam Schwab (DL) and Eric Leber (LB).
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