FOOTBALL: Four Flyers named first-team All-Ohio

All four state finalists had individual award winners on the Associated Press Divisions V and VI All-Ohio teams announced Wednesday.

Youngstown Ursuline and Coldwater in Division V and St. Paul and Delphos St. John’s in VI had a winner. Ursuline and Coldwater (13-1) will play for the championship at 3 p.m. Friday at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium, while the Flyers (14-0) and Blue Jays (14-0) will do battle at 3 p.m. Saturday at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

The Flyers are represented by seven players and their coach — John Livengood — who was named Coach of the Year along with Dalton’s Bob Ramsay.

Despite losing the state’s top offensive player from a year ago — quarterback Eric Schwieterman — for half the regular season because of a broken thumb, as well as losing starting running back Brian Griffin for two games, Livengood guided the Flyers to their second consecutive 10-0 regular season.

A first-time recipient of the award, Livengood is 180-49 in 19 seasons entering Saturday’s game.

Offensively, Brian Griffin (1,058 yards, 19 TDs), Dan Tracht (25 catches, 471 yards, 6 TDs) and right tackle Alex Simon were all named first team.

Defensively, Justin Wilde (5 INTs, 11 pass breakups) was first team at defensive back, while Joel Boose (63 tackles, 8 sacks) was named second team defensive line.

At punter, the Flyers’ Jim Roth (32.1 average) was named third team.

One year removed from being named the top player, Schwieterman (44 of 58, 697 yards, 10 TDs, 0 INTs) was named special mention for St. Paul after playing in just five regular season games because of the broken thumb.

In Division V, Margaretta’s Devin Jones (61 tackles, 6 INTs) was named second team at defensive back as the lone area selection in the division.

The Division VI Offensive Players of the Year are Ada’s Heath Jackson and Bucyrus Wynford’s Tyler Brause, while Chris Pohlman of St. John’s was named the division’s Defensive Player of the Year.

The Division V Offensive Players of the Year are Coldwater’s Keith Wenning, West Lafayette Ridgewood’s Jake Conrad, Justin Buenger of Hamler Patrick Henry and Ursuline’s Allen Jones.

The division’s Defensive Players of the Year are Richwood North Union’s Warren Shields, Brett Pasche of Findlay Liberty-Benton and Liberty Center’s Alan Sharp.