FINDLAY – The annual Northwest District football awards were released this evening with many locals on the gridiron earning recognition.
Division 2 was headlined locally with a first team selection for Lima Senior junior defensive lineman Anthony Mosley. Defensive back Isaiah Funches-Foster was named second team for the Spartans while teammates Cecil Benton Jr landed on the honorable mention list.
Western Buckeye League gridders were well represented in Division 3 as the list was headlined by Coach of the Year Travis Moyer of Wapakoneta, Lineman of the Year Dylan Giesige of St. Marys, and Myles Aldrich of Shawnee who was tagged as the Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the division.
First team honors went out to Wapakoneta QB Braeden Goulet, St. Marys offensive lineman Stash Patterson and defensive linemen Dylan Giesige of St. Marys, and Shawnee’s Carter Fay.
Linebackers named to the top squad included Defiance’s Alex Hoeffel and St. Marys Tanner Howell along with Shawnee’s Myles Aldrich.
Second team offensive honors were snagged by Shawnee’s Keaton Cooper at end, Dawson Hornish of Defiance and Shandon Sewell of Shawnee on the offensive line, and running back Jace Mullins of Wapakoneta.
St. Marys kicker Brandon Bowers was selected as the second team kicker while Johnny Norris of Shawnee and the Wapakoneta duo of Kaden Siefring and Connor Meckstroth represented the Redskins as linebacking picks. Luke Cowan represented the Indians defense as well as he was picked as a second team defensive back.
Honorable mention honors went out to Ross Henschen, Ryan Meier, Chase Jacobs and Ty Kiehl of St. Marys along with the Defiance Bulldog duo of Dom Tracy and Keagen Villarreal, and Austin Stauffer of Wapakoneta.
Cullen Dunn of Van Wert was named as the Division 4 Lineman of the year and kicked off a host of Cougars on the first team as he was joined by teammates Connor Pratt, Maddix Crutchfield, Nate Jackson, and signal caller Aiden Pratt on the offensive side.
Jayden Irons of Elida was picked by the writers as a second team selection at end and was joined by Van Wert lineman Turner Witten on offense. Defensively Honorable Mention nods went to Van Wert’s Trey Laudick and the Elida duo of Brady Kirk and Gunner Kuhn.
Division 5 saw the Ottawa Glandorf Titans well represented with Lineman of the Year Tyler Leopold leading an offensive group that included wideout Caleb Kuhlman, lineman Cael Hoehn, and punter Landen Jordan. Joining the Titans on the first team list were Liberty Benton linemen Devin Montalbine and Ashton Price, linebacker Toby Collert, and Bath’s Lucas Prichard.
Second team honors went to Liberty Benton end Lincoln Garlock and quarterback Kameron Garlock, and Connor Boyd as well as Cy Rump of Ottawa Glandorf.
Honorable Mention selections went out to OG’s Beau Nienberg, Colin White, and Ian Fenbert as well as RJ Cortez of Bath.
Division 6 was headlined by Columbus Grove record setting kicker Rece Verhoff and Coldwater punter Jesse Meyer who were each tabbed as first team specialists for their division.
First team accolades went out to ends Tyler Schwieterman of Coldwater and Columbus Grove’s Jacksen Schroeder as well as Bulldog lineman Mitch Douglas, running back Colin Metzger and Tinora rusher K.P. Delarber.
Archbold quarterback DJ Newman was named the top signal caller and co-offensive player of the year and joined by defenders Baeden Hancock and Javen Gaines of Tinora alongside linebackers AJ Schafer of Columbus Grove and defensive backs Luke Kaufman (Grove), Jacob Hershberger (Allen East), and Cole Commisso of Tinora.
Coaches David Dominique of Archbold and Kenny Krouse of Tinora were named Coach of the Year alongside Carey’s Jonathan Mershman.
Second team picks included locals Carter Young of Allen East, Aaron Tabler of Bluffton, Tyler Hespe of Tinora, Landyn Whitman of Wayne Trace, and kicker Dylan Camp of Tinora on the offensive side.
Defensively the list featured Fort Recovery’s Logan Homan, Clay Bonnell and Tadd Koch of Columbus Grove, Grady Gustwiller of Tinora, and Race Price of Wayne Trace.
Honorable Mention went to Riley Hiser and Ross Pearson of Fort Recovery, Eddie Nichols from Parkway, Coldwater’s Josh Kaup, Isaac Fullenkamp, Andrew Hicks, and Evan Homan, Jackson Wilson, Nate Schaadt, and Landon Shutler from Bluffton, Lawson Maag and Braylon Baxter of Columbus Grove, and Christian Commisso of Tinora.
Finally the Division 7 team was headlined by quarterback David Homan of New Bremen who was joined on the first team by teammate Nick Alig, Aidan Morris of Pandora Gilboa, and Patrick Henry’s Landon Johnson at the ends spot.
Linemen Brandon Boes of Hopewell Loudon, Dylan Swisher of McComb, St. Henry’s Brandon Keller, Adrian Carillo of Leipsic, USV’s Blaine Castle and LCC’s Jacob Lauck headlined the first team for the offensive line.
Backs Owen Lefeld (St. Henry) and Hayden Welly of Hopewell Loudon were joined by Ka’Von Bailey from McComb who was named to the list with teammate Ashton Bour and kicker Owen Gabel of New Bremen.
Defensive linemen Eli Franks (McComb), Connor Sanders (USV), Matt Bertke (St Henry), Kevin Partington (Marion Local), Brodie Vitt (Hopewell Loudon), Connor Gephart (LCC), Jagger Landers (Antwerp) and Ethan Lammers of Leipsic were joined by linebackers Andrew Swisher from McComb, Darren Meier of Maria Stein Marion Local, Isaac Gaietto from Bascom Hopewell-Loudon, Hayden Wagner of Antwerp, and Wyatt Russell, Pandora Gilboa.
Darren Meier was also named as the Division 7 Defensive Co-Player of the year with USV’s Connor Sanders while McComb’s Eli Franks was selected as Co-Lineman of the Year.
Marion Local defensive back Peyton Otte was joined on the first team Nevin Robson from Hardin Northern, Camden Glaser ofMcComb, Quin Schroeder of Leipsic, and Kaden Recker from Antwerp.
Tim Goodwin, 11-time state champion head coach of Marion Local’s Flyers was named tri-Coach of the Year alongside Bob Olwin of Edon, and Brian Colatruglio representing Hopewell-Loudon.
Second team offensive awards went to Trent Siefker of Leipsic, Sherron Jones from Hopewell-Loudon, Terry Riley of Perry, and Travis Hoyle of Lima Central Catholic along with linemen Carson Altman from Pandora-Gilboa, Chris Cortez from Arlington, Ryan Cook of Hopewell-Loudon, Clayton Everman from St. Henry, Mason Penix of Convoy Crestview, Hardin Northern’s Kobee Hooker, Demarion Gibson of Perry, and Mason Steele from Antwerp.
Spencerville running back Gunner Grigsby and Owen Berner of Ayersville were joined on the second team offense by athlete Colby Curtis of Hardin Northern and quarterbacks Ryan Yingst (Perry), Carson Altimous (Antwerp), and kickers Elam Suter (Pandora Gilboa), Bradley Young of Ayersville.
Marion Local punter Aidan Eifert was joined by second team defenders Ty Kessler from Arlington, Sy Morris of Spencerville, Kevin Smith (Upper Scioto Valley), Ryder Siebeneck (Waynesfield-Goshen), Will Seedorf (Patrick Henry), Kendric Robinson (Antwerp). Brayden Casteel (Leipsic), Joe Colatruglio (Hopewell-Loudon), Gabe Cira (LCC), Griffin Schwartz (Spencerville), Blake Barnes (Waynesfield-Goshen), Hunter Klett (Perry), Ried Jury (Hopewell-Loudon), Jaden Lange (St. Henry), Isaiah Sanders (Perry), Quintel Peoples (LCC), Kaden Rosebrook (Patrick Henry).
Honorable Mention went out to Payton Lammers, Dillian Niese, Fabian Pena and Blake Liffick of Leipsic, Grady Romick. Jared Griggs, Rylar Essinger, Jake Vermillion and Grant Riegle from Arlington along with Collin Harris, Ethan Luginbill, Breckin Grothause, Dillon Krohn of Pandora Gilboa, Montana Pierce, Kaden Sherick, Thane Steinbrook, and Wilson Grubb of McComb, Matthew Rybka from Hopewell-Loudon; Lance Wendel, Josh Keuther, Kyle Otte, and Owen Rindler from Marion Local, Branxton Krauss and Mason Kuck of New Bremen, Bennett Gels from St. Henry, Brady Hatlevig, Kaden Phares, Landon Brewer and Reid Lichty of Antwerp, Landin Friemoth and Trevor Barton, Aiden Lichtensteiger from Crestview, Kaelan Howard and Evan Unruh from Lima Central Catholic, Dylan Cook, Cade Elling, Dustin Bohyer, Dale Smith of Spencerville, Copper Roberts, Jayden Elliott and Corey Everetts from Waynesfield-Goshen, Braysen Schulte and Landon Elwer of Delphos St. John’s and Hayden Dales of Ayersville.
Delphos Jefferson QB Collin Bailey was named in error to the Division 7 squad while compiling a resume that included the NWC Co-Offensive Player of the Year honors for the Division 6 Wildcats.