SOSA Staff Report
As usual, the area was well represented on the All-Southeast District football lists, which were released by the OPSWA early Saturday morning.
Pacing the bunch was Waverly’s Haydn’ Shanks and Zeke Brown, and Adena’s Preston Sykes. Shanks was the Offensive Player of the Year in Division IV while Brown took home the Defensive Player of the Year award. Sykes was the Defensive Player of the Year in Division VI.
Shanks, who led the Tigers to an 8-1 mark this season and two playoff victories, threw for 2,574 yards and 31 touchdowns. The senior completed 67.2 percent of his pass attempts. Brown had 61 tackles, three for a loss, and picked off a pass. He also tallied four pass break-ups.
As for Sykes, who could’ve been considered for Offensive Player of the Year as well, the senior tallied 49 tackles, three for a loss, five interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. He also, for good measure, threw for 875 yards, rushed for an additional 807 and scored 28 touchdowns.
Coach of the Year awards were earned by Chillicothe’s Doug Pryor Jr. in Division III, Waverly’s Chris Crabtree in Division IV, and Adena’s John Penwell in Division VI. All three of those names led their teams to league championships.
Here’s a full look at the area’s all-district football selections in each division.
DIVISION III
First-team offensive honors in Division III were earned by Jackson’s Treylan Davis, Evan Spires and Tristan Prater, Chillicothe’s Kam Smith, Joel Barnes and Drew Seymour, and Miami Trace’s Josh Gilmore and Jayden LeBeau.
Chillicothe’s Isaac McCory and Jackson’s Grant Mastin are first-team defensive honorees.
Miami Trace’s Luke Henry is a special mention all-district selection.
The Division III Offensive POY is Sheridan’s Jason Munyan while the Defensive POY is Munyan’s teammate, Shay Taylor. Pryor’s COY honor was shared with Sheridan’s Paul Culver.
DIVISION IV
Shanks was joined in Division IV by fellow first-team offensive players Will Futhey, Andrew Welch and Phoenix Wolf. Unioto’s Isaac Little and Maddox Fox are also first-team selections, as well as Washington’s A.J. Dallmayer and Sterling Smith, and Hillsboro’s Zach Burns.
Defensively, joining Brown with first-team honors is teammate Mark Stulley, Washington’s Tyler Tackage, McClain’s Landen Eubanks, and Unioto’s Byrd Green.
Special mention accolades went to Unioto’s Carter Wisecup, Washington’s Tanner Lemaster, Hillsboro’s Garrett Fannin, and Waverly’s Aiden Diehl, Wyatt Crabtree and Penn Morrison.
DIVISION V
Leading the area’s first-team selections in Division V is Wheelersburg’s Matthew Miller, Blake Richardson and Braxton Sammons. Joining that group is Piketon’s Camren Loar, Easton Lansing and Levi Gullion, Oak Hill’s Flint Barger and Conor Dickens, Northwest’s Caleb Crabtree and Brayden Campbell, West’s Luke Wroten, Zane Trace’s Ben Nichols, and Minford’s Elijah Vogelsong and Matthew Risner.
Defensively, earning first-team honors are Oak Hill’s Brock Harden, Westfall’s Josey Kelly, Northwest’s Evan Lintz and Dakota Secrest, West’s Ryan Sissel, Eli Tilley and Luke Bradford, and Wheelersburg’s Carson Williams and Josh Clark.
Special mention accolades went to Wheelersburg’s Jake Gregg and Gage Adkins, Oak Hill’s Brandon Beam, Zane Trace’s Nalin Robinson, Piketon’s Johnny Burton, Westfall’s Joey Truman and Marcus Whaley, Northwest’s Connor Lintz and Wyatt Brackman, West’s Mitchell Irwin and Ashton Klaiber, and Minford’s Drew Skaggs and Tate Walker.
Ironton standout and Ohio State commit Reid Carrico won the Division’s Offensive and Defensive POY honors while Ironton coach Trevor Pendleton is the COY.
DIVISION VI
Adena’s Nate Throckmorton and Logan Bennett lead Division VI’s first-team offensive honors. Valley’s Ty Perkins and Nick Bowles, Paint Valley’s Nick Mills, Cavan Cooper and Tramel Byrd, and Southeastern’s Mikey Nusser also join that group.
Defensively, with first-team honors, Sykes is joined by teammates Kole Williams and Eric Hurtt, Symmes Valley’s Luke Leith, Levi Niece and Eli Patterson, Paint Valley’s Cordell Grubb, and Valley’s Devin Wiley.
Special mention accolades went to Adena’s Isaac Gray and Clay Wilt, Symmes Valley’s Josh Ferguson and Derek Crum, Paint Valley’s Devlen Spradlin, Trent Mettler and Caden Smith, and Valley’s Chase Morrow and George Arnett.
The Division VI Offensive Player of the Year award was shared by Coal Grove’s Austin Stapleton and Fairland’s Gavin Hunt. Sykes shared his Defensive POY award with Nelsonville-York’s Colton Snyder.
DIVISION VII
Eastern’s Kyle Beasley and Dillion Mattox led the Division VII first-team offensive honors while Notre Dame’s Logan Emnett and Green’s Ethan Huffman followed suit.
Notre Dame’s Carter Campbell and Eastern’s Logan Clemmons were also honored with first-team accolades on the defensive side.
Special mention selections were Notre Dame’s Dylan Seison and Caleb Nichols, East’s Leviticus Justice, Austin Baughman and Landehn Pernell, and Manchester’s Rylan Bailey.
For a full list of all-Southeast District football selections, click here.