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Area squads well represented on all-district football team The efforts of the Logan County prep football squads were recognized Monday evening with numerous selections on the all-Southwest District team. Eight local players were named to the first team in their respective divisions, while many others received second team and honorable mention status. Bellefontaine, which went 9- 1 during the regular season, saw three players earn first-team honors for the Division III team. Senior running back Sean Egler and senior lineman Josh Anderson were first-team offensive picks and senior Keith Morgan made the first team as a defensive back. “This is a fantastic honor for all of the kids,” said Bellefontaine head coach Jason Brown. “It is great to be recognized like this. We felt like we had the type of season that would help our kids garner some honors and it is nice to see that happen.” West Liberty-Salem, which also went 9-1 during the regular season, had four players earn first-team selections in Division V. Senior receiver Travis Quinton, senior quarterback Levi Woodruff and senior kicker Eric Salley were named to the firstteam offense and senior Daniel Wirick landed on the first-team defense. “Any time you get kids on the all-district team it is an exciting time,” said WL-Salem head coach Toby Smith. “To have this many kids honored is something special. I am very, very pleased for all of them.” The other local first-team selection was Indian Lake senior lineman Dane Cope, who was selected to the first-team defense in Division III. “Dane had an outstanding season for us,” said Indian Lake head coach Dave Coburn. “He battled back from a summer injury and put together a stellar season for us. Along with (Brian) Shoffner they wreaked havoc against our opponents. Dane really anchored our line and we are real proud of him.” Egler wrapped up an extremely impressive career at Bellefontaine with 1,326 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He did that despite missing a game and parts of several others with a nagging ankle injury. Anderson helped pave the way for Egler and the rest of the Chieftain running backs, while Morgan made plays on both sides of the ball. “Sean was a warrior for us,” said Brown. “He fought through an injury and did everything possible to make our team as good as it could be. He finished as our second all-time leading rusher here and that is pretty elite company. “Josh is a kid that two years ago nobody would have expected him to earn an honor like this. But he has worked extremely hard and is very deserving.” Morgan accounted for 21 touchdowns at quarterback for the Chiefs, but also was counted on at cornerback on defense. “Keith was a great leader for us,” said Brown. “He had a fantastic year on offense, but sometimes I don’t think people realize the impact he makes on the defensive side of the ball. There were times when we put Keith out there on defense and the opposing coach would call a timeout to readjust his offense. That is the type of impact he made defensively for us.” In addition to the three-first team picks, the Chiefs were represented on the Division III second team by senior defensive lineman Mitch Wren and on the honorable mention list by senior offensive lineman Colin Rockhold. WL-Salem’s offense averaged over 35 points per game this fall and three players from that unit were first-team honorees in Division V. Quinton had a breakout season at wide receiver for the Tigers. He made 29 catches for 722 yards during the regular season. Woodruff, a three-year starter at quarterback, racked up 1,620 passing yards and 21 touchdown passes. He also ran for 424 yards. Salley gave the Tigers’ offense a boost with his kicking leg. He tallied 55 points on field goals and extra points. Daniel Wirick was a standout on offense and defense for WL-Salem. Defensively, he locked down on opposing receivers in the secondary. The Tigers had four other players honored on the Division V all-district squad. Senior Blake Wirick was named to the second-team defense at linebacker, while senior Codey Smith, junior Tyler Hayes and sophomore Collin Link were honorable mention selections. “It is obvious our program has been getting a lot of respect,” said Toby Smith. “I am excited for these kids because they are very deserving of these honors.” Indian Lake finished the fall season with a 6-4 record and a share of the Central Buckeye Conference Mad River division title. The defense was solid all year for the Lakers, with Cope one of the leaders. He made 47 tackles, with six coming for a loss. He also recorded 3 1/2 sacks from his line spot. The Lakers also placed senior Matt Marshall on the second- team defense at linebacker. Senior Tyler Maddox and junior Brian Shoffner were honorable mention picks. “Matt is a great leader and is another kid who was hampered by injury,” said Coburn. “He played with a torn meniscus the last four games. We are real proud of how he came through for us and his ability to play through injury. “Obviously with the season we had, you have to have good players. The performances of these kids speak for themselves and we’re glad to see them get respect. We consider this a team sport so we look at these honors as team awards.” Benjamin Logan was represented on the all-district team in Division IV by a pair of players. Senior wide receiver Shane Quay was a second-team choice and senior quarterback Nate Stierhoff was an honorable mention pick. Quay caught 47 passes for 711 yards, while Stierhoff threw for 1,757 yards and 11 touchdowns. Riverside had four second-team selections on the Division VI team. That group included senior offensive lineman Mike Mitchell, senior running back Seth Parker, senior linebacker Logan Whitaker and senior defensive lineman Nick Carano. “I’m proud of all these guys,” said Riverside head coach Bill Pizzino. “I think it is a nice way to reward them for all the hard work they put in.” Parker piled up 1,823 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns for the Pirates. Mitchell helped open lanes for Parker on the offensive line. “Seth set a goal to get the single-season rushing record and he got it,” said Pizzino. “He puts the extra work in to make himself what he is. We will miss him here; he was a great contributor. “I love our offensive line. They work hard every week and Mike did a great job anchoring the right side of the line at tackle. He was a real leader for us.” Carano and Whitaker were two of the standouts on a Riverside defense that got stronger as the season progressed. “I think Nick is the best allaround lineman we have,” said Pizzino. “He anchored our lines on offense and defense. He is strong, smart and quick. “Logan led the team in tackles, is a hitter and is aggressive. He really led us on defense and did a lot for us.” Staff writer Aaron LaBatt contributed to this story. |