The area’s football teams were well represented in Thursday’s release of the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association all- Southwest District football squads.
There were 15 local players named to the first team for their respective divisions.
Bellefontaine, which won its third straight Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail division title, saw senior linebacker D.J. McDonald and junior offensive lineman Ryan Pool selected to the Division III first team.
McDonald recorded 121 total tackles, including 60 solo stops this fall. He also had 13 tackles for loss, one sack and a fumble recovery. He was selected as the Kenton Trail division defensive player of the year.
Pool, a 6-4, 275-pounder, sparked a Bellefontaine offensive line that was responsible for over 200 rushing yards per game.
West Liberty-Salem had a big group of first-teamers in Division VI with five players earning that
designation. That group included junior quarterback Trevor Woodruff, junior defensive linemen Thad Lawrence, Isaac Lee and Kyle Wolfe and senior line- backer Major Stratton.
Woodruff led the Ohio Heritage Conference in passing yards with 1,930 yards. He threw 23 touchdown passes with just three interceptions.
Lawrence recorded 15 solo tackles and 39 total tackles. He also had 3 1/2 sacks.
Lee tallied 19 solo stops, 41 total tackles and 5 1/2 sacks, while Wolfe recorded 28 solo tackles, 58 total tackles and 6 1/2 sacks.
Stratton led the Tigers in tackles with 80, including 40 solo stops. He also had two sacks and recovered two fumbles.
Riverside had three first-team selections in Division VII with senior running back Lucas Roby, senior offensive lineman Jonathan McGill and senior defensive lineman R.J. McGowen.
Roby led the Pirates in rush- ing with 1,031 yards and 12 touchdowns on 166 carries.
McGill helped opened holes for a rushing attack that pro- duced over 2,700 yards and 32 touchdowns, while McGowen recorded 60 total tackles, 32 solo stops and one sack.
Indian Lake had a pair of players land on the Division V first team in junior defensive lineman Nathan Reichert and senior defensive back Ethan Cummins.
Reichert, who was named honorable mention all-Ohio as a sophomore last season, had another dominant season. He tallied 77 total tackles including 22 solo stops. He also had eight tackles for loss and four sacks.
Cummins recorded 49 solo tackles and 52 assists from his safety spot. He also intercepted a pair of passes.
Triad was represented on the Division VII first team. Seniors Dylan Rice and Isaiah Bruce were both selected to the first-team offense.
Bruce made 46 catches for 827 yards and seven touch- downs. He led the OHC in receiving yards.
Rice was the OHC’s top rusher this season with 1,476 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also made four catches for 110 yards and a touchdown.
Benjamin Logan had one first-team selection in Division IV with senior wide receiver Ben Whitten.
Whitten led the CBC in receiving yards with 1,087. He averaged 17 1/2 yards per catch and had four touchdowns.
In addition to the 15 players earning first-team honors, there were numerous others that were selected to the second team and special mention lists.
Bellefontaine’s Jack Clement, Garrett Gross, Jacob Kidwell and Isaac Newman were named to the Division III second team, while senior kicker Derek Robb was an honorable mention selection.
Indian Lake’s Clay Jacobs was named to the honorable mention list in Division V, while West Liberty-Salem’s Nick Burden was an honor- able mention pick in Division VI.
Receiving honorable men- tion spots for the Division VII team were Triad’s Austin Bails and Riley Louck.
Photos in Friday’s Examiner.
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