FOOTBALL: Take a look at SOSA’s All-Area team

Brock Netter, Staff Writer

Needless to say, this football season was as successful as they come.

Southern Ohio Sports Authority was right there every step of the way, covering individual milestones, improbable feats and wins that changed history.

After a fun-filled year, take a look at our All-Area team, which consists of 35 area players who were at their best throughout the fall season.

Lincoln Barnes | Ironton | Linebacker | Senior 

You can’t miss No. 32 right in the middle of the defense. Ironton’s defense, through 15 games, is allowing just 10.6 points per game, and Barnes’ leadership is a huge reason why. As the captain of the defense, he’s registered over 80 tackles, which includes eight tackles for loss. He was named first-team OVC, the Division V District Defensive Player of the Year and will add All-Ohio honors soon. 

Daniel Barnhart | Zane Trace | Running Back | Senior 

Expectations were high in Kinnikinnick, and Barnhart wasn’t going to let his Pioneers fail in any way, shape or form. Never one to shy away from contact, he spearheaded his team to 11 wins, including an undefeated regular season, a Gold Ball and a playoff win by racking up 1,500 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. He was named the SVC Offensive Back of the Year and was a first-team all-district selection.

Jeffery Bishop | West | Receiver | Junior 

Bishop wasn’t a secret by any stretch. But he took his game to a whole new level this season and became nearly un-guardable. Thriving in one-on-one situations, he constantly gave his quarterback an open target to throw to and made the most of his chances, hauling in 32 catches for 883 yards — 27.6 yards per catch — and 14 touchdowns. He was named first-team SOC II and first-team all-district. 

Dalton Black | Huntington | Lineman | Senior

It seemed like Black was literally everywhere for the Huntsmen. In a season where Huntington clinched its first-ever playoff berth, Black led both the offensive and defensive line units. When you hear of the “big nasties,” Black fit that bill to a tee. If you had him lined up in front of you, you knew you were in for a long night. He ends a fine career in the Township after leading Huntington to a 5-6 mark.

Tyler Blanton | Green | Lineman | Senior

The Bobcats had a hammer of a running attack that paved the way for a sneaky passing attack, and it was all set up by the guys up front, led by Blanton. Doing the work in the trenches, he helped his team run for over 3,300 yards as they started 6-0 and made the playoffs. He was named first-team SOC I and the Division VII District Lineman of the Year. 

Wyatt Brackman | Northwest | Running Back | Senior

Bowling ball. That’s the best way to describe Brackman. He gets the ball, runs over people, gets up and gets ready to do it all over again. It’s a simple formula that helped the Mohawks claim a share of the SOC I title for the second time in program history as the senior back tallied 1,221 yards on the ground and 16 touchdowns. He was named the SOC I Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-district. 

Garrett Brown | Vinton County | Running Back | Junior 

It took a few games to get going, but once Brown figured it out, it was game over. After a mid-season injury nearly derailed the Vikings’ season, the junior back kicked things into high gear and shouldered nearly all offensive responsibility, amassing 1,289 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns on the season. He was named the TVC co-Offensive Player of the Year and was a first-team all-district selection.

Tayden Carpenter | Ironton | Quarterback | Senior 

Carpenter’s presence under center just makes Ironton much more calm, yet more complete and dangerous. The proof is in the numbers. Entering Friday’s Final Four matchup against Valley View, the senior gunslinger had thrown for over 2,700 yards and more than 35 touchdowns to just two interceptions, helping the Tigers claim another OVC title in the process. He is a first-team OVC and first-team all-district honoree. 

Trevor Carter | Ironton | Linebacker | Senior

Special. That’s what Trevor Carter is. Ironton’s senior leader missed much of his junior year due to an injury. When he came back for his senior season, the Tigers asked him to take on a different role. He did so and, as coach Trevon Pendleton puts it, he “made the team so much better.” Carter always has his hat in on tackles and constantly wreaks havoc for opposing offenses. There’s a reason he’ll be a Cincinnati Bearcat.

Isaac Clary | Gallia Academy | Lineman | Senior

It’s impossible to miss Clary on a football field. Or probably just in everyday life. He’s 6-foot-7, 305 pounds and has no issue moving players out of the way on the gridiron. While protecting his quarterback’s blindside and creating holes for his guys to run through, his presence on the offensive line helped the Blue Devils get off to a 7-0 start and win a playoff game. He was named first-team OVC and is the Division IV Lineman of the Year. 

Cavan Cooper | Paint Valley | Quarterback | Senior 

Cooper has been a special talent since he stepped onto the gridiron, and now he leaves massive shoes to fill in Bainbridge. He topped off his senior year by throwing for 1,428 yards and 18 touchdowns, while adding 524 rushing yards on top of 18 more scores on the ground. Balance at its finest. He was named first-team SVC and first-team all-district. 

A.J. Dallmayer | Washington | Receiver | Senior

Speaking of special talents, Dallmayer is going to go down as the greatest receiver in Washington history. He set new school records for career receptions, career receiving yards and tied the record for most career touchdowns after hauling in 54 catches for 646 yards and six scores this fall, helping the Blue Lions win nine games. He was named all-FAC and first-team all-district. 

Carson Free | Paint Valley | Receiver | Sophomore

Cavan Cooper needed a big time target and someone he could trust to take a simple pass and make magic happen. Enter Free. The 6-foot-3 sophomore established himself as the next potentially great Paint Valley receiver as he constantly rose to the occasion, hauling in over 60 catches for 1,024 yards — setting a new school record, and 13 touchdowns. He was named first-team SVC and first-team all-district. 

Maddox Fox | Unioto | Receiver | Senior

Let’s quickly run down Fox’s resume … the most career yards (2,279), career receptions (135) and career touchdowns (19) in Unioto’s history. This year alone, he put up single-season records for catches in a game (14) and touchdowns in a season (12). His year ended with 49 catches for 918 yards and the 12 trips to the end zone, earning him first-team SVC and first-team all-district honors.

Tayvion Galloway | Chillicothe | Tight End | Junior

Chillicothe quickly found out how much Galloway was going to mean to its offense. In a season-opening win over Teays Valley, the LSU commit caught three passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns. That kind of production happened all year long. He finished with 36 catches for 697 yards — an average of 19.4 yards per — and seven touchdowns. His contributions helped the Cavaliers finish 7-4 with a playoff berth.

Matt Griffin | Unioto | Running Back | Senior

The Shermans had an aerial assault that could rival most teams, but Griffin on the ground was an overwhelming presence that opposing teams couldn’t tackle as he scored 17 times. And defensively, he brought the physicality and never shied away from delivering a hit as he racked up 70 tackles, earning himself honors as the SVC Defensive Back of the Year and first-team all-district. 

Chase Hall | Coal Grove | Running Back | Senior 

Let’s continue to talk about record-breaking players. Hall was an absolute animal, and honestly, that’s putting it mildly. Everyone knew where the ball was going, but he was unstoppable as he totaled nearly 3,000 yards of offense alone and found the end zone 50 times. And no, those aren’t inflated numbers. He was named first-team OVC and is the Division VI Offensive Player of the Year. 

Newton Hoops | Unioto | Quarterback | Junior

Another record breaker? Yes. Another one. Hoops’ progression on the gridiron was a major reason why the Shermans were able to put together arguably their best season in program history. He set new school records for touchdown passes in a game (5) and in a season (24) as he added 1,800 passing yards to an already-packed resume. He was named first-team SVC and the Division IV Offensive Player of the Year. 

Landon Hutchinson | Wheelersburg | Linebacker | Junior

One thing about Wheelersburg is its always going to have a stout defense with excellent linebacker play. Hutchinson is the latest example. Leading a unit that allowed just 15 points per night, he was the Pirates’ leading tackler as he racked up over 70 tackles alongside nine tackles for loss and four interceptions. He was named first-team SOC II and first-team all-district. 

Jase Hurd | Waverly | Running Back | Senior 

It was impossible to ignore what Hurd was doing in the opening weeks of the season. He was running wild, finding the end zone with the greatest of ease. He continued to keep Waverly afloat and helped them get into the playoffs as he racked up 1,457 yards on 255 carries and 20 touchdowns, earning himself first-team SOC II and first-team all-district honors. 

Rocky Jones | Washington | Running Back | Sophomore

One word comes to mind when Jones enters the conversation and that’s dynamic. He was a spark plug to an offense that put up points quickly and enjoyed one of the best seasons in the program’s recent history. The Blue Lions could hand Jones the football or throw it to him out of the backfield and, no matter how he got it, he was a threat to take it to the house. He’ll be terrorizing defenses for two more seasons.

Carter Langley | Zane Trace | Quarterback | Junior

Leading an offense that averaged just under 40 points per game, Langley was terrific all year long. He was the Pioneers’ signal caller en route to an 11-1 record, including a 56-0 win over Clark Montessori to open postseason play, and produced an impressive 17-1 touchdown-interception ratio under center. All in all, Langley passed for 1,234 yards, rushed for an additional 498 and accounted for 26 total touchdowns.

Maxwell Lee | Chillicothe | All-Purpose | Senior

If you need to know anything about how important Lee was to the Cavaliers, just look at the results. With him on the field, they fielded an impressive 6-1 start to the season. Then he was lost for the season and they finished 1-3 down the stretch. He was the conscience of the team, the unquestioned leader and the go-to guy when a play needed to be made. Despite his year being cut short, he was still named all-FAC and first-team all-district. 

Steeler Leep | Fairland | All-Purpose | Senior

Put Leep anywhere on the field, and he’s going to make plays. Offensively and defensively. Undoubtedly, he was the heart and soul of the Dragons, carrying the ball 60 times for 695 yards and six touchdowns, catching 33 passes for 635 yards and three scores and additionally throwing two touchdowns. Defensively, he had 78 tackles and six interceptions. He was named first-team OVC and first-team all-district. 

Tanner Lemaster | Washington | Tight End | Senior

Go up and get it. Many times, that’s what the Blue Lions asked Lemaster to do for them. And, almost always, he answered the call. The University of Kentucky commit made even the best defensive backs look inferior when the ball was thrown his way, using his size and strength to win one-on-one battles. He helped Washington put the finishing touches on a 9-3 season — one that included a wild 61-54 playoff win.

Reade Pendleton | Portsmouth | Receiver | Senior 

The Trojans had athletes all over the field, but on the outside, Pendleton showed himself to be so very valuable. With quick feet to cut and a burst to blow by defenders, he helped the Trojans to seven wins and a playoff victory as he caught 74 passes for 730 yards and eight touchdowns. He was named first-team OVC and first-team all-district. 

Ty Perkins | Ironton | Receiver | Senior 

He’s the best receiver in Southern Ohio. Crisp route-running, secure hands and game-breaking ability to take it to the end zone at a moment’s notice. Perkins is a rare talent, which explains why the University of Cincinnati wanted him so badly. He’s hauled in over 50 catches now for nearly 1,000 yards and nearly 20 touchdowns. He was named first-team OVC and is the Division V Offensive Player of the Year.

Blayton Reid | Logan Elm | Linebacker | Senior 

Reid set a new school record for rushing yards in a game, going for 310 yards. But it was defensively where the senior earned his money night in and night out. From his middle linebacker position, he had 56 tackles, six tackles for loss and a pair of sacks for the eight-win Braves. He was named first-team MSL and the Division IV Defensive Player of the Year. 

Hudson Shamblin | Gallia Academy | Running Back | Senior

If you look at Shamblin’s numbers and do some quick math, for every nine touches he had, he ended up scoring a touchdown. That fully explains why the Blue Devils won nine games this season as the senior back ended the year with 1,149 rushing yards on 223 carries and scored 24 touchdowns. He was named first-team OVC and first-team all-district. 

Ryan Sissel | West | Running Back | Senior

It’s quite possible that no player in the area meant more to their team than Sissel did to the Senators. He set the tone with a physical running style and then did it defensively as a punishing linebacker. Leading his team to 11 wins and an SOC II championship, he finished the season with 1,751 rushing yards on 269 carries and found the end zone 23 times. He was named the SOC II Offensive Player of the Year and was a first-team all-district honoree.

Lane Stewart | Zane Trace | Defensive End | Senior

Zane Trace possessed one of the top three defenses in the area just going by the numbers, and Stewart’s presence off the edge was a key contributor to that. With a motor that was pedal to the metal at all times, he ended his season with 83 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss and a team-best 10 sacks. He was named first-team SVC and first-team all-district. 

Troy Thompson | Washington | Quarterback | Senior

Gunslinger. Just snap the ball, and let Thompson spin it. There weren’t many throws he couldn’t make. With a loaded roster surrounding him, he made the most of his weapons as he led the area with 3,224 passing yards and threw for 38 touchdowns, leading his team to nine wins and a playoff victory. He was named all-FAC and first-team all-district. 

Kade Woods | West | Lineman | Senior

Offensively, he was creating holes. Defensively, he was plugging them up. Either way, Woods was making good things happen for his team in a 13-game season that saw the Senators win two playoff games. While doing the dirty work, he was a part of an offensive line that allowed his team to tally nearly 5,000 yards of total offense. He was named the SOC II Lineman of the Year and first-team all-district. 

Cade Wolford | Jackson | Running Back | Junior

The ultimate weapon. Put Wolford anywhere on the field and he’ll make magic happen. Taking on a much heavier workload, the junior back elevated himself to another level as he toted the ball 192 times for 1,349 yards and 17 scores on the ground. But he was also Jackson’s leading receiver with 557 yards and four additional scores. He was named all-FAC and first-team all-district. 

Jacob Winters | Jackson | Quarterback | Senior 

Winters has had the juice since he first stepped on the gridiron, and he’s constantly been a game-changer since. In his last ride under center, he led Jackson to an FAC championship and two playoff wins while throwing for 1,859 yards and 20 touchdowns in addition to three rushing scores. He was named the FAC Player of the Year, the Division III Player of the Year and will add All-Ohio honors before his career continues at Ohio University. 

Honorable Mention Selections

Braylon Robertson, Paint Valley; Nathan Dreitzler, Adena; Eilas Bazell, Coal Grove; Landon Camp, Jackson, Andrew Medinger, Rock Hill; Zane Brownfield, Piketon; Colt Buckle, Valley; Wyatt Crabtree, Waverly; Andrew Potts, McClain, Garrett Guess, Miami Trace; Eric Lattimore, Wheelersburg; Mitchell Irwin, West; Alex Baer, Northwest; Hunter Pendleton, Minford; Gavin Hart, Notre Dame; Braylen Baker, Logan Elm; Dawson Brown, Vinton County; Casey Cline, Westfall; Keagen Jackson, East; Brycen Hunt, Fairland; Scott Moats, Circleville; Evan Fisher, Oak Hill; Austin Barrett, Hillsboro; Caleb Miller, Wheelersburg; Landen Wilson, Ironton; Nathaniel Brannigan, Green; Brody Fellure, Gallia Academy; K.J. Reinsmith, Eastern; Quinton Puckett, Huntington; Isaiah Haithcock, Washington.

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