Cavs’ Noel, Jackson’s Wallis, ZT’s Evans and NB’s Sexton lead area OPSWA all-district honorees

Derrick Webb, Staff Writer

ATHENS — The Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association released its 2019-20 All-Southeast District boys basketball list Friday morning while four names in SOSA’s coverage are led the way.

Chillicothe’s Brandon Noel, Jackson’s Caleb Wallis, Zane Trace’s Cam Evans and New Boston’s Kyle Sexton all earned Player of the Year honors.

Noel was the Division I Player of the Year after leading his Cavaliers to a sectional crown while Wallis took home the honors in Division II and paced his Ironmen to a 20-4 finish. Evans won Division III honors and has ZT playing for a district title while Sexton, in Division IV, averaged a double-double and was the key factor to the Tigers’ first outright league title team since 1971.

Here’s a full look at the coverage area’s all-district selections:

DIVISION I

Joining Noel with first-team honors is Chillicothe’s Jayvon Maughmer while the duo’s teammate Tre Beard earned second-team recognition. Chillicothe coach Eric Huffer was named the Division I Coach of the Year.

DIVISION II

After leading Unioto to a share of the Scioto Valley Conference title, junior Isaac Little is a first-team all-district selection. Waverly’s Trey Robertson is also on the first-team list after aiding the Tigers to a sectional championship with 21.5 points per game.

Second-team honors were earned by Jackson’s Braxton Hammond, Unioto’s Josh Lambert, Waverly’s Will Futhey and Miami Trace’s Logan Rodgers while Unioto’s Reece Wheeler, Waverly’s Tanner Smallwood, McClain’s Bryson Badgley and Hillsboro’s Ryan Scott were included on the third-team list.

Special mention recognition was earned by Jackson’s Caden Donaldson and Drew Bragg, Miami Trace’s Trevor Barker, Washington’s Tanner Lemaster, and Hillsboro’s Caleb Crawford.

Unioto’s Matt Hoops, Fairfield Union’s Alex Eversole and Sheridan’s Doug Fisher were named the Tri-Coaches of the Year in Division II.

DIVISION III

In Division III, SOSA’s largest coverage area, Oak Hill’s Chase Hammond, Eastern Brown’s Titus Burns and Wheelersburg’s J.J. Truitt joined ZT’s Evans with first-team honors.

Zane Trace’s pair of Nick Nesser and Colby Swain both earned second-team honors while Adena’s Logan Bennett, North Adams’ Jayden Hesler, West Union’s Zane Kingsolver, Eastern Brown’s Colton Vaughn and Trent Hundley, and Minford’s Elijah Vogelsong all joined the list.

Earning third-team honors was Oak Hill’s Drew Hanning,  Adena’s Preston Sykes, Westfall’s Jay Wyman, Piketon’s Chris Chandler, North Adams’ Austin McCormick and Cade Meade, Western’s Maveric Ferneau, Eastern Brown’s Ryan Boone, West’s Nick Davis, Minford’s Trenton Zimmerman, and Wheelersburg’s Matthew Miller.

Oak Hill’s Keaton Potter, Southeastern’s Aaron Gillum, Westfall’s Lucas Blackburn, Piketon’s Tyree Harris and Brody Fuller, West Union’s Cameron Campbell, Lynchburg-Clay’s Raymond Conner, Western’s Broc Jordan, Eastern Brown’s Luke Garrett, Northwest’s Billy Crabtree, West’s Luke Howard, Minford’s Nathan McCormick and Wheelersburg’s Carter McCorkle are all special mention honorees.

Eastern Brown’s Rob Buechler and Fairland’s Nathan Speed are the Co-Coaches of the Year.

DIVISION IV

Joining Sexton with first-team honors in Division IV is his teammate Tanner Voiers, as well as Ironton St. Joe’s Zach Roach, Symmes Valley’s Jack Leith, Fairfield’s Bryson Simmons, Peebles’ Weston Browning and Hunter Ruckel, and Green’s Gage Sampson.

Ironton St. Joe’s Ryan Payne, Eastern’s Hunter Cochenour, South Webster’s Brayden Bockway and Clay’s Shaden Malone all grabbed second-team honors.

Adding third-team all-district recognition to their hardware showcases is Paint Valley’s Bryce Newland, Huntington’s Seth Beeler, Ironton St. Joe’s J.C. Damron, Symmes Valley’s Luke Leith, Fairfield’s Wyatt Willey, Whiteoak’s Josh Hughes, Peebles’ Dawson Mills, Green’s Ethan Huffman, South Webster’s Trae Zimmerman, Valley’s Kayden Mollette, Notre Dame’s Jermaine Powell and New Boston’s Jerome McKinley.

Special mention honorees are as follows: Paint Valley’s Cordell Grubb, Symmes Valley’s Drew Scherer, Fairfield’s James Bentley, Whiteoak’s Bradley Ashbaugh and Landon Barnett, Peebles’ Alex Camp and Oakley Burba, Manchester’s Isaiah Scott, Eastern’s Chase Carter, South Webster’s Gabe Ruth, Valley’s Mason Zaler, Notre Dame’s Jarren Edgington, and New Boston’s pair of Grady Jackson and Chase Clark.

The Division IV Coach of the Year honor was given to Federal Hocking’s Jonathan Thompson.