Adena’s Sykes, PV’s Byrd, Piketon’s Gullion lead all-SVC football selections

SOSA Staff Report

CHILLICOTHE — The Scioto Valley Conference released its all-league football teams Thursday morning and three familiar names lead the list.

Paint Valley’s Tramel Byrd and Piketon’s Levi Gullion both earned Offensive Back of the Year honors in the conference while Adena’s Preston Sykes was named the SVC Defensive Back of the Year.

Byrd was a mainstay in the Bearcats’ backfield, totaling a league-high 882 rushing yards alongside 13 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Gullion was on a record-breaking pace, completing 129-of-221 passes for 2,063 yards and 17 touchdowns through seven games.

Defensively, Sykes led a unit that gave up just 72 points in six games, or an average of 12 points per game. The senior has picked off four passes while rushing and throwing for over 500 yards. Behind him, Adena is 7-0.

Adena’s John Penwell was named the SVC Coach of the Year after leading the Warriors to a Gold Ball, the program’s first since 2010.

Co-Defensive Lineman of the Year honors were earned by Adena’s Colton Gordon and Paint Valley’s Nick Mills while Adena’s Eric Hurtt earned Offensive Lineman of the Year accolades.

Paint Valley’s Cavan Cooper and Piketon’s Brody Fuller are the SVC’s co-Special Teams Players of the Year while Unioto’s Lucas Hanes and Paint Valley’s Cordell Grubb are the league’s Kicker and Punter of the Year.

Also earning first-team recognition were Adena’s Nate Throckmorton, Kole Williams and Logan Bennett, as well as Paint Valley’s Caden Smith and Devlen Spradlin.

Westfall’s Josey Kelly, Joey Truman and Marcus Whaley, as well as Unioto’s Isaac Little, Carter Wisecup and Maddox Fox all earned all-league honors as Zane Trace’s Logan McDowell and Ben Nichols, Piketon’s Easton Lansing, Huntington’s Emery Woods and Southeastern’s Nathan Howard joined them.

Honorable mention honors were earned by the following players: Adena’s Will Rhinesmith, Hunter O’Rourke, Will Dratwa and Isaac Grey, Huntington’s Jaydon Noble, Skylar Murphy, Seth McCloskey and Dalton Haubeil, Paint Valley’s Trent Mettler, Cole Miller, Shawn Stewart and Isaac Alley, Piketon’s Johnny Burton, Camren Loar, Chris Chandler and Brody Fuller, Southeastern’s Mikey Nusser, Tristan McWhorter, Clay Morgan and R.J. Cartwright, Unioto’s Byrd Green, Ayden Moody, Jordan Thomas and James Ditmar, Westfall’s Nate Allen, Luke Blackburn, Trey Keeton and Todd Scheel, and Zane Trace’s Shawn Harris, Caden Fry, Donovan Palmer and Nalin Robinson.