High school football: Area Division II players receive All-Ohioan honors

Seven Avon Eagles were named Division II All-Ohio on Dec. 7.

For the first time in coach Mike Elder’s 16-year coaching tenure with Avon, four Eagles were selected to the first team.

Quarterback Sam DeTillio, offensive lineman Luke Hamilton, wide receiver Ethan Holbrook and linebacker Gavin Ehrhardt were selected to the first team.

“Think that (this achievement) is awesome for the kids and the program,” Elder said. “Anytime we get individual awards they ultimately become team awards in the game of football. Every single one of those All-Ohioans would have told you that they wouldn’t have done it without their teammates. It is awesome to see that our program is recognized at that level… Personally, I think Austin Mitchell is a first-team All-Ohioan, and so is Jakorion Caffey.”

High school football: OPSWA Division II, Division III All-Ohio football teams

Avon four first-teamers are tied for the most in Division II with state champion Toledo Central Catholic, runner-up Akron Hoban and regional semifinalist Winton Woods.

"I think we belong in the same conversation as those (teams)," Elder said. "Although they've gotten over the hump and won state championships. We are trying to get there. We are living in a land of the giants. Hopefully one of these days, we will be able to finish the deal."

Avon defensive lineman Mitchell (second team), running back Caffey (third team) and safety Matt Fischer (honorable mention) were named All-Ohio.

"I am happy for our kids who got All-Ohio honors," Elder said. "There are seven of them that are well-deserved and you could probably argue a couple of more would have been well-deserved as well. When you have great players, you go 12-2 and that's what happened for us this year."

Every Eagle but Fischer is a repeat all-state player. Fischer, who made his first appearance and will be Avon's defensive co-MVP at its banquet.

Avon's seven All-Ohioans achieved the honor with limited playing time after playing five minutes in Avon's Week 1 forfeit win over Strattford in Florida. They also didn't receive much playing time throughout the course of the regular season and playoffs, because how effective the squad played.

"We probably had five games this year where our (starters) were out by halftime," Elder said. "If you look at total quarters played in a regular season, our kids were missing three to four games (worth of playing time) compared to other teams statistically."

Avon had an All-Ohioan on every major position group on offense and defense. Elder credits his staff for getting them ready and the players for buying into the process.

"I think we do a great job at Avon developing players," Elder said. "We don't have open enrollment. (Toledo Central Catholic, Akron Hoban and Winton Woods) add guys to their roster year-to-year, people transfer in whether they are open enrollment public school, (or private school). We can't here at Avon. (Player development) is a credit to coach Jared Cecchetti and his weight room (program)."

Olmsted Falls running back Rocco Conti and offensive linemen Dominic Rivera were named first-team All-Ohio.

"(Conti) has been a special football player for the past two years. He is one of those kids that comes around once in a career for a coach I feel like," Olmsted Falls coach Tom DeLuca said.

Conti made his second consecutive appearance for first team all-state with Bulldogs' safety Jack Pinchek earning honorable mention honors.

"I feel like (Conti, Rivera and Pinchek) are all very similar, "DeLuca said. "They are all great kids, great teammates and leaders this year. They have been the focal point of the program for this year. They were all great contributors (in 2021 and 2020."

North Olmsted wide receiver and Kent State recruit Jared Kelley and defensive lineman Gavin Beasley earn first-team All-Ohio honors.

"The cool part when you talk (All-Ohio awards) to these kids about it is that they always mention their teammates," North Olmsted coach Tim Brediger said. "I don't think anybody goes out to be a dude that plays just for stats, but it is nice to get recognized when you do have good stats."

Eagles quarterback Xavier Balson and offensive lineman Joey Wengstrom were named second-team all-state.

"(Last) summer, he had a breakthrough where he made a commitment to say that he is going to be the best that he could be," Brediger said. "He's always had the tools and always had the ability. He always had flashes of being really special. The button switched (last) summer and he bought into everything that we were doing on offense and became a leader on the offensive line."

Brediger believed junior wide receiver Collin Willard should have received recognition. Willard caught 59 passes for over 1,100 yards with 12 touchdowns. He also had two pick-6s from three interceptions on defense.

Avon Lake's Avery Viancourt headlines the Shoremen's all-state honorees with a second-team selection. Avon Lake coach Matt Kostelnik said that he is one of the most productive players he's coached.

Teammates such as wide receiver Matthew Stuewe, offensive linemen Claw Broadhurst, defensive lineman Keegan Rudduck and punter Ian Walsh were given third team all-state honors.

"Anytime you can get guys on the All-Ohioan teams, it's a nice validation of their hard word with the time and effort that they put in and the season that they had this year," Kostelnik said.

Viancourt and Rudduck were selected as All-Ohioans for the second straight year.

"When we were playing well defensively, we were forcing teams to be one-dimensional in throwing the ball," Kostelnik said. "A guy like Keegan (Rudduck) can be deadly and (2021 All-Ohioan Pierden Pepe) too. Unfortunately, he had only six games this year. ... When we were healthy on defense, those guys were playing tough and we did some damage that is for sure."

Avon Lake had a young offensive line with one senior in the trenches, with Broadhurst and freshman standout Maxwell Riley returning.