Will Butler, Mason Williams, Mason Murphy, Matthew Kidd, Cam Hoskin earn all-state

Five Portage County football players snagged all-state honors Monday.

Four Mogadore players earned all-state in Division VI while another from Windham earned all-state in Division VII, with Divisions I through V to be released later in the week.

Wildcats junior running back Will Butler, whose already critical role in the offense only grew with a season-ending injury to star runner Tyler Knight, earned first team all-Ohio honors.

Mogadore junior defensive lineman Mason Williams, who also proved himself to be an exceptional runner during the postseason, snagged second team all-state accolades.

Wildcats wide receiver Mason Murphy, a 6-3 senior who added a vertical dimension for the Region 21 runners-up, took third team all-Ohio honors.

Mogadore offensive lineman Matthew Kidd and Windham offensive lineman Camdyn Hoskin, both seniors, earned honorable mention all-state honors in Division VI and VII, respectively.

Butler began his sophomore season playing some quarterback (alongside Zeke Cameron) and some running back (alongside Knight). With the injury to Knight, Butler took on more of a pure running back role and excelled as a physical ball-carrier that was tricky to bring down. Butler was named the Portage Trail Conference Offensive Player of the Year, easily topping 1,000 rushing yards at more than six yards per tote, and thus earning first team all-state.

Williams was a force on the defensive line, with 56 tackles, five sacks and an interception at the time of the district meeting, and was also a devastating lead blocker for the Wildcats. As the season went on, he was increasingly handed the ball, resulting in a memorable six-touchdown performance in Mogadore's epic Region 21 semifinal victory over LaBrae.

Murphy tallied eight touchdown catches and more than 400 receiving yards for the Wildcats, including a pair of touchdown grabs in a key mid-season victory over Warren JFK.

Matthew Kidd was Mogadore's top offensive lineman, starting at guard for three years. Kidd battled through a broken thumb to serve as an outstanding trap blocker and pulling guard.

Hoskin led Windham with eight pancake blocks and anchored a stout rushing attack that averaged 225 yards per game (at just under six yards per carry). Hoskin also was strong on the defensive line, tallying 40 tackles, three for loss.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Butler, Williams, Murphy, Kidd, Hoskin earn all-state recognition