East District Football: Tri-Valley headlines area selections

Another memorable football season is in the books, as the East District announced their all-district squads.

Teams were selected by print media within the district.

In Division III, Tri-Valley sophomore quarterback Max Lyall and senior linebacker Hansel Holmes respectively garnered the division's offensive and defensive player of the year awards.

Lyall had a tough opener but finished the regular season 153-of-245 passing with 2,339 yards, 29 TDs and eight interceptions, while Holmes was part of a stout defense, collecting a team-high 92 tackles with seven for a loss, four forced fumbles and three pass breakups.

Cam West earned the division's coach of the year, leading the Scotties to an 8-2 mark after starting numerous underclassmen throughout the season.

Lyall and Holmes were joined on first team by Tri-Valley senior wide receiver Jayden Walker, junior wide receiver Ashton Sensibaugh, senior linemen Mason Prouty and Aaron Frueh, senior linebacker Ethan Helms and senior defensive back Thomas Williams.

Sensibaugh caught 43 passes for 1,047 yards and 15 scores; Walker had 41 catches, 633 yards and eight TDs, along with eight kick returns for 120 yards and 20 tackles; and Prouty and Frueh anchored both sides of the line. Frueh made 50 stops with 12 for a loss, six sacks and two fumble recoveries and Prouty had 26 tackles with five for a loss.

Helms chipped in 32 tackles, five for a loss and three sacks, along with playing on the offensive line, while Williams grabbed four interceptions, made 41 tackles and also played on offense and special teams.

Zanesville junior quarterback Drew Doyle, senior wide out Xavier Sowers, linemen, junior Noah Corbin and sophomores Canon Mercer and Caleb Underwood, and senior defensive back Dean Johnson and John Glenn sophomore running back Lincoln Gilcher, senior wide receiver Nathan Walker, senior linemen Gunner Fox, Ethan Derwacter and Blandon Baker, junior linebacker Cameron Barnhouse and junior defensive back Cash Smith also made first team in Division III.

Doyle, who missed the final few games with an injury, sparked the Blue Devils, as he finished with 841 yards and 13 TDs on 139 carries and added 586 yards and four scores through the air. Sowers collected 33 catches for 472 yards with five TDs and made 44 tackles with a pair of picks; Underwood had 40 tackles and 9.5 for a loss; Corbin made 28 tackles with six for a loss; Mercer, who started both ways, totaled 31 tackles with 7.5 for a loss; and Johnson tallied 41 tackles and five pass breakups.

Gilcher ran for 854 yards and 15 TDs on 203 carries and Walker hauled in 56 receptions for 834 yards and five scores, while also having 53 tackles and eight for a loss and averaging 37 yards per punt to pace the Muskies. Derwacter and Fox, who had six tackles for a loss, were two-way starters with 39 and 23 tackles, respectively, while Baker made 32 stops, Barnhouse had 81 tackles and 10 tackles for a loss, and Smith contributed 63 tackles and six for a loss.

In Division IV, Morgan junior wide receiver Kole Searl, Philo senior wide out Cade Searls and Meadowbrook sophomore wide receiver Nick Norman were on the first team offense.

Morgan senior defensive lineman Wade Pauley and senior punter Carson Copeland, Philo senior lineman Kyler Nader, Maysville senior linebacker Hayden Jarrett and junior defensive back Wesley Armstead and Meadowbrook senior defensive back Evan Dyer were first-team defensive selections.

Meadowbrook sophomore quarterback Justice Huey, Morgan junior quarterback Logan Niceswanger, Maysville junior quarterback Alex Bobb and River View senior running back Jamal Watts, senior wide receiver Preston Yoder, senior lineman Brady Winner and senior kicker Bruno Miller earned second-team honors on offense.

Philo senior linebacker Drew Lincicome and senior defensive back Demetrius Strickland, River View senior lineman Hunter Cannon, senior linebacker Cruz Mobley and senior defensive back Mason Giffin and Maysville junior punter Coen Fink earned spots on second team defense.

Searls had 29 catches for 396 yards with three TDs and had 41 tackles and two interceptions; Nader had 10 sacks among his 17 tackles; Lincicome had 110 tackles, 17 for a loss and six sacks, while adding 390 yards and five TDs and Strickland had 23 tackles, nine pass breakups and five interceptions for the Electrics.

Pauley dominated on both sides of the line and was used in short-yardage packages, including 64 tackles, 10 for a loss and five sacks on defense and six TDs as a running back and Copeland averaged 42 yards per punt, along with more than 1,100 total yards and 14 TDs on offense to pace the Raiders. Niceswanger went 127 of 193 for 1,598 yards, 17 TDs and five interceptions and 257 yards and four TDs on the ground, and Searl was his top target with school records of 60 catches and 770 yards, along with six TDs.

Bobb was 132-of-223 passing for 1,517 yards, nine TDs and seven interceptions; Jarrett tallied 125 tackles with five for a loss and had more than 900 total yards of offense with eight TDs; Armstead totaled 63 tackles, four pass breakups and two interceptions and 41 receptions with 504 yards and four TDs on offense; and Fink averaged 39 yards per punt for the Panthers.

Huey threw for 2,168 yards, 11 TDs and eight interceptions on 182-of-323 passing with Norman being his top target with 786 yards and five TDs on 55 receptions and Dyer had 54 tackles and contributed on offense and special teams as a returner for the Colts.

Watts highlighted the Black Bear offense with 1,033 yards and 13 TDs on 82 carries, while also leading the special teams units, which included a 99-yard kick return for a score. Yoder had 20 catches for 359 yards and 30 tackles with a pair of picks, Cannon had 55 tackles and 9.5 for a loss, Mobley tallied 109 tackles, 15.5 for a loss and 4.5 sacks and ran for 390 yards and five TDs and Giffin had 80 tackles and four for a loss for River View.

In Division V, West Muskingum senior linebacker Ty Shawger, senior wide receiver Slater Sampsel and junior lineman Connor McKenzie and Coshocton junior Antwone Johns earned first-team recognition.

West M sophomore quarterback Jake Anton, junior running back Rashid Sesay, senior defensive lineman Kam Foraker and sophomore linebacker Carter Winland and Coshocton senior offensive lineman Michael Walters, senior linebacker Dustin Hall, junior defensive back Trey Cox and senior punter Cadin Whiteus made second team.

Shawger made 80 tackles with nine for a loss, along with more than 1,200 yards and 13 scores on the ground, Sampsel hauled in 30 passes for 574 yards and 11 TDs, Anton threw for nearly 1,200 yards and 21 TDs to seven interceptions, Sesay ran for 600 yards and had nearly 300 yards receiving with nine total TDs, Foraker had 31 tackles and six for a loss and Winland had 63 tackles for the Tornadoes.

Johns had 50 tackles and four interceptions, along with nearly 700 all-purpose yards, Hall had 68 tackles and six for a loss, Cox tallied 75 tackles and 10 pass breakups and Whiteus averaged 36 yards per punt with six inside the 20 for the Redskins.

In Division VII, Rosecrans senior Weston Hartman made first team, while junior quarterback Brendan Bernath, freshman running back Brody Zemba, junior lineman Xander Daniels and freshman defensive back Coen Grandstaff earned second-team accolades.

Hartman caught 45 passes for 626 yards with seven TDs and had just under 1,000 all-purpose yards, Bernath had 1,581 yards passing with 13 TDs and seven interceptions, Zemba had 1,379 all-purpose yards and 11 rushing TDs, and Grandstaff had 25.5 tackles and 14 pass breakups for the Bishops.

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: East District Football: Tri-Valley headlines area selections