High school football: Perry places six on Division V All-Ohio football team

John Kampf, The News-Herald, Willoughby, Ohio
·2 min read

Dec. 6—The Perry Pirates put together a strong 11-3 season, which included an appearance in a Division V regional championship game.

For their efforts, the Pirates had six players named to first-, second- or third-team Division V All-Ohio when the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association released the Division IV and Division V teams on Dec. 6.

Receiver Brayden Richards and offensive lineman A.J. Kifus were named first-team All-Ohio, defensive lineman Brian Cox and linebacker Owen McKoon were named second-team, and quarterback Walter Moses and running back Jayden Studio were named third-team.

The Perry Six headlined a group of 16 area student-athletes who earned first-, second- or third-team in the announced Divisions on Dec. 6. Voting is done by members of the statewide OPSWA panel.

Divisions II and III will be announced on Dec. 7, while Division I comes out on Dec. 8.

Other area athletes named All-Ohio were a quartet from Berkshire (Miles Miller, Josh Brown, Jason Brent and Elijah Southern in Division V), a trio of Lake Catholic Cougars (Aidan Fitzgerald, Nick Pisano and T.J. Gibbons), two from Beachwood (Uzonna Nzekwe and Jake Burkons) and Chagrin Falls' Charlie Frederick.

Perry, which lost to eventual state champion South Range in a regional final, got huge years from its two first-teamers.

Playing quarterback, running back, receiver and on special teams, Richards had 2,215 yards of offense and 25 touchdowns, while also having 76 tackles and five interceptions on defense. The 6-5, 290-pound Kifus anchored a Perry offense that averaged 35.4 points per game.

Second-teamers Cox (Seven sacks, five TFLs, three forced fumbles) and McKoon (more than 100 tackles, nine TFLs) spearheaded the defense all year long. Third-teamers Moses (more than 2,000 yards passing) and Studio (the team's leading rusher) piled up points and statistics throughout.

Berkshire's four All-Ohioans were integral to the Badgers' 7-4 season. Miller ran for more than 1,000 yards and threw for more than 1,000 yards this season to go with six interceptions on defense, while Brown was his favorite target in leading the team in receptions to go with 80 tackles and 12.5 TFLs on defense. Southern was a two-way starter, but specialized on defense where he led Berkshire in Tackles. Brent anchored the Badgers' offensive line.

For Lake, Fitzgerald had 42 catches for more than 600 yards in the Cougars' passing offense. Pisano led on the line, while Gibbons was a lockdown defensive back for the Cougars.

Beachwood's Nzekwe had 130 tackles and 29 TFLs this season, while Burkons was a top-end defensive back.

Frederick had 117 tackles and five TFLs this year for Chagrin.

A number of other area athletes earned honorable mention status.