Madison's Dragas picks up DII Northeast Lakes District POY honors
Feb. 23—JP Dragas had quite a season to remember.
The Madison junior surpassed 1,000 career points and set the school's all-time career scoring record.
He has capped it off by being selected the Division II Northeast Lakes District Player of the Year for the 2022-23 campaign.
"I am truly honored to have that title and to be recognized as one of the top players in the area," Dragas said. "The award hadn't crossed my mind at the beginning of the year because I was focused on helping my team succeed."
Dragas, a 6-foot-1 guard, finished the season averaging 27.1 points, 6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.3 steals per contest.
He had 10 games of scoring 30 or more points with a season high of 48 in a Division II sectional semifinal loss to Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin.
"At the end of the day, I always think I'm the best guy on the floor each night and for others to feel that way about me is very humbling," Dragas said. "I owe thanks to my great coaching staff and teammates who have helped me along the way."
Dragas registered four doubles-doubles, two of them with points and assists.
"JP had a fantastic season that started right from Game 1 and continued to Game 22," Blue Streaks coach Nick Gustin said. "This award is a testament to the work ethic that JP has and how he pushes himself along with his teammates.
"Over the course of the season, he grew into a complete player on both offense and defense, which freed up teammates to contribute to the success."
The all-district teams, which is presented by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Assocation, are picked among schools from Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties. They are selected by a group of reporters from cleveland.com, the News-Herald in Willoughby, Chronicle-Telegram in Elyria, Morning Journal in Lorain and Star Beacon.
Also, Edgewood's Zack Vencill, in DII, and Pymatuning Valley's Tyler Britton, DIII, were first-team all-district choices.
The 6-1 senior averaged 25 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2 steals per game. He tallied a team-record 45 points in a game against Harvey, and broke the 1,000-point career scoring barrier.
Britton, a 6-6 senior, tossed in 20.5 points and grabbed 8.1 rebounds per game this season. He surpassed 1,000-career points during the season.
Jefferson junior Joseph DeGeorge, in DII; PV junior Blake Krznaric, DIII and Grand Valley senior Nate Boarski, DIV, were all second-team all-district choices.
Third-team all-district selections in the county consisted of: Lakeside senior Dasjuan Williams in DI; Edgewood junior Jacob Ernst, DII; Jefferson sophomore Anthony Covetta, DII and Conneaut junior Chance Loomis DIII.
Those who were on the honorable mention team included: Lakeside senior Kam Crockett and junior Jimmy Timonere in DI; Edgewood senior James Montanaro and junior Logan Kray, DII; Jefferson senior Grant Hitchcock, DII; Geneva senior Anthony Kosicek, junior Luke Smith and sophomore Luke Barbo, II; PV seniors Jon Moschell and Luke Harvey and junior Zane Neczeporenko, III; Conneaut senior Larry Hamm, DIII; GV juniors Jerry Schultz and Logan Zirzow, DIV and Saint John senior Jesus Hernandez and sophomore Vin Narducci.
DIVISION I
First team
Luke Skaljac, Brecksville-Broadview Heights, 6-foot-2, jr., 23.2 points; Marcus Johnson, Garfield Heights, 6-1, fr., 20.4; Ace Buckner, Cleveland St. Ignatius, jr., 13.4; Ryan Walsh, Elyria, 6-0, sr., 17.1; Ian Ioppolo, Mentor, 6-6, jr., 22.7; Kyle Irwin, Mayfield Village Mayfield, 6-7, sr., 25.2; Cameron Grant, Lakewood St. Edward, 6-7, sr., 9.9.
Second team
Kenyon Giles, Cleveland Rhodes, 5-10, jr., 21.6; Shemarion Hardy, Cleveland Heights, 6-1, sr., 14.2; Matthew Stuewe, Avon Lake, 6-3, sr., 16.1; Jake Boynar, North Ridgeville, 6-6, sr., 20.0; Tyler Williams, Lyndhurst Brush, 6-9, sr., 13.0; Sean Register Jr., Eastlake North, 6-6, jr., 28.1; Chase Garito, Brecksville-Broadview Heights, 6-8, sr., 15.0.
Third team
Charlie Fox, Painesville Riverside, 6-0, sr., 17.2; Dasjuan Williams, Ashtabula Lakeside, 6-1, sr., 19.6; Lucas Perusek, Lakewood St. Edward, 6-1, sr., 8.2; Devyn Zahursky, Berea-Midpark, 6-6, jr. 15.2; Kellon Smith, Shaker Heights, 6-3, sr., 20.7; Griffin Turay, North Ridgeville, 6-4, jr., 18.0; Justin Wypasek, Strongsville, 5-9, sr., 19.9; Jayden Crutcher, Elyria, 6-5, so., 16.9.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Luke Skaljac, Brecksville-Broadview Heights
COACH OF THE YEAR: Anthony Burns, Maple Heights
Honorable mention
C.J. Little, Garfield Heights; Darius Davis, Maple Heights; Xavier Vann, Euclid; Marlon Barnes Jr., Lyndhurst Brush; Ryan Rusner, Grafton Midview; Brevyn Coleman, Lakewood St. Edward; Isaac Richardson, Avon Lake; Austin Clay, Berea-Midpark; Nathan Farley, Avon; Tyson Ziegler, Avon; Ethan Faber, Chardon; Jaeden Lawson, Cleveland Heights; Rayvelle Duncan, Cleveland Heights; Rondelle Pollard, Cleveland Heights; Damon Friery, Cleveland St. Ignatius; Deandre Jones, Garfield Heights; Justin Belcher, Hunting Valley University School; Michael Candow, Olmsted Falls; Antwon Reynolds, Cleveland Rhodes; Carter Jackson, Cleveland St. Ignatius; Reece Robinson, Cleveland St. Ignatius; Danny Lavelle, Lakewood St. Edward; Wendell Henry, Lakewood St. Edward; Matthew Biddell, Mentor; Ryan Ioppolo, Mentor; Kobe Frasure-Azzano, Mentor; Jad Suleiman, North Royalton; Nate Sawyer, North Royalton; Andrew Taggart, Painesville Riverside; Austin Lee, Painesville Riverside; Jake Elly, Painesville Riverside; Collin Jones, North Ridgeville; Tommie Benn, Garfield Heights; Mateo Medina, Elyria; Collin Stewart, Avon Lake; Peyton Lerch, Avon Lake; Braydn Szczepaniak, Cleveland St. Ignatius; Asiah Kielian, Lorain; Christian Ruiz, Lorain; Trent Branchen, Amherst Steele; Masyn Zahursky, Berea-Midpark; Sammy Sulka, Chardon; Noah Gerlica, Chardon; Michael Lewandowski, Maple Heights; Xavier Peterson, Maple Heights; Jayvion Moore, Maple Heights; Da'van Aniton, Maple Heights; Datwon Daniels, Cleveland Garrett Morgan; Miles Ciulla, North Olmsted; Landen Bray, Amherst Steele; Jaiden Guerra-Howard, Lorain; Damari Dammons, Lyndhurst Brush; Dylan McDonald, Eastlake North; Eli Solak, Amherst Steele; Jimmy Timonere, Ashtabula Lakeside; Kam Crockett, Ashtabula Lakeside; Owen Trzebuckowski, Berea-Midpark; Matt Sensel, Berea-Midpark; Herman Plas, Grafton Midview; Marc Reed, Grafton Midview; Demetrius Jones, Cleveland Rhodes; Elion Williams, Cleveland Rhodes; Ethan Nowak, Hunting Valley University School; Alec Congdon, Hunting Valley University School; Xavier Balson, North Olmsted; Alex Pullin, North Olmsted; Luke Kormuth, Solon; Amir Jones, Solon; Josh Byers, Strongsville; Nick Quirino, Strongsville; Nolan Beard, Strongsville; Derek Occhipinti, Westlake; Will Ostrowski, Westlake; Delond Moss, Willoughby South; Quintin Wilson, Willoughby South; Alphonso Hickman, Cleveland Garrett Morgan; Abdi Hassan, Cleveland Garrett Morgan; Jalun Palmore, Cleveland Garrett Morgan; Jalen Brooks, Cleveland John F. Kennedy; Matthew Farmer, Cleveland John F. Kennedy; Zyire Dickey, Cleveland John F. Kennedy; Emere Atkins, Cleveland John Marshall; Markel Harris, Cleveland John Marshall; Mohamed Ali, Cleveland Max Hayes; Courtney Jones, Cleveland Max Hayes.
DIVISION II
First team
J.P. Dragas, Madison, 6-1, jr., 27.1; Jayson Levis, Rocky River Lutheran West, 6-0, jr., 18.1; Derek Fairley, Rocky River Lutheran West, 6-2, jr., 10.0; Josh Pineiro, Parma Heights Holy Name, 6-0, sr., 19.1; Avery Young, Sheffield Brookside, 5-10, sr., 19.9; Zack Vencill, Ashtabula Edgewood, 6-1, sr., 25.0 Brandon Rose, Gates Mills Gilmour Academy, 6-3, sr., 16.6.
Second team
Domareyan Oliver, Cleveland Glenville, 6-4, sr., 16.0; Joseph DeGeorge, Jefferson Area Jefferson, 6-5, jr., 21.1; Evan Dugger, Chardon Notre-Dame Cathedral Latin, 6-3, jr., 20.9; Devin Belle, Pepper Pike Orange, 6-3, sr., 23.0; Adisa Molton II, Gates Mills Gilmour Academy, 5-11, sr., 14.9; Nolan Waechter, Sheffield Brookside, 6-0, so., 17.0; Thomas Niederst, Elyria Catholic, 6-4, sr., 14.0.
Third team
Grant Hartley, LaGrange Keystone, 5-10, sr., 15.5; Riley Cervenka, Parma Padua Franciscan, 6-0, so., 13.6; Anthony Covetta, Jefferson Area Jefferson, 6-2, so., 18.0; Jerry Kline-Ruminski, Chesterland West Geauga, 6-5, sr., 14.7; Jacob Ernst, Ashtabula Edgewood, 6-3, jr., 16.5; Colin Ginley, Elyria Catholic, 6-3, sr., 13.0;; Taj Caver, Gates Mills Hawken, 5-11, jr., 14.1; Joey Abraham, Parma Heights Holy Name, 5-11, 9.7.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: J.P. Dragas, Madison
COACH OF THE YEAR: Ryan Patton, Parma Heights Holy Name
Honorable mention
Will DeClerck, Rocky River; Jakobi Laster, Cleveland Glenville; Quandell Wright, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph; Kris Smith, Cleveland Benedictine; Tremaine Edwards, Cleveland Benedictine; Da'ron Hill, Gates Mills Hawken; Damarion Witten, Cleveland Glenville; Konner Rodick, LaGrange Keystone; Theodore Castro, Cleveland Glenville; Armani Hall, Painesville Harvey; Keegan Fernlund, Parma Heights Holy Name; Junior Kambomba, Rocky River Lutheran West; Matthew Meyer, Rocky River Lutheran West; Joshua Meyer, Rocky River Lutheran West; Andrew Chesterfield, Bay Village Bay; Carson Gergy, Bay Village Bay; Terrell Pollard, Bedford; Willie Powell, Bedford; J.J. Hudson, Bedford; Dorjan Flowers, Gates Mills Gilmour Academy; Brandon Smul, Chardon Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin; Noah Rogers, Chardon Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin; Jaxon Mangelluzzi, Chardon Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin; Anthony Wimberly, Cleveland Central Catholic; Arnell Edmonds, Cleveland Central Catholic; Andre McCullough, Cleveland Central Catholic; Logan Kray, Ashtabula Edgewood; James Montanaro, Ashtabula Edgewood; Augie Payne, Bay Village Bay; Landon Lear, Chesterland West Geauga; Jaymen Allen, Cleveland Benedictine; Nate Edwards, Cleveland Lincoln-West; Jeremiah Beasley, Cleveland Lincoln-West; Sean Shenker, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph; Antonio Brown, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph; Jimmy Lawless, Gates Mills Gilmour Academy; David Dettelbach, Gates Mills Hawken; Anthony Kosicek, Geneva; Luke Smith, Geneva; Luke Barbo, Geneva; Ryan Bowling, East Cleveland Shaw; Wayne Chappell, East Cleveland Shaw; Jacob Raab, Elyria Catholic; Colin Kenneally, Elyria Catholic; Tony Grasso, Elyria Catholic; Grant Hitchcock, Jefferson Area Jefferson; Jimmy Aunspaw, Oberlin Firelands; Niko Gotsis, Oberlin Firelands; Chris Radman, Oberlin Firelands; Dez Thomas, Painesville Harvey; Davon Badley, Painesville Harvey; Jesse Hayes, Parma Padua Franciscan; Dominic Anekwe, Pepper Pike Orange; Julian Patti, Rocky River.
DIVISION III
First team
Cody Head, Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, 6-3, 18.5; Nathan Lurie, Beachwood, 5-11, sr., 26.1; Tyler Britton, Andover Pymatuning Valley, 6-6, sr., 20.5; James Kosmides, Chagrin Falls, 6-5, sr., 12.7; Jake Cubbison, Perry, 6-2, sr., 21.3; Aidan Fitzgerald, Mentor Lake Catholic, 6-3, sr., 18.7; T.J. Crumble, Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, 6-7, fr., 15.1.
Second team
Nathan Borling, Columbia Station Columbia, 6-1, jr., 18.4; Blake Krznaric, Andover Pymatuning Valley, 6-6, jr., 15.0; Vincent Berardi, Columbia Station Columbia, 6-2, sr., 14.8; Brayden Richards, Perry, 6-1, jr., 16.0; Peyton Burdys-Rini, Mentor Lake Catholic, 6-3, jr., 18.4; Jaiden Basinger, Brooklyn, 6-3, sr., 15.7; Braylan McClardy, Cuyahoga Heights, 6-1, jr., 12.1.
Third team
Colin Meany, Fairview Park Fairview, 6-1, sr., 17.8; Landon Jatsek, Independence, 6-4, jr., 18.9; Jacob Rehor, Fairview Park Fairview, 6-3, sr., 14.2; Nate Biggers, Cuyahoga Heights, 6-1, sr., 13.9; Chance Loomis, Conneaut, 5-10, jr., 16.3; Sean Whitehouse, Wellington, 6-2, sr., 17.5; Jai Walton, Lorain Clearview, 6-1, jr., 13.1; Noah Page, Beachwood, 6-4, sr., 14.5.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nathan Lurie, Beachwood
COACH OF THE YEAR: Michael Tartara, Cuyahoga Heights
Honorable mention
Dom Locklear, Garfield Heights Trinity; Cade Davies, Cuyahoga Heights; Randall Fields, Brooklyn; Sam Crooks, Independence; Will Allen, Fairview Park Fairview; Westley Fletcher Jr., Fairview Park Fairview; Zavior Castillo, Lorain Clearview; Ayden Cruz, Lorain Clearview; Jaiden Ramos, Brooklyn; Nelson Johnson Jr., Cleveland Heights Lutheran East; Chauncey Brashers, Cleveland Heights Lutheran East; Eric Snow Jr., Garfield Heights Trinity; Keenan Hughes, Garfield Heights Trinity; Eli Walton, Cuyahoga Heights; Zane Neczeporenko, Andover Pymatuning Valley; Jon Moschell, Andover Pymatuning Valley; Luke Harvey, Andover Pymatuning Valley; Jack Hastings, Burton Berkshire; Mason Mendolera, Burton Berkshire; Larry Hamm, Conneaut; Vince Carriero, Kirtland; Gino Blasini, Kirtland; Nick Barisic, Kirtland; Owen Mueller, Kirtland; Nick Brandt, Mentor Lake Catholic; Deakan Wirth, Wellington; Walter Cable, Wickliffe.
DIVISION IV
First team
Dorian Jones, Richmond Heights, 6-5, so., 20.1; Quinn Kwasniak, Willoughby Cornerstone Christian, 6-2, so., 29.6; De'Erick Barber, Richmond Heights, 5-11, so., 8.9; Jose Gomez, North Ridgeville Lake Ridge Academy, 6-1, sr., 24.4; Hosea Steele, Richmond Heights, 6-5, jr., 15.8; Anthony Januzzi, Elyria Open Door Christian, 5-10, jr., 16.3; Isaac Thompson, Oberlin, 6-5, sr., 12.2;
Second team
Demarris Winters Jr., Richmond Heights, 6-2, so., 14.2; Nate Boiarski, Orwell Grand Valley; 6-3, sr., 16.4; R.J. Penney, Elyria Open Door Christian, 6-1, jr., 15.6; Jeremy Wilson, Richmond Heights, 6-6, jr., 11.3; Carter Armstrong, Willoughby Cornerstone Christian, 6-0, so., 16.4; Elijah Petrosian, Willoughby Andrews Osborne Academy, 6-5, sr., 18.1; D.J. Niles, Willoughby Cornerstone Christian, 6-6, sr., 14.9.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Dorian Jones, Richmond Heights
COACH OF THE YEAR: Quentin Rogers, Richmond Heights
Honorable mention
Omario Hopkins, Oberlin; Julius Moon, Elyria Open Door Christian; Troy Domen, Middlefield Cardinal; Jake Bean, Middlefield Cardinal; Paul Gall, Middlefield Cardinal; Chris Walker, Oberlin; Kevyn Steen, Oberlin; Ryan Merrill, Willoughby Cornerstone Christian; Jesus Hernandez, Ashtabula St. John; Vin Narducci, Ashtabula St. John; Drake Patton, Elyria First Baptist; Josh Parsons, Fairport Harbor Fairport Harding; James Gadomski, Fairport Harbor Fairport Harding; Grant Doeringer, Grafton Christian Community; Josh Muth, Grafton Christian Community; Jerry Schultz, Orwell Grand Valley; Logan Zirzow, Orwell Grand Valley; Rafa Jurado, Willoughby Andrews Osborne Academy.
