Small School grid stars rake in All-Ohio honors
COLUMBUS — The strength of the Muskingum Valley League's Small School Division this season resulted in three teams reaching the postseason.
That was reflective of the Division IV and V All-Ohio teams released on Tuesday, where 14 players earned some level of recognition by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association. The lists are amassed by the OPSWA based on recommendations from voting members within each district.
Small School champion New Lexington, which finished 8-2 and hosted a playoff game in Region 15, saw senior running back Hunter Rose earn first-team honors, senior wide receiver Tatem Toth made second team and senior quarterback Lukas Ratliff landed on third team. Senior lineman Brady Kennedy and senior defensive end Michael Vernon were honorable mention selections.
Morgan saw two-way senior standouts Carson Copeland and Wade Pauley land on the second team in Division IV, while junior receiver Kole Searl was an honorable mention pick.
Copeland, a starter at running back and linebacker, was named as a punter after averaging 42 yards per attempt, ranking among the best statewide. The 6-3, 235-pound Pauley, who also stars in baseball, made it as a defensive lineman but could have easily been named on offense.
Maysville senior linebacker Hayden Jarrett and junior defensive back Wesley Armstead and Philo senior wide receiver Cade Searls and defensive lineman Kyler Nader were honorable mention picks.
West Muskingum's Ty Shawger earned second-team honors at linebacker in Division V, where senior receiver Slater Sampsel and junior lineman Connor McKenzie were honorable mention for the Tornadoes.
Rose carried the rushing load with 1,476 yards on 157 carries with an area-best 20 touchdowns, while he also caught 12 passes for a 20-yard average. He offered much-needed balance to the Panthers' spread offense.
At 5-8, 175, Rose used his low center of gravity and wrestling background to his advantage as a runner, particularly with his balance and ability to shake off tacklers.
"It was nothing we taught him," New Lex coach Kevin Board said of Rose. "He just had a lot of true natural ability. His power, his explosiveness and his speed, he could turn a play that looked like three or four yards into a big play. He did that a lot. He liked to turn every play in a touchdown."
The 6-4, 190-pound Ratliff, who also starred at free safety, was the triggerman, accounting for 1,941 passing yards and 359 more on the ground with 25 total TDs. As a junior, he was one of the team's best wideouts opposite the record-breaking Toth, with Hunter Kellogg at quarterback.
Board said Ratliff's evolution from receiver to quarterback happened during throwing sessions in the spring, when coaches recognized his surprising passing talents. With the job open due to Kellogg's graduation, he took it and ran into the annals. Toth did his part by setting the MVL career record for receptions.
"Lukas had one year as a starter and he was incredible," Board said. "He's a great leader and a tremendous kid. He was the right guys in the locker room, helped a lot of guys around him. He was always that great leader that you want."
The 6-1, 225-pound Copeland and Pauley led a Morgan renaissance under coach Chase Bowman that began when they were freshmen, when the varsity struggled to win a game. Three years of weight room dedication helped them become a playoff team.
Bowman said the pair "had a huge impact on our weight room culture," adding that "they have set the standard for what strong looks like."
They fueled an offense that ran for more than 1,800 yards and passed for another 1,600.
"On the field, they both were extremely versatile for us," Bowman said. "Carson was a weapon running the ball, as well as catching it, and was a key player on defense on top of his outstanding punting. Wade was a force up front on both sides of the ball and also ran the ball effectively in short-yardage situations.
"They both aspire to play at the next level," Bowman added. "Wade is hoping to get a shot in baseball while Carson would like to play football. I think they can help out wherever they end up. I’m very proud of them and hope they continue their playing careers."
Shawger took over the reins from another All-Ohio linebacker, Harley Hopkins, who is now at Marietta College. West coach Nathan Brownrigg said Shawger expressed interest in taking on a two-way workload similar to Hopkins after the end of last season.
He did just that. He ran for 1,213 yards and 13 TDs as a running back, while collecting a team-high 80 tackles, nine for losses.
"He was 80 percent of our offense and probably that on defense," Brownrigg said. "Ty wanted that responsibility and worked himself into that load. He put on 20 pounds of muscle and the strength and speed, and it turned into a great season for him and us."
Shawger dealt with his own knee issue in midseason but never missed a game. He left an example for others that he hopes the underclassmen follow.
"That's how he did his thing, by example and and the way we he played, and the effort he did things," Brownrigg said. "That's what we hope carries us in the future. ... That's what we talked about at the banquet. It was Harley before and Ty was the next to carry the torch. Someone else has to carry that role in setting the standard."
On Monday, Rosecrans senior Weston Hartman was the only Bishop to earn All-Ohio accolades, receiving honorable mention in Division VII. Hartman caught 45 passes for 626 yards with seven TDs and had just under 1,000 all-purpose yards.
sblackbu@gannett.com; Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Small School grid stars rake in All-Ohio honors
