Football: Players-of-the-Week

September 10

Offensive- Ohio Northern senior wide receiver David Delk (West Milton/Milton-Union) caught five passes for a career-high 141 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Polar Bears’ past Millikin (Ill.) 42-0 in the season opener last week.

Other Nominees: Mickey Mental (B-W), Sr., QB…Steve West (HEID), Sr., QB

Defensive- Heidelberg sophomore defensive end Matt Grieves (Huron) had a career-high three sacks and five tackles, including three solo in the Bergs’ 37-26 victory over Oberlin last week. Grieves also blocked an extra point attempt and recovered one fumble.

Other Nominees: Paul Burger (B-W), Jr., MLB…Nic Bucci (CAP), Sr. DE…Eric Wenzler (ONU), So. CB…Ken Bevington (JCU), Jr. DE

Special Teams- Capital senior defensive back James Starks (Toledo/St. Franscis) blocked a punt attempt and field goal attempt in the Crusaders’ 13-0 win over Wittenberg on September 1 to match a school record for blocked kicks in a game.

Other Nominees: Kevin Soflkiancs (B-W), Sr. P…Adam Wilburn (B-W), Sr., PK…Jake Heaphy (ONU), So., K…B.J. Wanninger (OTT), Jr. P

September 17

Offensive- Capital sophomore wide receiver Evan Blake (Kingston/Logan Elm) hauled in 11 catches for a school-record 304 yards and two touchdowns in the Crusaders 40-0 win over Wilmington. Blake’s 304 yards were also the fifth most in the OAC.

Blake was also named a Offensive National Player of the Week by the Football Gazette.

Other Nominees: Marty Assman (CAP), So., QB…R.J. Meadows (ONU), Jr., RB…Mickey Mental (B-W), Sr., QB

Defensive- John Carroll junior defensive end Ken Bevington (Huntsburg/Cardinal) recorded a career-high 16 tackles, including five for losses of 22 yards in the Blue Streaks 21-6 victory over Heidelberg. Bevington also tallied three sacks for negative 17 yards.

Bevington was named to the D3Football.com national Team of the Week for his efforts in the Blue Streaks’ 24-0 victory over Wooster on 9/1

Other Nominees: Luke Chronister (B-W), Sr., OLB…

Special Teams- Capital senior defensive lineman Jonathan Spring (Maple Hts./Trinity) returned a blocked punt 33 yards for a touchdown  and had three of Capital’s nine sacks for losses of 16 yards against Wilmington last week.

Other Nominees: Adam Wilburn (B-W), Sr., PK…Jake Heaphy (ONU), So., K…

September 24

Offensive- Otterbein senior quarterback Paul Stelzer (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) threw for 395 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Cardinals past Marietta 41-23 last week. This is the third time Stelzer has thrown for five touchdowns in his career.

Other Nominees: Ben Wittwer (ONU), WR…Marty Assmann (CAP), QB…Nick Ranallo (B-W) RB

Defensive- Ohio Northern senior middle linebacker Lenny Trusnik (Macedonia/Nordonia) recorded ten tackles (six solo) and 2.5 sacks for losses of 13 yards in the Polar Bears 23-13 victory over John Carroll.

Other Nominees: Jonathan Spring (CAP), DL

Special Teams- Ohio Northern sophomore kicker Jake Heaphy (Dublin/Jerome) completed a 25-yard field goal and  averaged 44.8 yards on six punts with a long of 52 yards and placed two inside the 20 to help lead the Polar Bears past John Carroll 23-13.

Other Nominees: Evan DeLuca (CAP), DB

October 1

Offensive- Wilmington junior wide receiver Marque Jones (Wilmington) tied a school single-game record with four touchdown receptions to lift the Quakers’ past Muskingum 42-40. Jones also carried the ball for 16 yards.  

Other Nominees: R.J. Meadows (ONU)…Marty Assmann (CAP)…Andre Nash (MUSK)…Billy Blackburn (WILM)…Anthony Gardner (B-W)

Defensive- Ohio Northern sophomore linebacker Steve Gunter (Macedonia/Nordonia) totaled four tackles (three solo),returned a interception 23 yards to set up a touchdown and followed with a blocked punt in the Polar Bear’ 27-14 win over Otterbein.

Other Nominees: James Starks (CAP)…Ken Bevington (JCU)…Luke Chronister (B-W)

Special Teams- John Carroll senior place kicker Josiah Kedzior (Brecksville/St. Ignatius) scored eight of the Blue Streaks’ 20 points in their 20-17 overtime win against Baldwin-Wallace. Kedzior made a career-long 37-yard field goal in overtime for the game winning points.

Other Nominees: Jake Heaphy (ONU)…Matt Spitz (CAP)…Kevin Soflkiancs (B-W)…Dominique Smith (WILM)

October 8

Offensive- Otterbein sophomore quarterback Jack Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman) led the Cardinals past Wilmington, 58-41, with 361 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. Rafferty threw for 217 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 144 yards and two more touchdowns.

Other Nominees: Matt Heagen (CAP)...Billy Blackburn (WILM)...Kenny Sims (HEID)

Defensive- Baldwin-Wallace freshman outside linebacker Ryan Kish (Amherst/Steele) had a career-high and team-leading 16 tackles, including one for a loss, and intercepted a pass versus Heidelberg last week.

Other Nominees: James Starks (CAP)…Ken Bevington (JCU)…Luke Chronister (B-W)...Matt Nero (HEID)

Special Teams- Capital senior place kicker Matt Spitz (Xenia) made three field goals in Capital’s 37-13 win over John Carroll last week.

October 15

Offensive- Baldwin-Wallace senior wide receiver Vinny Latessa (Wicklife) had a career-high eight catches for 186 yards, with two touchdown catches of 80 and 18 yards to lead the Yellow Jackets past Muskingum last week. Latessa’s was also named the B-W Frank Ropollo Homecoming Player-of-the-Game.

Other Nominees: Ben Wittwer (ONU…Lucas Bauer (HEID)…Scott DeLong (OTT)…

Defensive- Capital junior safety C.J. Steele (Hilliard/Bishop Watterson) lead the Crusader’s defense with a career-high 11 tackles (five solo), two interceptions, a pass breakup and a tackle for loss, to limit Ohio Northern to just 52 yards rushing.

Other Nominees: Joe Kowalski (B-W)…Michael Nettling (JCU)…Lenny Trusnik (ONU)…Matt Nero (HEID)...

Special Teams- Capital sophomore place kicker Tom Gantner (Reynoldsburg/Bishop Hartley) had a career-long 55 yard punt and placed four kicks inside the 20, including a punt downed at the two-yard line in the Crusader’s 24-6 win over Ohio Northern last week.

Other Nominees: Adam Wilburn (B-W)…Jake Heaphy (ONU)…

October 22

Offensive- Heidelberg junior running back Kenny Sims (Garfield Heights) had a career-high 172 yards rushing and one touchdown to lead the Berg past Wilmington, 37-33,  last week.

Other Nominees: Mark Petruziello (JCU)…Sam Amidon (ONU)

Defensive- Ohio Northern junior safety Chane Porter (Canal Winchester) led the Polar Bears’ defense with 12 tackles (six solo) and two sacks for a loss of 11 yards as they topped Marietta 14-7 last week.

Other Nominees: Luke Chronister (B-W)…Nadhal Eadeh (JCU)…Matt Grieves (HEID)…Brain Hahn (MAR)…Wil Longsdorf (WILM)

Special Teams- Heidelberg freshman kicker Jesse Hawkins (Georgetown, Ky./Scott County) was four-of-four  on PATs and connected on a career-long field goal to help pull the Berg within three points in the final minutes of the game.  

Other Nominees: Kevin Soflkiancs (B-W)…B.J. Wanninger (OTT)…Jake Heaphy (ONU)

October 29

Offensive-Wilmington sophomore quarterback Billy Blackburn (New Vienna/East Clinton) threw a school-record six touchdown passes to lead the Quakers to a 42-35 overtime upset over John Carroll last week.

Other Nominees: R.J. Meadow (ONU)…Eric Yates (OTT)…Steve West (HEID)…Ryan Dawson (MAR)

Defensive- Marietta senior linebacker Brian Hahn (Upper Sandusky) helped to lead the Pioneers past Heidelberg, 31-23,with a career-high 15 tackles.

Other Nominees: Lenny Trusnik (ONU)…Bryce Martin (WILM)

Special Teams- Marietta freshman kick returner Ryan Dawson (Parkersburg, W.Va) lead the Pioneers past Heidelberg, 31-23, with an 80-yard kickoff return in the first quarter and then added two touchdown receptions in the fourth quarter.  He became the first Pioneer to score three touchdowns in a game since 2004. 

Other Nominees: Kevin Soflkiancs (B-W)…Jesse Hawkins (HEID)…John Wahler (OTT)…Jake Heaphy (ONU)…Dominique Smith (WILM)

November 3

Offensive- Marietta sophomore quarterback Dexter Hughes (Woodsfield/Monroe Central) threw for a career-high 399 yards with 327 of them in the first half alone and tied a school record with four touchdown passes to lead the Pioneers past Wilmington 38-14.

Other Nominees: Kyle Simmons (ONU)…Nick Ranallo (B-W)

Defensive-Baldwin-Wallace senior linebacker Luke Chronister (Ashland) had a game-high 16 tackles with an interception in the fourth quarter and carried the ball twice on a fake punt situation for 11 yards and two first downs in the Yellow Jackets 37-27 win over Otterbein last week.

Defensive-Capital junior lineman Nick Sadler (Lima/Lima Shawnee) had a game-high nine tackles, four sacks, six tackles for loss (29 yards), forced two fumbles and recovered one fumble in his first start as the Crusaders topped Muskingum 19-13 last week.

Other Nominees: Josh Horn, ONU…Clay Ream (MAR)

Special Teams- Baldwin-Wallace senior punter Kevin Soflkiancs (Middleburg Hts./Midpark) was four- of- four  with  an average of 48.2 yards per punt  with a long of 53 yards in the Yellow Jackets 37-27 victory over Otterbein last week.

Other Nominees: Jake Heaphy (ONU)…Jesse Hawkins (HEID)

November 12

Defensive-Wilmington junior linebacker Brandon Heim (Crooksville) tallied nine tackles, including two solo and one and a half tackles for loss, broke up a pass and forced quarterback hurry against Ohio Northern last week. Heim picked an ONU pass and brought it back 56 yards for a touchdown.

Other Nominees: Jonathan Spring (CAP)…Luke Chronister (B-W)…Eric Burnside (CAP)…Matt Grieves (HEID)…Darren Cereshko (B-W)

Offensive- Heidelberg junior wide receiver  Lucas Bauer (Huron) picked up a career-high 216 receiving yards on five receptions and scored two touchdowns to lead the Berg past Muskingum, 52-21, last week.

Other Nominees: Zac McKenzie (CAP)…Jack Rafferty (OTT)

Special Teams- Heidelberg freshman place kicker Jesse Hawkins (Georgetown, Ky./Scott County) scored ten points in the Bergs 52-21 victory over Muskingum last week to close out the season. Hawkins was a perfect seven-of seven on PATs and averages 54.4 yards on eight kickoffs. He added to the school single-season record for made field goals, which he held previously held at 12 and upped it to 14.

Other Nominees: N/A