The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
The Morning Journal football All-Stars released
The Morning Journal 2017 football All-Stars, headlined by Matt Wilhelm Award winner Ryan Maloy, are official. Thirteen teams are represented on first team, with plenty more on second and third teams.
The Eagles are back in a state semifinal for the third time in program history and there is no doubt it would not be possible without Maloy under center. Ask any of the Southwestern Conference coaches or any of the coaches that have tried to stop Maloy in the playoffs and they will tell you the same thing: The junior is something special. Why? Because he’s a playmaker. Each and every game, he is the difference, whether that be putting points up on the scoreboard, extending a drive or running the offense, Maloy always rises to the challenge and passes the tests. Still unsure? Consider his statistics as the Eagles head into battle with Akron Hoban for a state final berth: 184-for-254 (72.4 completion percentage) for 2,453 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions. And that’s just his arm. The junior has been just as great with his legs, rushing 98 times for 788 yards and 13 touchdowns. But beyond what the weekly box scores and leaderboards show, it’s Maloy’s ability to be consistent while constantly evolving his game that makes him truly special. Maloy has thrown for a touchdown in 11 of the Eagles’ wins, including one in each regular season game. He has evolved his game as the season progressed, relying on his legs in the playoffs (27 carries, 268 yards, four touchdowns), while still creating plenty of matchup problems with his arm (37-for-58, 63.8 completion percentage, 453 yards, one touchdown, one interception). To put it simply, Maloy is the X-factor that keeps the Avon offense so hard to stop. Listen to the Matt Wilhelm Award show and check out a gallery of our favorite photos from the season on MorningJournal.com.