Wayne sweeps top All-Area honors
Despite second straight title defeat, team wins three top awards.
It wasn’t as if Wayne head coach Jay Minton had passed on the Warriors’ legacy as the area’s best Division I high school football program. But after consecutive state-final losses, he’s any other team’s greatest champion.
“We did some things at Wayne and made some history,” Minton reflected after falling 45-35 to Lakewood St. Edward for the second straight year in the D-I state championship at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Dec. 5. “Hopefully, there’ll be some teams in the area that’ll be able to do it in the future.”
Wayne (14-1) swept all three top individual honors for the combined Divisions I-II All-Area football team. Minton is coach of the year. The offensive player of the year is Wayne senior quarterback Messiah deWeaver. He completed 166 of 280 passes (59 percent) for 2,924 yards, 32 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He’s verbally committed to Michigan State.
The defensive player of the year is Wayne senior defensive back Tobias Gilliam, who’s committed to Kentucky.
Trotwood-Madison claimed two of three combined Divisions III-IV top honors. Sensational sophomore running back Raveion Hargrove is the offensive player of the year. Trotwood (10-4) rode Hargrove to the D-III state semifinals. His 3,039 yards rushing and 39 touchdowns is thought to be an all-time, single-season area best.
Trotwood two-way standout and three-year starting linebacker Roland Walder is the defensive player of the year. He’s also verbally committed to UK. The coach of the year is Fenwick’s Joe Snively, who led the Falcons (13-1) to their best season in program history.
In the combined Divisions V-VII, Coldwater senior QB Jack Hemmelgarn is the offensive player of the year. He guided the Cavaliers (15-0) to their fourth straight D-V state title, completing 179 of 248 passes (72 percent) for 2,737 yards and 33 touchdowns.
The defensive player of the year is Mechanicsburg junior defensive lineman Dylan Hartley. The coach of the year is Fort Recovery’s Brent Niekamp, who led the Indians (13-2) to their first D-VII state title in only their second playoff appearance.
Selections were made based on area coaches’ nominations.