COLUMBUS — Joining Danville’s linebacker Levi Lyons, who Monday was named Division-VII Defensive Player of the Year, Highland’s junior running back Dane Nauman was named Division-V Offensive Player of the Year on Tuesday by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association, which also selected its All-Ohio teams.
In announcements this week for D-V, D-IV, D-III and D-II honors, two local athletes were named to the D-V First Team offense, two to Second Team offense, two to the Third Team offense and two offensive and two defensive players earned Honorable Mention honors. One local athlete gained D-II Honorable Mention recognition. Of 11 local honorees, Highland had players five selected and Centerburg three; Utica, Fredericktown and Mount Vernon each had one.
Nauman was also selected as First Team running back. He finished fifth in Ohio in yards gained rushing, with 2,380 yards and all of those ahead of him played from two to four more games (playoff length). He was third in yards per game at 216.4 and gained 8.1 yards per carry. He also scored 28 touchdowns.
A First Team QB selection was Centerburg’s senior signal-caller Tyler Johnson, who was 19th in Ohio in rushing with 1,501 yards (150.1 yards per game and 6.6 yards per carry) with 19 touchdowns. He also gained 1,287 yards passing (128.7 yards per game) with 17 touchdowns. He was seventh in total TDs with 36.
On Second Team offense was Fredericktown’s senior RB Teegan Ruhl, who was 14th in Ohio in yards rushing, with 1,814 yards (164.9 yards per game and 7.3 yards per carry) and 24 touchdowns. Second Team WR was junior Gavin Chinn of Utica, with 615 yards on 26 receptions.
Selected on Third Team offense were senior OL John Geiger of Centerburg and senior kicker Caleb Harris of Highland.
Honorable Mention went to two offensive players: senior RB Caylan LeMaster of Centerburg and senior OL Landon Pedigo of Highland. And on defense, senior DL Chandler Stevens of Highland and junior DB Hayden Kline of Highland also were named.
In Division II selections, Mount Vernon junior WR/TE Jonny Askew earned Honorable Mention recognition.
More about the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association can be found at: https://www.ohsaa.org/news/OPSWA. The OPSWA was created in 1972 to support, promote and recognize coverage of high school sports across Ohio and is endorsed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
