Jonathan Alder quarterback JT Keith (2) hands the ball to running back Garret Proxmire. Both were named to the Division II Central District first team. Keith was also named offensive player of the year. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
The Central District high school football teams have been announced for the 2019 season.
As expected, a number of Union County-area athletes have earned honors.
The teams were recently selected by a panel of newspaper sports writers from the district.
Each local school – Marysville, Jonathan Alder, North Union and Fairbanks – is the home of at least one first-team honoree.
Others earned second team, special mention or honorable mention.
The area’s first-team players are as follows:
Division I
Marysville (6-5)
-Defensive lineman Ian Johnson.
Division III
Jonathan Alder (11-0)
-Quarterback JT Keith, wide receiver Jackson Izzard, running back Garret Proxmire, offensive lineman Connor Morgan and kicker Dylan Moore.
In addition, Keith was named the offensive player of the year for D-II.
Division V
North Union (7-3)
-Running back Trevor Moran, defensive back Trevyn Feasel and linebacker Jaxon Harrah.
Division VI
Fairbanks (6-4)
-Offensive lineman Sam Rengert, defensive back Gatlin Luke, linebackers Braylon Green and Riordin Stauffer and kicker Cade Ziegler.
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Local athletes who earned second-team accolades were:
Marysville
-Running back Chase Kilgore, offensive lineman Matt Belt and linebacker Gabe Powers.
Jonathan Alder
-Wide receiver Jacob Fenik, linebackers Brayden Blain and Chase Maynard, defensive back Cade Keaton and offensive lineman Blake Caldwell.
There were no second teams named in Divisions V and VI due to the small number of schools in those divisions within the district.
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Special and/or honorable mention went to:
Marysville
-Defensive lineman Colby Goodwin.
Jonathan Alder
-Defensive lineman Logan Shafley and defensive back Drew Begin.
North Union
-Defensive back Isaiah Radcliff.
Fairbanks
-Defensive back-receiver Trey Good, quarterback Braxton Wilhelm and offensive-defensive lineman Dakota Key.
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These local high school football players earned first-team honors in the Central District. They are from left, North Union running back Trevor Moran, Marysville defensive lineman Ian Johnson and Fairbanks offensive lineman Sam Rengert (66). (Journal-Tribune photos by Sam Dillon, Chad Williamson and Tim Miller)
Thumbnail sketches of each player (by school) are as follows:
Marysville
-Johnson: The 6-0, 210-pound senior was a three-year starter and earned defensive player of the year honors in the Ohio Capital Conference;
-Kilgore: A senior, Kilgore (6-0, 185) rushed for more than 900 yards and 13 touchdowns;
-Belt: A 5-11, 210-pound senior, Belt was a three-year starter and paved the way for a Monarch ground attack that rushed for more than 2,700 yards;
-Powers: A 6-4, 215-pound sophomore, Powers finished with more than 80 tackles, including more than 20 for loss. He led the Monarchs with three sacks during the regular season;
-Goodwin: The 6-0, 230-pound senior played in only seven games due to injury. He still finished with 27 tackles as a defensive end.
Jonathan Alder
-Keith: The 5-10, 170-pound junior has completed 143-of-217 passes for 1,993 yards. He has thrown for 28 TDs and has been intercepted only three times;
-Izzard: A 6-2, 175-pound junior, Izzard has latched onto 44 receptions for 677 yards and 12 touchdowns;
-Proximire: The 5-11, 185-pound senior has carried the ball 231 times for 1,481 yards and 18 touchdowns;
-Morgan: A 6-3, 270-pound senior, Morgan is JA’s top offensive lineman. He has already committed to continue his gridiron career at Cornell University;
-Moore: The 5-10, 185-pound junior has had a perfect foot this fall. He has converted all 55 of his extra points and is three-for-three on field goals.
-Fenik: The 5-10, 180-pound senior has caught 51 passes (including 14 during last week’s playoff victory over Thornville-Sheridan) for 657 yards and eight touchdowns;
-Blain: The 6-0, 210-pound senior has more than 90 tackles, including 12 for loss;
-Maynard: The 6-0, 185-pound sophomore finished the regular season with 79 tackles, the second-best number on the team;
-Keaton: The 6-0, 180-pound senior has four interceptions on the season, one of which was returned for a score;
-Caldwell: He has been described as JA’s most consistent lineman. He is a 6-2, 260-pound senior;
-Shafley: The 6-0, 190-pound sophomore finished the regular season with 48 tackles, including 10 for loss;
-Begin: A 6-0, 185-pound senior, he tallied three interceptions during the regular season.
North Union
-Moran: A 6-0, 205-pound junior, he led the Wildcats with 1,130 yards on 154 carries with 18 TDs;
-Feasel: The 5-10, 175-pound junior was a versatile player on both sides of the ball. He earned Central Buckeye Conference accolades on both offense and defense. He intercepted two passes in 2019;
-Harrah: The 6-1, 210-pound senior finished with 60 tackles (including six for losses) and one interception;
-Radcliff: The 5-10, 155-pound junior tallied 51 tackles and intercepted a pair of passes.
Fairbanks
-Rengert: An Iowa State commitment, the 6-7, 310-pound senior graded at 93% blocking for the year with 33 pancakes;
-Green: A 6-3, 190-pound junior, Green tallied 92 tackles (23 for loss), six sacks and recovered three fumbles for touchdowns;
-Stauffer: The sophomore, who is 6-2, and 210 pounds, notched 71 tackles (21 for loss) and recovered a pair of fumbles for scores. He returned an interception for a touchdown;
-Ziegler: The 6-3, 155-pound sophomore kicked 40-of-42 extra points and made eight-of-nine field goals. His longest field goal was 47 yards;
-Luke: A 5-9, 155-pound senior, he tallied 35 tackles and intercepted one pass;
-Good: The 5-10, 180-pound junior notched 43 tackles and intercepted one pass. A versatile player, he caught 16 passes for 386 yards and five TDs;
-Wilhelm: A senior, the 5-11, 170-pounder took over as the starting quarterback for the Panthers this fall. He completed 99-of-194 passes for 1,392 yards. Wilhelm threw 14 touchdowns and suffered just a trio of picks;
-Key: The 6-1, 245-pound senior graded out at 85% on blocking with 31 pancakes. He also had 27 tackles (15 for loss) and scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery.
A pair of local high school kickers apply their craft during 2019 games. Fairbanks’ Cade Ziegler (left) and Jonathan Alder’s Dylan Moore (right) have earned first-team Central District honors. (Journal-Tribune photo of Ziegler by Chad Williamson, photo of Moore is submitted)
Panther gridders who earned first-team Central District honors in Division VI are from left, Riordin Stauffer (24), Gatlin Luke (21) and Braylon Green (7). Journal-Tribune photos by Tim Miller)
North Union athletes who earned first-team Central District honors are (left photo) Trevyn Feasel (3) and Jaxson Harrah (11). Earning first-team accolades for Jonathan Alder are Connor Morgan (51-center photo) and Jackson Izzard (5), right. (Journal-Tribune photos by Sam Dillon and Tim Miller)