Marysville’s Gabe Powers (right) makes a tackle during a 2020 game. Powers has been named the Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division defensive player of the year. (Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)
A number of Marysville High School football players have earned accolades from the Ohio Capital Conference for the 2020 season.
Several Monarchs earned first-team honors for the OCC’s Cardinal Division.
The Monarchs won the Cardinal Division championship during the season and finished the year with an overall mark of 6-2.
Junior linebacker Gabe Powers earned first team honors and was also named the division’s defensive player of the year.
Powers, 6-4, 215-pounds, finished the season with 81 tackles, including seven for losses. He recovered two fumbles and intercepted one pass, as the Monarchs’ defensive unit yielded just 14 points per game.
Powers did double-duty for the Monarchs as a running back.
He carried the ball 83 times for 704 yards and scored six touchdowns.
Senior running back Ryan Kern (5-11, 185-pounds) led the Monarchs’ stout ground game.
In just eight contests, he carried the ball 150 times and gained 1,105 yards.
Kern crossed into the end zone 13 times.
His best running performance was 202 yards against Thomas Worthington.
Junior offensive tackle Gavin Rohrs was also named to the first team.
Rohrs finished the season with 18 pancake blocks and allowed just one sack from his spot on the offensive line.
Rohrs (6-3, 285-pounds) was a key member of the line that allowed the Monarchs to rush for 2,878 yards in a coronavirus-related shortened season.
Mike Cogossi, a senior, was also named to the first-team as an offensive tackle.
The 6-0, 275-pounder finished with 15 pancake blocks and did not allow a sack all season.
Linebacker Luke Harper, a senior, joins Powers as a first-team linebacker selection.
He finished with 55 tackles, including two for losses.
Harper tallied a pair of sacks and intercepted one pass.
Ben Bickerstaff is the third MHS defensive player to earn first-team accolades.
The 5-11, 185-pound junior defensive end came through with 58 tackles, including five for losses.
MHS’ Mike Cogossi (52) opens up running space for Jeremiah McNeil. Cogossi was named to the OCC’s Cardinal Division first team. (Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)
Monarch lineman Gavin Rohrs (76) prepares to block an opponent. Rohrs has been named to the OCC Cardinal Division first team. (Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)
Marysville’s Ben Bickerstaff (64) above, pursues an opposing ball carrier. In the photo below, Ryan Kern picks up yardage during a 2020 game. Bickerstaff and Kern have earned first-team honors for the Ohio Capital Conference’s Cardinal Division. (Journal-Tribune photos by Chad Williamson)
MHS linebacker Luke Harper (55) pursues a ball carrier. Harper has been named to the OCC Cardinal Division first team. (Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)