Monarch linebacker Gabe Powers knocks down a pass during a 2021 game. Powers has been named the Division I Defensive Player of the Year in the Central District. It is the second consecutive year he has won the award.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)
—
Local athletes, including a player of the year, from Marysville, Fairbanks and Jonathan Alder have earned high school first-team Central District football honors for the 2021 season.
The teams are annually selected by a panel of newspaper sports editors and writers from the Central District.
Marysville (Division I) and Fairbanks (Division VI) are tied with four players, while Jonathan Alder (Division III) has two.
The Monarchs are currently 11-0 and will play in the regional semifinal game against Toledo Whitmer on Friday.
Fairbanks finished with a 6-6 record after its playoff loss at Allen East on Saturday.
JA went 6-5, losing to Columbus Eastmoor Academy during the opening round of the post-season.
Monarch linebacker Gabe Powers repeated as the Central District D-I defensive player of the year.
The Ohio State University commit is joined on the division’s first team by offensive lineman Gavin Rohrs, younger brother Colton (linebacker) and defensive lineman Erryl Will.
First-team honorees from Fairbanks are linebackers Riordin Stauffer and Tanner Ufferman, running back Brogan Green and offensive lineman Joe Kinsley.
Earning first-team for Jonathan Alder were running back Cameron Jewell and linebacker Chase Maynard.
A season statistical breakdown for the first-team honorees follows (regular-season stats):
MHS
-Gabe Powers: the senior finished the regular season with 89 tackles, with 10 going for losses, five sacks and six pass batdowns;
-Rohrs: a senior, Rohrs is the top lineman for a Monarch offense that has rushed for well more than 3,000 yards;
-Colton Powers: the junior tallied 92 tackles during the regular season with nine going for losses. He picked off one pass and recovered a fumble;
-Will: a senior, Will tallied 48 tackles (20 for losses) and recovered four fumbles.
FHS
-Stauffer: the senior finished the regular season with 87 tackles (18 for losses), with three sacks and a fumble recovery;
-Ufferman: came through with 67 tackles during his senior regular season. Of that total, 13 resulted in lost yardage;
-Green: the junior speedster finished the regular season with 889 yards on 133 carries with five touchdowns;
-Kinsley: graded 94 percent blocking with 28 pancakes as a senior. He did not allow a sack.
JA
-Jewell: burst onto the local scene with a stellar sophomore campaign. The transfer from West Jefferson rushed for 1,180 yards and scored 13 total touchdowns;
-Maynard: the senior has been a defensive standout for several years. During the regular season, he tallied 104 tackles (73 solos) and returned an interception for a touchdown.
—
Second team
The Union County area is also home to several second-team athletes from Marysville and Jonathan Alder.
They are running back Griffin Johnson and defensive lineman Ben Bickerstaff of MHS and linebacker Will Heisler of Alder.
No second team was selected in Division VI, due to the fact there are fewer Central District schools in that division.
Johnson, a junior, finished the regular season with 801 yards on 110 carries with nine touchdowns.
The senior Bickerstaff tallied 16 tackles for losses among his 53 total during the regular season. He also finished with 7.5 sacks.
Heisler ended his senior regular season with 56 tackles in only eight games. He missed some action due to an injury. Heisler also intercepted three passes.
—
Special-Honorable Mention
A number of local athletes from the three schools earned special or honorable mention
They are as follows:
-Monarch defensive backs Tanner Powers (senior) and Cam Jones (senior);
-Defensive linemen Nick Finke (senior) and Logan Shafley (senior), offensive linemen Andy McGlaughlin (senior) and Baylor Petzinger (junior) and defensive back/wide receiver Jon Keith (senior) of Jonathan Alder;
-Offensive linemen Zach Schmidt (senior) and Bryson Tillman (junior) and defensive backs Ethan Kise (junior) and Brice Phelps (senior) of Fairbanks.