Fort Recovery senior D-VI All-Ohio football offensive player of year

Fort Recovery senior running back Will Homan was named the high school football Division VI All-Ohio Division VI offensive player of the year on Sunday.

The D-VI and D-VII teams were chosen by a state-wide media panel and coordinated by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.

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Joining Homan on the D-VI first team were Marion Local teammates John Dirksen and Matt Rethman and Mechanicsburg’s Cannon Propst. First-team D-VII area players were Lehman Catholic teammates Elliott Gilardi and Michael Bunker, Southeastern’s Charlie Bertemes, Nathan Gladdish of Mississinawa Valley and Fort Loramie’s Cody Barhorst.

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Homan, 5-feet-9 and 180 pounds, rushed for an all-time Mercer County record of 420 yards on 32 carries in a Week 10 defeat of St. Henry that propelled the Indians into the playoffs. That enabled Homan to also set an all-time regular-season Midwest Athletic Conference mark of 2,267 yards to go with 22 touchdowns. He also was named the MAC offensive player of the year.

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Dirksen, a 6-5, 300-pound senior offensive lineman, is verbally committed to Notre Dame. He and Rethman, a junior defensive back, have helped Marion Local (14-0) reach yet another D-VI state title game on Saturday at Canton.

Propst anchored Mechanicsburg’s defense. Mechanicsburg (8-3) lost only to Ohio Heritage Conference rivals Greeneview (10-1) and West Jefferson (12-1) in the regular season and fell to Spencerville in a playoff opener. Propst had 52 total tackles, including 10 for loss, 3.5 sacks, five passes broken up, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Bertemes was among the area’s most productive receivers with 62 catches for 947 yards (15.2 per catch average), 14 touchdown receptions and seven 2-point conversion catches.

A senior quarterback, Gilardi led Lehman Catholic to a 10-2 record. Bunker was a standout defensive lineman for the Cavaliers. Miss Valley’s Gladdish also was a senior linebacker and Barhorst a senior defensive back.

Grandview Heights lineman James Lachey was the D-VI defensive player of the year. He’s the son of former St. Henry, Ohio State University and NFL standout offensive lineman Jim Lachey. The D-VI co-coaches of the year were Scott Armrose (Galion Northmor) and Rusty Richards (Nelsonville-York).

The D-VII co-offensive players of the year were Daniel Bangura of Canal Winchester Harvest Prep and Lukas Isaly of Hannibal River. The defensive player of the year was Northwalk St. Paul’s Lue Nickoli. Coach of the year was Luke Taviano of Lima Perry.

Divisions IV and V All-Ohio teams were announced on Monday and will be followed by Divisions II and III on Tuesday and Division I and Mr. Football on Wednesday. All-Ohio football previously was coordinated by the Associated Press.

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