By Skip Weaver
Contributing writer
ST. CLAIR TWP. – Several Edgewood football players were recognized this week by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association with the release of the All-Southwest District teams.
Selected by media members from across the district, five Cougars were named to the Division II first team led by senior running backs Carter Breedlove and Brody O’Banion who combined to rush for more than 2,700 yards and 34 touchdowns. Breedlove, who broke a pair of single-game school records in Edgewood’s Week 10 contest at Monroe by rushing for 413 yards and seven touchdowns, finished the year with 203 carries for 1,363 yards and 15 touchdowns. O’Banion totaled 196 rushes for 1,393 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Also making the first team was senior offensive lineman Ryder Jones, who helped fortify the o-line in blocking for the Cougars’ Wing-T offense.
On the defensive side of the ball, senior Carter Canaan and sophomore Easton Ballinger were named to the first team as a defensive line and defensive back respectively.
In addition, Edgewood’s Landon Wagers was named to the second team defense and Ayden Hansford received honorable mention.
Numerous football players were also recognized recently by the Southwestern Buckeye League for being selected to the all-league team in the Southwestern Division. Those players named to the first team include Breedlove, who also was named the Offensive Player of the Year, O’Banion, Jones, Canaan, Ballinger and Wagers. Second team selections were Cayson Breedlove, Gavin Brennan, Hansford and J.J. Vogel, and receiving honorable mention were Thomas Saunders and Max Stover. Aiden Johnson also received the Sportsmanship Award.
“Edgewood Football had a very exciting and successful season while playing a lot of very talented teams,” first-year head coach Matt Root said. “We had some big rivalry wins over Miamisburg, Fenwick, Ross, Franklin and Monroe. The seniors achieved three goals of having a winning record, making the playoffs and winning a playoff game. We are very thankful for the hard work our seniors and underclassmen put in. We are excited to see what our seniors accomplish after graduation and excited to see what young players step up for next season.”
In addition, Root complimented each of his all-district players.
He said Brody O’Banion is a three-year starter who has the fourth most career rushing yards with 3,180, and 42 total career touchdowns which is also tied for fourth most in Edgewood History. “He’s a very talented back who could score anytime he touched the football.”
Carter Breedlove is a three-year starter who played quarterback as a sophomore and junior. He moved to fullback this year to allow his younger brother to take over as quarterback. “Carter is a tough, hard-nosed football player who always took on the challenge of running the ball up the middle,” Root said.
Ryder Jones is a three-year starter on the offensive line who played guard as a sophomore, center as a junior then back to guard as a senior and led the team in pancakes. “He was dominating at right guard, constantly pulling and leading our backs through holes. He helped the offense gain over 3,000 yards rushing and over 4,000 total yards,” Root said.
“Carter Canaan is a two-year starter and has been dominant at defensive end the last two seasons with 95 total tackles, 25 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks in his career,” Root said. “Carter played with a very high motor and never stopped flying around to the football.”
Easton Ballinger led the team in tackles with 137 total tackles with 79 solos as a sophomore. Root said, “Easton is an extremely talented and smart young football player and very talented at defending the run and pass for our defense.”
Root also said Wagers played almost every snap on offense and is a “very tough football player who loves physical football.”
And Hansford, he said, played the first nine games at right tackle and moved to left guard for the final three games. “He helped the offense gain over 3,000 yards rushing and over 4,000 total yards.”
The SWBL has also released the all-league teams for the other fall sports including boys and girls golf, girls tennis, boys and girls soccer, girls volleyball and boys and girls cross country. Edgewood was well represented in each. In boys golf, senior Chase Roesch was named first team and sophomore Myles Kiniyalocts received honorable mention.
In girls golf, senior Olivia Nichols was named first team and also received the Excellence and Integrity Award. Senior Kaydence Brown and junior Carleigh Shoemaker were named to the second team and receiving honorable mention was freshman Emma Blevins. Also, girls golf coach Tim Pressler was named the SWBL Southwestern Coach of the Year.
For girls tennis, senior Kaylin Chappelow received honorable mention.
In boys soccer, junior Alex Hulshult was named to the second team and senior Hunter Wagner received honorable mention.
In girls soccer, junior Charlie Fall was named to the first team and senior Kloee Adams received honorable mention.
Girls volleyball was represented by sophomore Molly Vogel on first team, sophomore Kallie Ruppert on second team and sophomore Ryane Smith as honorable mention.
Freshman Caleb Taylor received honorable mention for boys cross country and senior Makayla Allen was honorable mention for girls cross country.
