Jake Furr's Mansfield News Journal Midway Richland County Football Awards

MANSFIELD — Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2023 Mansfield News Journal Midway Football Awards.

I am your host, Jake Furr, sportswriter for the Mansfield News Journal, and what an exciting five weeks it has been.

Richland County is a special place for high school sports given its rich history and exciting future. Today, we are gathered to hand out some special high school football awards. It has been an incredibly fast first five weeks of the season, but look at where we are — the midway point. Senior football players have just five regular-season games left and, if they are lucky, will see a Week 11 to prolong their careers as long as they can.

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So, without further ado, let's hand out some awards. Here are Jake Furr's Mansfield News Journal Midway Football Awards.

Best Quarterback Award

This year might just be the year of the quarterback in Richland County. Everywhere you look, QBs are becoming a major reason why teams are piling up wins. Here are this year's nominees for the Best Quarterback Award:

Liam Kuhn, Crestview - The sophomore stepped in and has flourished at the position made famous by his two brothers before him. It was a tough start to the season for the Cougars, but Kuhn had developed into the QB of the present and future completing 46-of-87 passes for 662 yards and seven touchdowns and six interceptions. The kid is a superstar in the making.

Duke Reese, Mansfield Senior - Reese has played in just four of the Tygers' five games this season missing Week 2 with a wrist injury but has been prolific in his return. He has completed 39-of-81 passes for 597 yards and eight touchdowns to just three picks. He has the Tygers in a position to win a league championship for the first time since 2017.

Joe Caudill, Lexington - Another talented sophomore, Caudill has flourished as the season rolls along. He has completed 40-of-83 passes for 634 yards and five touchdowns with three INTs. He is also the second-leading rusher on the team with 246 yards and three scores. He is developing into quite the leader and has the Minutemen looking to compete for a league title this week.

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Bodpegn Miller, Ontario - Miller has stepped up in a major way this season under center. The junior is 69-for-101 passing with 1,005 yards and 10 touchdowns to just three interceptions. He also has 50 carries for 433 yards and five touchdowns. He has the Warriors at 5-0 for the first time since 2011 and has a chance to go 6-0 for the first time since 2001. He is leading his team to a special season.

Brayden DeVito, Shelby - The sensational sophomore has done it all for the Whippets. He has completed 78-of-117 passes for 1,498 yards and 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions. On the ground, he has 56 carries for 450 yards and six scores. Go ahead and throw in two receiving touchdowns and he has 22 scores in just five weeks. Insane.

And the winner is ... Bodpegn Miller, junior, Ontario. Miller has shown amazing poise in the pocket all year long and has one of the best touches of any quarterback in Richland County. He has connected with 11 different receivers in five weeks and makes everyone around him so much better. He has improved so much in his ability to run that he makes opposing defenses have to pick their poison.

Best Running Back Award

Running backs have taken a back seat in many offenses across all levels of football. But, it is alive and well in Richland County at the high school level. Let's see this year's nominees for the Best Running Back Award:

Chase Studer, Ontario - Studer returned from an injury-filled junior season and is out to a hot start. He has 81 carries for 459 yards and eight touchdowns averaging 5.7 yards per carry. He also has nine catches for 119 yards as he is more than just a running threat and needs to be accounted for out of the backfield. He is on pace to become just the second running back in Ontario history with two 1,000-yard seasons.

Luke Schlosser, Clear Fork - Schlosser had 61 carries for 232 yards and three touchdowns this season in just four games. Against Galion, he suffered a season-ending injury, but he still deserves to be mentioned among the best of the best running backs in Richland County. His absence has been felt 10-fold.

Skyler Winters, Shelby - Winters had a breakout game against Galion in Week 5 rushing for almost 300 yards and five TDs. For the season, he has 68 carries for 591 yards and 10 scores and is averaging an insane 8.7 yards per rush. The Whippets have been missing that dominant running back recently and Winters has really stepped up this season and is blossoming into one of the best in Richland County.

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Jamir Petty, Mansfield Senior - Petty's numbers don't exactly jump off of the page. He has 233 yards on 57 carries with one touchdown and is averaging 4.1 yards per carry, but when you consider who the Tygers have played in the first five weeks, Petty's numbers are pretty darn good. He helped the Tygers score their first two rushing touchdowns of the season last week in a win over New Philadelphia. Petty might have the best second half of any back in Richland County.

Markale Martin, Lexington - Martin has really stepped up lately and has a nice season going with 380 yards on 88 carries and six touchdowns. Just a sophomore, he is part of a class that has Minutemen football on the rise and as long as he can stay healthy, the second half of the season could be special for Lex who has a chance to take sole possession of the OCC title race this week at home against Mansfield Senior.

Ayden Reymer, Crestview - If that last name looks familiar it's because Ayden is carrying it on for his brother Adison who was the go-to back for the Cougars last year. This year, Ayden has 111 carries for 508 yards and three touchdowns as the Cougars continue to build on the future with a young roster.

Logan Toms, Lucas - Toms has the Cubs rolling again and on a 3-game winning streak after a slow start. He has 679 yards on 99 carries for a 6.9 average and 12 touchdowns. He is averaging 135.8 yards per game and has the Cubs well on their way to a 10th straight playoff berth. He also has a punt return for a touchdown.

And the winner is ... Logan Toms, senior, Lucas. Could it be anyone else? Just look at Toms's last three games. Against Crestview, 198 yards, three TDs on 20 carries, W. Against Warrensville Heights, 210 yards, four TDs, W. Against Smithville, 152 yards, three TDs, W. That’s 560 yards and 10 touchdowns in three games – during which the Cubs have attempted only two passes. The Cubs are looking to Toms to lead them back to the playoffs and he is doing it with class and determination.

Best Wide Receiver Award

A quarterback is only as good as the guys he is throwing it to. So, the receiver position may be considered one of the most important to any offense outside of the QB and offensive line. Here are your 2023 nominees for the Best Wide Receiver Award:

Seven Allen, Lexington - With 14 catches for 267 yards and two TDs, Allen is one of the most dynamic receivers in Richland County. He is averaging 19.1 yards per catch and is a threat in the return game with a kickoff return TD to his credit.

Amarr Davis, Mansfield Senior - Amarr "the Star" Davis is the most prolific receiver in Mansfield Senior football history. He already owns the career records for yards and catches and will soon pass up the TD leader. He has 25 catches for 509 yards and five touchdowns to his credit averaging 20.4 yards per catch. He also has two kickoff returns for touchdowns making him a threat whenever he touches the football.

Karter Goon, Crestview - A tight end, Goon is one of those hybrid guys who can impact the game in the pass and run. He has 17 catches for 285 yards and three TDs as the leading receiver for the Cougars. Another youngster, Goon has the Cougars looking forward to the next three seasons as they look to overcome a 1-4 start.

Dylan Floyd, Ontario - Floyd is doing some special things on the football field despite not being the focal point of the passing game. He has 19 catches for 267 yards and three touchdowns with a 14.1 yards-per-catch average and 53.4 yards-per-game average. He is part of a receiving group that has 11 players with at least one catch. If he was the only option, this race might not even be close.

Issaiah Ramsey, Shelby - Ramsey is a first team All-Ohio lock and we have only played five games. For the season, he has 28 catches for 579 yards and five touchdowns averaging 20.7 yards per catch and 115.8 yards per game. The kid is as dynamic as they come and he is only getting better. He is getting multiple Division I looks and might just end the season as one of the most prolific receivers in Shelby football history.

And the winner is ... oh, it's a tie. Congrats to Issaiah Ramsey, senior, Shelby and Amarr Davis, senior, Mansfield Senior. It is impossible to separate these two. Ramsey put up insane numbers while also having Casey Lantz (12 catches, 321 yards, five TDs) and Miles Swisher (16 catches, 241 yards, one TD) as other options for the Whippets. Shelby also has 10 guys who have caught passes and six of those have more than 100 yards receiving on the year with one more at 97.

Davis is the heart and soul of the Tygers. He nearly single-handedly beat Canfield in a game against the defending Division III state champs when the Tygers were without their starting QB. He scored every touchdown for the Tygers in that game and has been unstoppable ever since even putting up more than 100 yards receiving against Massillon proving he deserves a Division I look.

Best Defense Award

Instead of naming the best defensive players by position, we are going to name the best defense as a whole because the guys who play on that side of the ball aren't looking for individual attention. Instead, they have a team-first mentality that helps them become a great defense as they play as one unit instead of individually. And that's why we at the New Journal love defensive players.

So, who has the best defense in Richland County? There are three teams that have stood out defensively so far this season.

When looking at Mansfield Seniior's defense, you have to really look at it through a different lens. Yes, they have allowed 20 touchdowns in five games and 86 first downs. Opponents have run for 803 yards and 10 TDs while throwing for 705 yards and 10 more scores for an average of 301 yards of total offense allowed. But, the Tygers have seven interceptions and three fumble recoveries as well as two safeties in the same game against West Holmes. Throw in 13 sacks with that, too. But why you have to look at it differently is the Tygers' opponents. 4-1 St Vincent, St. Mary, 2-3 Canfield (defending Division III state champs), 50 Massillon, 3-2 West Holmes (defending OCC champs) and 3-2 New Philadelphia. And yet, the Tygers are 3-2 and that defense deserves a ton of credit.

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Next is Lucas. The Cubs have allowed 735 rushing yards on 188 attempts and 314 yards through the air on 28 completions. But, they are just as opportunistic as Mansfield Senior with five interceptions (by five different players) and one fumble recovery. Lucas has only allowed 71 points this season and just 14 of those have come in the second half of games if you exclude the 10 allowed in overtime. That is a pretty darn good defense.

But those two don't compare to what Ontario has done on that side of the ball. In the first time games, Ontario has only allowed 292 yards rushing for a 58.4 average. They have three fumble recoveries. In the passing game, Ontario has allowed just 368 yards for 73.6 a game and has five interceptions. So team defense, 132 yards per game and just five touchdowns with 11 turnovers created. That is pretty stinking good. And to make it even better, the Warriors have yet to give up a point in the fourth quarter as they have three shutouts for the most in a season since posting five in 2003. They might just get there this year.

And the winner is ... Ontario. It is a historic defensive start for the Warriors as they look to continue their undefeated start and compete for a league championship.

Best Win Award

There really are only a couple of wins that stood out so far this year as really, really great victories and they both belong to the Mansfield Senior Tygers. First, the Week 2 win over Canfield (24-14) to knock off the defending Division III state champs was massive especially when you consider the Tygers were without Duke Reese. Amarr Davis stepped up in a big way and led the team to victory setting the tone for the rest of the year. Then, in Week 4, the Tygers knocked off defending OCC champion West Holmes in a game that put the Tygers as the clear favorite to win their first league championship since 2017. Those two victories are season-changing and the Tygers head into the second half of the season with all of the momentum.

And the winner is ... Mansfield Senior, obviously.

Most Improved Player Award

There is one player to has shown the most improvement from Week 1 to Week 5 and it isn't even close. Look at his Week 1 performance in his first start at QB in his varsity career: 2-for-10 for four yards and an interception. Now look at his season stats: 40-of-83 passes for 634 yards and five touchdowns with three INTs, 246 yards rushing and three scores. His Week 5 performance (10-of-17, 198 yards, TD; 14 rushes, 51 yards, TD) is all you need to know to determine he is the most improved player of the 2023 season so far.

And the winner is ... Joe Caudill, sophomore, Lexington.

First Half MVP Award

And now we will conclude the night with the announcement of our Mansfield News Journal First Half Most Valuable Player Award.

There are a lot of great players in Richland County and to run through all of the candidates would take us into Week 6 and we have to finish up this show before kickoff. So, here it is.

There may not be a single player more responsible for his team's success than Shelby sophomore quarterback Brayden DeVito. The kid is having a special season with 1,498 passing yards and 14 touchdowns while adding 450 yards rushing and six scores. Two receiving touchdowns give him 22 scores for the season and which is enough to make Marshall University bring him in for a home game on Saturday for an unofficial visit.

In Week 5, he threw for 233 yards and ran for 83 with a 60-yard receiving TD. He threw for two scores while he was at it. In Week 4 at Marion Harding, it was 194 yards rushing, 194 passing, three TDs through the air and two on the ground. He had a 99-yard rushing score in that one. In a Week 3 loss to Bellevue, he three for 372 yards and four TDs.

The kid is something special and most deserving of our first-half MVP honor.

And that will do it for our 2023 Mansfield News Journal Midway Football Awards. I hope you all had a great evening and have fun in Week 6.

jfurr@gannett.com

740-244-9934

X: @JakeFurr11

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Jake Furr's Mansfield News Journal Midway Richland County Football Awards