Madison's Gilligan shares D-III district coach of the year honor

Nov. 7—Staff Report

In the 2020 coronavirus-altered prep football season, the Madison Blue Streaks went 0-8.

In the 2023 campaign, the Blue Streaks finished 8-3 overall, and advanced to the postseason for the first time since 2015.

Coach Mike Gilligan has guided the turnaround, and for his and his team's efforts this seaason, he was selected the Division III Northeast Lakes All-District Co-Coach of the Year. He shared the honor with Rocky River's Josh Wells.

"It's a huge honor in a district filled with great coaches," Gilligan said. "It's truly about the coaches and players who worked really hard all year to help turn us into a winning team. I appreciate the recognition it brings to our program.

"A special thanks to our seniors who won only three games total prior to this year for their perseverance and commitment to turning the program around."

Ashtabula County and

Madison were represented

on the all-district teams, which are considered from high schools in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties.

The Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association selection committee consists of reporters from the Ashtabula Star Beacon, (Elyria) Chronicle-Telegram, cleveland.com, (Lorain) Morning Journal and (Willoughby) News-Herald.

First-team selections for Ashtabula County included: Geneva seniors Luke Smith, running back, and Jason Thrower, offensive line and sophomore Bryce Peet, linebacker, D-III; Edgewood seniors Tony Hall, athlete, Jacob Ernst, wide receiver, Seth Enos, linebacker and Hunter Braat, defensive back, DIV; Conneaut seniors Wyatt Payne, running back, offensive lineman Scotty Edwards and linebacker Ty Covill, D-V; Pymatuning juniors Ryan Croston, athlete, Ty Vickery, running back, Jaron Nowakowski, and Jon Finello, offensive lineman, D-VI and Saint John juniors Vin Narducci, quarterback, Will Anderson, wide receiver and Ryan Williams, linebacker; senior Henry Wagner, defensive line and sophomore Anthony Severino, defensive back, D-VII.

Second team picks consisted of: Lakeside junior Grayson Petros, offensive line in D-II; Geneva seniors Giavonni Rice, wide receiver, and Matt Wright, defensive line, D-III; Edgewood seniors Anthony Hunt, wide receiver, Nick Barger, lineman, Zeke Lucas, linebacker and Samuel Lindner, kicker, D-IV and Conneaut senior Max Gleason, quarterback, junior Jaydon Anderson, offensive line, sophomore Ryan Turner, defensive line, and senior Bryce Spurlin, linebacker, D-V.

Madison senior Bryant Perkins also earned second-team all-district honors on the offensive line.

Honorable mention players included: Lakeside's Gavin Grant, Abi Ortiz and Randy Valeriano in D-II; Geneva's Hayden Diemer, Owen Pfeifer and Logan Queen, III; Edgewood's Mason Thorr, Mikey Bisbey, Nick Wyman and Jefferson's Kaige Boczar, Matthew Webster and Jordan Tressler IV; Conneaut's Ethan Osborne, Corey Pearson and Gavin Nesbitt V; PV's Landon Paul and Luke Giddings and Grand Valley's Robert Rogers and Austin

Miller, VI and Saint John's Anthony

Petrochello, Donald Crawford and Sully Twining.

Madison's Carson Alley and Alexander Davis earned honorable mention honors in D-III.