STAFF/WIRE REPORTS

STAFF/WIRE REPORTS
COLUMBUS -- Warren Harding senior Anthony Hoke and Howland senior Tony Davis have been named players of the year on the 2003 Associated Press Divisions I and II All-Ohio high school football teams announced Monday.
They shared the honors with others from around Ohio on teams chosen on the recommendations of a state media panel.
The 6-foot, 1-inch, 175-pound Davis, headed for Penn State, picked up 1,348 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns on offense in addition to 14 career interceptions on defense for Howland (10-2), which qualified for the Div. II playoffs for the third straight season under coach Dick Angle.
Hoke, a 6-1, 226-pound defensive end, helped lead the Raiders (11-1) to the Div. I regional semifinals. In the regular season, he had 43 total tackles, including nine for loss, and 71/2 sacks.
Three Raiders named
Three players from Warren Harding made Div. I first team all-state, including Hoke, junior wide-out Mario Manningham and junior linebacker Ben Elser. Fitch senior defensive back Miles Williams, an Ohio State recruit, also made the first team.
Warren Harding senior quarterback Alex Engram and Raider senior defensive back Joe Phinisee made the second team.
In Division II, Davis led four Tigers on the first team, joining senior kicker Cody Chappell, senior defensive lineman Brad Samsa and senior linebacker Mike Zambelli.
Canfield teammates Dan Coleman, a senior offensive lineman, and Justin Kucek, a senior punter, made the second team, along with Chaney senior quarterback Justin Hood and East Liverpool senior defensive lineman Andre Dawson.
Dual-threat quarterbacks and big-yardage running backs were among the top honorees on the 2003 teams.
Other selections
The Div. I offensive players of the year were quarterbacks Jack Rafferty of Dublin Coffman, Jarrell Williams of Cincinnati Princeton and Ted Ginn Jr. of Cleveland Glenville. The other defensive honoree was Marion Harding's Thaddeus Carter.
The big-school coaches of the year included Mentor's Steve Trivisonno, Don Hertler Jr. of North Canton Hoover and Westerville South's Rocky Pentello.
In Div. II, the other offensive honors were shared by running backs Eric Haw of Columbus Independence, Columbus Walnut Ridge's Gary Russell, Garfield Heights' Tony Howard and Avon Lake's Jon Schroeder.
Schroeder puts his act on display Friday night at Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium when Avon Lake (14-0) takes on Trenton Edgewood (14-0) for the Division II title.
The defensive player of the year was Columbus Brookhaven's Dominic Jones.
The co-coaches of the year were Wilmington's Jim Horne and Pickerington Central's Jay Sharrett.
Rafferty, a 6-foot, 182-pound senior, completed 177 of 290 passes for 2,713 yards and 23 touchdowns with five interceptions during the regular season. He added 775 rushing yards and 13 TDs for Coffman (8-2) prior to its run in the playoffs.
Williams is a 6-2, 175-pound senior who rushed for 1,200 yards and passed for 1,900 in nine games.
The 6-1, 175-pound Ginn, a senior, starred while throwing the ball, running it, handing it off and playing defensive back.
Mountain up front
Carter was a mountain up front for Marion Harding during its turnaround season, while Hoke was considered one of the finest athletes on the poll champion.
Trivisonno guided Mentor to a 10-0 record and its second straight appearance in the regionals, while Hertler guided Hoover to its first 10-0 season since his father pulled the trick in 1975. Pentello and Westerville South went from 3-7 to 10-0 despite losing his starting quarterback -- and also his son, Rocco -- to a knee injury for four games.
Haw, who is headed for Ohio State, piled up 2,408 yards and 24 touchdowns while averaging 8.7 yards a carry for Independence.
Russell had almost matching figures, averaging 8.2 yards a carry while scoring 27 touchdowns and rushing for 1,935 regular-season yards.
Howard, who has signed with Michigan State, topped the 2,000-yard mark, as did Avon Lake's Schroeder.
Brookhaven's Jones did everything but perform with the marching band at halftime. He had 10 interceptions for a 10-0 team and added 12 touchdowns as a receiver, kick- and punt-return player and tailback.
Horne took Wilmington to a 7-3 record, the school's first winning season since 1985, in addition to its first trip to the playoffs.
Sharrett took over a new school in its first year after the district split into two schools and guided Central to a 9-1 record.