VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT

East senior quarterback Sal Battles didn’t make the playoffs this season. On Monday, he got a nice consolation prize.

The four-year starter, who helped lead the Panthers to an 8-2 record in their first season after three years at Rayen, was named the Northeast Inland district offensive player of the year in Division II, one of nine Valley players to earn top honors.

Battles (5-11, 215), who already has offers from six Division I colleges, threw for 1,008 yards and 11 TDs and ran for 1,016 yards and nine TDs this season. He’s thrown for more than 3,000 yards and rushed for more than 3,000 yards in his career.

Also in Div. II, Howland senior Josh Lott (6-2, 235) was named co-defensive player of the year and Dick Angle shared coach of the year honors after helping the Tigers go 10-0 in the regular season and win the Metro Athletic Conference title. The Tigers were eliminated by Mayfield in last weekend’s regional semifinals.

Mooney senior quarterback Dan McCarthy (6-3, 205), a Notre Dame recruit, was named offensive player of the year in Div. IV for the second straight year, while his senior teammate, linebacker Michael Zordich (6-2, 237), was named the defensive player of the year.

McCarthy, who is also a standout at safety, ran for 1,113 yards and 13 TDs in the regular season and also threw for 414 yards. Zordich, a Penn State recruit who ran for 796 yards as a fullback, had 132 tackles, including 11 for a loss, on defense.

McCarthy and Zordich were among six Cardinals to make the first team following their second straight 10-0 regular season. Mooney, which has won two of the last three Div. IV state titles, takes on two-time defending Div. III champion Steubenville in Saturday’s regional championship game in Canton.

In Div. V, Ursuline senior quarterback Lamar McQueen (5-9, 165) was named offensive player of the year after leading the Irish to an 8-2 record and a berth in the state playoffs. Ursuline plays South Range, which had three players on the first team, on Friday in Austintown.

McQueen, who played at Wilson until the school closed last spring, finished the regular season with 1,001 yards passing and nine TDs and also ran for 722 yards and six TDs.

In Div. III, West Branch quarterback Steve McNeely (6-1, 200), who helped the Warriors go 8-2 and advance to the second round of the playoffs, shared offensive player of the year honors, while Lakeview senior linebacker Kyle Smedi (6-1, 190) shared the defensive player of the year award. The Bulldogs went 8-2, won the Trumbull Athletic Conference title and will try to win the first regional title in school history this Friday against Mentor Lake Catholic.

In Div. VI, Warren JFK running back Jared Province, who ran for more than 1,000 yards and 30 TDs, was honored for his record-breaking regular season by sharing offensive player of the year. The Eagles went 8-2 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs, falling to Hopewell-Loudon last week.

Columbiana senior linebacker Josh Hertel was the defensive player of the year after helping the Clippers go 7-3 before falling to Mogadore in the first round of the playoffs.

The all-district teams are selected by a media panel based on coaches’ recommendations. Divisions I-III are split into first team, second team and honorable mention, while Divisions IV-VI are first team and honorable mention.

The NE Inland is comprised of teams in the Mahoning Valley as well as the greater Akron and Canton area. All-Ohio selections will be released Nov. 26-28. Mr. Football will be released on Nov. 28.