Howland’s Josh Lott named co-defensive player of year

Boardman senior Evan Klepec made first team
All-Ohio in Division I.

STAFF/WIRE REPORTS

COLUMBUS — One of the best teams in Howland history got a nice reward on Monday when senior linebacker Josh Lott shared defensive player of the year honors in Division II on the Associated Press All-Ohio team.

Lott (6-2, 235) shared the award with Louisville linebacker Matt Schooley, who will lead the Leopards up against Cincinnati Anderson in the Division II final Friday night at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

Howland senior linebacker Eric Jones also made the first team after helping the Tigers to the Metro Athletic Conference title and 11 straight wins before a loss to Mayfield in the regional semifinals. Jones was the defensive player of the year in the MAC.

East senior quarterback Sal Battles and senior linebacker Gary Thornton each made first team after helping the Panthers to an 8-2 record in their inaugural season. Battles was named the district offensive player of the year earlier this month.

A pair of Canfield standouts made the second team: kicker Pat Sankovich and lineman Jordan Graham. Quarterback Mark Carrocce earned special mention.

In Div. I, Boardman senior Evan Klepec, who has already committed to Miami (Ohio), was named to the first team, while Corey Linsley was named to the second team as an offensive lineman.

Across Ohio, three standouts who will be on opposing sides in Saturday’s big-school state championship game were selected as the players of the year. The defensive player of the year is Stanford-bound Fred Craig of top-ranked Cincinnati St. Xavier, a do-everything 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior.

Sharing the offensive honors are enemies-for-a-day Bart Tanski, Mentor’s efficient and accurate quarterback, and St. Xavier’s Danny Milligan, the Bombers’ leading receiver who also returns punts and kickoffs, handles placements and punting and, when he has spare time, plays defensive back.

St. Xavier, No. 1 in the AP’s final regular-season poll and ranked among the top teams in the country by several national publications, takes on No. 10 Mentor for the big-school title Saturday night at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium.