Nick Brown of JFK is first team All-Ohioan

COLUMBUS — Nick Brown, who led Warren JFK to a district championship, was named first team All-Ohio on the boys Division IV basketball team by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Brown, a senior, averaged 22.7 points per game, leading the Eagles to a 16-8 record.

He was joined on the Div. IV team by Olonzo Johnson, a 6-3 senior at Youngstown Christian. Johnson averaged 19 points per game for YCS, which won the first district championship in school history and advanced to the regional championship, finishing with a 21-4 record.

Josh Selway of Leetonia and Lance Ronghi of McDonald were named special mention, while Matthias Tayala of McDonald, John Pecchia of Youngstown Christian, Kevin Blinsky of Columbiana and Michael Johnston of Wellsville were selected honorable mention.

In Div. III, the lone area selections were Newton Falls’ Todd Medallis, who was named special mention, and his teammate Marcus Fowler, along with Campbell Memorial’s Jerah’me Williams and Nate Hodge, who were all selected honorable mention.

Dan Hickman of Casstown Miami East and Smithville’s Kenny Kornowski shared the player of the year award in Div. III.

Hickman, a 6-1 senior, averaged 22 points a game, while Kornowski, a 6-8 senior, went for 23.8 points and 14.7 rebounds a game while hitting 63 percent of his shots from the field for Smithville, 20-0 during the regular season. He will play at Walsh next season.

The coaches of the year in the division were Smithville’s Michael Snowbarger and Kevin Noch of Cleveland Central Catholic. Noch’s club will join Piketon, Dayton Christian and Defiance Tinora at this week’s state tournament final four.

In Div. IV, Malvern’s Tyler Tucci and William Felder of Cleveland Heights Lutheran East shared the player of the year award.

Tucci, who was also a standout in football, averaged 23.8 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Felder, a 6-6 senior, scored 24 points a game and has led his team to Value City Arena this week for the state tournament.

Coaches of the year in the small-school division are Newark Catholic’s Drew Meister, Norm Persin of Oak Hill and Lutheran East’s Roger McClinton.

The selections were based on the recommendations of a state media panel.