Worcester NWC Defensive Player of the Year

By Cort Reynolds

The second-place Bluffton High School football team placed nine players on the All-Northwest Conference first team in voting conducted Sunday, October 22, by the league coaches.

In all, 16 positions on the all-league first and second teams were filled by Pirates.

Bluffton junior linebacker Landen Worcester was voted NWC Defensive Player of the Year, and was also voted first team All-NWC at running back. He rushed for 1,288 yards and 19 touchdowns on 164 carries this season.

Senior Braeden Jordan was named first team all-league at receiver. He grabbed 16 passes for 391 yards (24.4 yards per catch) and hauled in six TD aerials.

Senior linemen Jacob Granger and Daniel Friedritz were named first team All-NWC on the offensive line.

Place-kicker Kyle Basil was the first team offense specialist. He scored 53 points on point after kicks and field goals this regular season.

Junior lineman Brody Sommers was named first team all-league on the defensive line. 

Senior Gavin Bogart was tabbed first team all-conference at linebacker. 

Pirate junior Carson Kruse was voted first team All-NWC at defensive back.

Efficient senior quarterback Garret Bogart was voted second team All-NWC on offense. He completed 53 of 77 passes (69 percent) for 1,027 yards and 16 touchdowns with zero interceptions.

Tight end Hayden Dearth was named second team all-league offense. He caught 19 passes for 348 yards (18.3 yards per catch) and three TDs.

Two-way standout Gavin Bogart was also voted second team offense at receiver. He snared 18 receptions for 281 yards (15.6 ypc) and six TDs.

Two-way senior Granger made second team defense on the defensive line.

Secondary men Jordan and junior Quinn Eachus both were named second team all-league defense.

Sommers made the honorable mention offensive line.

Pirate senior Marco Eiden made HM all-defense on the line. Dearth also was tabbed HM all-league at linebacker. 

Elusive junior running back Trenton Barraza of league champion Columbus Grove was named Offensive Player of the Year. 

CG mentor Andy Schafer was tabbed NWC Coach of the Year by his peers.

Grove (8-2) nipped visiting fellow unbeaten Bluffton 14-7 in the regular season showdown finale to edge the Pirates for the NWC title at 7-0. Bluffton (6-1) was second, followed by Leipsic (5-2) in third.

Crestview finished fourth (4-3), with defending champion Allen East fifth (3-4). Ada, Spencerville and Delphos Jefferson all tied for sixth at 1-6.

Bluffton finished the regular season 9-1 and second in the Div. VI, Region 22 computer rankings. The defense posted seven shutouts.

All-NWC Teams:

NWC Offensive Player of the Year: Trenton Barraza – Columbus Grove
NWC Defensive Player of the Year: Landen Worcester – Bluffton
NWC Coach of the Year: Andy Schafer – Columbus Grove

1st Team Offense
Offensive Line
Kylan Mayes – 52 – Junior – Columbus Grove
Jacob Granger – 59 – Senior – Bluffton
Ethan Ziesloft – 50 – Senior – Leipsic
Quinn Westhoven – 77 – Junior – Leipsic
Daniel Fredritz – 77 – Senior – Bluffton

Tight End
Beau Eggleston – 25 – Senior – Crestview

Receiver
Zach Reynolds – 6 – Senior – Columbus Grove
Braeden Jordan – 11 – Senior – Bluffton
Trent Siefker – 19 – Senior – Leipsic

Running Back
Trenton Barraza – 3 – Junior – Columbus Grove
Landen Worcester – 27 – Junior – Bluffton

Quarterback
Landon Best – 2 – Sophomore – Columbus Grove

Specialist
Kyle Basil – 25 – Senior – Bluffton

1st Team Defense
Defensive Line
Kyle Lathrop – 62 – Senior – Columbus Grove
Kylan Mayes – 52 – Junior – Columbus Grove
Quinn Westhoven – 77 – Junior – Leipsic
Brody Sommers – 50 – Junior – Bluffton

Linebacker
Landen Worcester – 27 – Junior – Bluffton
Loudon Auchmuty – 57 – Senior – Columbus Grove
Isaac Kline – 9 – Senior – Crestview
Gavin Bogart – 21 – Senior – Bluffton

Defensive Back
Quin Schroeder – 4 – Senior – Leipsic
Zach Reynolds – 6 – Senior – Columbus Grove
Carson Clum – 7 – Senior – Allen East
Carson Kruse – 23 – Junior – Bluffton

2nd Team Offense
Offensive Line
Landen Polling – 77 – Senior – Allen East
Trevor Whitney – 75 – Junior – Spencerville
Preston Kreischer – 65 – Senior – Crestview
Ethan Johnson – 71 – Senior – Columbus Grove
Evan Walls – 68 – Senior – Crestview

Tight End
Hayden Dearth – 17 – Senior – Bluffton

Receiver
Nate Coulter – 2 – Senior – Spencerville
Carson Clum – 7 – Senior – Allen East
Gavin Bogart – 21 – Senior – Bluffton

Running Back
Quin Schroeder – 4 – Senior – Leipsic
Jack Hoel – 28 – Senior – Allen East

Quarterback
Garret Bogart – 8 – Senior – Bluffton

Specialist
Trenton Barraza – 3 – Junior – Columbus Grove

2nd Team Defense
Defensive Line
Beau Eggleston – 25 – Senior – Crestview
Brogan Paxson – 55 – Senior – Allen East
Dalton Amos – 60 – Junior – Ada
Jacob Granger – 59 – Senior – Bluffton

Linebacker
Landen Huston – 11 – Junior – Columbus Grove
Mike Jimenez – 25 – Senior – Leipsic
Jacob Pinks – 31 – Junior – Allen East
Karder Agner – 8 – Junior – Delphos Jefferson

Defensive Back
Hunter Jones – 2 – Senior – Crestview
Grant Eversole – 21 – Junior – Columbus Grove
Trenton Barraza – 3 – Junior – Columbus Grove
Braedon Jordan – 11 – Senior – Bluffton
Quinn Eachus – 9 – Junior – Bluffton

Honorable Mention Offense
Offensive Line
Loudon Auchmuty – 57 – Senior – Columbus Grove
Matt Weitzel – 64 – Senior – Delphos Jefferson
Jose Garica – 75 – Junior – Leipsic
RJ Davies – 75 – Junior – Allen East
Owen Arnett – 66 – Senior – Ada
Lane Wildermuth – 50 – Junior – Allen East
Ty Meyer – 63 – Junior – Columbus Grove
Brody Sommers – 50 – Junior – Bluffton

Tight End
Brady Basinger – 7 – Freshman – Columbus Grove

Running Back
Jaret Harting – 7 – Senior – Crestview
Braxton Leeth – 32 – Sophomore – Crestview

Quarterback
Bryson Penix – 5 – Junior – Crestview
Levi Green – 18 – Junior – Ada

Receiver
Hunter Jones – 2 – Senior – Crestview
Kellin Putman – 3 – Senior – Crestview
Kyle Hopkins – 1 – Junior – Columbus Grove
Tyler Wilkins – 7 – Senior – Delphos Jefferson
Will Sensabaugh – 12 – Freshman – Spencerville

Specialist
Logan Jolliff – 9 – Junior – Ada
Trey Hensley – 1 – Senior – Allen East

Honorable Mention Defense
Defensive Line
Connor Douglas – 76 – Senior – Columbus Grove
Marco Eiden – 57 – Senior – Bluffton
Connor Sheets – 66 – Senior – Crestview
Wren Sheets – 14 – Junior – Crestview
Jake Scheckelhoff – 20 – Senior – Leipsic
Trevor Whitney – 75 – Junior – Spencerville
Dalton Smith – 68 – Senior – Allen East
Xach Houx – 87 – Senior – Delphos Jefferson

Linebacker
Hayden Dearth – 17 – Senior – Bluffton
Jorden Scott – 33 – Senior – Allen East
Carter Layman – 26 – Senior – Spencerville
Zayden Martin – 20 – Senior – Crestview
Caden Hedrick – 4 – Senior – Allen East

Defensive Back
Estevan Carrillo – 6 – Senior – Leipsic
Trey Hensley – 1 – Senior – Allen East
Dylan Short – 10 – Junior – Spencerville
Hayden Perrott – 11 – Sophomore – Crestview