Lane Edmisten, 1, rushes out of bounds during a game against Batavia on Oct. 4. Edmisten would go on to be named the Player of the Year in the National Division.

Lane Edmisten, 1, rushes out of bounds during a game against Batavia on Oct. 4. Edmisten would go on to be named the Player of the Year in the National Division.
By Chris Chaney
Sun staff

The Southern Buckeye Conference handed it out its end-of-the-year awards at the Fall Sports All-Star Banquet on Nov. 12 with First Team selections, Players and Coaches of the Year and Divisional Championship awards being handed out.

The two playoff contenders, Williamsburg and Western Brown, not only won their respective divisions, but also swept the individual awards as well.

The Wildcats’ senior quarterback Lane Edmisten was named the National Division Player of the Year and head coach Scott Lefker was named the National Coach of the Year.

Lefker and Edmisten led the Wildcats to a 7-4 record overall and an unblemished mark of 4-0 in the SBC. Edmisten completed 51 of 113 passes this season for 835 yards and nine touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing attempts with 199 for 1,350 yards and 16 scores.

“Lane had a great year passing,” Lefker said of the Player of the Year. “He makes good decision and he takes it upon himself when he has to to do whatever it takes.”

The Wildcats advanced to the Division VI, Region 22 playoffs for the first time since 2001. As the third overall seed in the region, the Wildcats also hosted a playoff game for the first time since 1980. Despite a late-game comeback, Burg fell to West Liberty-Salem, 27-20.

Joining Edmisten on the First Team All-Conference from Williamsburg was fellow senior Jordan Wright, juniors Mason Hall and Jared Spurlock and sophomores Kurt Meisberger and Spencer Clowery.

Wildcats on the Second Team included seniors Cody Minnie, Isaiah Bradford and Nick Felts, junior Austin Horn and sophomore Bryson Vize.

Other First Team selections included Batavia’s Levi Sellers, KeShawn Foley, Romelo Williams and Wyatt Jackson; Bethel-Tate’s Blace Haviland and Brandon Lewis; and Clermont Northeastern’s Brandon Stahl, Trey Amann and Dalton Miracle.

On the Second Team in the National Division were Batavia’s Patrick Bryant, Cole Norman and Sammy Humbert; Bethel-Tates Jeffrey Botts and Blake Norris; and CNE’s Donald Hahn, Darian Bullock and Matt Bingaman.

In the American, Western Brown was the toast of the division, winning the league outright after going 10-0 throughout the regular season and matching Williamsburg’s 4-0 mark in conference.

For their success, senior quarterback Devyn Wood and head coach Evan Dreyer were awarded the American Player and Coach of the Year awards, respectively.

Wood completed 68.3 percent of his passes this season, racking up 4,260 yards and 40 touchdowns for the potent Broncos offense. Wood also rushed 89 times for 435 yards and 10 more scores.

Wood was flanked on the First Team by seniors Justin Longbottom, Derrick McIntosh and Kalan Kumpf, junior Christian Dawson and sophomore Eean Hornung. Broncos on the Second Team include seniors Jeremy Gould and Jarred Haggerty, juniors Josh Young and Logan Nuhn and sophomore Steven Craddock.

The next best represented team on the All-Star roster were league runners-up New Richmond. The Lions placed five players on the First Team and four on the Second Team coming off a season that saw New Richmond lose just one game (to Western Brown) and narrowly miss out on a playoff berth.

First Teammers for the Lions were seniors Evan Bringer, Will Lytle, Levi Simpson and Malik Davis and junior Tyler Anderson. On the Second Team from New Richmond were seniors Nathan Snider and Kenny Booker as well as sophomores Tyler Sammons and Frankie Taulbee.

First Team selections were rounded out by Cohen Canter and Carter Hounshell of Amelia, Scotty Nichols and Brandon Lunsford and Noah Knuckles of Goshen.

Rounding out local Second Team selections were TJ Reed and Wade Hauser of Amelia and Austin Smith, Isaac Hart and Hunter Hines of Goshen.