High School Football | Dru DeShields, Greg Rockwell, Nick Wilson and Steven Marra of West Branch named All-Ohio first team

Staff report

December 7, 2021 at 3:26 PM·3 min read

West Branch's Dru DeShields rushed for 841 yards this season, in addition to passing for more than 2,600 yards.

The record-setting season by West Branch was rewarded Tuesday as eight members of the Eastern Buckeye Conference championship Warriors were named to the Division IV All-Ohio football team by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.

Four players, including three on an offense that led the state in scoring during the regular season, were selected to the first team.

Those were junior quarterback Dru DeShields, senior receiver Nick Wilson and senior offensive lineman Greg Rockwell. Senior linebacker Steven Marra was selected to the first-team defense.

West Branch's Nick Wilson concludes his high school career holding three school records.

Junior defensive lineman Mitchell Coffee was selected to the second team; senior kicker Ben Tolson and junior defensive lineman Thomas Egli were named to the third team, and senior offensive lineman Caleb Adams was selected as honorable mention.

Minerva defensive back Erik Murray was also selected as honorable mention.

West Branch's Steven Marra, left, was a standout on both offense and defense.

DeShields (6-foot-4, 180 pounds) directed a West Branch offense that averaged 51.7 points per game in the regular season. He completed 70% of his pass attempts (173-of-247) for 2,602 yards and 30 touchdowns. DeShields also rushed for 841 yards, averaging 8.9 yards per carry, and 13 more TDs. He was the Northeast District Offensive Player of the Year.

Wilson (6-1, 162) was DeShields' favorite target, with 59 catches for 1,003 yards and 16 touchdowns. Wilson holds the school records for receiving TDs in a season and career (27) and receiving yards in a season.

West Branch's Greg Rockwell, shown above in a game from 2020, was the anchor of the Warriors' offensive line.

Rockwell (6-1, 255) was the anchor of the Warriors' offensive line, and virtually every opposing coach specifically mentioned him as a player that had their attention. West Branch averaged 489.2 yards per game offensively, including 203.8 yards per game rushing.

Marra (6-2, 220) was a threat on both sides of the ball and his value was underscored when he was named the Northeast District Defensive Player of the Year.

He finished the regular season with 81 total tackles, including six for loss, one sack and three QB pressures. Offensively, Marra set school records for touchdowns in a game (seven vs. Canton South), and touchdowns (28) and points (170) in a season.

Marra rushed for 996 yards and 24 TDs during the regular season, and caught 21 passes for 287 yards and four more touchdowns.

Nine other Eastern Buckeye Conference players were named All-Ohio, including four from Carrollton, three from Salem and two from Canton South.

The Offensive Player of the Year was Cincinnati Wyoming running back C.J. Hester. a junior who rushed for 2,484 yards and 35 touchdowns. He added four more scores on receptions, leading Wyoming to a 10-0 season and two wins in the playoffs.

Luke Ferrell of Bloom-Carroll was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Ferrell had a team-best 127 tackles, including 31 for loss, with nine sacks, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Columbus Linden-McKinley's Eric Valentine was selected the Coach of the Year.

Spencer Mesaros is Division V Defensive Player of the Year

Southeast's Spencer Mesaros was named the All-Ohio Co-Defensive Player of the Year in Division V.

Spencer Mesaros was a conundrum as a freshman, a brilliant talent that Southeast coach Pat Youel needed to figure out where to play.

Once situated at defensive lineman, Mesaros was an All-Ohio selection as a sophomore, then again as a junior.

As a Southeast senior, Mesaros took it a step further, earning Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors in Division V. He shared the honor with Versailles' Carson Bey.

Mesaros wasn't alone on the Division V all-state team. Three teammates — senior running back Jaidyn Sapp and senior Andrew Kelchner and Nate Buckeye, were selected honorable mention.

Waterloo junior defensive lineman Austin Wise also earned honorable mention all-state.

The Offensive Players of the Year were quarterbacks Gabe Tingle and West Lafayette Ridgewood and Levi Gullion of Piketon.

Tingle, a 5-11, 180 senior, passed for 1,212 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 283 yards and four TDs.

Gullion, a 6-3, 195, senior, passed for 3,075 yards and 31 touchdowns and rushed for 1,028 yards.

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: West Branch football dominates area selection on All-Ohio Division IV team

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Spencer Mesaros is Division V Defensive Player of the Year

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