By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Three linebackers who made a combined total of 510 tackles during the 2023 season were among the players who received Top 26 Awards from the Northern Kentucky Football Coaches Association.
Each of the 20 high school coaches in the association select one of their players to receive the award and coaches vote on six additional players to be recognized for having exceptional seasons.
Senior linebackers Brach Rice of Dixie Heights and Jake Lonaker were both selected by their coaches and Ryle sophomore linebacker Jacob Savage was a coaches association ballot award-winner.
Rice, a Miami University of Ohio recruit, led the Northern Kentucky area with 181 tackles in 12 games followed by Lonaker with 166 tackles in 15 games. Rice also had 13 quarterback sacks, which ranked seventh in the final statewide statistics.
Lonaker made a team-high 10 tackles and intercepted a pass during the Class 5A state championship game. He completed his three-year varsity career with a team record 456 tackles.
Savage finished his second varsity season with 163 tackles in 13 games. He also totaled 612 yards in rushing and pass receiving as a running back and scored seven touchdowns.
Covington Catholic, the Class 4A state runner-up and only local team that finished the regular season with a 10-0 record, had two award-winners in senior quarterback Evan Pitzer and senior tight end/linebacker Willie Rodriquez, a University of Kentucky recruit.
They were also among CovCath’s first-team selections on the All-Northern Kentucky Teams released by the coaches association. The other Colonels were offensive lineman Seth Jones, offensive/defensive lineman Ben Reeves and wide receiver/defensive back Braylon Miller.
Kyle Niederman of Lloyd was named Coach of the Year and Woody McMillen of Ludlow received the Owen Hauck Award that goes to the coach of the most improved team in the area. Chase Floyd of Conner was named Assistant Coach of the Year.
The coaches association will be selecting finalists for the annual Brian Williams “That’s My Boy” Award that goes to the top student-athlete in Northern Kentucky high school football. They use a rating system that awards points for achievements in football, academics and community service to determine the winner.
TOP 26 AWARDS
Beechwood – Xavier Campbell. Bellevue – Jordan Pendleton. Boone County – Mason Hessling. Brossart – Nathan Heck. Campbell County – Nate Smith, Dylan Schulkers. Conner – Ben Fay. Cooper – Jack Lonaker. CovCath – Evan Pitzer, Willie Rodriquez. Dayton – Dangello Jimenez. Dixie Heights – Brach Rice, Armani Gregg. Highlands – Brody Benke, Luke Schneider. Holmes – Aaron Johnson. Holy Cross – Zach Chalfin. Lloyd – Avander Abrams, Thomas Plymesser. Ludlow – Ethan Powell. NewCath – Demetrick Welch. Newport – Kyle Lee. Ryle – Landon Lorms, Jacob Savage. Scott – Dylan Giffen. Simon Kenton – Aba Selm.
ALL-NORTHERN KENTUCKY TEAMS
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback – Evan Pitzer (CovCath). Running backs – Demetrick Welch (NewCath), Yurii Collins (Lloyd). Wide receivers – Isaiah Johnson (Cooper), Braylon Miller (CovCath), Garyn Jackson (Campbell County). Tight end – Willie Rodriquez (CovCath). Linemen – Aba Selm (Simon Kenton), Thomas Plymesser (Lloyd), Seth Jones (CovCath), Dylan Schulkers (Campbell County), Ben Reeves (CovCath), Gabe Fassler (Highlands). Kickers – Andrew Herron (Conner), Tyler Smith (Brossart). Athlete – Brody Benke (Highlands).
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen – Austin Alexander (Cooper), Aba Selm (Simon Kenton), Ben Reeves (CovCath), Carson Shelton (Highlands). Linebackers – Jack Lonaker (Cooper), Jacob Savage (Ryle), Brach Rice (Dixie Heights), Xavier Campbell (Beechwood). Dbacks – Luke Schieber (Simon Kenton), Braylon Miller (CovCath), Isaac Brown (Cooper), Gavin Lyons (Ryle). Punter – James Cusick (Beechwood).
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback – Clay Hayden (Beechwood). Running backs – Durrell Turner (Simon Kenton), Cam Giesler (Highlands). Wide receivers – Ethan Powell (Ludlow), Adam Surrey (Highlands), Elijah Collins (Lloyd). Tight ends – Brendan Branham (Ludlow), Elijah Westwood (Lloyd). Linemen – Max Merz (Highlands), Mason Neff (NewCath), Jake Puthoff (Simon Kenton), Jack Galtin (Ryle), Michael Coleman (Ryle), Nick Alexander (Beechwood), Dylan Stewart (Conner). Kickers – Colson Lair (Beechwood), Andrew Kohls (Dixie Heights). Athlete – Isaiah Sebastian (Lloyd).
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen – Dylan Smith (Ryle), Avander Abrams (Lloyd), Luke Schneider (Highlands), Javon Burke (Newport). Linebackers – Willie Rodriquez (CovCath), Dalton Roller (Highlands), Kaleal Buck-Barber (Newport), Tate Kruer (CovCath). Dbacks – Nate Welch (Highlands), Elian Ruzindana (Conner), Beni Mwamba (Dixie Heights), Tyler Copeland (Lloyd). Punter – Grayson Harris (Simon Kenton).