Announcement
From The GAZETTE By Brad Bournival, Staff Writer
COLUMBUS — For the first time since 1998 a Medina County football team didn't play into Week 12.
That made no difference to the Associated Press when picking the Northeast Inland All-District team as 13 county players made the first unit, while six others were second-team selections.
Included in the mix were Division I Co-Offensive Player of the Year Anthony Lanzara of Brunswick, D-III Defensive Player of the Year Nick Tavernelli of Buckeye and D-III Coach of the Year Chris Medaglia.
Buckeye was tops in the seven-school region with five first teamers as defensive end Tavernelli (83 tackles, 12 sacks, 3 blocked kicks, sr.), running back Dustin Supan (1,346 yards rushing, 24 TDs, sr.), guard Nick Maxworthy (team averaged 378.6 yards a game, sr.), linebacker Chris Reisner (76 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, sr.) and punter Adam Read (40.8 average, sr.) each earned top honors.
"Uniquely each one of them is different," Medaglia said. "All five have been on the varsity football team since they were freshmen. They all are hard workers and represent the program well.
"I'm honored, flattered and surprised to be named (Coach of the Year). In the end the team is the one that won and lost. I'm just the guy that pointed these kids in the right direction."
Medaglia and his star-studded team posted a 10-0 regular season and made the playoffs.
Pointing his team in the right direction was Lanzara, who joined three other Blue Devils on the first team. Offensive tackle Kyle Reese (team averaged 368.1, sr.), linebacker Steve Vachon (95 tackles, 2 sacks, sr.) and defensive back Dustin Zielaskiewicz (35 tackles, county-high 8 interceptions) picked up honors for the Blue Devils in D-I as did Wadsworth kicker Nate Reed (31-of-33 extra points, 7 field goals).
Lanzara led Brunswick to its fifth straight playoff appearance, going 120-of-206 passing for 1,938 yards with 18 touchdowns against two interceptions. He also ran for 409 yards with three touchdowns, making his 2,346 yards of total offense (passing plus rushing) the best in the school's history.
"When we made our plans for this year we knew we didn't have the kid to run the ball, but the one who would touch the ball every time was Anthony," Brunswick coach Rich Nowak said. "In the big games when we needed him — Elyria, Strongsville, (Canton) McKinley and Normandy — he stepped up and rose to the challenge.
"Every time we needed him, he stepped up and delivered."
Black River linebacker Adam Wright (93 tackles, 6 for loss, sack) picked up D-IV first team honors as did Cloverleaf defensive end Nate Kilgore (110 tackles, 6 sacks, sr.) and defensive back Steve Kuzyk (65 tackles, 6 interceptions).
The biggest performance defensively might have come from Tavernelli, though. Broken down statistically — the two-time All-Ohioan only played in 30 quarters — Tavernelli's numbers were through the roof.
Had the senior played in every quarter, his projected numbers would have been 122 tackles, 18 sacks, 34 quarterback hurries, four blocked kicks and three fumble recoveries.
"He was the first person in the weight room and the last to leave," Medaglia said. "If you saw the kid and how he looked in the uniform, you knew he was a player.
"His numbers are mind-blowing. I'm curious to see what he would have accomplished had he played four quarters."
Matt Dash (Buckeye), Chaz Jordan (Buckeye), Cory Strazar (Brunswick), Mike Francescangeli (Brunswick), Dave Crowley (Wadsworth) and Grady Wilson (Wadsworth) were named to the All-District second team.
Ryan Glad (Brunswick), Dave Pace (Brunswick), Jason Reitenbach (Brunswick), Dru Jones (Wadsworth), Jeremy Anthony (Medina), Ben Stoper (Medina), Darin Bohner (Cloverleaf), Mike Detwiler (Cloverleaf), Dan Risko (Cloverleaf), Nick Turner (Highland), Mike Arena (Buckeye), Drew Megrey (Buckeye), Phil Vance (Black River), and Derrick Waltz (Black River) garnished honorable mention status.
Bournival may be reached at Bournival929@sbcglobal.net or 330-721-4045.
COLUMBUS — For the first time since 1998 a Medina County football team didn't play into Week 12.
That made no difference to the Associated Press when picking the Northeast Inland All-District team as 13 county players made the first unit, while six others were second-team selections.
Included in the mix were Division I Co-Offensive Player of the Year Anthony Lanzara of Brunswick, D-III Defensive Player of the Year Nick Tavernelli of Buckeye and D-III Coach of the Year Chris Medaglia.
Buckeye was tops in the seven-school region with five first teamers as defensive end Tavernelli (83 tackles, 12 sacks, 3 blocked kicks, sr.), running back Dustin Supan (1,346 yards rushing, 24 TDs, sr.), guard Nick Maxworthy (team averaged 378.6 yards a game, sr.), linebacker Chris Reisner (76 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, sr.) and punter Adam Read (40.8 average, sr.) each earned top honors.
"Uniquely each one of them is different," Medaglia said. "All five have been on the varsity football team since they were freshmen. They all are hard workers and represent the program well.
"I'm honored, flattered and surprised to be named (Coach of the Year). In the end the team is the one that won and lost. I'm just the guy that pointed these kids in the right direction."
Medaglia and his star-studded team posted a 10-0 regular season and made the playoffs.
Pointing his team in the right direction was Lanzara, who joined three other Blue Devils on the first team. Offensive tackle Kyle Reese (team averaged 368.1, sr.), linebacker Steve Vachon (95 tackles, 2 sacks, sr.) and defensive back Dustin Zielaskiewicz (35 tackles, county-high 8 interceptions) picked up honors for the Blue Devils in D-I as did Wadsworth kicker Nate Reed (31-of-33 extra points, 7 field goals).
Lanzara led Brunswick to its fifth straight playoff appearance, going 120-of-206 passing for 1,938 yards with 18 touchdowns against two interceptions. He also ran for 409 yards with three touchdowns, making his 2,346 yards of total offense (passing plus rushing) the best in the school's history.
"When we made our plans for this year we knew we didn't have the kid to run the ball, but the one who would touch the ball every time was Anthony," Brunswick coach Rich Nowak said. "In the big games when we needed him — Elyria, Strongsville, (Canton) McKinley and Normandy — he stepped up and rose to the challenge.
"Every time we needed him, he stepped up and delivered."
Black River linebacker Adam Wright (93 tackles, 6 for loss, sack) picked up D-IV first team honors as did Cloverleaf defensive end Nate Kilgore (110 tackles, 6 sacks, sr.) and defensive back Steve Kuzyk (65 tackles, 6 interceptions).
The biggest performance defensively might have come from Tavernelli, though. Broken down statistically — the two-time All-Ohioan only played in 30 quarters — Tavernelli's numbers were through the roof.
Had the senior played in every quarter, his projected numbers would have been 122 tackles, 18 sacks, 34 quarterback hurries, four blocked kicks and three fumble recoveries.
"He was the first person in the weight room and the last to leave," Medaglia said. "If you saw the kid and how he looked in the uniform, you knew he was a player.
"His numbers are mind-blowing. I'm curious to see what he would have accomplished had he played four quarters."
Matt Dash (Buckeye), Chaz Jordan (Buckeye), Cory Strazar (Brunswick), Mike Francescangeli (Brunswick), Dave Crowley (Wadsworth) and Grady Wilson (Wadsworth) were named to the All-District second team.
Ryan Glad (Brunswick), Dave Pace (Brunswick), Jason Reitenbach (Brunswick), Dru Jones (Wadsworth), Jeremy Anthony (Medina), Ben Stoper (Medina), Darin Bohner (Cloverleaf), Mike Detwiler (Cloverleaf), Dan Risko (Cloverleaf), Nick Turner (Highland), Mike Arena (Buckeye), Drew Megrey (Buckeye), Phil Vance (Black River), and Derrick Waltz (Black River) garnished honorable mention status.
Bournival may be reached at Bournival929@sbcglobal.net or 330-721-4045.
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