Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky…AND good.
The number 13 is often associated with luck, but for the 13 individuals from the Ohio Valley Publishing area which have been selected as all-Ohio football for 2016 — they were quite good too.
The Associated Press all-Ohio squads were released this past week — with Division IV coming out on Tuesday, Division V on Wednesday and Division VII on Thursday.
In Divisions VII and V respectively, Southern and River Valley each had four all-state selections, while Eastern in Division VII and Meigs in Division IV each earned two.
South Gallia, also in Division VII, gained one all-Ohio performer in senior Johnny Sheets.
Sheets, along with a dozen other OVP selections, made Special Mention.
All 13 of the OVP all-Ohio honorees are making the list for the first time.
For the Southern Tornadoes, they finished 8-2 in the regular season for the second time in four years — and advanced to the state playoffs for only the second time in school history.
Crenson Rogers — a six-foot, three-inch 210-pound senior — topped the Tornadoes’ all-state accolades as a third-team tight end/wide receiver.
Rogers registered 646 receiving yards — on 23 receptions — and nine touchdowns this season.
Southern’s Special Mention trio includes seniors Blake Johnson and Trey Pickens — and junior Riley Roush.
Eastern’s two Special Mention honorees were senior Jett Facemyer and junior Wyatt Bissell.
For River Valley in Division V, it amounted four Special Mention picks — seniors Tre Craycraft and Robert Drummond, sophomore Jacob Campbell and junior Patrick Brown.
Meigs managed a pair of “Zachs” on the Division IV Special Mention unit — junior Zach Helton and sophomore Zach Bartrum.
The AP all-Ohio football teams are chosen by a statewide media panel, as ALL of the district Players of the Year automatically make first-team all-state.
The all-Southeast District football teams are selected by a media panel from throughout the Southeast district, and whose outlets are affiliated with the Associated Press.
Those individuals which make first-team all-district are automatically chosen, at least, as Special Mention all-Ohio.
Paul Boggs can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2106
