LOGAN — Several Logan Chieftains have been awarded Associated Press All-Southeast District honors for the recent 2013 football season.
First-year head coach Billy Burke was named Division II Coach of the Year while senior running back Isaac Schmeltzer and sophomore linebacker Bryce McBride were tabbed first team all-district on offense and defense, respectively.
In addition, seniors Nick Kost, Brock Emerson and Evan DeLong were tabbed DII district special mention on the team, selected by a panel of district sportswriters, which was announced Thursday night.
While Logan is the only Division II football team in the Southeast District, the panel presents awards based on how members feel the Chiefs’ season performances and accomplishments would stack up against DII schools from other districts.
The Chiefs won five of their last six games, and six of their final eight, to earn their first Southeastern Ohio Athletic League championship in four seasons.
Schmeltzer, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior, rushed for 1,040 yards on 148 carries and scored 17 touchdowns, gaining seven yards per carry, and had a 275-yard game in the season finale against Warren, during which he set a school record with seven touchdowns (six rushing, one receiving). He also ran for 232 yards and five touchdowns against Portsmouth.
Schmeltzer was also a feared weapon as a kick returner, returning 27 kickoffs for an average of 24.8 yards per return and tying a school record by returning two kickoffs for touchdowns.
He finished with 20 overall touchdowns and 1,792 all-purpose rushing, receiving and return yards.
McBride (5-9, 175) was the Chiefs’ second-leading tackler (26 solo tackles, 60 assists, 86 total) from his linebacker spot, had four tackles for loss and caused three fumbles. He lettered last season as a freshman, becoming the first Logan ninth-grader in more than 40 years to do so.
On offense, McBride became just the seventh Logan sophomore to gain more than 500 yards rushing in a single season. He had 505 yards on just 39 carries (a 12.9 yards-per-carry average) and three touchdowns, including a 99-yard scoring run against Portsmouth.
Kost (6-0, 185) was originally scheduled to be a wildcat-formation quarterback for eight-to-12 plays a game, but was pressed into duty as the full-time quarterback when starting QB Lane Little sustained a shoulder injury in the third quarter of the season opener.
Although he had never played quarterback before — and had been the team’s leading tackler the previous season as a linebacker — he eventually became a solid QB and completed half (39-of-78) of
his passes for 505 yards and eight touchdowns and did not throw a single interception… the first full-time Logan signal-caller to achieve that distinction since John Gasser in 1964.
He also rushed for 626 yards and five TDs on 150 attempts, running for more than 100 yards three times and becoming only the second Logan QB to run for triple digits in a single game since 1968.
Emerson (5-10, 250) was the Chiefs’ best offensive lineman, primarily playing left guard but also seeing time at tackle, and also played defensive tackle, where he was involved in 30 total tackles and registered 2.5 quarterback sacks.
He was one of several seniors who played a key leadership role in the Chiefs winning the SEOAL title.
DeLong (6-3, 175) was the Chiefs’ most improved player from week one to week 10, playing a variety of roles that included receiver, linebacker, defensive back and kick returner.
He was third on the team with 79 total tackles and led the Chiefs with 30 solo tackles and added 2.5 tackles for loss. DeLong set a school record with a 101-yard interception return for a touchdown against Loudonville and returned nine kickoffs for a 27.2 yards-per-return average, including an 85-yard touchdown.
Athens — which will bring its 11-0 record to Logan Chieftain Stadium tonight for a second-round playoff game against Dresden Tri-Valley — earned a piece of all the major Division III honors, with quarterback Joe Burrow named Offensive Player of the Year, back Freddy Stalder named Defensive Player of the Year, and Ryan Adams sharing Coach of the Year honors with Ron Hinton of Chillicothe.
Quarterback David Burroughs of Circleville was tabbed Player of the Year on offense and Circleville coach Heath Hinton was named Coach of the Year in Division IV.
Undefeated Trimble was involved in all the major Division VII honors. Quarterback Konner Standley was named Offensive Player of the Year, linebacker Jacob Koons was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year, and coach Phil Faires shared Coach of the Year laurels with Kyle Wickline of Racine Southern.