All-State announced for Divisions I, II and III

COLUMBUS - Quarterbacks who will oppose each other in the big-school state championship game, and a coach who guided his team on a remarkable 0-10 to 10-0 season, highlight the 2008 Associated Press Division I-III All-Ohio football teams announced Monday.

Cincinnati Elder's Mark Miller and Andrew Holland of Cleveland St. Ignatius will lead their teams into Saturday's 7 p.m. Division I championship game at Canton Fawcett Stadium. They shared offensive player of the year honors with North Canton Hoover running back Erick Howard, whose team was eliminated by St. Ignatius on Saturday in the state semifinals.

In Division III, Shawnee linebacker Nick Truesdale appeared on the Division III first team list. His teammate, senior running back Brandon Stephenson was on the second team after making first team as a junior.

Also on the second team was Kenton receiver Chase Barnes, offensive linemen Michael Breland of St. Marys and Colby Rush of St. Marys, defensive lineman Marcus Neal of St. Marys and Kenton linebacker Brent Fackler.

The Division I defensive players of the year were Pickerington Central linebacker Zach Boren, along with linemen Pat Muldoon of Cincinnati St. Xavier and Ben Pike of Mentor.

The coach of the year was Hoover's Don Hertler.

The players and coaches of the year were selected based on the recommendations of a state media panel.

Sharing the offensive honors in Division II were Holland Springfield QB Eric Page and Louisville QB Neal Seaman. The defensive player of the year was LB Josh Kusan of Columbus DeSales. The coaches of the year are DeSales' Ryan Wiggins, Mayfield's Larry Pinto, Louisville's Paul Farrah and Jim Mayzes, who leads Sylvania Southview in the state championship game against Cincinnati Anderson on Friday night at Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

The coach of the year in Division III was Scott Bartholomew of Circleville Logan Elm, a veteran coach who returned to the sidelines and took over an 0-10 team that not only went 10-0 but also won its first two playoff games before falling.

The offensive players were Newark Licking Valley's Storm Klein (1,321 yards, 21 TDs in the regular season) and Youngstown Liberty's Fitzgerald Toussaint (2,229 yards, 10.4 ypc, 28 TDs). The defensive honorees were all backs: Columbus Bexley's Seth White (2 interceptions on defense, 1,303 yards rushing as a QB), Bobby Spence of Rayland Buckeye Local (11 interceptions) and Ethan Kagy of Tiffin Columbian (2 interceptions, 20 total TDs as a QB).