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Fort Frye’s Lewis, Baker earn D6 all-state honors

Times file photo Fort Frye’s Casey Lewis (11) was a Division VI third team All-Ohio honoree after rushing for more than 1,800 yards this season.

Fort Frye High had a football season for the ages.

For the second straight year, the Cadets went undefeated during regular-season play (10-0) and clinched an Ohio Division VI playoff berth in the process.

This past fall, FFHS took it even further when it extended its postseason competition to the regional championship game at John D. Sulsberger Memorial Stadium in Zanesville High. There, the Cadets dropped a 41-7 decision to New Catholic (The Green Wave themselves were eliminated at state the following week.) and finished the campaign with a sterling 12-1 overall record.

But on its journey, the Fort became the first Washington County gridiron team to advance that far in the playoffs. (Rival Waterford High, just across the Muskingum River, became the second football team in the county to play in a regional final (D7) this season.)

Recently, several Fort Frye players were named to The Associated Press D6 All-Ohio squad.

Both senior running back Casey Lewis and senior lineman Jordan Baker were third-team honorees on offense.

FFHS had a lot of offensive weapons, but the 5-foot-11, 178 pound Lewis was the team’s primary go-to guy. All Lewis did was rush for 1,805 yards on 193 carries as a running back. As a pass receiver, he had seven catches for 128 yards.

“I’m really surprised that Casey didn’t go higher,” said Fort Frye head football coach Eric Huck. “Last year, I think he made the second team.

“Casey was very deserving of getting all-state again. He’s a heck of an athlete, and a very hard worker.”

The Mid-Ohio Valley’s leading touchdown-maker, Lewis finished with a whopping 37 trips to the end zone (30 rushing, two receiving, four punt returns, and one kickoff). He also had three 2-point conversions.

An all-around football player, Lewis was also a standout in the Cadet defensive secondary. He had two interceptions.

Helping Lewis and the other Fort Frye running backs make all their yardage was Baker, a 5-11, 270-pound left tackle.

“Jordan was equally as good, if not better, on the defensive line,” Huck said. “He worked very hard for us and is very deserving of the honor. I’m going to hate to see him go.”

Earning special mention all-state from the Fort were sophomore quarterback Tate Engle, senior RB Garrett Lochary, senior tight end Jacob Prichard, and senior offensive lineman Owen Matheny.

The 5-11, 152-pound Engle completed 79 of 136 passes for 1,568 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also ran for four 6-pointers.

“I think Tate was either special meniton or honorable mention last year as a freshman,” Huck said. “He’s a tremendous quarterback, and I’m glad I’ve got him for two more years.

“Tate is a great athlete, and he has a great head on his shoulders.”

Defensively, Engle was a solid cornerback, who finished the season with a team-high four interceptions.

The 5-9, 140-pound Lochary was a big-play guy all season long, rushing for 757 yards on 80 carries and 11 touchdowns. (He finished with 14 TDs on the year.) He also had 13 receptions for 238 yards.

“Garrett was a four-year starter for us,” Huck said. “He loves the game and made a lot of big plays for us during his career. He’s very quick and has tremendous breakaway speed. He was kind of an unsung hero for us.”

Lochary also played in the defensive secondary and had two picks.

The 6-4, 182-pound Prichard finished the campaign with 10 catches for 207 yards and four touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, he had a team-high eight sacks.

“Jacob is a basketball player and didn’t play for us last year as a junior,” Huck said. “He played football as a sophomore, though, and did really well. We’re just happy he came out for the team this year. He’s very athletic, and really stepped up this season for us.”

The 6-1, 278-pound Matheny was another blue-collar worker in the trenches. With him at the other offensive tackle position, the Cadets were pretty much a first-down machine that consistently moved the ball.

“Owen worked really hard in the offseason,” Huck said. “Our two tackles (Matheny and Baker) led the line and got the job done for us. Owen will also be missed next year.”

While Monroe Central had a subpar season (1-9) on the gridiron, four Seminoles were all-state honorees.

Making the second defensive team as a punter was 5-9, 165-pound senior Jarrett Hooper, also MC’s quarterback.

“Jarrett played on both offense and defense for us,” said Monroe Central boss Jay Circosta. “As a punter, he was a weapon for us and was very consistent, averaging 36 yards a kick.

“He was also our quarterback, and he had three really good years for us throwing the ball. I think he threw for over 3,600 yards during his career.”

Earning special mention were junior wideout Ryan LaFollette, junior lineman Alex Webb, and senior running back Bobby O’Donnell.

The 5-11, 160-pound LaFollette was Hooper’s primary receiving target with 42 receptions for 612 yards and five TDs.

“Ryan’s a really good athlete, who came into his own last season,” Circosta said. “He has excellent speed and good hands.”

The 6-3, 280-pound Webb finished the season with 52 tackles (30 assisted, 10 unassisted and 10 for losses).

“Alex is very derserving of all-state status,” Circosta said. “He’s a good kid and a big kid. He couldn’t be blocked one-on-one.”

The 5-8, 155-pound O’Donnell was MC’s leading ground-gainer with 415 yards and five touchdowns. He also had 27 receptions for 377 yards and one TD.

Defensively, O’Donnell led the Seminoles in tackles with 60-1/2 (41 assisted, 12 unassisted, and 4-1/2 for losses.

“Bobby had a very good year for us,” Circosta said. “He has a great work ethic.”

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