ONTARIO — He finished third in Ohio’s Mr. Football balloting at a position he will not play in college.
It’s going to be fun to see what Ontario’s Bodpegn Miller becomes when he lines up at receiver for Ohio State.
Miller is the newly-minted North Central Ohio Offensive Player of the Year on top of all the other accolades he garnered this year. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound speedster starred at quarterback as the Warriors reached the Division IV, Region 14 championship game. He completed 149-of-253 passes for 2,216 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for 1,988 yards and 21 TDs on 211 carries.
The Ontario standout was selected Ohio’s Division IV Offensive Player of the Year, sharing the award with Indian Valley running back Grady Kinsey. He is part of a wildly talented All-NCO offense that includes six other first-team All-Ohioans.
Here’s a look at the All-North Central Ohio offense:
Skill Positions
Ashland quarterback Nathan Bernhard will trigger the all-area offense after a sensational junior campaign. The Arrows were undefeated during the regular season for the first time since 2006 and reached the Division II, Region 7 semifinals before falling to Big Walnut, finishing 12-1. Bernhard, who has offers from Penn State and Michigan State among others, completed 181-of-299 passes for 2,895 yards and 24 touchdowns and just four interceptions. The bullish 6-foot-6, 230-pound Bernhard rushed for 1,221 yards and 22 TDs on 206 carries. He was an All-Ohio first-teamer.
Hillsdale had the greatest season in program history and sophomore quarterback Kael Lewis was a big reason why. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound Lewis completed 185-of-290 passes for single-season records of 3,053 yards and 35 touchdowns en route to a berth on the All-Ohio second team in Division VII. Lewis set single-game passing records for touchdowns (six) and yards (361).
Danville reached the Division VII state semifinals thanks to a rugged ground game spearheaded by running back Aidan Burke. The powerful 5-foot-9, 220-pound senior rushed for 1,668 yards and 19 touchdowns on 234 carries. His 1,668 rushing yards are the second most in a single-season by a Danville running back. Burke was selected to the All-Ohio first team.
Hillsdale knocked off Danville in the state semifinals and played in the Division VII championship game thanks in no small part to running back Owen Sloan. The 5-foot-9, 180-pound junior rushed for a single-season record 1,658 yards and 31 touchdowns on 233 carries despite nursing a lower-body injury during the Falcons’ postseason run. Sloan was an All-Ohio second-team pick.
Crestline running back Cian Glennon led the Bulldogs to the playoffs for the first time since 2005. The 6-foot, 200-pound senior rumbled for 1,009 yards and 12 touchdowns on 131 carries during the regular season. Glennon was an All-Ohio third-teamer in Division VII.
Mapleton’s running back Colton Wittman had the Mounties in playoff contention up until the final week of the regular season. The 5-foot-9, 210-pound senior rushed for 1,126 yards and 15 touchdowns on 192 carries. Wittman was an All-Ohio honorable-mention selection in Division VI.
Lexington’s Brayden Fogle showed why the likes of Georgia and Michigan have extended him scholarship offers. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound junior caught 59 passes for 792 yards and five touchdowns as the Minutemen sprang a pair of playoff upsets and reached the Division III, Region 10 semifinals. Fogle was selected to the All-Ohio first team after earning a spot on the All-Ohio first team in basketball last winter.
Shelby’s Brady Bowman took his place among the program’s greatest receivers after a record-setting sophomore season. Bowman caught 78 passes for 1,477 yards and 12 touchdowns as the Whippets went undefeated during the regular season and reached the Division IV, Region 14 semifinals. He was selected to the All-Ohio first team.
Hillsdale junior receiver Hayden McFadden re-wrote the record book as the Falcons reached the Division VII state championship game. The speedy 5-foot-11, 165-pound junior caught 62 passes for 1,369 yards and 18 touchdowns. He set single-season records for receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, as well as the single-game record for receiving yards (250). He also had a 99-yard touchdown reception, the longest pass play in school history. McFadden was the Northeast Inlands Offensive Player of the Year and an All-Ohio first-team pick in Division VII.
Galion’s Jacob Chambers was among the most dangerous receivers in north central Ohio. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound junior caught 43 passes for 603 yards and nine touchdowns. Chamber was an All-Ohio third-teamer in Division IV.
Hillsdale’s wideout Holland Young set the program’s single-season record with 66 receptions and would have broken the mark for receiving yards (981) were it not for teammate and fellow first-teamer Hayden McFadden. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound senior was an All-Ohio honorable-mention pick in Division VII.
Crestview’s Karter Goon was Crestview’s second-leading receiver from his tight end spot. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior caught 19 passes for 345 yards and four TDs. Goon was an All-Ohio honorable-mention selection in Division VI.
Shelby junior Brayden DeVito did a little bit of everything from the quarterback position, but he earned a spot on the all-area team as an athlete. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound DeVito completed 199-of-294 passes for 3,625 yards and 33 touchdowns and rushed for 1,560 yards and 26 TDs on 188 carries. In three varsity seasons, DeVito has thrown for 9,645 yards and 85 touchdowns. He was an All-Ohio first-tea pick in Division IV.
Fredericktown’s Blake Sipes is cut from the same cloth as DeVito and earned a spot on the all-area team as an athlete. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound junior quarterback completed 82-of-146 passes for 1,145 yards and eight touchdowns and rushed for 1,346 yards and 17 TDs on 187 carries. Sipes was an All-Ohio honorable-mention selection in Division V.
Linemen
Danville boasted north central Ohio’s most productive ground game and Blake Colopy was the unlikely anchor of the offensive line. The undersized 5-foot-8, 185-pound senior helped clear the way for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Aidan Burke and Cyren Wallce. Colopy was a Division VII All-Ohio second-team pick.
Shelby’s Xadrian Ream was a Division IV second-team All-Ohioan after clearing the way for DeVito and running back Marcus Gumbert. The Whippets led the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference in total offense and ranked second in rushing offense.
Ontario’s Grady Taylor anchored an offensive line that cleared the way for Miller and running back Mason Vantilburg. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound senior was an All-Ohio honorable-mention selection in Division IV.
Crestview rushed for more than 160 yards per game thanks in part to Jeremy Lebert. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound senior was an All-Ohio honorable-mention pick in Division VI.
Hillsdale’s Lincoln Jones was an All-Ohio honorable-mention pick as the Falcons reached the Division VII state championship game. The undersized senior (5-foot-7, 160-pounds) helped plow the road for record-setting running back Owen Sloan.
Specialists
Hillsdale’s A.J. Brown gets the nod at kicker after converting 64-of-69 PATs and 1-of-2 field goals. The junior was an All-Ohio honorable-mention pick in Division VII.
Ontario kicker Kooper Kilgore had a sensational freshman season. The 5-foot-10, 170-pounder connected on 55-of-61 PATs and 9-of-12 field goals.
Mansfield Senior’s Guy Trader was north central Ohio’s most dangerous kickoff return man. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound junior averaged 35 yards per return and took two kickoffs for touchdowns.