DANVILLE — He’ll go down as one of the greatest individual tacklers in Danville history, but what Josh Byers is most proud of is what the Blue Devils accomplished as a team.

The newly-crowned North Central Ohio Defensive Player of the Year, Byers helped led Danville to a regional championship and a berth in the state semifinals. It was Danville’s fifth Final Four appearance and first since 2017.

Danville rumbled through the postseason, winning the Region 27 championship by a combined score of 200-14. The Blue Devils had fallen in the regional championship game each of the two previous seasons before finally breaking down the door.

“The goal is to win a regional championship and get to the Final Four,” Byers said in the run-up to Danville regional final victory over Eastern. “We’ve come up short in the regional final the last couple of years. This year we want to win it.”

The rugged 6-foot-1, 215-pound senior linebacker made 204 tackles in 15 games, the third most ever in a single season behind Kyle Shultz (213 tackles in 2012) and Craig Payne (210 stops in 1970). His 423 career tackles ranks fifth all-time.

Byers was selected the Central District Defensive Player of the Year in Division VII and was an All-Ohio first-team selection. He’s the centerpiece of an all-area defense loaded with All-Ohioans.

Here’s a look at the All-North Central Ohio defensive unit:

Defensive line

Danville defensive end Caleb Lucas set the program record for tackles for loss in a season (29) and a career (61). Lucas joined teammate Josh Byers on the All-Ohio first team in Division VII after making 129 tackles and recording 11.5 sacks. He helped the Blue Devils reach the Division VII state semifinals.

Hillsdale defensive end Bradey Krichbaum was an All-Ohio first-team pick after helping the Falcons reach the Division VII state championship game. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound senior made 74 tackles and had eight sacks, including a school-record four against Northwestern.

Shelby defensive end Karsen Homan played through a serious shoulder separation suffered in Week 8 game at Clear Fork, helping the Whippets win the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference crown and advance to the Region 14 semifinals. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound senior ranked among MOAC leaders with eight sacks. He finished the season with 67 tackles and 20 tackles for loss, earning a spot on the  All-Ohio first team in Division IV.

Lucas’ Dan Hockensmith was an All-Ohio second-team pick in Division VII after making 97 tackles, including 20.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. The 5-foot-9, 210-pound senior was the Northwest District’s Lineman of the Year.

Danville’s Greg Wilson was an unheralded standout along the defensive line. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound senior made 105 tackles, including 17 tackles for loss. He was an All-Ohio second-team pick in Division VII.

Ontario’s Rayvon Skelton was a menace as the Warriors reached the Region 14 championship game. The 5-foot-9, 240-pound senior ranked among Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference leaders with eight sacks. Skelton finished with 72 tackles, including 16 tackles for loss. He was an All-Ohio third-teamer in Division IV.

Galion’s Zach Sallee wreaked havoc in opposing backfields. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound junior ranked second in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference with 10 sacks during the regular season and recorded a team-high 23 tackles for loss among his 73 stops. Sallee was a second-team All-Ohioan in Division IV.

Linebackers

Ashland’s Gunner Lacey was an All-Ohio first-team pick in Division II after helping the Arrows reach the Region 7 semifinals. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound junior led Ashland with 140 tackles, including 81 solo stops and 29 tackles for loss. He also forced four fumbles and recovered two fumbles.

East Knox’s Blake Elliott was one of the top two-way players in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference. The 6-foot, 205-pound senior ranked second in the KMAC with 150 tackles. He earned a spot on the All-Ohio first team in Division V.

Ontario’s Landon Sowards ranked among north central Ohio leaders with 156 tackles to go with 22 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. The 5-foot-10, 200-pound senior was an All-Ohio second-team selection in Division IV.

Shelby’s Dennis LaFon was an All-Ohio third-teamer in Division IV after helping the Whippets win an outright Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference championship. The 5-foot-8, 155-pound senior led the team with 123 tackles.

Crestview’s Gavin Barker was a third-team All-Ohio pick in Division VI. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound senior made 57 tackles, including nine tackles for loss, and picked off a pair of passes. He also forced a fumble.

Lucas senior Ray Caudill earned a spot on the Division VII All-Ohio second team after helping the Cubs reach the playoffs for the 11th straight season. The 6-foot, 205-pound senior finished with 94 tackles while forcing three fumbles.

Lexington’s Camden Boozer helped the Minutemen to a pair of road playoff victories. The 6-foot, 195-pound senior led Lex with 133 tackles, including a team-best 24 tackles for loss. He was an All-Ohio second-team selection in Division III.

Hillsdale’s Brady Heller was the anchor of one of north central Ohio’s top small-school defenses. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound junior led the team with 148 tackles as the Falcons reached the Division VII state championship game. Heller was an All-Ohio second-team selection.

Secondary

Crestview’s Tyson Ringler led the team with 93 tackles and added a pair of interceptions. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound senior was an All-Ohio first-team pick in Division VI

Ashland’s Tyler Sauder recorded 129 tackles and tied for the team lead with four interceptions as the Arrows thundered to the Ohio Cardinal Conference championship. The 6-foot, 178-pound senior was an All-Ohio second-team pick in Division II.

Hillsdale’s Brock Bower was another key piece as Hillsdale reached the Division VII state championship game. The 6-foot, 160-pound senior had 47 tackles and three interceptions, returning one for a score. Bower was an All-Ohio third-team, pick.

Centerburg’s Chris Marshall did a little bit of everything on the defensive side of the ball. The 5-foot-8, 160-pound senior had a team-high 105.5 tackles and picked off two passes. Marshall was an All-Ohio second-team pick in Division VI.

Specialists

Mansfield Senior’s Griffin DeBolt averaged 39.4 yards on 51 punts and was especially dangerous in the field position game with 16 punts downed inside the opponents’ 20 yard line. The athletic 6-foot, 180-pound senior was a Division III All-Ohio honorable-mention selection.

Galion’s Allen Carver was an All-Ohio honorable-mention pick in Division IV after averaging 35.5 yards per punt. The senior was also among the more accurate kickers in north central Ohio, connecting on 31-of-34 PATs and 2-of-3 field goals.

Danville’s Cyren Wallace rushed for 1,009 yards and 14 touchdowns, but his game-breaking speed and elusiveness make him the obvious choice at punt returner. The speedy freshman averaged 11 yards per punt return.