THE 2023 HSDT ALL-AREA FOOTBALL TEAM
Weir’s Sisinni, Toronto’s Franke, Big Red’s Hill and Saccoccia earn top honors on 7th-annual list
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Another great season of football in te Ohio Valley ended earlier this month, the district, region, state and conference awards have all been announced which, this holiday season, leaves one more list of local players to be recognized to put a bow on football season -- the release of the seventh annual Herald-Star/Daily Times All-Area football team.
It's always full of hard choices and close votes, and this year was no exception.
Taking part in the voting panel this year were myself (Sports Editor Andrew Grimm), sports correspondents Aaron Petchal, Mike Hughes and Ed Looman, as well as Herald-Star City Editor Michael D. McElwain, who I like to refer to as football photographer extraordinaire!
As in years past, only the regular season statistics were considered to keep things as even as possible.
Let's begin!
CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR
FRANK SISINNI, Weir High
JOSH FRANKE, Toronto
As the votes were tallied, it became clear this one was going to be incredibly close -- and it turns out it was a tie! The panel was tasked with ranking their top three selections in order, first place receiving three points, second two and third one. Each coach finished with a total of nine points. Sisinni, who guided the Red Riders to a 9-1 season and back-to-back playoff appearances, was the first choice of three voters, while Franke, who also guided his Red Knights to a 9-1 mark and another trip to the postseason, got two first place votes, a second and a third.
SISINNI: Though after the voting, the Red Rider coach guided Weir High to a West Virginia Class AA state semifinal appearance and an OVAC Championship, with four wins over teams that were ranked in the top-five in the state at the time the games were played. The success added to what was already an exciting season with the Red Riders celebrating 100 years of football.
FRANKE: The Red Knights' lone regular season loss came to Sisinni's Red Riders in a game during which the team lost starting quarterback Zeb Kinsey for the season. Franke quickly got his team back on track with Russ Dickinson at the helm, as the junior took over and set the school passing record in just seven starts and the Red Knights offense set school records on offense as a team with Franke dialing up the playcalls. Kinsey was far from the only key player whose injury the Knights overcame during their successful campain, which also captured an OVAC title.
Finishing third in the voting was first-year Madonna head coach Troy Fetty, who guided the Blue Dons to a winning season at 6-4 after taking over just three weeks before the opening game and dealing with low numbers and injuries along the way to a successful first season.
Also receiving votes were Catholic Central's Eric Meek (9-1 regular season, back-to-back playoff appearances), Harrison Central's Anthony Hayes (8-2 regular season, hosted school's first home playoff game) and Big Red's Reno Saccoccia (9-1 regular season, run to the Division IV final four).
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ISAAC HILL, Big Red
In another close vote as came one points from also being a tie, Hill got the edge from the panel after he finished a stellar career at Big Red with another strong season as one the Ohio Valley's top pass catchers, and his career will continue at the Division I college level as he signed with Bowling Green on the opening morning of the early signing period earlier this week.
Hill finished with 61 catches in the regular season for nearly 900 yards and seven touchdowns, adding another score rushing, as was equally as strong during Big Red's playoff run. He was the East District Co-Offensive Player of the Year and a first team All-Ohio selection.
Madonna quarterback Chase Littleton, who finished as a 1,000-yard passer and rusher and accounted for a total of 31 touchdowns came in second in the voting, following the same formula as above, by a single point. If not for the offensive success, he likely could have been a nominee for player of the year on defense as well.
Also receiving votes were Dickinson and Weir High running back Corey Lyons, who tied for the third most votes.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
BRODY SACCOCCIA, Big Red
The younger Saccoccia got four of five first-place votes in the category after being named the East District's Co-Defensive Player of the Year and a first team All-Ohio selection.
He led Big Red with 103 total tackles during the regular season, 62 of which were solo tackles. A junior, he will look to be Steubenville's leading tackler for a third-straight season when he returns next season.
Finishing second in the voting was Catholic Central's Brayden Rauch, who was also the district co-DPOY and a first-team All-Ohioan after finishing with 126 tackles, six sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Also receiving votes were third-place finisher Cam McAfee of Harrison Central, Toronto's Aiden Filby and Big Red's Peyton Gorby.
THE 2023 HSDT ALL-AREA FOOTBALL TEAM
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACKS
(Voters ranked their top six)
≤ Chase Littleton, Madonna
≤ Malachi Stromile, Weir High
≤ Aydan Manning, Big Red
≤ Russ Dickinson, Toronto
≤ Hayden Cassidy, Harrison Central
JD Henderson, Edison
RUNNING BACKS
(Voters ranked their top six)
≤ Savier Faulks, Big Red
≤ Corey Lyons, Weir High
≤ Mykel Quito, Harrison Central
≤ Dom Bouscher, Toronto
≤ Zion McGee, Indian Creek
≤ Talan McClurg, Edison
WIDE RECIEIVERS (Voters ranked their top eight)
≤ Isaac Hill, Big Red
≤ Parker Hutton, Harrison Central
≤ Colin "G" Cross, Weir High
≤ Deacon Rawson, Edison
≤ Athony Bachinski, Brooke
≤ Mason Marchbank, Toronto
≤ Koleton Grishkevich, Madonna
≤ Avante Hayes, Edison
OFFENSIVE LINE
(Voters ranked their top 10)
≤ Lucas Thomas, Harrison Central
≤ Ben Burgey, Big Red
≤ Javin Harper, Big Red
≤ Cayden Benton, Toronto
≤ Elias Pugh, Weir High
≤ Kody Carver, Catholic Central
≤ Anthony Zorbini, Weir High
≤ Cale Chiasson, Toronto
≤ Joey Clem, Brooke
≤ Caleb Kimberland, Madonna
DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE
(Voters ranked their top 10)
≤ Peyton Gorby, Big Red
≤ Peyton Rauch, Catholic Central
≤ Santonio Brown, Big Red
≤ Tyler Wise, Brooke
≤ Lane Waggoner, Edison
≤ Joey Simpson, Edison
≤ Matt Geer, Madonna
≤ Brendan Grimm, Catholic Central
≤ Greg Sauers, Oak Glen
≤ Caleb Bodo, Indian Creek
LINEBACKERS
(Voters ranked their top eight)
≤ Brayden Rauch, Catholic Central
≤ Elijah Mullins, Big Red
≤ MoMo Prentice, Weir High
≤ Drake Bouscher, Toronto
≤ Sabron Felton, Big Red
≤ Justin Vergona, Indian Creek
≤ Cole Pittman, Edison
≤ Kamar Brides, Weir High
DEFENSIVE BACKS
(Voters ranked their top 10 *12 players included due to ties)
≤ Brody Saccoccia, Big Red
≤ Cam McAfee, Harrison Central
≤ Aiden Filby, Toronto
≤ Aiden Flowers, Oak Glen
≤ Tommy Pergi, Catholic Central
≤ Devan Colson, Weir High
≤ Russ Dickinson, Toronto
≤ Kam Baker, Toronto
≤ Jacob Taylor, Weir High
≤ Dawson Jones, Edison
≤ Andre Crossland, Madonna
≤ Luca Muzzi, Madonna
KICKER
(Voters selected one)
≤ Cole Bowers, Big Red
PUNTER
(Voters selected one *two players included due to a tie)
≤ Daneil Bolster, Catholic Central
≤ Hayden Hicks, Big Red
Congratulation to everyone on another great season of football in the Ohio Valley! A special thanks to Aaron, Mike, Ed and Michael for their hard work all season and time put into deliberating their votes; our partners at the Intelligencer and Times Leader for their help in sharing stats, box scores and information all season; and all of the area coaches and stat keepers who helped us with stats all season and assisted in the efforts of compiling stats and nominees for this list.
Merry Christmas, everyone! Already looking forward to next season!