All-Northwestern District Football Team

Handley junior linebacker Jo-Jo Johnson was named the district's Defensive Player of the Year as the coaches’ All-Northwestern District football teams were announced on Tuesday.

 

Johnson, who led the Judges in the regular season with 123 tackles (25.5 for loss) and three sacks, was also one of four Handley players to be named a First Team selection.

 

Handley running back Hassan Akanbi (Sr.), offensive lineman Jaishaun Offutt (Sr.) and all-purpose Triston Darling (Fr.) were named to the First Team offense. Sherando lineman Parker Fredman (Sr.) and Millbrook lineman Ty Jahnigen (Sr.) also made the First Team offense.

 

Sherando had five defensive First Team selections: defensive lineman Kaleb Nowlin (Sr.), defensive lineman Hunter Ratchford (Sr.), linebacker James Walters (Sr.), linebacker BB Lowery (Sr.) and defensive back Tucker LaFever (Sr.). Other selections on the First Team defense were James Wood defensive lineman Jordyn Sweetser (Sr.), James Wood linebacker Vincent Salvati (Sr.) and Millbrook defensive all-purpose Chris Bradford (Jr.). 

 

Second Team offensive selections were: Sherando: quarterback Micah Carlson (Sr.), center Jarrett See (Jr.), wide receiver Aiden Leatch (Sr.); Handley: lineman Xavier Lee (Sr.), wide receiver Will Yoder (Jr.), kick returner Rylan Stribling (Jr.); Millbrook: running back Kyler Jackson (Sr.), kicker Masen Savage (Jr.); James Wood: wide receiver Xander Manzo (Jr.).

 

Second Team defensive selections were: Handley; linebacker and all-purpose Trent Gomez (Jr.), defensive back Gavin Williams (Jr.); Sherando: defensive back Hayden LaFever (Sr.), punter Micah Carlson (Sr.). 

 

Honorable mention offensive picks were: James Wood: quarterback and all-purpose Owen Neal (So.), lineman Lane Herring (So.), wide receiver Xavier Price (So.), running back Kobe Mason (Sr.), kicker Aiden Bell (Jr.); Handley: Darling (Fr.), wide receiver Jamir Washington (Jr.), tight end Ze'Quon Williams (Jr.), kicker Josh Newcome (Jr.); Millbrook: lineman Felipe Gesswein (Jr.), lineman Dennis Portillo (Sr.). 

 

Honorable mention defensive picks were: Millbrook: lineman Ezra Doyle-Naegeli (Sr.), linebacker Trey White (Sr.), defensive back Jahiden Nunez (Sr.); Handley: Akanbi (Sr., punt returner); James Wood: lineman Dominik Ramirez (Jr.); Sherando: lineman Andrew Taylor (Jr.), lineman Ben Taylor (Sr.).

 

Kettle Run's Charlie Porterfield won Coach of the Year, and Kettle Run quarterback Jacob Mulhern won Offensive Player of the Year.

 

Field hockey: SU earns 4 major ODAC awards

 

The Shenandoah University field hockey team had eight players earn All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference honors and four people earn major awards on Tuesday.

 

Graduate midfielder Farren Winter earned ODAC Offensive Player of the Year honors. Winter has a team-high eight assists this season on top of her 14 goals, which ranks second on the team.  

 

Graduate defender Elise Velasquez earned her third consecutive ODAC Defensive Player of the Year award after being an integral piece of the Hornets' backline yet again this year. 

 

Senior forward Mairead McKibbin also earned ODAC/Va. Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete, which applauds the commitment and desire shown towards collegiate excellence. 

 

And to top it off, SU coach Ashley Smeltzer-Kraft was tabbed ODAC Coach of the Year after leading the Hornets (18-2, 8-0 ODAC) to a 16-game win streak, which the team will look to extend in Wednesday's Division III NCAA Tournament match against Westfield State. 

 

Winter, McKibbin, Velasquez, forward Cassidy Morrison, defender Camryn DeLeva, and goalkeeper Taylor Swann all eared All-ODAC First Team honors, while forward and midfielder Claudia Lenahan and midfielder and defender Madison Short were tabbed to the Second Team.

 

— Compiled by Justin Robertson