YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The high school football season is less than two months away. Quite some time ago, teams began planning for a successful 2021 campaign. Those preparations will continue to escalate as we get closer and closer to the first Friday of the football season.
At WKBN, this year will mark the 16th annual Big 22 honors for an exclusive group. In the first 15 years, there have been 274 players on 51 different teams named to the all-star team. Forty-nine have been honored multiple times.
In 2006, WKBN created an award for local high school football players termed the Big 22. Sports Director Ryan Allison wanted the award to be voted on by local high school coaches and people who love high school football in the Valley.
Allison points out that about 80 individuals vote on the Big 22 in four counties.
“All head coaches in the Valley receive a ballot after the regular season as well as 25 members of the local media that cover high school football. That’s more people voting for the Big 22 (in the coverage area) than vote for the all-state awards across the state of Ohio,” Allison said.
How does a player qualify? “They make it on the field,” Allison points out. “It starts in the preseason, nominations come in from coaches as well as media and sometimes their family.”
A look back at the Big 22 Class of 2020 announced
Big 22 Facts
Most players selected from individual school
1.Cardinal Mooney – 13 (Brandon Beachum, Luke Fulton, Roosevelt Griffin, Mark Handel, Braylon Heard, Taylor Hill, Jordan Jones, Ishmaai’ly Kitchen, Courtney Love, Dan McCarthy x2, Antonio Page, John Simon, Michael Zordich x2)
1.Hubbard – 13 (Davion Daniels, Andre Givens, David Hernandez, George Hill x2, Zach Hover, Marc Kanetsky, Mike Lopuchovsky, Luke Mosora x2, LJ Scott x3, Matt Shelton, Tyler Taafe, Darnell Tate, Joel Younkins)
3.Canfield – 12 (Sean Baker, Dan Banna, Paul Brienz, Mehlyn Clinkscale, Nick Crawford, Jake Cummings, Vinny Fiorenza, Jordan Italiano, Kimu Kim, Broc Lowry, Chris Sammarone, Kyle Vaclav)
4.Farrell – 11 (Kevin Brodie, Braxton Chapman, Isaac Clark, Dion Eilam, Christian Lewis, Alex Myers, Malachi Newell, Danny Odem, Jourdan Townsend x2, Anthony Stallworth, Kyi Wright)
5.Fitch – 10 (Jon Ballard x2, Demitrious Davis, Matt Futkos, Darrin Hall, Antwan Harris x2, Tyler Hewlett, Nate Leskovac, Will Mahome, Billy Price, Devin Sherwood)
5.Girard – 10 (Michael Belcik, Nick Cardiero, Adam Charles, James Cupan, Ahmad Eggleston, Dan Graziano x2, Nick Malito, Landon Smith, Kyle Stadelmyer x2, Mark Waid x3)
5.Ursuline – 10 (Zach Conlan, Jesse Curry, Chris Durkin x2, Kimauni Johnson, Lamar McQueen, Vito Penza, Matthew Reardon, Akise Teague, Jamel Turner, Matt Yarab)
5.Warren Harding – 10 (Kayron Adams x2, Ty Artis, Lynn Bowden x2, LeShun Daniels, Sidney Glover, Dan Herron, Demond Hymes, Keemari Murry x2, Jalyn Powell, Elijah Taylor)
9.Howland – 9 (Eric Babinchak, Stephen Baugh, Eric Jones, Mike Mangiarelli, Cody Reesman, Tyler Scott, De’Veon Smith x3, Anthony Stanko, Victor Williams x2)
9.Western Reserve – 9 (Nick Allison, Donnie Bolton, Jack Cappabianca, Jeff Clegg, John Clegg, Tim Cooper, Shane Ewing x2, Joe Falasca, Wyatt Larimer)
11.Boardman – 8 (Devin Campbell, Mario Graziani, Chase Hammond, Dayne Hammond, Damien Jarrett, Corey Linsley, JT Moore, Michael O’Horo x2)
11.Salem – 8 (Chase Ackerman, Cooper Bezeredi, Mitch Davidson, Ben Eisel, Jake Humeniuk, Jackson Johnson, Turner Johnson, Trent Toothman x2)
11.Sharon – 8 (Ty Eilam, Kellen Harris, Carnell Hawkins, Todd Rearick, Ziyon Strickland x2, Andrew Tomko, Lane Voytik x2, Jordan Wilson)
11.South Range – 8 (Isaac Allegretto, Joe Alessi x2, Steve Bensinger, Aniello Buzzacco, Jack Dawson, Michael Patrone, David Rach, Peyton Remish)
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15.Brookfield – 7 (Xavier Bailey, Tyler Briggs, Alex Clark, Haden Gibson x2, Ryan Mosora x2, Augustus Necastro, Jeremy Quinlan)
15.Poland – 7 (Dylan Garver, Ross Gould, Gannon Hulea, Colt McFadden, Darius Patton x2, Colin Reardon, Luke Wollet x2)
16.Columbiana – 6 (Austin Barbato, Jakob Cross, Mitch Davidson x3, Josh Hertel, Ryan Williams, Joe Winters)
16.Crestview – 6 (Jesse Best, Nick Blower x2, Collin Gilbert, Zack Hicks, Carter Hill x2, Corey Hill)
16.Hickory – 6 (Chuck Carr x2, DeShawn Coleman x2, Michael Henwood x2, Marlon Pegues, Andrew Pryts x2, Matt Voytik)
16.LaBrae – 6 (Tariq Drake, Keevon Harris, Aidan Stephens, Tyler Stephens, Cameron Truss, Kent Wolford)
16.Liberty – 6 (Isaiah Bell, Lynn Bowden x2, Ryan Gillum, Dra Rushton x2, Fitzgerald Toussaint x2, Sherron Walls)
16.McDonald – 6 (Josh Celli, Alex Cintron x2, Nick Cupan, Caleb Dimery, Alex Sampson, Dom Schadl x2)
16.Niles – 6 (Nate Ganyard x2, Marcus Hill, Zack Leonard, Kyle Paden, Tyler Srbinovich, Stefan Yuhas)
16.Springfield – 6 (Beau Brungard x2, Ryan Kohler, Graham Mincher, Nick Russell, Luke Snyder, Garrett Walker)
16.West Middlesex – 6 (Kyle Allen, Kolten Hoffman, Eric Lucich, Clayton Parrish, Luke Patten, Trey Staunch)
16.Wilmington – 6 (Chris Burns x2, Derrick Burns x2, Spencer DeMedal, Cam Marett, Ethan Susen, Sutton Whiting)
Selections by school in one season
4 – Cardinal Mooney, 2007 (Brandon Beachum, Taylor Hill, Dan McCarthy, Michael Zordich)
4 – Hubbard, 2014 (George Hill, Zach Hover, LJ Scott, Tyler Taafe)
3 – Cardinal Mooney, 2006 (Ishmaai’ly Kitchen, Dan McCarthy, Michael Zordich)
3 – Farrell, 2018 (Christian Lewis, Jourdan Townsend, Kyi Wright)
Most player selections
4 – Lynn Bowden (2013-14 Liberty; 2015-16 Warren Harding)
3 – Mitch Davidson (2014-16 Columbiana)
3 – LJ Scott (2012-14 Hubbard)
3 – Parker Sherry (2016-18 East Palestine)
3 – De’Veon Smith (2010-12 Howland)
3 – Mark Waid (2016-18 Girard)
Players selected at two different schools
Sal Battles (2006, The Rayen School; 2007, East)
Lynn Bowden (2013-14, Liberty; 2015-16, Warren Harding)
Most consecutive years with a selection by school (active streak)
5 – Canfield
4 – McDonald
Big 22 to NFL Draft
Lynn Bowden, Liberty/Warren Harding (WR) – 3rd round (80th pick) by Raiders in 2020
Billy Price, Austintown Fitch (C) – 1st round (21st pick) by Bengals in 2018
Corey Linsley, Boardman (C) – 5th round (161th pick) by Packers in 2014
John Simon, Cardinal Mooney (LB) – 4th round (129th choice) by Ravens in 2013
Dan Herron, Warren Harding (RB) – 6th round (191th pick) by Bengals in 2012
