YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Over the last 17 years, some of the best high school football players in our Valley’s history have earned the title of Big 22.
Watch the video above to see which players from this year’s class will add their names to that legacy.
The WKBN Big 22 Class of 2022 includes:
Vinny Ballone – Lowellville
Back for another year on the Big 22, Vinny Ballone lit up this season with 3,360 yards passing and 58 total touchdowns. Ballone will graduate as the Rockets’ all-time leading passer with six school records, including a state-record 9 touchdown passes in a single game.
Brady Bunofsky – Lowellville
The Rockets’ top target finished with 62 receptions for 1,025 yards and 20 total touchdowns. Bunofsky also had 58 tackles on defense, 7 sacks, and will leave Lowellville as the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Austin Cline – Beaver Local
What a season for the Beaver’s junior quarterback with 2,360 yards passing, 1,124 yards rushing and 41 total touchdowns while leading the Beavers to nine wins and back-to-back conference titles.
Luke Courtney – United
The Eagle’s junior quarterback stuffed the stat book this year with 2,626 yards passing, 831 yards rushing and 36 total touchdowns.
Dru DeShields – West Branch
Another Big 22 season for the Warriors quarterback. DeShields finished with a staggering 3,932 yards passing and 62 total touchdowns. The Kent State recruit will graduate as the program’s all-time leading passer with 12 school records.
Caleb Hadley – Warren JFK
Kennedy’s junior quarterback threw for 1,347 yards, rushed for 882 yards and accounted for 27 total touchdowns while helping lead the Eagles to 13 wins and a trip to the Division VII State Championship game.
Jason Hewlett – Chaney
Chaney’s game-breaker shined on both sides of the ball this season with 59 tackles and three interceptions on defense, along with 300 yards receiving and five total touchdowns on offense. Next year, he’ll suit up for the Maize and Blue at the University of Michigan.
Ambrose Hoso – Warren JFK
The Eagles senior recorded 163 tackles this season, 15 tackles for loss, and 9 sacks. Hoso also scored seven times on offense and will graduate with a staggering 479 career tackles.
Danny Inglis – Canfield
The Cardinals’ junior linebacker recorded 72.5 tackles this season and 8 sacks. Inglis played on both sides of the ball helping lead Canfield to 14 wins and their first State title.
Jamell James – Austintown Fitch
It was a record-breaking season for the Falcons’ tailback. James rushed for 1,240 yards and scored 22 times. His 305 yards rushing and six touchdowns against Mayfield in the playoffs are both single-game school records.
Jackson Johnson – Salem
It’s back-to-back-to-back appearances on the Big 22 for Jackson Johnson. The Quakers senior is the program’s all-time leading passer (9,624) and all-time leading rusher (3,602) with over 13 thousand total yards and 151 career touchdowns.
Isaiah Jones – Brookfield
The Warriors’ wideout was a big play waiting to happen. Jones finished with 52 receptions and 15 touchdowns this season and shattered a school record with 1,110 yards receiving.
Shane Lindstrom – South Range
The Raiders’ senior wideout caught 55 passes this season for 1,291 yards and 17 touchdowns. Lindstrom will graduate a state champion with four school records and the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Broc Lowry – Canfield
No one has thrown for more yards (4,967), rushed for more yards (3,691) or scored more touchdowns (93) in Canfield history than Broc Lowry. The Indiana recruit racked up over 3,500 total yards and 42 touchdowns this season while leading Canfield to the Division III State Championship.
Christian Lynch – Ursuline
Ursuline’s junior running back led the Mahoning Valley this year with 1,857 yards rushing. Lynch also scored 21 times while helping lead the Fighting Irish to 10 wins and an appearance in the Division III playoffs.
Donovan Pawlowski – Brookfield
Trumbull County’s Player of the Year passed for 2,173 yards, rushed for 661 yards and accounted for 40 touchdowns this season while helping lead the Warriors to 11 consecutive wins and a conference title.
Brian Robinson – Austintown Fitch
The Falcons junior recorded 75 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 7 sacks this season. Robinson has already received more than 30 Division One college offers.
Billy Skripac – South Range
Back-to-back seasons on the Big 22 for the Raiders’ senior quarterback. Skripac threw for 3,93 yards, rushed for 618 yards and accounted for 53 total touchdowns, including six in the Division V State Championship game. Skripac broke four school records along the way.
Cam Smith – Austintown Fitch
The Falcons’ senior passed (516), rushed (124), and received (172) his way to more than 800 total yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Smith also recorded 55 tackles and two interceptions on defense. He’ll play next year at Iowa State.
Caullin Summers – Sharpsville
The Blue Devils’ junior quarterback led all of Mercer County this year with 2,184 yards passing. Summers also had 845 yards rushing and 35 total touchdowns.
Jalen Wagner – Reynolds
No one ran better than Jalen Wagner this season. The Raiders senior shattered a school record with 2,827 yards rushing and 37 touchdowns. Wagner will graduate as the program’s all-time leading rusher with 5,341 yards and 71 total touchdowns.
Kylon Wilson – Farrell
There’s a good reason they call him “Flash 4.” Wilson caught 46 passes this season for 975 yards. He finished the year as a District Ten champion with 1,667 hundred all-purpose yards and 30 total touchdowns.
