Strasburg's Moore leads area boys all-district honorees

While Strasburg-Franklin’s girls basketball team garnered the loftiest headlines, plenty of other good things were taking place on the Tigers’ home court this winter.

The Strasburg-Franklin boys posted a modest 13-11 overall record but produced the highest district honor of any local player, as Gage Moore was named Eastern District Division VII Player of the Year. Moore, a 6-foot-2 senior who averaged 16 points, shared the honor with Tyler Bernett of Zanesville Rosecrans.

The pair was joined on the Division VII all-district first team by Strasburg-Franklin’s Ryan Becker. The 6-foot-3 junior scored 12 points per outing. Tigers sophomore Brody Baughman received all-district special mention.

Also in Division VII, Tuscarawas Central Catholic’s Dylan Dummermuth was named to the all-district second team. The 6-foot senior averaged 8 points. Junior Ethan Rothrock received all-district special mention for the Saints.

Also named first-team all-district were Dover senior Robbie Copple, New Philadelphia senior Reid Wells, Indian Valley junior Ryker Williams, Claymont senior Myles Wolf and Newcomerstown senior Gavin Smith.

Copple, a 6-foot guard, averaged 15 points for the Tornadoes. Sophomore teammate Dieter Weber was named second-team all-district, while junior Luke Leggett received special mention.

Wells, a 5-foot-8 senior guard, scored 11 points per game. Aidan Mushrush, a 6-foot-4 sophomore forward, was named to the second team. Junior guard TR Harriman and sophomore forward Jackson Martini received all-district special mention.

Williams, a 6-foot junior guard averaging 17 points per game, led a group of six Braves recognized. Also named for Indian Valley were second-teamer Colt James, a 6-foot-3 senior forward averaging 16 points; third-teamer Cam Enama, a 6-foot-1 junior guard averaging 9 points; and special mention recipients senior Degan Beaber, junior Kylan McDonald and junior Hayden Beaber.

Wolf, a 5-foot-11 senior, led Claymont with 14.6 points per game. He was one of six district honorees for the Mustangs. Also named were second-teamer Jackson Jinks, a 6-foot-4 junior forward averaging 13.4 points; third-teamer Cole Murray, a 5-foot-10 senior guard averaging 7 points; and special mention recipients sophomore Brady Fox, junior Cole Murray and junior Dominick Jolliff.

Smith, a 6-foot-3 senior who averaged just shy of 20 points, was joined on the all-district squad by second-team teammate Javyn Lafferty, a 6-foot senior guard averaging 18.8 points, and special mention recipient Tanner Smith, a senior guard.

There were no other Division V first-team selections, but nine more area players were recognized, led by second-team choices Caleb Deubner of Sandy Valley and Cole Kuykendall of Tusky Valley.

Deubner, a 6-foot-2 junior averaging 14 points, was one of four Cardinals named. The others, seniors Thorn Stenger, Gini Tozzi and Drew Graybill, received special mention.

Kuykendall, a 6-foot-2 senior, averaged 12 points per outing for Tusky Valley. He was recognized along with 6-foot-3 senior Brody May, who averaged 13 points, and 6-foot senior Zaak Matthews, both third-teamers, and junior special mention recipient Spencer Miller.

All-district teams are selected by a panel of members of the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association who cover the East District and are based in part on recommendations made by area coaches. All-district and All-Ohio teams are based on regular-season accomplishments and are typically selected during the early portion of the postseason.

Boys All-Ohio teams were expected to be released March 25 and 26. Check back soon to see which area players were honored.