Published: January 26, 2009 08:38 pm

Six players repeat All-Area football status

Steve Luse
Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — Cumberland Times-News Area Player of Year Matt Wilmer of Keyser heads up a list of six repeaters on the 2008 All-Area Football team.

The 32-member first team chosen from nominations from area coaches has players representing six schools. Maryland Class 1A runner-up Fort Hill has the most first-teamers with 10. Area champion Keyser has seven, Allegany six, Mountain Ridge four, Bishop Walsh two, and Frankfort and Northern one each.

Wilmer, a second-team West Virginia Class AA defensive back, is being honored as an all-purpose back and joining him as a repeater in the first-team offensive backfield is Bishop Walsh’s Dylan D’Atri.

Also named for the second straight year are Northern’s Kyle Gillum at wide receiver, Keyser’s Jeremy Green at defensive back and Joey Amtower at linebacker, and Fort Hill’s defensive lineman Jordan Helmick

Wilmer led the area in all-purpose yards with 1,631 in 11 games for an average of 148.3 per game. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound senior was fourth in the area in rushing with 1,141 yards on 117 attempts for 9.8 yards per carry and an average of 103.7 yards per game. He also caught nine passes for 262 yards and returned punts and kicks for 228 yards. His 120 points on 20 touchdowns ranked him third in the area.

D’Atri, who received honorable mention on the Maryland Associated Press Small All-State team, led the area in rushing yards per game with a 125.7 average. The 6-1, 205-pound sophomore gained his 1,257 yards on 135 carries for a 9.3 average. He also led the area in points per game with 12.2 average. His 122 points came on 19 touchdowns and he also ran for three two-point conversions and kicked a pair of extra points.

Also being honored as first-team running backs are Times-News Offensive Player of the Year Marcus Lashley of Fort Hill, and J.D. Hook of Allegany.

Lashley, a second-team selection on the Small School All-State team, led the area in total rushing yards with 1,390 in 13 games on 267 attempts for a 5.2 average. The 6-3, 210-pound senior had an area-high 134 points for a 10.2 per-game average for second behind D’Atri. He ran for 17 touchdowns and also kicked 26 extra points and two field goals.

Hook, who had his season ended with an injury in the first half of the Homecoming Game against Fort Hill, was second in the area in rushing yards per game with 1,036 in nine games for a 115.1 average. The 5-9, 174-pound junior carried the ball 128 times for an 8.1 average. He was also Allegany’s leading scorer with 80 points on 13 touchdowns and one two-point conversion. He received honorable mention on the All-State team.

Sharing the first-team quarterback honors are Keyser’s Preston Hartman and Fort Hill’s Eric Howser.

Hartman, a second-team West Virginia Class AA selection, was second in the area in passing with 958 yards in 11 games for an 87.1 per game average. The 6-3, 195-pound senior completed 85 of 153 attempts (55.6 percent) with 15 touchdown passes and only had five interceptions. He also ran for 410 yards on 63 carries and scored six touchdowns.

Howser was named the Offensive Player of the Game in Fort Hill’s Homecoming win over Allegany and received honorable mention on the All-State team. The 6-2, 200-pound senior completed 56 of 106 passes (52.8 percent) for 948 yards and 72.9 yards per game. Nine of his passes went for touchdowns and he only had three interceptions. As Fort Hill’s second leading rusher Howser ran for 543 yards on 101 carries and scored eight touchdowns.

Gillum caught 26 passes in nine games to lead the area with 2.9 receptions per game. The 6-1, 170-pound senior’s catches accounted for 331 yards and a 12.7 average. He scored three touchdowns.

Gillum is also the first-team All-Area punter with a 44.1 average on 36 punts. His longest punt was 62 yards.

The other first-team wide receiver is Frankfort’s Logan Wolford, who led the area in receptions with 28 in 10 games for a 2.8 average. The 6-1, 170-pound accounted for an area high 496 yards for a 17.5 average and he had four touchdown catches.

Allegany’s Ryan Kane is the first-team tight end and he also received honorable mention on the All-State team. The 6-3, 214-pound senior had 19 receptions for 370 yards and an average of 19.4 yards per catch. His longest reception was for 58 yards. He scored five touchdowns and had one two-point conversion.

The All-Area kicker is Allegany’s John Carpenter, who also earned first-team All-State honors. The 6-1, 190-pound junior converted 42 of 43 extra-point attempts and connected on 6- out of 9 field goal attempts. His 48-yard field goal against Mount St. Joseph’s set a school and Greenway Avenue Stadium record. He also hit from 42, 37, 29, 27 and 27 yards.

The first-team offensive line is comprised of Fort Hill’s Morgan Absher (6-3, 256, Sr.) and Matt Riggleman (5-11, 196, Sr.), Keyser’s Les Mallow (6-3, 285, Jr.) and Logan Delsignore (6-1.180. Jr.), Allegany’s Garrett Livengood (5-9,190, Sr.), and Mountain Ridge’s Jacob Pearce (6-0, 260, Sr.)

Heading up the first-team defense are Co-Defensive Players of the Year Caleb Morris of Fort Hill and Taige Redman of Keyser.

Morris was also honored as a first-team All-State selection. The 6-2, 241-pound senior tackle had a team-high 48 solo tackles and was also credited with 45 assists. He also had four quarterback sacks, two blocked kicks and a fumble recovery.

Redman was a first-team West Virginia Class AA All-State selection and was runner-up in the voting for the Sam Huff Award that goes to the state’s top linebacker. The 6-1, 215-pound senior was credited with 119 tackles (56 solo, 41 assists 12 for loss and 8 sacks). He and one interception for a touchdown, forced four fumbles and ran back one of his four fumble recoveries for a touchdown.

Joining Morris and Helmick on the defensive line are Fort Hill teammate Colton Sibley, Mountain Ridge’s Cody Felker and Jake Wilson, and Allegany’s Andrew Shively.

Helmick received honorable mention on the All-State team and was honored as the Defensive Player of the Game in the Homecoming win over Allegany. The 6-2, 212-pound senior had 26 solo tackles, 31 assists, 13 tackles on special teams, one fumble recovery, one interception and one sack.

Sibley had 26 solo tackles, 42 assists and nine tackles on special teams. The 6-0, 213-pound junior also contributed four sacks, one fumble recovery, one interception, one blocked kick and a batted ball.

Shively also received honorable mention on the All-State team. The 6-1, 210-pound senior had a team-high 84 tackles with 38 solos and 46 assists. He had 13 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Felker led the Mountain Ridge defense in sacks with 10. The 6-2, 240-pound senior had 46 solo tackles and 28 assists.

Wilson, a 6-3, 240-pound senior, was credited with 35 solo tackles, 25 assists, five sacks and two fumble recoveries.

Joining Redman and Amtower in the linebacker corps are Fort Hill’s Garrett Dolly and Dakota Welsh, and Allegany’s Dustin Wharton.

Amtower was a second-team All-State selection, The 6-2, 230-pound senior, had 112 total tackles (44 solo, 48 assists, 14 for loss and six sacks). He forced five fumbles and recovered four.

Dolly led Fort Hill in total tackles with 46 solo and 67 assists. The 5-11, 179-pound sophomore also contributed three blocked kicks, four batted balls and one sack.

Welsh, a 5-11, 180-pound junior, was credited with 41 solo tackles, 45 assists and two sacks.

Wharton received honorable mention on the All-State team. The 6-0, 180-pound junior had 47 total tackles with 19 solo, 28 assists and six tackles for loss. He also had three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

Joining Green in the secondary are Fort Hill’s Mike Durr, Mountain Ridge’s Matt Farris, Allegany’s Trevor Jessie and Bishop Walsh Walsh’s Robby Lehmann.

Green was also a first-team All-State defensive back. The 6-1, 190-pound senior had five interceptions and had 152 return yards and one touchdown. He was also credited with 37 tackles.

Durr, a 6-2, 185-pound senior, had 30 solo tackles, 42 assists, eight special team tackles, five interceptions, five batted balls and one fumble recovery.

Farris, a 5-9, 180-pound senior, had three interceptions, 34 solo tackles and 28 assists.

Jessie led Allegany in interceptions with six. The 5-9, 141-pound junior had 30 total tackles with 18 solo, 12 assists and two tackles for loss.

Lehmann had an area-leading 12 interceptions with 228 yards in returns. The 6-4, 165-pound senior had 34 tackles.