MIddletown QB district offensive player of the year

Area players lead All-District football teams

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Staff photo by Samantha Grier Middletown quarterback Caleb Watkins runs the ball during a game against Warren Central at Paul Brown Stadium.

Middies’ Krause shares Southwest District D-I coaching honor.

By Skip Weaver, Staff Writer Updated 8:04 AM Wednesday, November 18, 2009

MIDDLETOWN — Caleb Watkins threw for less than 2,000 yards this season for the first time in his high school career, but the Middletown Middies quarterback earned a different kind of first on Monday.

Watkins, a senior who will continue his academic and athletic career at Bowling Green State University next season, was chosen by a media panel as the Southwest District Division I offensive player of the year, according to a release on Monday, Nov. 16.

“It feels great,” said Watkins, who threw for 1,708 yards and 15 touchdowns in the Middies’ 12 games.

He was one of the main reasons the Middies returned to the state playoffs for the first time in 19 years.

“He was the perfect fit for our offensive scheme,” said MHS coach Jason Krause, who also received honors as the D-I co-coach of the year along with Springfield’s Rick Robertson. “Good for Rick. He’s a great guy, but this is also an honor I share with my coaches. They are the ones that make it all work. What I do wouldn’t matter without them.”

Middletown seniors Aaron Lewis and Jerry Gates also were selected to the D-I district’s first team defense. It is the second year in a row Gates has been a first-team player. He was the district’s first-team return specialist last year.

Lebanon’s Chase Cochran, an Ohio University recruit, and Springboro’s Antoin Campbell also were D-I first-team selections.

Edgewood offensive lineman Taylor Miller, a Toledo recruit, was named to the D-II first team for the first time.

In Division III, Monroe’s Logan Pence, Zac Eckert and Ben Leahy were selected to the first-team offense, while Franklin’s Spencer Matthews and Eric Hildenbrand were chosen to the first-team defense.

In Division IV, Carlisle’s Jordan Jacobs was chosen to the first-team offense, while Jake Langdon and Ty Fisher were named to the first-team defense. Fenwick’s Beau Fedders and Patrick Hudepohl also were selected to the first-team offense and defense, respectively.

Carlisle coach Bill Jewell was named co-coach of the year along with Alter’s Ed Domsitz.

In his fourth year as coach, Jewell guided the Indians to a 9-3 record, a share of the Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division title and the programs first postseason victory.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or sweaver@coxohio.com.

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