(by Don Meador, Allen County Schools)
Reflection and recognition
highlighted the annual football banquet for the Allen County-Scottsville
Patriot football team. At the banquet Sunday afternoon at the Patriot Athletic
Complex, coach Brad Hood praised his players for their commitment, hard work,
and dedication in difficult moments during the 2019 season as well as
recognized several players with special honors.
Senior Jaquez McPeak was named
the team’s Most Valuable Player and also received the Defensive
Player-of-the-Year Award. Offensively, McPeak rushed for 626 yards, caught six
passes, and scored six touchdowns. Defensively, McPeak registered 66 tackles---including
36 solos stops.
Additional defensive award
winners were senior Zane Ward, sophomore Will Moore, junior Dillion Rookstool,
and senior Seth Cook. Ward received the Defensive Back Award based on a season
in which he compiled 60 total tackles and intercepted two passes---returning
one for a score. Moore received the Linebacker Award following a breakout year
in which he made 78 total tackles. Rookstool took home the Defensive Line Award
after a season of 80 total tackles including 48 solo stops. Cook earned the
Defensive Coaches Award for his work ethic that led to him being in on 41
stops.
Senior Jordan Madden received
the Offensive Player of the Year Award for his dedicated play---play that
helped the Patriot ground game gain just over 2,000 yards and the passing
attack amass 1,068 yards. Additional offensive award winners included juniors
Jax Cooper, Trace McIntyre, Kayden Whitney, and Brandon Baxter.
Cooper caught 28 passes for
589 yards and five TD’s to earn the Wide Receiver Award. McIntyre captured the
Offensive Back Award following a season in which he passed for 961 yard
(74/149, 6 TD’s) and rushed for 400 yards on 90 attempts. Whitney’s play on the
line---clearing holes for a Patriot offense that gained just over 3,000 total yards---resulted
in the Offensive Lineman Award. Brandon Baxter received the Offensive Coaches
Award for his commitment to his role as a wide receiver and as the team’s
back-up quarterback.
The Captain Awards were
presented to senior Samson Dyer, Madden, Rookstool, and McPeak. Sophomore Tanner
Stinson received the Special Teams Award. Sophomore Brady Alderson was named
Most Improved Player and Ward took home the For Love of the Game Award.
Hood also recognized the 13
seniors on the squad---Austin Alderson, Seth Byrd, Dalton Cline, Seth Cook,
Samson Dyer, Hagen Foster, Blake Furrow, Waylon Keen, Noah Kinslow, Jordan
Madden, Jaquez McPeak, Johnathon Rose, and Zane Ward.
The banquet closed a challenging
season. Facing a very difficult schedule, AC-S dropped games to Elizabethtown,
Mercer County, Greenwood, and Glasgow to start the year. After a win over
Warren Central, the Patriots stumbled against Franklin-Simpson and Danville.
However, AC-S finished strong with consecutive wins over Warren East, Russell
County, and Monroe County. In the playoffs, AC-S downed Warren East at home on
November 8 before dropping their final game of the year to Franklin-Simpson in
the second round of the playoffs. AC-S closed the 51st year of Patriot football
with a 5-7 worksheet.