By Cort Reynolds
DELPHOS - Seven Ada football players earned All-Northwest Conference notice in voting recently conducted by the league coaches.
Junior receiver Zac Swaney was voted to the first team all-league offense after leading the NWC in receptions with 62 catches for just under 800 yards and nine touchdowns.
Junior quarterback Brandon Hull was named to the second team all-conference offense. He threw for over 2,100 yards with 20 TDs, and rushed for just over 1,000 yards with 12 TDs to lead the league in total offense.
Hull finished second in the NWC with 104 points. He was also voted honorable mention All-NWC as a defensive back.
Senior linemen Bryce Paul and Ty Miller, sophomore running back Keagan Hull, junior receiver Daniel Mattson and freshman wideout Will McBride were voted honorable mention all-league.
Keagan Hull rushed for 463 yards on 49 carries (9.4 avg.) before his season was cut short by a broken collarbone.
Mattson snared 25 aerials for four TDs and 345 yards. The promising McBride caught 19 passes for 263 yards in just half of a season before a knee injury ended his campaign.
Ada finished 2-8 and 1-6 (seventh) in the NWC.
Columbus Grove junior quarterback Blake Reynolds was voted NWC Offensive Player of the Year.
Senior linebacker Eli Yahl of tri-champion Spencerville repeated as NWC Defensive Player of the Year. He tied AE junior linebacker Blake Hershberger for league Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Second-year Allen East mentor Wes Schroeder was voted NWC Coach of the Year. He led the Mustangs to their first NWC title since 1995, and their first playoff berth since 2006 this fall.
AE finished 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the NWC to tie with Spencerville and Grove for the league crown. The Mustangs are the only NWC team to qualify for the post-season in 2019.
