All-TSF: Defensive Linemen Primer

Anchoring a defensive line isn’t easy and to perform and produce at a high level means you have something special going on. Being a force up front takes a dogged-determination and talent as the opposition takes its turn finding its prey to go after with double and triple teams. Being able to ward all of that off, not get worn down and then go after the ball takes a mentally tough individual. We found a few of those tenacious titans around the area this past season.

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Elder DL Joe Schroer (photo Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

Here is a look at the defensive lineman nominees for the 2015 Postseason All-TSF Team:

NOMINEES: James Abrams (Northmont); Dillon Allen (Thurgood Marshall); Jared Bair (Troy); Blake Bockrath (Kings); Jerron Cage (Winton Woods); Michael Carter (Northwest); Brian Corbett (Miamisburg); Tristen Cox (Piqua); Tyler Cromer (Reading); Rodney Croom (Winton Woods); Montez Davis (Mount Healthy); Shavion Finkley-Day (Thurgood Marshall); Vinnie Fiori (Butler); Nick Gelhaus (Madeira); Jamal Hines (Princeton); Reece Human (Carlisle); Alex King (Mason); Davionee Laney (Summit Country Day); Maleek Lawrence (NewCath); Jack Lohre (Dixie Heights); Kordell Looney (Springfield); Brian Loose (Beavercreek); Toraye Martin (CCPA); Jack Meyer (Moeller); Tony Mitchell (Walnut Hills); Jordan Mullins (Franklin); Tucker Mueller (Simon Kenton); Hunter Murphy (Taylor); Dylon Neff (South Dearborn); Jeffrey Pooler (Dunbar); Jack Puera (Tippecanoe); Alex Reigelsperger (Wayne); Matt Ricketts (Kenton Ridge); Devan Rogers (Sidney); Prince Sammons (CHCA); Jake Saunders (Loveland); Joe Schroer (Elder); Dan Sichterman (Kings); Konner Smith (Valley View); Allen St. Meyers (Graham); Nick Staderman (McNicholas); Jake Steins (Covington Catholic); Chase Struewing (Waynesville); Dominic Valentino (Badin); Malik Vann (Fairfield); Brian Waddle (New Richmond); Mazon Walker (Wayne); Howard Watkins (Colerain); Marcus Watson (Cooper); John Wilcox (La Salle); Danny Woodruff (Mariemont).

STILL AHEAD: Of the 50 nominees, nine will be back again next fall for their senior seasons – Cage, Carter, Hines, Human King, Martin, Smith, Walker and Watkins. Even though he plays at a small Division VII school the 6-foot-1, 275-pound Martin is drawing interest from Boston College, Kent State and Akron because of his dominating line play on both sides of the ball. Hines, King and Watkins all play in the Greater Miami Conference.

Kings DL Blake Bockrath (photo Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

DYNAMIC DUOS: Four pairs of teammates are on or list. Reigelsperger and junior Walker give Wayne a solid foundation on defense next fall. Walker had 80 total tackles and five sacks in ’15. Croom and Cage showed just how dominating they could be when Winton Woods shutout an Elder team led by All-American offensive tackle, Tommy Kramer and Indiana-bound quarterback Peyton Ramsey back in October. Cage would go on to be named Division II, First Team All-Ohio and Southwest District Defensive Player of the Year. Thurgood Marshall had some real beef up front with Allen at 285 pounds and Finkley-Day weighing in at 20 pounds. The colossal Cougars combined for 12 sacks as seniors. Another sack package was at Kings where Bockrath and Sichterman combined for 21.5 quarterback takedowns. Bockrath, who didn’t record his first sack until Week 5, finished with 11 after registering 14.5 as a junior.

SOPHOMORE SENSATIONS: Three sophomores made it on to our list and for good reason. Reigelsperger was mad man on the end with 9.5 sacks for Ohio Division I state runner-up, Wayne. Life has been breathed into a Sidney program by its up and coming talent Rogers is in the middle of all of that on defense for the Yellow Jackets. He had the 63 total tackles and four sacks in his second year as a starter. Vann is another in a long line of family football studs at Fairfield. The 6-foot-3, 250 pounder has on offer from Cincinnati.

THE PRINCE OF DEFENSE: Despite only playing three years of organized football the 6-foot-8, 265 pound Sammons earned back-to-back Division V Ohio Defensive Player of the Year accolades. The native Nigerian is still considering offers from the best of the best college teams.

Simon Kenton DL Ticker Mueller (Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

DIVISION II RINGS: Two nominees have been starters on the Ohio Division II state champions the past three seasons. Saunders was a sophomore and a key member of a Loveland team that ran the table going 15-0 in ’13. Wilcox has been a plug in the middle of the La Salle defense as the Lancers have won the last two titles. No other nominees on the list have played on state champions.

THE SIMON KENTON SACKER: There may not have been a more dominant force up front the past two seasons than Mueller in Northern Kentucky. The senior registered 11 sacks this season and 10 in ’14. Simon Kenton went a combined 24-3 with Mueller as the anchor of the defensive front.

COMMITTED: Several nominees have already made their verbal commitments to college – Croom (Marshall), Looney (Kentucky), Pooler (West Virginia) and Saunders (Northwestern). Class of 2017 member Cage has already committed to Ohio State.

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  2015 Postseason All-TSF Team
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  All-TSF: Defensive Back Primer

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