TriStateFootball.com
Home / Football / TSF 2021 Kentucky DPOY Finalists

TSF 2021 Kentucky DPOY Finalists

Covington Catholic DL Trevor Wilson (photo by James Bates/TriStateFootball.com)

There are seven finalists for the 2021 TriState Football Kentucky Defensive Player of the Year. All of them are seniors except for Xavier Campbell. This is the second nomination for Gabe Savage. He is the first Ryle Raider to accomplish the feat on defense. This is also the first time ever that Bishop Brossart and Rowan County have had players nominated for the award.

The members of the All-TSF Teams, the TSF Teams of the Year, Players of the Year and finalists from Indiana, Dayton, Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati as well as the Mella Windows Players of the Week will be recognized at the TriState Football Year In Review Awards Show on Monday, February 21st, 2022 at the Holy Grail-Banks – RSVP 2021 TSF Year In Review Show

Here is a look at our finalists:

Jackson Belk (Ryle) – First Team All-NKY and NKY Top 26. A tackling machine who had 141 take downs, 10 tackles for losses, three-and-a-half sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception for the Raiders. Belk finished his career with 254 total tackles, 22.5 tackles for losses, six sacks and seven takeaways (five FRs, two INTs). He has committed to Thomas More

Xavier Campbell (Beechwood) – First Team All-NKY (for a second straight year).  A vital cog on both sides of the line, Campbell reclassified himself and came back as a sophomore this past fall. He had 12 sacks and a pair of fumble recoveries for the undefeated state champion Tigers. He heads into 2022 with 17.5 sacks and five takeaways (four FRs, one INT) in his career.

Jacob Leicht (Bishop Brossart) – KFCA Class 1A, District 5 POY, NKY Top 26 and Second Team All-NKY (ATH). Leicht was the catalyst on both sides of the ball for the most memorable season in Bishop Brossart (12-1) history. The Mustangs allowed just 7.8 points per game with six shutouts. Leicht finished the year with 41 total tackles, four tackles for losses and two fumble recoveries. On offense he ran for 1,054 yards, threw for 550 yards and accounted for 21 touchdowns (14 rush, seven pass).

Byron May (Rowan County) – First Team All-EKC. A disruptive force for the Vikings, May turned in an incredible season. He tallied 74 total tackles, 15.5 sacks, 20.5 tackles for losses with three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Gabe Savage (Ryle) – Courier-Journal Second Team All-Kentucky, Class 6A, District 6 POY and First Team All-NKY (for a second straight year). He was in on 154 total tackles (69 solo), had 15 tackles or losses with four sacks and a fumble recovery. Savage also ran for 364 yards and four touchdowns. He has signed with Army.

Colin Smith (Dixie Heights) – First Team All-NKY (for a second straight year). Covered a ton of ground and was rewarded for it, recording 95 total tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery and four interceptions last fall. Smith ends his career with 243 total tackles and 11 takeaways (four FRs, seven INTs). He is committed to Thomas More

Trevor Wilson (Covington Catholic) – First Team All-NKY (for a second straight year). Wilson registered 38 total tackles, had five sacks, six tackles for losses and two fumble recoveries. He has committed to Robert Morris.

Past TSF NKY DPOY finalists:
2020
Mitch Berger (Beechwood), Rhys Brown (Dixie Heights), Tayquan Calloway (Holmes), Dawson Catlett (Walton-Verona), Ben Dickhaus (Covington Catholic), Eric Jiminez (Dayton) and Gabe Savage (Ryle).
2019
Tayquan Calloway (Holmes), Kaleal Davis (Newport), Daniel Felix, (Covington Catholic), Brycen Huddleston (Highlands), Cody Kramer (Ludlow), Andy Molique, (Covington Catholic) & Vuk Sajlovic (Simon Kenton).     
2018
JJ Courtney (Simon Kenton), Adam Derry (Beechwood), Grant Grubbs (Walton-Verona), Brycen Huddleston (Highlands), Kyle Kelly (Newport Central Catholic), Tanner Lawrence (Campbell County), Michael Mayer (Covington Catholic).
2017
Kam Butler (Covington Catholic), Adam Derry (Beechwood); Grant Dyer (Covington Catholic); Michael Mayer (Covington Catholic); Nelson Perrin (Scott), Jackson Saladin (Ryle) & Brayden Trattles (Simon Kenton).
2016
Derrick Barnes (Holy Cross), Justin Blackburn (Ludlow), Brian Carter (Simon Kenton), Sander Rocksvag (Cooper), Hunter Ruber (Walton-Verona), Peyton Van Horn (Conner) & Alex Thurza (Scott).
2015
Isaiah Ebarb (Conner), Dante Hendrix (Cooper), Trent Kincaid (Simon Kenton), Tucker Mueller (Simon Kenton), Cameron Pitzer (Covington Catholic), Brett Slusher (Beechwood) & Marcus Watson (Cooper).
2014
Barry Deaton (Simon Kenton), Branden Johnson (Dixie Heights), Breandon Johnson (Newport), Will Latimore (Walton-Verona), Nick Sauerbeck (Campbell County)
Alex Wagner (CovCath) & Luke Zajac (Dixie Heights).
2013
Jalen Beal (Holy Cross), Sam Burchell (CovCath), Brendan Fisk (Dixie Heights), Seth Hope (Highlands), Nate McCoy (Gallatin County), Jack Sutkamp (NewCath), Andrew Way (Conner) & Matthew Way (CovCath).
2012 
Jared Bowling (Simon Kenton), Sam Burchell (CovCath), Taylor Centers (Cooper), Cameron Fogle (Conner), Seth Hope (Highlands), Cole Mosier (Walton-Verona) & Cameron Pangallo (Bellevue).
2011
Drake Bruns (Highlands), Paul Lampone (Holy Cross), Quincy Page (Walton-Verona), Mikel Reynolds (Boone County), Ryan Smith (Ryle) & JP Williams (Cooper).
2010
Austin Baldwin (Simon Kenton), Drake Bruns (Highlands), Tommy Courtney (Holmes), Brian Doyle (NewCath), Jake Giesler (NewCath) & Court Mace (Ryle).
2009 
Nik Brown (Simon Kenton), Chris Kelly (NewCath), Regal Lowe (Holmes), Drew Rice (Ludlow), Brandon Roller (Highlands) & Markel Walker (Holy Cross).
2008
Austin Collinsworth (Highlands), Zach Eagler (Boone County), Dominic Mainello (Beechwood), Ben Parr (NewCath), Kody Rosenhagen (Highlands) & Pat VanSant (Covington Catholic).
2007
Stephen Benson (Dixie Heights), Sam Brown (Boone County), Nick Franzen (NewCath), Aaron Morgan (Lloyd) & Luke Stein (Highlands).


 

 

 

You must be logged in to post a comment Login