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TSF 2022 Dayton DPOY Finalists

Springfield LB Jaivian Norman (photo by Shelby Frieszell/TriStateFootball.com)

There are eight finalists for the 2022 TriState Football Dayton Defensive Player of the Year. Six are seniors. Javon Hammonds Jr. and Cael Liette are the two junior finalists.

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 20th, 2023 at the Holy Grail-Banks – RSVP 2022 TSF Year In Review Show

Here is a look at our finalists.

Gavin DeGroat, Valley View, Sr, LB – OPSWA Division V First Team All-Ohio, SWBL West Co-DPOY, Blue-Grey All-American Bowl selection and Honorable Mention All-TSF. A tackling machine for a Valley View (13-2) squad that won its eighth regional title and first since 2002. DeGroat led the SWBL in total tackles with 165 (111 solo) as the Spartans held 13 of their 15 opponents to 17 points or less. DeGroat also had 20 tackles for losses, two sacks and four passes defended. He has offers from Ohio Dominican and Thomas More.

Javon Hammonds Jr., Wayne, Jr, DL – OPSWA Division I Second Team All-Ohio and Second Team All-TSF. Hammonds Jr. tied for the GWOC lead with nine-and-a-half sacks helping Wayne (6-5) to a third straight playoff appearance and 24th in school history. He also had 83 total tackles, 21.0 tackles for losses, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He has offers from Ball State, BGSU, Central Michigan, Kent State, UMass, Michigan State, Ohio and Toledo.

Wayne DL Javon Hammonds Jr. (photo by Shelby Frieszell/TriStateFootball.com)

Joseph Jean-Louis, Centerville, Sr, LB – OPSWA Division I First Team All-Ohio and Second Team All-TSF. Jean-Louis had an excellent season both rushing and dropping back into coverage for Centerville (10-3) who had its first 10-win season since 2017. He was in on 101 total tackles, had six-and-a-half sacks, 15.0 tackles for losses, five passes defended, one fumble recovery and two interceptions. He has signed with Iowa State.

Cael Liette, Tippecanoe, Jr, LB – OPSWA Division III Second Team All-Ohio. It was a breakout campaign for the stopper in the middle of a Tippecanoe (13-2) defense that helped the school to its first ever regional title. Liette registered 167 total tackles, had seven sacks, 16.0 tackles for losses, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.  Liette was also a short yardage specialist on offense with eight rushing touchdowns on 37 carries.

Jackson Martin, Badin, Sr, DL – OPSWA Division III First Team All-Ohio, GCL Co-ed Quad-DPOY and Honorable Mention All-TSF. Anchored a Badin (13-1) defense that allowed just 8.9 points per game, held eight foes to nine points or less with four shutouts. Martin tallied 61 total tackles, had seven sacks, 14.0 tackles for losses with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He has offers from Dayton, Thomas More, Capital, Marian and Georgetown College.

Braedyn Moore, Badin, Sr, DB – OPSWA Division III First Team All-Ohio (DB), OPSWA Division III Southwest District DPOY (DB), GCL Co-ed Co-OPOY (WR) and First Team All-TSF (DB). Moore starred in all three phases of the game as Badin (13-1) finished the regular season without a loss for the third time in his three years as a starter. On defense, Moore was in on 45 total tackles, with six passes defended four interceptions and 107 interception return yards. He also had 79 receptions for 1,039 yards, 1,577 all-purpose yards, 15 touchdown catches and three rushing scores. The Rams went a combined 35-3 with Moore as a starter. He finishes his career with 111 total tackles, 14 interceptions, 162 receptions, 1,930 receiving yards, 3,268 all-purpose yards and 29 touchdowns (21 rec, five rush, 1 PR, two IRs). Moore has signed with Wisconsin.

Badin WR/DB Braedyn Moore (photo by Autumn Duncan/TriStateFootball.com)

Jaivian Norman, Springfield, Sr, LB – OPSWA Division I First Team All-Ohio (for a second straight year), GWOC DPOY and First Team All-TSF (for a second straight year). The four-year starter capped off a brilliant career as the heart-and-soul of a Springfield (13-2) team that won its fourth straight regional title and finished state runner-up for a second consecutive campaign. Norman recorded 134 total tackles, had two sacks, 20 tackles for losses one forced fumble and one interception. He finishes his career with 375 total tackles, 13.0 sacks, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and three interceptions. Springfield went a combined 46-8 and never lost more than two games with Norman at linebacker. He has signed with Eastern Michigan.

Jamell Smith, Xenia, Sr, DL – OPSWA Division II First Team All-Ohio, MVL DPOY and Honorable Mention All-TSF. Smith set the tone for a Xenia (10-1) squad that finished the regular season undefeated for the first time in 120 years (last done in1902). He registered 94 total tackles, nine sacks, had 25.0 tackles for losses, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Smith ends his career with 264 total tackles, 21.0 sacks, seven forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. He has committed to Georgetown College.

Past TSF Dayton DPOY finalists:
2021
Ashton Ault (Bellbrook), Delian Bradley (Springfield), Nathan Coy (Springboro), Cayd Everhart (Tippecanoe), CJ Hicks (Alter), Tywann January (Springfield), Logan Neu (Badin) and Colton Trampler (Clinton-Massie).
2020
Delian Bradley (Springfield), Jonathan Bruder (Centerville), Jayden Carter (Badin), Ethan Fryman (Bellbrook), CJ Hicks (Alter), Jerrell Lewis (Piqua), Rod Moore (Northmont) and Hunter Warner (Fairborn).
2019

Sammy Anderson (Trotwood-Madison), Trey Baker (Fairmont), Devin Hall (Xenia), Mason Henry (Alter), Timmy Keseday (Springboro), Xzerious Stinnett (Springfield) & Hunter Warner (Fairborn).
2018
Trey Baker (Fairmont), Shane Cokes (Chaminade Julienne), Moses Douglass (Springfield), Max Evans (Madison Senior), Sam Jackson (Troy), Connor Meyer (Alter), Gabe Newburg (Northmont) & Nick Straw (Lebanon).
2017
Kennedy Coates (Trotwood-Madison), Logan Hannah (Valley View), Alex Reigelsperger (Wayne), Dawson Martin (Belmont), Alden Simms (Alter), Payton Standifer (Springboro), John Wehrkamp (Troy) & Max Wynn (Centerville).
2016
Mikey’ion Hunter (Trotwood-Madison), Jack Knipper (Beavercreek), Chris Meyers (Miamisburg), David Rueth (Alter), Alex Reigelsperger (Wayne), Matt Wilcox (Wayne), Kobe Vinegar (Trotwood-Madison).
2015 
Tobias Gilliam (Wayne), Trevor Good (Brookville), Ben Hinton (Bishop Fenwick), Nic Martin (Butler), Chase Struewing (Waynesville), Roland Walder (Trotwood-Madison) & Louie Wasoski (Miamisburg).
2014 
Kei Beckham (Trotwood-Madison), Alex Fryman (Bellbrook), Kraig Howe (Alter), Kevin Earles (Springboro), Bryce Jenkinson (Greenville), Tyree Kinnel (Wayne) & Robert Landers (Wayne).
2013
Vayante Copeland (Thurgood Marshall), Shane Hannah (Valley View), Ryan Reese (Trotwood-Madison), Airius Moore (Beavercreek), Dorian Hendrix (Wayne), Isaiah Williams (Northmont) & Robert Young (Miamisburg).
2012
Cameron Burrows (Trotwood-Madison), Greg Hart (Alter), Darrien Howard (Chaminade Julienne), Mitchell Larson (Xenia), Mike McCray (Trotwood-Madison), Airius Moore (Beavercreek) & Trent Smart (Clinton-Massie).
2011
Marcus Foster (Troy), Isaac Hammonds (Waynesville), Darrien Howard (Chaminade Julienne), Darius James (Springfield), Mike McCray (Trotwood-Madison), Jason Moorman (Fairborn), Ifeadi Odenigbo (Centerville) & Travis Nees (Piqua).
2010
Michael Bennett (Centerville), Justin Cox (Fenwick), Nicholas Grigsby (Trotwood-Madison), Trey DePriest (Springfield), Darrien Howard (Chaminade-Julienne), Teddy Link (Alter), Tre Moore (Wayne) & Kaleb Ringer (Northmont).
2009
Cody Byers (Alter), Trey DePriest (Springfield), Jake Dwyer (Springboro), Xavior Johnson (Northmont), Jordon Paschal (Trotwood-Madison) & Terry Talbott (Wayne).

 

 

 

 

 

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