Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Ethan Duncan has been one of the best linebackers in the area the past three years. As far as the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association is concerned, he’s one of the best in the state.
The Ironton Fighting Tigers 5-foot-10, 215-pound senior was named to the Division V All-Ohio first team defense on Monday.
Duncan was one of 13 local players in Divisions V and IV to earn All-Ohio honors. All were first team all-district.
Duncan’s teammates named special mention All-Ohio were senior lineman Brady Rowe, junior quarterback Gage Salyers, junior defensive lineman and fullback Seth Fosson and sophomore running back Reid Carrico.
Duncan and Fosson were third team All-Ohio last season.
Chesapeake Panthers senior defensive back Austin Browning, junior running back Kamren Harless and junior lineman Dakota Hess were special mention All-Ohio as were Rock Hill Redmen junior running back Logan Hankins and junior lineman Tristan Delong.
The Fairland Dragons landed three players on the Division IV All-Ohio team led by senior quarterback Joel Lambiotte who was a third team selection on offense.
Junior wide receiver Reilly Sowards and sophomore wide receiver Gavin Hunt were special mention.
Duncan worked his way into the starting lineup as a freshman and was part of three Ironton teams to qualify for the state players. He averaged 10 tackles a game this past season and had an interception against Ashland to his credit as he was named the Southeast District Co-Defensive Player of the Year.
Lambiotte was a four-year starter who threw the football around the yard and piled up a lot of yardage. The 6-2, 190-pound senior also piled up a lot of votes as he was named to the Division IV All-Ohio third team offense.
Lambiotte threw up monster numbers this past season and was one of the top three candidates for the district’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Lambiotte was 153-of-238 for 2,370 yards and 27 touchdowns. He was intercepted just five times during the regular season as he led the Dragons to a postseason playoff berth.
He also ran 74 times for 6-5 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The 6-2, 160-pound Sowards caught 49 passes for 635 yards and 10 touchdowns while the 5-11, 150-pound Hunt had 37 catches for 679 yards and five scores.
Salyers was 61-of-123 for 917 yards and 12 touchdowns with just three interceptions. The 6-1, 185-pound quarterback rushed 101 times for 531 yards and eight touchdowns.
Besides being a force on the defensive line, the 6-1, 225-pound Fosson ran 59 times for 456 yards — a 7.7 yards per carry average — and scored 11 touchdowns.
Carrico was no average sophomore as he ran 190 times for 1,256 yards — a 6.6 yards per carry — and scored 14 touchdowns. The 6-3, 205-pounder had nine receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown.
Rowe was a three-year starter on the offensive line and the 6-2, 230-pound tackle played some on defense as well.
After a slow start, the 6-1, 165-pound Harless finished with 117 carries for 1,053 yards — a 9.0 average — and scored 14 TDs.
The massive 6-1, 345-pound Hess had 32 tackles including four tackles for a loss to anchor the Panthers’ defensive line.
The 6-1, 185-pound Browning had 55 tackles with seven for a loss along with two sacks and two fumble recoveries. He is a four-year starter and played quarterback as well.
The 5-11, 180-pound Hankins was all-district as a freshman but sat out most of last season with an injury. He rebounded to carries 141 times for 919 yards and a 6.5 yards per carry average as he shared a balanced backfield with Zac Adkins and T.J. McGinnis.
A 5-10, 290-pounder, Delong played both ways and was Rock Hill’s top lineman.