Drew Harmon
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND —
Offensive Player of the Year
Joel Blumenthal
Deer Creek - Senior - Quarterback
Sports in Edmond seems to go in cycles. A few years ago the city was full of basketball players who would star in the Division I college ranks, and a couple who would go on to the NBA; in the last few seasons we’ve seen the best girls basketball players in the state. Seems like a couple of MLB draft picks come out of the city each year. We’re a perennial champ in golf and tennis, a perennial contender in ... you name it. It might lead one to wonder, what’s next?
2012 was the Year of the Quarterback.
Three Edmond quarterbacks turned in stellar stats — two as they led their teams deep into the playoffs, and one who ended holding the gold ball.
So who would you pick as the All-Edmond player of the year?
The reigning All-Edmond POY? Just a junior, Santa Fe’s Justice Hansen threw for 36 touchdowns and more than 3,000 yards, and scored 14 more on the ground with close to 775 yards. His team finished 10-2 and went to the state semis.
The small-school kid, the baseball pitcher who only got recruited to play football his sophomore year? Oklahoma Christian School’s Austin Brooks threw 54 touchdowns and almost 3,600 yards this year. Five of those touchdowns and 387 yards came in the Class 2A state title game against Davis at Oklahoma State, including the game winner in the fourth quarter.
The QB who took Deer Creek to the next level? The Antlers’ quarterback threw for more than 2,450 yards and 32 TDs, and ran for close to 650 yards and nine scores.
When it comes down to it, you give it to the guy who meant the most to his team. Coaches — his own and opposing teams’ — say that player is Deer Creek’s Joel Blumenthal.
His numbers are lower than the other QBs, but he was pulled in the second half of about half the Antlers’ games. Out of 44 quarters, he played in about 30.
And the only thing people talk about more than the D-I looks he’s getting is the kid’s character.
Defensive Player of the Year
Brock Byford
Edmond North - Senior - Linebacker
Byford’s numbers — 119 tackles, two sacks — put him among Edmond’s elite defensive players this year, but what puts him over the top is his team’s production: 108 rushing yards allowed on average, third in the state in Class 6A; 194 total points allowed, also third in 6A; and a 10-2 record that saw the Huskies into the state semifinals.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Justice Hansen — Santa Fe junior quarterback — 3,852 total yards, 50 touchdowns
Austin Brooks — Oklahoma Christian senior quarterback — 3,765 total yards, 55 touchdowns
Warren Wand — Memorial sophomore running back — 1,812 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns
Brennan Miyake — Deer Creek senior running back — 1,104 total yards, 18 touchdowns
Blake Barnes — Oklahoma Christian senior receiver — 1,289 yards, 24 touchdowns
Trevan Smith — Santa Fe senior receiver — 1,333 yards, 15 touchdowns
Jared Rayburn — Deer Creek senior receiver — 902 total yards, 11 touchdowns
Luke Rossi — North junior receiver — 634 yards, 7 touchdowns
Heath Newland — North senior offensive lineman — The Huskies averaged 221 rushing yards a game.
Brandon Wackerly — Deer Creek senior offensive lineman — Antler runners put down 2,127 yards on the ground.
Jason Goff — Oklahoma Christian senior offensive lineman — The Saints’ QBs were rarely touched.
Lucas Gerdes — Memorial senior offensive lineman — Memorial had Class 6A’s second-leading rusher.
Trevor Moore — North junior kicker — 12-14 on field goals; 46 touchbacks on kickoffs
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Alvin Bazley — Santa Fe senior defensive lineman — 58 tackles, 13 sacks
Tyler Follis — Deer Creek senior defensive lineman — 66 tackles, 1 sack
Andrew Dixon — North junior defensive lineman — 49 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 interceptions
Austin Loomis — Deer Creek senior linebacker — 225 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 interception
Phillip Sumpter — Santa Fe senior linebacker — 123 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 interception
Sam Delzell — North senior senior linebacker — 86 tackles, 8 sacks
Kooper Ruminer — Deer Creek senior linebacker — 150 tackles, 1 sack
Luke Frankfurt — Oklahoma Christian sophomore defensive back — 128 tackles, 1 sack, 4 interceptions
Caden Sander — Deer Creek junior defensive back — 79 tackles, 7 interception, 1 TD
Khari Harding — Santa Fe senior defensive back — 109 tackles, three interceptions
Eric Davis — Santa Fe senior defensive back — 28 tackles, 7 interceptions
Austin Smotherman — Deer Creek senior punter — 36-yard average; 3 punts of 50+ yards
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Luke Hoskins, North QB
Michael Farmer, North RB
Luke Frankfurt, OCS RB
Garrett Kilborn, OCS WR/RB
Dale Jefferson, Santa Fe WR
Connor Sikes, OCS WR
Jarech Page, North WR/RB
Brandon Garrett, North OL
Kaleb Prough, North OL
Zach Medeiros, Memorial OL
Cole Hatchel, OCS OL
Dillon Noble, Deer Creek K
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Eli Hooks, Deer Creek DL
Isaac Nolan, Memorial DL
Jason Ihekona, Santa Fe DL
Jason Hand, Memorial LB
Carlos Washington, Santa Fe LB
Austin Mack, Santa Fe LB
Chad Draper, Deer Creek LB
Braden Werner, OCS LB
Dhaniel Bly, Santa Fe DB
Dante Sanders, North DB
Jared Goff, OCS DB
HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE
Marque Depp, North RB
Cameron Westbrook, Santa Fe RB
Will McKinnis, OCS WR
Cornelius Fugett, Santa Fe WR
Kale Jackson, Deer Creek WR
Alec James, Deer Creek WR/RB
Christian Aduddell, OCS OL
Christian Sigler, OCS OL
Nathan Blakely, OCS K
HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE
Joel Dixon, North DL
Michael Onwuchuraba, Santa Fe DL
Jake Mammen, Memorial LB
Sam Brown, North LB
Garrett Kilborn, OCS LB
Curtis Woods, North DB
Sam Kreutzer, Memorial DB
