Eastwood’s Lake Boos knew how to find his receivers
Eastwood 6-1, 182-pound senior quarterback Lake Boos got his chance to be a quarterback this year, and he made the best of it.
Boos, a Division V second team All-Ohio selection, is the Alan Miller Jewelers All-Press Offensive Player of the Year.
Boos led the Eagles to an 8-3 season, including a 42-19 regular season win over D-V state semifinalist Ottawa-Glandorf and a 49-21 playoff win against Lakota.
Boos completed 72 percent of his passes (110 for 152) for 1,949 yards, threw 26 touchdown passes and had just three interceptions.
His uncanny accuracy was due to his athleticism, his ability to throw on the run, and a talented recruiting corps. He always knew how to find his receivers, and they knew how to get open.
Boos was responsible for 2,220 total yards, averaging 201.8 per game, including carrying the ball 59 times for 271 yards and four TDs.
“Lake is a great competitor. He worked really hard in the offseason, and the success he had was a direct result of that,” said Eastwood coach Craig Rutherford, the All-Press Coach of the Year.
“He had the ability to create explosive plays and he made a lot of them. But he also never tried to force anything,” Rutherford continued.
“Our offense was as efficient as it was because of the way he controlled the game. We put a lot of pressure on him this season, but I think he really wanted that pressure.”
Lake Boos’ favorite receiver was his junior brother Case Boos, who caught 61 passes for 1,000 yards (16.4) and nine touchdowns, averaging 90.9 yards receiving per game.
The Lake Flyers were perhaps the best 2-7 team in Northwest Ohio, losing to Elmwood 31-28 and the Flyers were leading Otsego at halftime, but fell 30-12. Lake also had a close 15-10 loss to Rossford.
However, NBC coaches voted 6-6, 260-pound senior Conner Moore the league’s Lineman of the Year, and Ohio’s sportswriters followed suit, naming Moore a D-V second team All-Ohio defensive lineman. He is the All-Press Lineman of the Year.
Moore, the team captain and three-year starter, was second team All-NBC as a junior, but his skill on both sides of the ball was no secret. He plans to play college football at Montana State, Navy or Yale, says Lake coach Josh Andrews.
On defense, Moore led the team with 108 tackles, including 12 for a loss and six sacks.
Andrews says Moore is “fast, physical, aggressive, athletic, and (on offense) has a great reach block.” Moore led the team with the most pancake blocks.
The All-Press Defensive POY is Genoa 5-11, 200-pound senior lineman Colten Stewart, who had a team-high 106 tackles, including 22 for a loss.
The Comets finished 6-6 as Stewart played a major role in Genoa’s 14-9 win over Rossford with 18 tackles, including 15 solo tackles, and one sack. The Comets defeated Lake, 40-14, Oak Harbor, 28-0, and had a first-round playoff win over Richwood North Union, 16-13.
Voting for the All-Press football team was by 11 area coaches and 10 print and broadcast media from the four county Press distribution area.
Trailing Lake Boos by two votes for Offensive POY was Gibsonburg junior RB Conner Smith, in a tie for third was Case Boos and Cardinal Stritch senior QB Thomas Foust and Clay senior RB Jordan Pettaway also received votes.
Placing in a tie for second for Defen-sive POY voting at two votes behind Stewart were Moore, Clay senior linebacker Ty Cobb, and Oak Harbor senior LB Jack Zeitzham. Also receiving votes were Waite senior DL Jaiden Cope, Eastwood senior DL Emmet Getz, Gibsonburg junior defensive end Martin Myerholtz and Genoa senior defensive back Merced Diaz.
Moore was an overwhelming choice for Lineman of the Year, but Eastwood senior left tackle Gavin DeWese was second at five votes back. Also getting votes were Cobb, Stewart, Cope, Cardinal Stritch junior Kam Hughes, Oak Harbor senior Ryan Snow, Genoa junior Andrew Szepelia and Gibsonburg senior Tyler Schooley.
Stritch coach Gene Ruckete, behind All-Ohioan quarterback Thomas Foust, saw his team finish 5-4 and qualify for the Division VI playoffs. Rucker was second in Coach of the Year, two votes behind Rutherford, Genoa coach Dave Mifsud was third, Gibsonburg coach Joe Wyant fourth and Andrews also got votes.