Calvert coach Todd Fox said linebacker/running back Dan Kwiat and lineman Marcus Somers made a good tandem for the Senecas playoff team.
Even though, at least defensively, they sometimes took away from each other's numbers.
"Marcus doing his job hurts Dan's numbers and vice versa," Fox said.
And yet, the teammates each put up strong enough seasons to get recognized in Division VI as All-Ohio special mentions.
The Calvert duo were the area representatives in Division VI, while Hopewell-Loudon running back Mark Bouillon and Carey RB/DB Justin Meek made special mention in Division V.
Kwiat finished the season on defense with 104 tackles, 12 for a loss and two fumble recoveries. As the primary back on a 7-5 playoff team, he rushed for 1,035 yards and had nine touchdowns.
"He's a hard working kid whose embraced every challenge he had and has developed into a great football player," Fox said.
The coach said it surprised him to see the senior maintain such a high level of play as a feature running back and a linebacker.
"It's a testament to what type of a kid he is," Fox said.
Somers, a junior, also excelled on both sides of the ball, helping to pave the way for Kwiat as an offensive lineman, as well as up front on the defensive side. He finished the season with 91 tackles and eight sacks. Fox also referred to him as the team's leader on the O-line.
"I'm excited he can come back another year," Fox said.
Fox said the hard work put in by Kwiat and Somers was reflective of his entire team in 2012.
"I think they feed off each other and they're very relentless," he said. "They'll have some road blocks in the way, but they're willing to go through them."
Bouillon was Hopewell-Loudon's catalyst on offense, the main concern of most opposing coaches. In the week before his team's game against Hopewell-Loudon, Mohawk coach Erik Baker said the most important thing the Warriors' defense had to do was to "find No. 80 (Bouillon's number). Eighty is the key."
Bouillon ran for 1,148 yards while scoring 16 touchdowns this season, and had 443 yards receiving.
As for Meek, he went into the season in a competition with teammate Matthew Holsinger for the quarterback job.
The job went to Holsinger, but Carey coach Todd Worst said the senior handled it in stride, and set about having a great season.
"He didn't take it personally and pout about it; he did what a senior is expected to do," Worst said.
What Meek did was was star at running back most of the season as the Blue Devils finished 8-2. Meek did start at quarterback against Hopewell-Loudon, and had a brilliant game.
But his most impressive stats were on defense, where he had 66 tackles and three interceptions. Eight of his stops were for a loss, and he had four sacks and a pair of fumble recoveries.
"I think this year he really stepped up into the role as leader, especially defensively," Worst said.
