Legando, Brown win top NOC honors

For the sixth straight season, the top player in the Lake Division plays for Perkins. Senior wide receiver/cornerback Kaden Legando was named the Player of the Year when the Northern Ohio Conference announced its honors Tuesday. Collin Nemitz shared the award in 2021 before Logan Lesch (2022, 2023), Braylon Collier (2024) and Sam Schweinfurth (2025) won the honor in the Sandusky Bay Conference. Legando leads the Pirates (10-0) with 27 catches for 539 yards and seven touchdowns. On defense, he has a pair of interceptions. Only one player from the entire NOC first-team offense and defense was not from Perkins or Tiffin Columbian. Legando was a first-team pick on both sides of the ball. "He's a really good player on both sides of the ball," Perkins coach Jalen Santoro said. "Very good corner — that's what he's gonna play at the next level (for Ohio University). Corners don't usually have a lot of stats because people don't throw at them. I think people around the league recognize that he's a lockdown corner and that's another reason he got voted that award. "Offensively he's been good for us the past two years. There are games where you don't recognize he's having a big game because he gets the ball and kind of scoots out for 15 or 20 and you look and he's got 100 yards." Legando was joined on the offensive side of the ball by teammates Connor Smith (running back), Bryce Davie (wide receiver), Boden Bollinger (end), Javier Keys (guard), Carter Koch (tackle) and Danny Buga (special teams). Other first-team picks on defense for the Pirates were Koch (defensive line), Caith Billman (defensive line), Bollinger (linebacker), Landon Flores (linebacker), Davie (defensive back) and Dante Shipp Jr. (defensive back). The only non-Perkins or Columbian player on the first team was Clyde senior Hector Garza at linebacker. Second-team picks for Perkins were Grant Kuhnle (quarterback), Garrett Isbell (center), Christian James-Smith (tackle), DJ Johnson (defensive line) and JoJo Moore (defensive back). Players honored for Clyde on the second team were Linkin Mullins (running back), Noah Hinke (guard), Mitchell Newsome (special teams) and Joel Greenslade (defensive backs). Sandusky's Isaiah Johnson (wide receiver), Connor Moffitt (defensive line) and Terrance Randleman (linebacker) were picked to the second team. Norwalk's Ayden Hudson-Brown (linebacker) was a second-team selection. Bellevue's Brown top pick in Bay Bellevue senior Ike Brown has been a big part of the Redmen's success this season. He was named the Player of the Year in the Bay Division. Brown has completed 117 of 224 passes for 1,624 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. He leads the Bellevue ground game with 133 rushes for 934 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was joined on the first team offense by teammates Justin Bucher (wide receiver), Caden Cramer (end), Deacon Nunez (center), Coal Schwochow (guard) and Grant Hancock (tackle). First-team picks on defense for Bellevue were Eli Turinsky (defensive line), Cramer (linebacker) and Brown (defensive back). Port Clinton was represented on the first team by Beckett Mizener (running back), Julian Curry (guard), Cameron Borror (defensive line), Lucas Bodie (linebacker) and Brody Bollinger (defensive back). First-team picks for Vermilion were Landon Mooney (running back), Luke Richardson (tackle), Trey Colahan (defensive line), Dan Roy (linebacker) and Micah Smith (defensive back). Edison's Grant Parker (wide receiver/defensive back), Colten Collins (defensive line), Max Limberios (linebacker) were first team honorees. Huron had two first-team selections in Grant Periat (wide receiver) and Carter Brennan (special teams). Second-team picks for Bellevue were Evan Bova (running back), Vinny Sberna (defensive line), Maddex Bailey (linebacker), Konner Dauch (defensive back) and Bucher (defensive back). Port Clinton's Danny Baker (wide receiver), Adam Fitt (special teams) and Mizener (linebackers) were second-team selections. Vermilion had four second-team honorees in Drake Hooks (quarterback), Smith (wide receiver), Colahan (center) and Isaac Kyser (defensive line). Edison's Joel Smith (guard) and Josh Felter (tackle) were honored on the second team. Second-team picks for Huron were Austin Sas (end), Blake Reyes (defensive line), Brock West (linebacker) and Nathan Porterfield (defensive back). ALL-NOC LAKE DIVISION Player of the Year: Kaden Legando, Perkins, 12 First team Quarterback: Logan Gooding, Columbian, 12 Running backs: Masen Seitz, Columbian 12; Connor Smith, Perkins, 12 Wide receivers: Blake Miller, Columbian, 12; Kaden Legando, Perkins, 12; Bryce Davie, Perkins, 12 End: Boden Bollinger, Perkins, 12 Center: Landon Goeller, Columbian, 12 Guards: Mason Richie, Columbian, 11; Javier Keys, Perkins, 12 Tackles: Carter Koch, Perkins, 11; Connor Donaldson, Columbian 11 Special teams: Danny Buga, Perkins, 11 Defensive linemen: Carter Koch, Perkins, 11; Lane Gelinas, Columbian, 12; Caith Billman, Perkins, 11; Jax Diamantopoulos, Columbian, 12 Linebackers: Boden Bollinger, Perkins, 12; Brock Siesel, Columbian, 12; Landon Flores, Perkins, 12; Hector Garza, Clyde, 12 Defensive backs: Kaden Legando, Perkins, 12; Bryce Davie, Perkins, 12; Daelan Brandeberry, Columbian, 12; Dante Shipp Jr., Perkins, 11 Second team Quarterback: Grant Kuhnle, Perkins, 12 Running back: Linkin Mullins, Clyde, 12 Wide receivers: Daelan Brandeberry, Columbian, 12; Isaiah Johnson, Sandusky, 12 End: Brock Siesel, Columbian, 12 Center: Garrett Isbell, Perkins, 10 Guard: Noah Hinke, Clyde, 12 Tackle: Christian James-Smith, Perkins, 12 Special teams: Mitchell Newsome, Clyde, 12 Defensive linemen: DJ Johnson, Perkins, 11; Kevin Welter, Columbian, 12; Connor Moffitt, Sandusky, 11 Linebackers: Blake Miller, Columbian, 12; Terrance Randleman, Sandusky, 12; Ayden Hudson-Brown, Norwalk, 12 Defensive backs: Braden Egbert, Columbian, 12; Joel Greenslade, Clyde, 12; JoJo Moore, Perkins 11 Honorable mention Quarterback: Zion Henlon, Sandusky, 10 Running back: Daviyon Jackson, Sandusky, 12 Wide receiver: DaZarius Russell, Columbian, 11 End: Terrance Randleman, Sandusky, 12 Center: Brayden Peugeot, Sandusky, 12 Guard: Q'Marion Hunter, Sandusky, 12 Tackle: Lane Gelinas, Columbian, 12 Special teams: Ryker Kidwell, Columbian, 11 Defensive linemen: Max Miller, Clyde, 11; Blaine Constante, Sandusky, 12; Q'Marion Hunter, Sandusky, 11; Knox Dearth, Clyde, 9 Linebackers: Brody Sturzinger, Perkins, 9; Linkin Mullins, Clyde, 12 Defensive backs: Dekin Crockett, Clyde, 12; Da'Zarius Russell, Columbian, 11 BAY DIVISION Player of the Year: Ike Brown, Bellevue, 12 First team Quarterback: Ike Brown, Bellevue, 12 Running back: Landon Mooney, Vermilion, 10; Beckett Mizener, Port Clinton, 12 Wide receivers: Grant Parker, Edison, 12; Grant Periat, Huron, 12; Justin Bucher, Bellevue, 11 End: Caden Cramer, Bellevue, 12 Center: Deacon Nunez, Bellevue, 11 Guards: Coal Schwochow, Bellevue, 11; Julian Curry, Port Clinton, 12 Tackles: Grant Hancock, Bellevue, 11; Luke Richardson, Vermilion, 11 Special teams: Carter Brennan, Huron, 12 Defensive linemen: Eli Turinsky, Bellevue, 11; Cameron Borror, Port Clinton, 12; Trey Colahan, Vermilion, 11; Colten Collins, Edison, 12 Linebackers: Caden Cramer, Bellevue, 12; Dan Roy, Vermilion, 11; Lucas Bodie, Port Clinton, 12; Max Limberios, Edison, 11 Defensive backs: Ike Brown, Bellevue, 12; Grant Paarker, Edison, 12; Micah Smith, Vermilion, 11; Brody Bollinger, Port Clinton, 12 Second team Quarterback: Drake Hooks, Vermilion, 12 Running back: Evan Bova, Bellevue, 12 Wide receivers: Micah Smith, Vermilion, 11; Danny Baker, Port Clinton, 12 End: Austin Sas, Huron, 12 Center: Trey Colahan, Vermilion, 11 Guard: Joel Smith, Edison, 11 Tackle: Josh Felter, Edison, 11 Special teams: Adam Fitt, Port Clinton, 12 Defensive linemen: Isaac Kyser, Vermilion, 11; Blake Reyes, Huron, 11; Vinny Sberna, Bellevue, 11 Linebackers: Beckett Mizener, Port Clinton, 12; Maddex Bailey, Bellevue, 10; Brock West, Huron, 11 Defensive backs: Konner Dauch, Bellevue, 12; Nathan Porterfield, Huron, 12; Justin Bucher, Bellevue, 11 Honorable mention Quarterback: Robert Fisher, Huron, 12 Running back: Isaac Kyser, Vermilion, 11 Wide receiver: Dawson Coates, Vermilion, 10 End: Lucas Bodie, Port Clinton, 12 Centers: Carson Eckel, Edison, 10; Trent Taylor, Port Clinton, 11 Guard: Robbie White, Vermilion, 11 Tackle: Mark Palinski, Huron, 12 Special teams: Brody Morrow, Vermilion, 12 Defensive linemen: Liam Johnson, Port Clinton, 12; Cooper Winke, Bellevue, 12 Linebackers: Evan Bova, Bellevue, 12; Mason Cooper, Vermilion, 12; Cohen Dawson, Edison, 10 Defensive backs: Dawson Coates, Vermilion, 10; Elliot Laird, Port Clinton, 11