Howland coach Dick Angle was thrilled to get the news.
Senior tailback De'Veon Smith was named the Division II offensive player of the year on this year's Associated Press All-Ohio football team.
Smith finished the year with 1,883 yards and 27 touchdowns. Smith eclipsed the Trumbull County rushing mark set by former Champion and Southington standout Jimmy Rasey this season.
For his career, Smith had 6,750 yards and 82 touchdowns.
"When you get that type of recognition, it's a great honor and certainly well deserving, what he accomplished in four years at Howland and especially this year is second to none," Angle said. "He's a great young man, a humble young man. Whatever comes his way, it's through hard work and appreciation of his teammates and coaches. I couldn't be happier."
Smith wasn't the only area player to get player of the year.
Austintown Fitch senior Billy Price, who is playing at The Ohio State University next season, split the Division I defensive player of the year honor with Elyria's Tracy Sprinkle and Shane Jones of Cincinnati Moeller.
The Fitch lineman has anchored the Falcons for the past couple of years.
"I think he's a special young man coming up through our system," Fitch coach Phil Annarella said. "We were very blessed to have him. I think he handed himself tremendously well. He was always the big guy, big giant playing in these games. Some kids might not handle that as well as he did, but he did. He didn't let anything go to his head. He stayed focused, constantly tried to improve and just a quality young man. I'm just thrilled for him."
First-year Harding coach Steve Arnold was thrilled to get to coach Boston College-bound feature back LeShun Daniels, who had more than 1,300 yards rushing this season. Daniels made first-team offense in Division I.
"His performance was incredible all year," Arnold said. "Everything we did offensively was based on LeShun. When you're able to run the football as successfuly as we ran it, it's because our offensive line did a great job. LeShun would be the first to say that."
He also opened up the passing game for the 9-2 Raiders.
"When you're able to run the football, you're able to throw the football as well," Arnold said. "We were a ball-controll offense and LeShun enabled us to do that. We also had a big, blocking fullback in John Coleman."
On the other side of the ball, Harding defensive back Jalyn Powell stabalized the Raiders defense. Powell, a junior who has verbally committed to Michigan State, was named to the Division I first-team defense.
"He can guard you. He can blitz you and hit you," Arnold said. "That's a heckuva combination that Jalyn has. When you can guard, hit and go down in the box and play linebacker, we're able to do a lot things with Jalyn. That enabled our defense to have some success."
When Smith leaves to play at Michigan next season, Angle hopes his successor will be coming through soon.
"He set a standard our tailbacks are going to live up to," Angle said. "We're a tailback offense and we run tailbacks. We're looking for the next De'Veon and he's in Howland somewhere."
