By Cort Reynolds

Four Bluffton High School football players made 2025 All-Northwest Conference first team in voting recently conducted by the league coaches.

Two Pirate standouts earned first-team all-league status on offense and defense. 

Junior Tayte Giesige made first team at quarterback and defensive back. He led the league in passing yards with 2,263. He threw a league-best 32 touchdown passes and tossed only five interceptions. Giesige completed 112 of 167 passes (67 percent).

The speedster also rushed for 646 yards (8.7 avg. per carry) and eight TDs. He added two interceptions.

Junior workhorse Mason Shank was tabbed first team All-NWC on the offensive and defensive lines. He was among the league leaders in tackles and sacks.

Speedy senior wideout Kain Wright was named first team all-league on offense. He pulled in 23 passes for 674 yards and nine touchdowns.

Senior Jackson Bowlus made the first team defense at linebacker.

Senior Braylon Goings earned second-team honors as an offensive lineman.

Junior outside linebacker Hunter Betts, junior running back Parker Lovell, junior wide receiver Blayne Hill and freshman tight end Dylan Cherry all were voted honorable mention All-NWC.

Lovell carried the ball 116 times for 636 yards (5.5 avg.) and 11 TDs.

Hill grabbed 21 receptions for 479 yards and seven TDs.

Crestview running back Braxton Leeth was named NWC Offensive Player of the Year. The workhorse back rushed for over 2,300 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Lima Central Catholic’s Caden Falke and Brady Basinger of Columbus Grove were tabbed NWC Co-Defensive Players of the Year.

Andy Schafer of league champion Columbus Grove was voted NWC Coach of the Year by his peers.

Grove won their third straight league title outright with a 7-0 record. LCC finished second at 6-1, followed by Bluffton in third at 5-2.

NWC Offensive Player of the Year: Braxton Leeth – Crestview
NWC Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Caden Falke – Lima Central Catholic & Brady Basinger – Columbus Grove
NWC Coach of the Year: Andy Schafer – Columbus Grove

1st Team Offense
Offensive Line
Jakob Leininger – Senior – Columbus Grove
Mason Shank – Junior – Bluffton
Andrew Baldauf – Senior – Lima Central Catholic
Dominic McKee – Junior – Lima Central Catholic
Kale Lichtensteiger – Junior – Crestview

Tight End
Brady Basinger – Junior – Columbus Grove

Receiver
Trevon Baxter – Senior – Columbus Grove
Kain Wright – Senior – Bluffton
Michael Quatman – Junior – Lima Central Catholic

Running Back
Braxton Leeth – Senior – Crestview
Ray Hoying – Senior – Fort Loramie

Quarterback
Tayte Giesige – Junior – Bluffton

Specialist
Trevon Baxter – Senior – Columbus Grove

1st Team Defense
Defensive Line
Gavin Baxter – Sophomore – Columbus Grove
Mason Shank – Junior – Bluffton
Liam Putman – Senior – Crestview
Louie Knotts – Senior – Lima Central Catholic

Linebacker
Brady Basinger – Junior – Columbus Grove
Caden Falke – Senior – Lima Central Catholic
Ray Hoying – Senior – Fort Loramie
Jackson Bowlus – Senior – Bluffton
Xavier Pernell – Junior – Lima Central Catholic

Defensive Back
Trevon Baxter – Senior – Columbus Grove
Tayte Giesige – Junior – Bluffton
Gavin Barraza – Senior – Columbus Grove
Michael Quatman – Junior – Lima Central Catholic

2nd Team Offense
Offensive Line
Will Sheets – Junior – Crestview
Lucas Warmbrod – Junior – Columbus Grove
Brady Malcom – Senior – Lima Central Catholic
Braylon Goings – Senior – Bluffton
Ben Hawkins – Sophomore – Allen East

Tight End
Liam Putman – Senior – Crestview

Receiver
Tanner Eilerman – Freshman – Fort Loramie
Lausen Flores – Junior – Lima Central Catholic
Gavin Baxter – Sophomore – Columbus Grove

Running Back
Miles McDorman – Junior – Allen East
Carter Lester – Sophomore – Lima Central Catholic

Quarterback
Brady Parker – Junior – Lima Central Catholic

Specialist
Evan Verhoff – Senior – Columbus Grove

2nd Team Defense
Defensive Line
Jayden Williams – Junior – Lima Central Catholic
Jakob Leininger – Senior – Columbus Grove
Kaleb Bergman – Senior – Fort Loramie
Will Sheets – Junior – Crestview

Linebacker
Trent Wynkoop – Junior – Columbus Grove
Brody McCluer – Sophomore – Columbus Grove
Jacob Hawk – Sophomore – Allen East
Jaxon Buzard – Sophomore – Delphos Jefferson

Defensive Back
Ethan Hershberger – Junior – Allen East
Hayden Perrott – Senior – Crestview
Zac Dues – Senior – Fort Loramie
Luke Rode – Senior – Delphos Jefferson

Honorable Mention Offense
Offensive Line
Dylan Meyer – Junior – Fort Loramie
Hunter Betts – Senior – Bluffton
Louie Knotts – Senior – Lima Central Catholic
Sammy Goubeaux – Senior – Fort Loramie
Jace Wehner – Senior – Crestview
Carter Flores – Junior – Columbus Grove

Tight End
J.J. Schnieders Lima Central Catholic
Dylan Cherry Bluffton

Receiver
Gavin Barraza – Senior – Columbus Grove
Hayden Perrott – Senior – Crestview
Deacon Jones – Senior – Allen East
Blayne Hill – Junior – Bluffton
Lucas Millmine – Senior – Delphos Jefferson

Running Back
Brody McCluer – Sophomore – Columbus Grove
Parker Lovell – Junior – Bluffton
Zach Looser – Senior – Spencerville

Quarterback
Landon Best – Senior – Columbus Grove
Keagan Jones – Junior – Allen East

Specialist
Brevan Stolly – Junior – Lima Central Catholic

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