Published: November 23, 2009 09:55 pm      

H.S. FOOTBALL: Fluellen, Rankie earn AA North top honors

LOCKPORT — Lockport’s newly crowned all-time rusher and all-time tackler have both earned Player of the Year honors from Section VI Football Class AA North.

“Mister 4,000,” senior running back David Fluellen, joins North Tonawanda senior quarterback Mike Tuzzo as Co-Offensive Players of the Year. Lions senior linebacker Luke Rankie and North Tonawanda senior linebacker Steve Kijowski were named Co-Defensive Players of the Year.

Fluellen and Rankie both earned AA North First Team honors, along with teammates Greg Farkas, a junior offensive lineman, senior defensive back Jake Chenez and kicker/punter senior Brian Orzechowski.

NT’s Eric Jantzi was named AA North “Coach of the Year,” while the Niagara Falls Wolverines earned the Team Sportsmanship Award.

Fluellen rushed for 1,638 yards on 229 carries this past season for head coach Greg Bronson’s Lions (5-4). He finished his career (2006-09) with 4,274 yards on 646 carries, 302 career points and 50 touchdowns, all school records.

Rankie surpassed Dion Cheatham (1989-91) in LHS career tackles this past season with 297. Farkas, a 6-feet, 2-inch, 240-pound one-man wrecking ball, had a standout season on the Lions’ line.

Orzechowski’s 25 extra points in 2009 is second all-time at LHS for a single season and third all-time for a career.

Rounding out the AA North First Team for offense are Kyle Shreve (senior OL, North Tonawanda), James Donner (senior OL, Niagara-Wheatfield), Casey Shreve (senior OL, North Tonawanda), Travis Charsley (junior TE, North Tonawanda), Dan Hannon (senior TE, Kenmore West), Darryl Smith (senior WR, Niagara Falls), Aaron Davis (senior RB, North Tonawanda) and Dale Stewart (junior RB, Niagara Falls).

Others named to the AA North First Team for defense are Adam Donner (junior DL, Niagara-Wheatfield), Laeson Bradley (senior DL, Niagara Falls), Paul Kennon (senior DL, Niagara Falls), Sean McDonough (senior DL, North Tonawanda), Mike McCartney (junior LB, Niagara Falls), Jalen Gayle (senior LB, Niagara Falls), Zach Bouley (senior DB, Kenmore West), Darrik Bloomfield (senior DB, North Tonawanda), Joe Montesanti (junior DB, North Tonawanda), Will Cody (senior DB, Niagara-Wheatfield), Marcus Lobdell (sophomore kick returner, Kenmore West).

Four more Lions, junior quarterback Kevin Bronson, senior defensive back Jimmy Graziano, senior linebacker Sean Mulvey and junior fullback James Renford earned AA North Second Team honors.

They’re joined on the Second Team by Sergey Denz (Sr.), Tim Griffin (Sr.), Warren Hemphill (Sr.), Mike Peters (Sr.) and Edgar Rosario (Sr.) of Kenmore West; Billy Gee (Sr.), Jermaine Fryling (Jr.), Anthony Moss (Sr.), Branton Shine (Sr.), Linsey Travis (Jr.) and C.J. Williams (Sr.) of Niagara Falls; Pat Ciera (Sr.), Joe Ditto (Sr.), Jacob Kelly (Soph.) and Matt Knotts (Sr.) of Niagara-Wheatfield and North Tonawanda’s Dan Montesanti (Jr.), Collin O’Donnell (Jr.), Jim Rogers (Sr.) and Jeff Schinaman (Sr.).

Named to the AA North Honorable Mention squad from Lockport were junior linebacker Thomas DiCarlo, senior defensive lineman Thurman Harden, senior offensive lineman Weston Lederhaus and junior defensive back Dorian Polk.

Rounding out the Honorable Mention squad are Kenmore West’s Dominic Czarniak, Alex Fumerelle, Ryan Meldrum and Shawn Wozniak; Niagara Falls’ Quandray Gray and Bruce Hartinger; Niagara-Wheatfield’s Ken Alexander, Tyler Marchetti and Devon Strausburg; and North Tonawanda’s Ryan Daigler, Josh Kern, Jordan Marrs, Clayton Schmidt and Tom Sell.