Hughes, Woolridge Highlight All-Area Football Team
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Dale Hubler-dhubler@timesuniononline.com
With the completion of the high school football season, which culminated last week with six state championship games at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, comes the annual unveiling of the Times-Union All-Area Team. While only one area team won a postseason game, there were plenty of memorable plays, moments and achievements this fall. Senior quarterback Jake Mangas rewrote Warsaw's passing record books, setting new marks for attempts and completions in a game, season and career, and for yards in a season and career. Senior running back Tanner Hughes did some record book rewriting of his own, shattering Whitko High School's previous rushing records. The Triton Trojans, who won just one game last year under first-year coach John Johns, upped their win total to three this season, including a victory over South Central in the Class 1A sectional opener. And the list goes on ... This year's All-Area team is highlighted by Hughes, the Area Offensive Player of the Year, and Warsaw senior Caleb Woolridge, the Area Defensive Player of the Year. Leading the Whitko Wildcats to a 6-4 record overall and a 6-1 mark in the Three Rivers Conference, Hughes, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound senior fullback, carried the ball 225 times for 1,431 yards and 16 touchdowns. Hughes averaged six yards per carry. “When we needed a first down, or to punch it in the endzone, Tanner was the one we went to,” said Whitko coach Josh Mohr. “He has the strength and attitude to run through the first tackler. It took three or four tacklers to bring him down most of the time.” Hughes now owns Whitko records for most rushing yards in a season (1,431) and a career (3,287), as well as career rushing touchdowns (38) and total career touchdowns (38). Hughes also holds Whitko’s record for most rushing attempts in a career with 577, as well as the school’s mark for total rushing/receiving/return yards with 3,294. “His focus is what makes him different,” said Mohr. “He focuses on pushing himself to the edge in the weight room and on the field. Tanner understood early on how important the weight room was for his success. He lifted with a purpose and a drive to be the best.” Hughes, who wants to play college football and pursue a degree in business management, though undecided where, is joined on the offensive side of the All-Area team by teammate Zach Baughman, who anchored the line that blocked for Hughes. Others on the offensive side of the All-Area team include linemen Austin French (Valley), Thad Miller (Manchester), Nate Prescott (Wawasee) and Eric Kreider (Warsaw). Skill-position players on the team include Mangas, Hughes, running back Jacob Casper (Manchester), receivers Clayton Cook (Wawasee) and Riley Rhoades (Warsaw) and tight end Jeremy David (Warsaw). Warsaw’s Caleb Klusman is the All-Area kicker, while Manchester’s Bailey Ness in on the squad after averaging 40 yards per punt. The defensive side of the All-Area team is anchored by Woolridge, a 5-11, 210-pound linemen for the Warsaw Tigers. Woolridge finished his senior season with 45 tackles, including 15.5 total tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and one pass breakup. Watching Warsaw play, it seemed as if Woolridge was in on every stop. “His quickness and tenacity off the ball made him stand out,” Warsaw coach Phil Jensen said of Woolridge. “He could not be blocked one-on-one.” Woolridge proved just how difficult it is to block him during the game against Goshen, as he made five sacks against the Redskins. “His motor never stops,” said Jensen. “He was always in the opponent’s backfield. Every week, the opposing coaches were talking about him.” Woolridge, who plans to play college football somewehere and study criminal justice, is joined on the All-Area team by defensive teammates Ben Plummer (linemen), Dylan Childers (linebacker) and Ethyn Bradley (secondary). The rest of the team includes linemen Codi Hutchinson (Manchester) and Zach Snep (Whitko), linebackers Garrett Bell (Valley), Sam Silor (Whitko) and Maclain Herr (Wawasee), and defensive backs Nathan Katzer (Wawasee) and Brady Weeks (Whitko).
