Senior Kayo Ebbs was named Most Valuable Player for the football team at the Huskies’ awards banquet Thursday, Nov. 14.
Ebbs was also named, by his teammates, as Most Inspirational Leader, Best Defensive Back for the season and Best Offensive Back.
“It’s a testament to what servant leadership looks like.” Head Coach Ryan Adams said, encouraging his other players to strive for the same.
“Team awards are 100% voted on by the varsity football team as a whole,” Adams noted. ”I believe one of the biggest honors that you can get is the people that are going to work with you every single day, recognizing you for what you’re contributing to the team.”
Coaches described Ebbs as “dependable, consistent, somebody that was willing to push forward and lead by example.” They said he is encouraging and positive, “someone that, even after a loss, could smile, shake your hand, look you in the eye and say, ‘we’ll get them next time.’”
”The content of a man’s character is based on how they handle adversity and their willingness to want to push forward, to do hard things, to try to challenge themselves and Kayo is that man” Coach Chad Bach said.
Coach Nate Tyler described him, alongside junior Luke Rosa, who also was named Defensive Back of the Year, as demonstrating aggressive defensive leadership.
“We rarely got nervous when they were on the field because we knew that they were going to go out and just do an exceptional job and be that core defense,” he said.
Rosa also received the Team Defensive MVP.
“He is the kid that you would hope that every single kid that you come across is like in terms of his dedication, both in the classroom, in the weight room and in athletics, and he represents his family name extremely well,” Adams said.
Ebbs was recognized by 4A Special District 3 coaches as Second Team All-League at running back and Honorable Mention at inside linebacker. Rosa was named Second Team All-League inside linebacker.
Bode Nichols was named First Team All-League punter. Nichols was complimented by Marist coach, Zach Loboy: “We have some players on our team where their Dad was a 12-year NFL punter, and he made mention that, by far, in all the teams that he saw, this kid was the best high school punter that he’d seen in all his years.”
Junior Dillan Davis was named Offensive MVP, as well as Best Running Back.
“Dillan is the guy we tried to go to almost every single time and I was excited for this guy to be a varsity playmaker for us this year.” Tyler said.
Davis also was named Honorable Mention All League kick returner, Honorable Mention All League wide receiver, and Second Team All League defensive back
Senior Dylan Sharp was named Best Offensive Lineman for the Huskies, and was named Honorable Mention All-League at Offensive Guard and Defensive Lineman.
Senior Jayden Mancilla was named Best Defensive Lineman and All-League Honorable Mention at Offensive Tackle.
“The thing that made them great is they made each other better,” said Assistant Coach Nathan Whitfield. “They beat the crap out of each other, trying to make each other better.”
Junior Lynkin Royer also was named All-League Honorable Mention at Tackle.
The Huskies’ Black Lion Award, which goes to a player who truly embraces the “we” over “me” philosophy and is a servant leader, never complaining, went to junior Bridger Royer.
Sophomore Brayden McClure was named Most Improved Defensive Back for his footwork from the start of the season to the end of the season, and some of the plays he was able to make towards the end of the season improved. McClure had an interception that helped seal the game against Junction City, “which got a running clock to give us a chance to play for a playoff game the next week,” Coach Ryan Graville said.
Also named Most Improved was sophomore quarterback Kyle Zajic, who threw almost 200 passing yards during the Marist game – a big improvement from his performance earlier in the season and the previous season.
Jackson Barringer, who was not present, was awarded Most Improved Offensive Lineman.
4 year letter seniors Kayo Ebbs, Rickey Erickson, Jacob Landtroop, and Dylan Sharp
3 year letter Seniors Colton Bennett and Jason Funk
2 year letter Seniors Jackson Barringer, Killan Boggs, Chase Cameron, Conner Hagel, Jayden Mancilla Ashton Swanson and Eddie Taylor. Juniors Dillan Davis, James Hearick, Bode Nichols, Lynkin Royer
1st year letter Seniors Kyle Zajic juniors Keeghan Gittins, Gabriel Meadors, Bridger Royer,, Luke Rosa, Trenton Templin.Sophomores Gavin Tyler, Bradyn McClure, Liam Martin, Daniel McCubbins, Jarron Slayter, Kaeson Walker, Kyle Porter,, Kellen Hartsook, and freshman Mason Tyler
“It’s no surprise that the names that we heard more than any other today was a testament to the work that these guys put in,” Adams said.
The head coach emphasized the importance of servant leadership and accountability.
“The seniors set the tone this year,” he said. “They showed the younger players how to lead with character, whether in the locker room, on the field, or in the classroom.
“Football is a tool to create servant-leader young men,” Adams added. “If we’re not teaching them more than just the game, we’re failing.”
As the Huskies prepare for the next season, Adams tied up this season calling it the “winningest season yet” since the change to the special district in 2021
He praised the athletes for breaking barriers this season, achieving their first league win since 2021 and their first victory against Junction City at the varsity level since competing in a league featuring some of the state’s toughest teams, including Marist (10-11), Cascade (10-11), and Philomath. Sweet Home (4-5) shows improvement with a competitive spirit intact.
“This season, the team learned how to win,” said Adams. “We started with close, tough games that built confidence and allowed us to compete against the bigger juggernauts in our state.”
He said to keep this momentum for next season he encouraged during off season to not eat junk and keep being in the weight room to become better and better athletes, not just football players, bigger, faster, stronger and “better looking.”
“No matter what sport you’re playing next, the weight room is where you will continue to build stronger bodies, disciplined minds and this helps for better game results.”