High School On SI 2024 All-State Ohio's Football Award Winners

High School On SI Ohio releases its high school football award winners for the 2024 season

Matt Ponatoski eyes a touchdown pass for Moeller during the OHSAA Division I football regional semifinals Nov. 15, 2024, at Dwire Field in Mason, Ohio. / Geoff Blankenship for The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There were first-time state champions, repeat winners - and some of the craziest games you will ever seen played anywhere on a football field this fall.

And now it is time for High School On SI Ohio to release its individual award winners, including the player and coach of the year honorees.

HIGH SCHOOL ON SI OHIO'S 2024 ALL-STATE INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS

Player of the Year: Matt Ponatoski, QB, Archbishop Moeller, Jr.

Arguably the state's top passer all season long has been Ponatoski, who has career marks at Moeller throughout his high school career. This past season, the senior quarterback completed 252-of-357 passes for 3,644 yards, 50 TDs and just mere two interceptions. Currently has collegiate overtures from Cincinnati, Purdue, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Miami (OH) and Kent State.

Offensive Player of the Year: Andrew Leonard, QB, Olentangy Liberty, Sr.

Though maybe not getting the looks for the major Power 4 level schools, Leonard was assuredly playing about as good as any passer this season in Ohio. Leonard completed 192-of-272 passes for 2,776 yards passing with 38 touchdowns and only five picks. On the ground, Leonard rushed for 550 yards and added four scores.

Defensive Player of the Year: Joshua Byers, LB, Danville, Sr.

When it came to being a tackling machine, none roamed the front seven like Byers did for Danville this past season. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound middle linebacker was everywhere for the 12-3 Blue Devils. Byers finished his final season of high school football racking up 204 total tackles, 19 of them going for a loss, 8.5 sacks. four pass deflections, an interception and a forced fumble.

Two-way Player of the Year: Bodpegn Miller, ATH, Ontario, Sr.

I mean, what didn't Miller do for Ontario in 2024? Aside from just playing quarterback, Miller could also punt and kick as well. This past season, the signal caller completed 149-for-253 passes for 2,216 yards, 20 scores. On the ground, he carried the rock 211 times for 1,988 yards rushing and found the endzone 21 times. As a punter, Miller had 18 punts go for an average of 35.8 yards per punt and had 17 touchbacks on kickoffs. Defensively in the secondary, Miller made 41 tackles and picked off three passes. One of the state's most well rounded talents as an athlete and is committed to Ohio State.

Coach of the Year: Mike Elder, Avon

For the first time in program history, the Avon Eagles pulled off winning a state championship and Elder has to be commended for the job he did guiding the club. Elder navigated his team through a treacherous schedule, with it culminating in Avon defeating Anderson, 20-13, for the Division II state championship. It capped an undefeated campaign for Avon.

---

More From High School On SI 

• High School On SI's Football All-Freshman Team 2024

• State Championship Winning Quarterback Transfers To St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida)

• Archbishop Stepinac's Mike O'Donnell Retiring After 37 Seasons As Head Coach: Report

• Bill Belichick Looking To Land IMG National's Billy Miller On UNC Coaching Staff: Report

---

Follow High School On SI throughout the 2024 high school football season for Live Updates, the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships!

Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news.

High School On SI will serve as the premier destination for high school sports fans, delivering unparalleled coverage of high school athletics nationwide through in-depth stories, recruiting coverage, rankings, highlights and much more. The launch of a dedicated high school experience expands Sports Illustrated’s reach to even more local communities as fans can now truly follow athletes from “preps to the pros” on a single platform, bringing them closer to the action than ever before. For more information, visit si.com/high-school.

Download the SBLive App

To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App

-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi