Junior quarterback Matt Ponatoski of Archbishop Moeller is the 38th winner of the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association’s Ohio Mr. Football award. It’s the second in a row that a Moeller player has won the award — running back Jordan Marshall won the award last year.
Ponatoski, 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, totaled 70 points in the statewide voting by OPSMA members. Bellefontaine senior quarterback Tavien St. Clair was the runner-up with 60 points. Ontario senior quarterback Bodpegn Miller was third with 57 points. Additional finalists included Mentor senior quarterback Scotty Fox, Avon senior quarterback Nolan Good, Gnadenhutten Indian Valley junior running back Grady Kinsey, Powell Olentangy Liberty senior quarterback Andrew Leonard, and Cuyahoga Walsh Jesuit senior quarterback Keller Moten.
Related: Finalists for the Ohio Mr. Football Award
On Friday, Ponatoski will lead Moeller into the Division I state championship game against Powell Olentangy Liberty at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. Moeller is currently ranked No. 41 in the High School Football America 300 national rankings, powered by NFL Play Football.
Last month, Ponatoski was named the Southwest District Division I Offensive Player of the Year and the GCL Offensive Player of the Year. He has already set Moeller career records for passing yards and touchdown passes.
The Ohio Mr. Football Award was given by the Associated Press from 1987-2016. It has been given by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association since 2017.
Ohio Mr. Football Recipients (including college choice)
1987: Buster Howe, RB-DB-K-P, Zanesville, Ohio State
1988: Robert Smith, RB, Euclid, Ohio State
1989: Robert Smith, RB, Euclid, Ohio State
1990: Bobby Hoying, QB, St. Henry, Ohio State
1991: Derek Kidwell, QB-DE, Fostoria, Bowling Green
1992: Marc Edwards, RB-LB, Norwood, Notre Dame
1993: Curtis Enis, RB-LB, Mississinawa Valley, Penn State
1994: Charles Woodson, DB-RB, Fremont Ross, Michigan
1995: Andy Katzenmoyer, LB, Westerville South, Ohio State
1996: Derek Combs, RB-DB-KR, Grove City, Ohio State
1997: Tony Fisher, RB, Euclid, Notre Dame
1998: Ryan Brewer, RB, Troy, South Carolina
1999: Bam Childress, DB-WR-KR, Bedford St. Peter Chanel, Ohio State
2000: Jeff Backes, RB-DB, Upper Arlington, Northwestern
2001: Maurice Clarett, RB, Warren G. Harding, Ohio State
2002: Ben Mauk, QB, Kenton, Wake Forest/Cincinnati
2003: Ray Williams, RB, Cleveland Benedictine, West Virginia
2004: Tyrell Sutton, RB, Archbishop Hoban, Northwestern
2005: Delone Carter, RB, Copley, Syracuse
2006: Brandon Saine, RB, Piqua, Ohio State
2007: Bart Tanski, QB, Mentor, Bowling Green
2008: Erick Howard, RB, North Canton Hoover, Akron
2009: Erick Howard, RB, North Canton Hoover, Akron
2010: Akise Teague, RB-DB-KR, Youngstown Ursuline, Cincinnati
2011: Maty Mauk, QB, Kenton, Missouri/Eastern Kentucky
2012: Mitch Trubisky, QB, Mentor, North Carolina
2013: Dante Booker Jr., LB, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, Ohio State
2014: Joe Burrow, QB, Athens, Ohio State, Louisiana State
2015: Keishaun Sims, RB-DB, Massillon Perry, Ashland University
2016: Michael Warren, RB, Toledo Central Catholic, University of Cincinnati
2017: Joey Baughman, QB, Wadsworth, Elon University
2018: Cade Stover, SS-RB, Lexington, Ohio State University
2019: Evan Prater, QB, Cincinnati Wyoming, University of Cincinnati
2020: Corey Kiner, RB, Cincinnati Roger Bacon, Louisiana State
2021: Drew Allar, QB, Medina, Penn State
2022: Lamar Sperling, RB, Akron Archbishop Hoban, Buffalo
2023: Jordan Marshall, RB, Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller, Michigan
Information about the OPSMA is available at: https://www.ohsaa.org/news/OPSMA
