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GCL South announces its all-star football teams for the 2018 season

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CINCINNATI – Elder senior quarterback Michael Bittner tries to avoid looking at the Greater Catholic League website this fall.

While his family and others like to compare statistical performances in the conference, Bittner says he doesn’t get caught up into social media. It’s not who he is as a student-athlete. He'd prefer to concentrate on the Panthers as a team.

“I try not to worry about my stats,” Bittner said. “I worry about the win.”

But, Wednesday will be one day he can’t avoid. That’s because Bittner was named the Greater Catholic League South Division Player of the Year.

“Michael has been a great leader for us,” Elder coach Doug Ramsey said. “He leads both on and off the field. He is a great person and student. He’s very mature and handles everything the same way.”

The GCL South announced its all-star football teams and special award winners for the 2018 season Wednesday afternoon.

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Moeller’s Doug Rosfeld was named the GCL South Coach of the Year in just his first season as the Crusaders' head coach. Rosfeld, a 1997 Moeller graduate, led the Crusaders to the school’s first outright league championship since 2013 with an unbeaten 3-0 record and a postseason berth.

Moeller’s Doug Rosfeld was named the GCL South Coach of the Year Wednesday. (File photo)

Rosfeld is the fourth Moeller football coach to make the playoffs in his first year. Moeller has had six head football coaches in program history.

Elder (6-4) plays host to Moeller (6-4) in a Division I, Region 4 quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Friday. Moeller defeated Elder 24-21 at Nippert Stadium Oct. 5 to capture the GCL South title.

Bittner, a dual threat for the Panthers, completed 157-of-269 passes for a league-leading 2,195 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also rushed 165 times for 519 yards – which is third best in the conference.

“It’s a great honor just to be recognized for what I have done this season,” Bittner told WCPO Wednesday morning. “I am very thankful.”

Ramsey, in his 22nd year as the Elder head football coach, says Bittner has had one of the top couple of seasons at quarterback since he's been at the school.

"He makes great decisions, throws the ball accurately and makes all the throws," Ramsey said. "He is a good runner. He keeps defenses off balance. He is really good when the play breaks down either running or scrambling and finding an open receiver. I can't imagine too many better quarterbacks in the state."

Here is a look at the all-league teams, with the players listed in alphabetical order by school, position, class, height and weight:

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

NAME, SCHOOL, POSITION, CLASS, HEIGHT, WEIGHT

Michael Bittner, Elder, QB, Senior, 6-2, 200

Zach Carpenter, Moeller, OL, Senior, 6-4, 300

Tim Finley, Elder, OL, Senior, 5-11, 230

Markell Harden, La Salle, OL, Junior, 6-0, 290

Paris Johnson, St. Xavier, OL, Junior, 6-7, 287

Luke Kandra, Elder, OL, Junior, 6-4, 285

RJ Khayo, Moeller, WR, Senior, 5-9, 152

Jared Kreimer, St. Xavier, WR, Senior, 6-0, 185

Matt Mohn, St. Xavier, OL, Senior, 6-2, 265

Chris Payne, St. Xavier, RB, Senior, 6-1, 216

Cameron Porter, La Salle, RB, Junior, 5-11, 207

Joe Royer, Elder, TE, Junior, 6-5, 210

Kyle Trischler, Elder, WR, Senior, 5-10, 180

Chrystopher Watkins, Moeller, RB, Senior, 6-0, 207  

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

NAME, SCHOOL, POSITION, CLASS, HEIGHT, WEIGHT  

Nathan Arthur, St. Xavier, LB, Senior, 5-11, 189

Eric Beck, Elder, DB, Senior, 5-9, 175

Garrett Bledsoe, La Salle, LB, Senior, 6-0, 209

Spencer Bono, Elder, DL, Senior, 6-4, 240

Jake Hofmeyer, Elder, LB, Senior, , 6-1, 200

BJ Hendrix, Moeller, DB, Senior, 5-10, 168

Tucker Hundley, St. Xavier, DB, Junior, 5-11, 173

Brody Ingle, La Salle, LB, Senior, 6-1, 210

Braedon Junker, Moeller, DB, Senior, 6-3, 198

Thomas Kiessling, St. Xavier, LB, Senior, 6-4, 225

Jack Lampert, Moeller, DB, Senior, 6-1, 161

Alex Merritt, Moeller,  DL, Senior, 6-3, 265

Ryan Mullaney, Moeller, DL, Junior, 6-2, 228

Drew Nieman, La Salle, P, Senior, 5-10, 177

Steven Seger, Elder, DB, Senior, 6-0, 170

Luke Szabados, Moeller, LB, Senior, 6-2, 233

Kevin Thibodeaux, Moeller, PK, Junior, 5-9, 188

Jarred Uran, La Salle, LB, Senior, 6-2, 194  

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

NAME, SCHOOL, POSITION, CLASS, HEIGHT, WEIGHT  

Stone Dixon, Moeller, OL, Senior, 6-3, 280

Jakob James, Elder, OL, Junior, 6-5, 270

Jack Kirby, St. Xavier, OL, Junior, 6-3, 290

Matthew Luebbe, Elder, ATH, Junior, 5-11, 170

Max Land, Moeller, WR, Junior, 6-2, 179

TJ Rotello, Moeller, RB, Sophomore, 5-11, 188

Tae Smith, La Salle, WR, Sophomore, 5-9, 153

Nathan Stockman, St. Xavier, ATH, Senior, 6-1, 170  

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

NAME, SCHOOL, POSITION, CLASS, HEIGHT, WEIGHT  

Cam Behanan, La Salle, DL, Senior, 5-9, 212

Raja Bridges, St. Xavier, LB, Senior, 6-1, 217

Joe Craft, Moeller, LB, Senior, 5-10, 192

Kalib Dailey, Elder, LB, Senior, 6-0, 185

Andrew Draginoff, La Salle, DL, Senior, 6-1, 195

BJ Ferguson, St. Xavier, DB, Senior, 5-10, 179

Cole Hildebrand, La Salle, DB, Junior, 6-3, 176

Jaylen Johnson, La Salle, DB, Senior, 6-1, 187

Kyle Klingenbeck, Elder, DL, Senior, 6-2, 240

Will MacDonald, St. Xavier, DL, Senior, 6-0, 209

Trevor Potts, St. Xavier, DB, Senior, 5-9, 181

Luke Thiemann, La Salle, LB, Junior, 6-2, 210

Joe Toepfer, Moeller, DL, Junior, 6-0, 216

Carrington Valentine, Moeller, DB, Junior, 5-11, 172  

SPECIAL AWARDS  

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Michael Bittner, Elder  

COACH OF THE YEAR

Doug Rosfeld, Moeller  

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

RJ Khayo, Moeller  

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Ryan Mullaney, Moeller  

OFFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR

Cameron Porter, La Salle  

RECEIVER OF THE YEAR

Kyle Trischler, Elder  

ALL-PURPOSE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

RJ Khayo, Moeller and Jared Kreimer, St. Xavier  

LINEMAN OF THE YEAR

Thomas Kiessling, St. Xavier  

LINEBACKER OF THE YEAR

Brody Ingle, La Salle  

DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR

Steven Seger, Elder  

KICKER OF THE YEAR

Kevin Thibodeaux, Moeller  

PUNTER OF THE YEAR

Drew Nieman, La Salle