Listed below is the 2020 All-Region Team for Ohio. This list was voted on by captains within the Ohio Region.
1. Owen Sill – Bowling Green State
This year’s All-Ohio MVP is none other than the man behind the infamous gym hype video, Owen Sill, of the Bowling Green State Falcons. Owen is a tour de force on the dodgeball court and you’d be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t been on the wrong end of his terrorizing throw. Owen is a larger than life presence on the court and he knows it. He’s in the middle of every big play for the Falcons and when he’s on the court, the mission of the opposing team is to get this man to the outline so they have a chance of victory. As soon as Owen is ever caught back into a game, you can feel the tides changing in favor of Bowling Green. His team and BGSU fans alike cheer out loud when this man enters a game. There hasn’t been many talents like that. Congratulations to Owen on what has been a monumental career. Hopefully we get to see his talents on the court in grad school. Truly a once in a lifetime player.
2. Tom Morand – Miami
Coming in at the number two spot this year is last season’s All-Ohio MVP, Tom Morand. While Tom spent the entirety of this season playing through a nagging shoulder injury, he was determined to not allow that to slow him down. After getting convincingly beaten against Ohio in the first match of the season, Tom went on a tear, only allowing Miami to lose once until November where they met GVSU & pushed them to the limit, narrowly falling in overtime in what many people believe was the match of the year. Miami also picked up a much needed, program defining win against Ohio in February thanks in no small part to Tom Morand. Furthermore, the past two years it was no secret that while Miami was becoming a powerhouse program, as Tom went, so too did Miami. Tom Morand was everything to Miami, from rebuilding the program from nothing to being their pace-setting MVP. If this is truly the end of the line collegiately, then take a bow, Tom, you’ve had a heck of a career.
3. Joe Walsh – Cleveland State
When you think of Cleveland State Dodgeball, you think of Joe Walsh. He is easily the greatest player to come out of the Cleveland State Vikings since their inception. Joe has one of the fastest throws in the league and it has a wicked down-spin that starts at your face and ends on the tip of your toes, that is unless he’d rather place the throw on your teams logo, which he does often just to show how much heat he’s packing. While he is CSU’s top thrower, he’s also one of their top two catchers. I’ve seen him dodge an entire 6 man team throw and catch a ball in the midst of the whole thing. Joe is as hungry as a player gets. And it’s evident by Cleveland states growth over his tenure. For however long he’s in the league, we are sure to see Joe Walsh on a season highlight reel.
4. Ben Johnson – Ohio State
There are few players in the league with all-around talent like Ben Johnson. A natural leader on the court, Ben takes advantage of every opportunity to coordinate with new players, make clever plays on the court, and establish a presence to his opponents. Ben’s playing style is unique in the league. He is able to deliver sneaky cross-throws, dive for low catches, and put his entire body behind a ball to protect himself from a team throw. Bringing a force to the front line, you can never predict what kind of throw you will receive – or even which arm he will throw with. This past season, Ben has been instrumental in OSU’s increasing success. He had many clutch moments for the team in overtime and underdog moments. With his final year around the corner, he will continue to be a top player in the region.
5. Dylan Greer – Ohio State
Dylan Greer may be the most dedicated and knowledgeable dodgeball player in the NCDA. As a captain, he is always sharing footage with the team, communicating stealthy moves with players on the court, and making sure new rules are discussed and understood before matches. Dylan is an experienced dodgeball player, and his knowledge on team dynamics, communication, and gameplay have made him a top player for OSU and the Ohio Region. He loves to pump fake, he will threaten you to throw at him, and then he will drop down and make a catch. Dylan is an intimidating player on the court, and when he makes his throws, they will curve right down to your toes. As another captain of OSU, Dylan has successfully energized the team and new leaders. There is no doubt that he will lead the team to success as his dodgeball career continues next year.
6. Jacob Weber – Akron
Jacob Weber comes in at sixth for this season’s All-Ohio roster. Jacob was in his second year at Akron after being last year’s rookie of the year runner up and did not disappoint. Jacob was reason number one for Akron’s success this season. While not having a sparkling year, the Zips had a winning record and were pushing for a top 10 finish. Jacob is the premiere player for Akron, taking a high percentage of throws and clutching the most catches for his team. It’s no wonder why he landed on the upper half of this year’s stacked All-Ohio list. When Jacob is on the court for his team, there’s always a good chance he clutches the point on his own, as he has many times before. When you see the 2019 NCDA national champs putting 3-4 throws his direction every team throw for fear of being caught, you know you’ve got a special talent, and that is Mr. Weber. Jacob will be taking his talents to south Ohio for the next season as he joins the Cincinnati Bearcats.
7. Brett Liming – Cincinnati
Seventh on the 2020 All-Ohio list is University of Cincinnati captain, Brett Liming. A sophomore this season, this is Brett’s first time making the All-Ohio list, and it is well deserved. After only winning once and barely being able to scrape together a team of eight for the majority of the 2018/19 season, Brett led UC to a winning record this year, going 11-10 in the shortened season. Considering he joined a program in the fall semester of its inception, few have picked up the sport of dodgeball quicker than Brett have, much less being able to understand the strategy involved to achieve some of UC’s, at times dominant, victories against well-established programs. Brett also possesses a very strong throw, starting from a very high-side angle and surprising you at your feet. He’s also a very active player on the court, always pump-faking to throw off the opposing team’s cadence, looking for and calling out crosses, Brett does it all for UC. Look for Brett and the Bearcats to take another big step forward next season as they look to solidify themselves as a dominant team for years to come.
8. Dominic Tyburski – Miami
Dominic Tyburski is a fierce lefty that dominates the right corner. He is one of Miami’s reliable cannons that never seems to have to reload or run out of steam. Dom may hold the award for the most realistic pump fake that often distracts his target or his entire side of the court. He thrives in transition play and uses his size to back down the most confident opponent in the neutral zone. Once Dom takes the front line you had better hope you can dodge, because his throw has speed and a nasty curve that can blow by an expert blocker or slip through an experienced catcher. He is a vital part of Miami’s offense and if he has two balls in his hand you might as well count him as invincible. Despite breaking one of his fingers in a tournament this year, he was able to reestablish his game in the second half of the season by pulling in a few more clutch catches. Look for Dom to be the top offense weapon in Miami’s arsenal in the 2021 season.
9. Max Vincent – Bowling Green State
Number nine on All-Ohio is our second Bowling Green representative, Max Vincent. A junior, this is his first appearance on the All-Ohio list and second major accolade of his career (2017-2018 NCDA All-Rookie). Beginning to transition into a new era of BG Dodgeball, Max came forward in a big way as both a captain and play-maker. Although he had his fair share of injuries, Max never let that get in the way of his relentless passion and intensity for the sport and his team. Taking a deeper dive into his play style, Max did a majority of his damage in the mid-court. His terrific instincts paired with his above average mobility and arm (with a lethal 12/6 break), made transition play his greatest weapon. In addition, good luck getting him out when he has a ball in his hands. He can block with the best of them. On the flip side, although slightly improved this year, Max’s ability to catch leaves a lot to be desired. This is the missing ingredient for him to be considered among the elite in the league. Assuming decent health, look for Max to make another appearance on this list next year. However, his ability to improve his catching will be the deciding factor in whether or not he’s in the conversation for Ohio MVP or if he’s hit his peak.
10. Jake Larsen – Ohio
Despite being hurt this season, Jake Larsen is still the largest gun on Ohio University’s team. He used his injury to become a dual threat on the court by dramatically improving his catching ability after being named rookie of the year in the 2019 season. Jake is often the opposing number one target for opponents and uses that to benefit his team in the best way possible. He often places himself in positions where he does not have a ball and tempts anyone to throw at him for an easy catch. Larsen knows that most people are truly trying to hit him as hard as they can and he stands his ground and makes them pay by routinely catching fireballs. In addition, this allows his teammates to pick off key players on teams that are shadowing him. He was a star piece in Ohio’s strategy this season that played so well as a team.
11. Josh Warnecke – Ohio
Josh Warnecke is the rock of Ohio and was even named MVP within their club last year. I believe he is one of the most underrated players in Ohio. Josh is a perfectly well rounded player that has a high dodgeball IQ who is able to control the pace of the game. He typically plays in the right corner and will decimate his opponents with a sneakily fast throw combined with extreme accuracy that slips past many peoples’ blocks. Josh also happens to be an adept catcher as well. If you happen to make a mistake and solo throw on him you will be heading to the out-line, and even if you team-throw he will likely still catch one of them. If you wanted to beat Ohio University this season you had to mitigate the damage Josh caused to your team and I wish you luck because he is one of the most consistent high achieving players in the entire league.
12. Reid Manger – Miami
Rounding out our 2020 All-Ohio list is none other than Reid Manger. Reid has been a mainstay in the state of Ohio dodgeball conversation for a long time, this being his third time making the list. Reid is the fifth player to make All-Ohio honors three times in his career, and the first to do so on two separate teams (BGSU & Miami). Reid has always been known as a crafty defensive player, being able to make a catch anywhere and at any time on the court, turning the momentum quickly into his team’s favor. In his first year playing for the RedHawks, Reid showed that he was still one of the top players in the state of Ohio, no matter what jersey he wore. Look for more of the same this fall from Reid as Miami begins a new chapter & plays under new leadership.