COLUMBUS, Ohio — Moeller junior quarterback Matt Ponatoski was named Wednesday morning as an Ohio Mr. Football finalist by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association.
Ponatoski, Moeller’s all-time career passing yards leader, is one of eight finalists for the Mr. Football award, which has been which has been presented on an annual basis since 1987.
The OPSMA Mr. Football voting starts today for media members and concludes Dec. 2.
The winner will be announced Dec. 5 at 4 p.m. before the season’s first state final (Division II) at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
Ponatoski, the OPSMA Southwest District Division I offensive player of the year, was also the Greater Catholic League South division offensive player of the year.
He has thrown for 3,644 yards and 50 touchdowns for the Crusaders (13-1), who are No. 1 in the MaxPreps Ohio football rankings(regardless of division). He has also rushed for a touchdown.
Ponatoski has thrown for 866 yards in the past three weeks in the postseason.
“He’s been locked in every single week,” Moeller coach Bert Bathiany said. “He has a great grasp of the game plan, a great grasp of what we’re trying to do on offense. And I think his leadership has increased a lot through these couple of weeks where he is taking more of a hold — not just the offense — but the team. So I’ve been really happy about that. And he’s being smart with the football more than anything. So that’s number one.”
Ponatoski holds several Moeller records including career passing yards (7,208), season passing yards (3,676), career passing touchdowns (81), season passing touchdowns (50) along with season and career attempts and completions, according to Moeller sports information director George Smith.
He will also join the Ohio High School Athletic Association state record list for season and career passing touchdowns and season and career passing yards, according to Smith.
Moeller (13-1) plays Centerville (11-3) in a Division I state semifinal at Princeton Friday night.
“It’s not any other week,” Ponatoski said Tuesday afternoon. “It’s the state semifinal so we got to come out with a little more intent. But, just overall be us.”
It will be the first meeting between the programs since 2010 when Centerville won 27-17 in the first round of the playoffs, according to Smith.
This is the fourth consecutive season that Moeller is in the state semifinal round.
“Going into this week I think everybody’s excited,” Ponatoski said. “We’ve gotten to this game three years in a row. This is the fourth year. Just getting over the hump is what we’re trying to do at this point.”
Friday’s winner plays either Lakewood St. Edward (9-5) or Powell Olentangy Liberty (12-2) in the Division I state final Dec. 6 (7:30 p.m. kickoff) at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
Moeller is seeking its first football state final appearance since 2013.
Moeller is also seeking its second Mr. Football recipient. University of Michigan freshman running back Jordan Marshall won the 2023 award.
The OPSMA district chairpersons and the OPSMA officers selected student-athletes as finalists for the 2024 Ohio Mr. Football Award.
Other finalists include Bellefontaine senior quarterback Tavien St. Clair, Ontario senior quarterback Bodpegn Miller, Walsh Jesuit senior quarterback Keller Moten, Mentor senior quarterback Scotty Fox, Avon senior quarterback Nolan Good, Olentangy Liberty senior quarterback Andrew Leonard and Indian Valley junior running back Grady Kinsey.
The voting process will be nearly identical to that used to determine the Heisman Trophy winner in college football.
The award was presented by the Associated Press from 1987-2016. Since 2017, it has been presented by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association which is now renamed the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association.
Ohio Mr. Football Winners (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, Moeller, Michigan
