2025 Post-Journal/OBSERVER Football Defensive All-Stars
MATT REDLECKI
Defensive Lineman
Clymer/Sherman/Panama
Matt Redlecki, a senior, was named a Class C South First-Team All-Star and received the league’s Sportsmanship Award. … Was in on 49 tackles, including 14 for a loss, and had six sacks while also recovering a fumble.
ZACH DAVIS
Defensive Lineman
Fredonia
Zach Davis, a senior, was named a Class C South co-Lineman of the Year. … Was in on 35 tackles and recovered a fumble. … Also anchored an offensive line in front of a Hillbillies’ attack that ran for 1,635 yards and 10 touchdowns while also throwing for 821 yards and five touchdowns.
CLAYTON SMITH
Defensive Lineman
Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton
Clayton Smith, a senior, was named a Class C South First-Team All-Star. … Was in on 52 tackles, including 19 for a loss, had 12 sacks and recovered a fumble. … Also ran 28 times for 135 yards and six touchdowns.
HUNTER FOSTER
Defensive Lineman
Randolph
Hunter Foster, a senior, was named a Class D co-Defensive Lineman of the Year. … Was in on 40 tackles. … Was also a part of an offensive line in front of a Cardinals’ attack that ran for 1,475 yards and 15 touchdowns while throwing for 644 yards and nine touchdowns.
BRAYDEN POTTER
Linebacker
Southwestern/Frewsburg
Brayden Potter, a senior, was named a Class C South co-Lineman of the Year. … Was in on 52 tackles, including 11 for a loss, had two sacks, intercepted two passes and returned one for a touchdown. … Also a part of the Southwestern/Frewsburg offensive that gained 3,762 yards and scored 56 touchdowns.
TRENT HOUSER
Linebacker
Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton
Trent Houser, a senior, was named a Class C South co-Defensive Player of the Year. … Was in on 108 tackles, including 13 for a loss, had a sack, intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown, also had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
ZACH MARKHAM
Linebacker
Southwestern/Frewsburg
Zach Markham, a junior, was named a Class C South co-Defensive Player of the Year. … Was in on 55 tackles, including 23 for a loss, and had seven sacks. Also defended two passes and intercepted one while forcing two fumbles, recovering five fumbles and scoring a touchdown.
WINTER MENTLEY-PETERS
Linebacker
Gowanda/Pine Valley
Winter Mentley-Peters, a senior, was named a Class D co-Defensive Player of the Year. … Was in on 102 tackles, including eight for a loss, had two sacks and intercepted a pass. … Also ran 152 times for 1,022 yards and eight touchdowns while catching 19 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns.
TRISTEN GIBBS
Linebacker
Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton
Tristen Gibbs, a sophomore, was named a Class C South First-Team All-Star. … Was in on 100 tackles, including 15 for a loss, defended three passes and intercepted one, forced three fumbles and recovered two. … Also ran 35 times for 231 yards and three touchdowns.
PAYTON BRADLEY
Linebacker
Salamanca
Payton Bradley, a senior, was named a Class C South First-Team All-Star. … Was in on 39 tackles, including two for a loss, intercepted three passes and forced two fumbles. … Also completed 79 of 140 passes for 1,057 yards and 10 touchdowns while rushing for 465 yards and 10 touchdowns.
GRANT ZAHM
Linebacker
Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove
Grant Zahm, a senior, was named a Class C South First-Team All-Star. … Was in on 49 tackles, including seven for a loss, had two sacks, intercepted a pass, forced a fumble and scored a touchdown. … Also caught 14 passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns.
LUIS DIAZ
Linebacker
Jamestown
Luis Diaz, a senior, was named a Class AA First-Team All-Star. … Accumulated 100 tackles, including 12 for loss, intercepted a pass, and forced a fumble and recovered another.
KYAN AUSTIN
Defensive Back
Gowanda/Pine Valley
Kyan Austin, a junior, was named a Class D First-Team All-Star. … Was in on 27 tackles, intercepted four passes, recovered two fumbles and scored a touchdown. … Also caught 37 passes for 483 yards and seven touchdowns.
AIDEN WOODIS
Defensive Back
Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton
Aiden Woodis, a sophomore, was named a Class C South Second-Team All-Star. … Was in on 31 tackles, defended three passes and intercepted five, returning one for a touchdown. … Also caught three passes for 33 yards and a touchdown, and returned 11 kickoffs for 230 yards.
ARIES CHEVEREZ
Defensive Back
Dunkirk
Aries Cheverez, a junior, was named a Class B2 First-Team All-Star.
- MATT REDLECKI Defensive Lineman Clymer/Sherman/Panama Matt Redlecki, a senior, was named a Class C South First-Team All-Star and received the league’s Sportsmanship Award. … Was in on 49 tackles, including 14 for a loss, and had six sacks while also recovering a fumble.
- ZACH DAVIS Defensive Lineman Fredonia Zach Davis, a senior, was named a Class C South co-Lineman of the Year. … Was in on 35 tackles and recovered a fumble. … Also anchored an offensive line in front of a Hillbillies’ attack that ran for 1,635 yards and 10 touchdowns while also throwing for 821 yards and five touchdowns.
- CLAYTON SMITH Defensive Lineman Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton Clayton Smith, a senior, was named a Class C South First-Team All-Star. … Was in on 52 tackles, including 19 for a loss, had 12 sacks and recovered a fumble. … Also ran 28 times for 135 yards and six touchdowns.
- HUNTER FOSTER Defensive Lineman Randolph Hunter Foster, a senior, was named a Class D co-Defensive Lineman of the Year. … Was in on 40 tackles. … Was also a part of an offensive line in front of a Cardinals’ attack that ran for 1,475 yards and 15 touchdowns while throwing for 644 yards and nine touchdowns.
- BRAYDEN POTTER Linebacker Southwestern/Frewsburg Brayden Potter, a senior, was named a Class C South co-Lineman of the Year. … Was in on 52 tackles, including 11 for a loss, had two sacks, intercepted two passes and returned one for a touchdown. … Also a part of the Southwestern/Frewsburg offensive that gained 3,762 yards and scored 56 touchdowns.
- TRENT HOUSER Linebacker Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton Trent Houser, a senior, was named a Class C South co-Defensive Player of the Year. … Was in on 108 tackles, including 13 for a loss, had a sack, intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown, also had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
- ZACH MARKHAM Linebacker Southwestern/Frewsburg Zach Markham, a junior, was named a Class C South co-Defensive Player of the Year. … Was in on 55 tackles, including 23 for a loss, and had seven sacks. Also defended two passes and intercepted one while forcing two fumbles, recovering five fumbles and scoring a touchdown.
- WINTER MENTLEY-PETERS Linebacker Gowanda/Pine Valley Winter Mentley-Peters, a senior, was named a Class D co-Defensive Player of the Year. … Was in on 102 tackles, including eight for a loss, had two sacks and intercepted a pass. … Also ran 152 times for 1,022 yards and eight touchdowns while catching 19 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns.
- TRISTEN GIBBS Linebacker Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton Tristen Gibbs, a sophomore, was named a Class C South First-Team All-Star. … Was in on 100 tackles, including 15 for a loss, defended three passes and intercepted one, forced three fumbles and recovered two. … Also ran 35 times for 231 yards and three touchdowns.
- PAYTON BRADLEY Linebacker Salamanca Payton Bradley, a senior, was named a Class C South First-Team All-Star. … Was in on 39 tackles, including two for a loss, intercepted three passes and forced two fumbles. … Also completed 79 of 140 passes for 1,057 yards and 10 touchdowns while rushing for 465 yards and 10 touchdowns.
- GRANT ZAHM Linebacker Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove Grant Zahm, a senior, was named a Class C South First-Team All-Star. … Was in on 49 tackles, including seven for a loss, had two sacks, intercepted a pass, forced a fumble and scored a touchdown. … Also caught 14 passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns.
- LUIS DIAZ Linebacker Jamestown Luis Diaz, a senior, was named a Class AA First-Team All-Star. … Accumulated 100 tackles, including 12 for loss, intercepted a pass, and forced a fumble and recovered another.
- KYAN AUSTIN Defensive Back Gowanda/Pine Valley Kyan Austin, a junior, was named a Class D First-Team All-Star. … Was in on 27 tackles, intercepted four passes, recovered two fumbles and scored a touchdown. … Also caught 37 passes for 483 yards and seven touchdowns.
- AIDEN WOODIS Defensive Back Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton Aiden Woodis, a sophomore, was named a Class C South Second-Team All-Star. … Was in on 31 tackles, defended three passes and intercepted five, returning one for a touchdown. … Also caught three passes for 33 yards and a touchdown, and returned 11 kickoffs for 230 yards.
- ARIES CHEVEREZ Defensive Back Dunkirk Aries Cheverez, a junior, was named a Class B2 First-Team All-Star.



















