LEXINGTON — Opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators anticipating the 2019 graduation of Lexington’s Cade Stover should be cautioned.

That light at the end of the tunnel is a runaway freight train.

The Richland Source Defensive Player of the Year, Stover continued his reign of terror this fall. The junior safety led the area in tackles for a third straight season, piling up 130 stops while taking on additional offensive responsibilities as Lex’s quarterback.

In three years, Stover had made 443 tackles. He had 118 as a freshman and was credited for 195 in 13 games as the Minutemen reached the regional final in 2016.

It wasn’t long after the conclusion of his sophomore season that college programs began to take notice. He received his first Division I offer from Miami of Ohio before Ohio State threw its hat in the ring in March. He has added offers from Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Penn State and Wisconsin among others.

“Once you get your film out there for people to see, people want to find out what you’re about,” Stover said in a podcast with the Richland Source. “I’m enjoying the recruiting process and getting to know all these coaches. It feels like they’re not just recruiting you for football.”

The Minutemen lost a wealth of talent off the 2016 team and stumbled to a 2-8 record this fall. Stover was selected the Ohio Cardinal Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-Ohio first team pick in Division III.

“We have struggled, but we’re getting better,” Stover said earlier this season. “We’ve got a lot of young guys out there, but they are learning.”

Stover is the anchor of a talented All-Richland Source defensive unit.

Defensive Line

Michael Garn, Hillsdale: A 6-foot-4, 195 pound junior, Garn ranked among area leaders with 14 sacks from his defensive end spot. He also forced two fumbles and knocked down five passes. Garn was an All-Ohio honorable mention selection in Division VI.

Daniel Spencer, Clear Fork: A 6-foot-1, 205 pound senior, Spencer had 70 tackles, nine tackles for loss and six sacks. He was an All-Ohio honorable mention selection in Division IV.

Josh Beaver, Ashland: A 6-foot-3, 240 pound junior, Bever had 51 total tackles and 20 solo stops. He was an All-Ohio honorable mention selection in Division II.

Kaleb Ambrose, Mapleton: The 6-foot, 200 pound Ambrose was an All-Ohio first team selection after making 23.5 tackles for loss. He had 10 sacks and forced three fumbles.

Linebacker

Jacob Bailey, Clear Fork: The 6-foot, 215 pound senior led the Colts with 81 tackles. Bailey was an All-Ohio first team pick in Division IV.

Uriah Schwemley, Shelby: The 6-foot-3, 200 pound junior had 56 tackles, three interceptions and two sacks during the regular season. Schwemley was an All-Ohio honorable mention pick in Division IV.

Ethan Clum, Crestline: The 5-foot-11, 185 pound junior helped the Bulldogs to their best finish in more than a decade. Clum was an All-Ohio honorable mention selection in Division VII.

Jeb Grover, Lucas: The 5-foot-10, 190 pound junior is a two-way standout for the Cubs. He helped Lucas reach the playoffs for the fourth straight year. Grover was an All-Northwest District second team pick on offense.

Colton Campbell, Crestview: A 5-foot-11, 200 pound senior, Campbell was instrumental in Crestview’s turnaround. The Cougars were 7-3 and just missed out on a berth in the Division VI playoffs. He was a Firelands Conference first team pick and an All-Northwest District second team selection.

Defensive Back

Cade Stover, Lexington: The 6-foot-5, 220 pound junior was selected the Ohio Cardinal Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-Ohio first team pick in Division III.

Alex Becker, Hillsdale: A 6-foot, 190 pound junior, Becker tied a school record with seven interceptions — including a 92 yard pick-six — and had more than 100 tackles as the Falcons reached the regional championship game. He was an All-Ohio third team pick in Division VI

Jake Lowe, Clear Fork: The 6-foot-1, 175 pound senior was an All-Ohio second team pick. He had 24 tackles and intercepted a pass.

Tre Windham, Mansfield Senior: The undersized (5-foot-9, 160 pounds) junior led the Tygers with four interceptions and 14 passes broken up despite missing some time late in the year because of injury. He was an All-Ohio honorable mention selection in Division III after earning special mention honors in Division II last fall, when he picked off six passes.

Angelo Grose, Mansfield Senior: A 5-foot-10, 170 pound sophomore, Grose had 75 tackles, including 19 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. He was an All-Ohio honorable mention selection in Division III.

Punter

Keagan Armitage, Ashland: The 6-foot-2, 208 pound senior was the Ohio Cardinal Conference Special Teams Player of the Year. He was a Division II All-Ohio first team pick at quarterback, leading the Arrows to a share of the OCC title and the second round of the playoffs.

Punt Returner

Bryce Lyon, Clear Fork: The 5-foot-8, 170 pound senior averaged 17 yards per punt return and returned one punt for a touchdown. He also had a team-best 28 catches for 385 yards and three TDs.