We are celebrating the new year in style, unveiling our Outside the Huddle All-Area teams for the 2025 football season.
As is customary, Outside the Huddle has two all-area teams, the Small School (Classes 1-3) and Big School (Classes 4-6).
We have already released the Small School Offense and Defense, as well as the Big School Offense.
Finally, the Big School Defense.
DL: Evan Brubaker, senior, Carroll – One of the more versatile and impactful defensive linemen in the area, Brubaker could line up at nose guard or at D-end for the Chargers. He led the team in tackles for loss (12) and sacks (six) to go with 69 tackles. He was voted First Team All-SAC and to the IFCA’s Class 6A Senior All-State Team.
DL: Sterling Swihart, senior, Homestead – Another local Class 6A lineman who could move inside and out along the defensive front, Swihart at 6-foot-1 and 255 pounds was extremely physical at the point of attack, sometimes being used to command and contain the middle to allow teammates to roam. He had 56 tackles and five tackles for loss, was named Second Team All-SAC and Class 6A Senior All-State.
DL: AJ Shefferly, senior, Bishop Dwenger – Pick your poison, Shefferly was a threat wherever he lined up – running back, edge rusher, linebacker, etc. On defense, he was one of the team leaders in tackles for loss (17) and sacks (6.5) to go with 63 tackles. He led the team in rushing with 755 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging over six yards per touch. He also caught seven passes for 77 yards and a score. A true athlete who hardly ever left the field, Shefferly was named by the IFCA to the Class 4A Senior All-State Team.
DL: Cornelius Jackson Jr., senior, Northrop – One of several breakout players for the Bruins in 2025, there was not a single lineman in the SAC who could completely contact Jackson Jr. “Corn” was absolutely devastating all season long. His 28.5 tackles for loss set a new single-season mark for the program, and he added 85 tackles and 4.5 sacks as well. He was an easy choice for First Team All-SAC.
LB: Eli Neuhouser, junior, Carroll – A two-time First Team All-SAC selection and a three-year starter, Neuhouser has been a mainstay in the middle of the Chargers defense for multiple years now. He continues to get better, evidenced by his astounding 142 tackles this past season, a team high. He also had three tackles for loss, a pair of interceptions and a sack, which showcased his all-around versatility on defense. He also saw some carries in short-yardage situations with 11 touches for 25 yards and three touchdowns. He earned All-SAC First Team honors as well as being named to the IFCA Class 6A Junior All-State squad.
LB: KC Pieper, senior, Bishop Dwenger – Pieper’s highlight-reel moment in 2025 came when he blocked a South Bend St. Joseph field goal attempt in the semistate and returned it for a touchdown that gave the Saints a lead they would not relinquish. But Pieper, who was the signal caller on the defense, delivered for the team all year long. He led the defense with 18.5 tackles for loss to go with 136 tackles and three sacks. He was voted First Team All-SAC and Class 4A Senior All-State.
LB: Doug Henry, senior, Bishop Dwenger – Henry didn’t often get mentioned on the short list of standout Saints defenders due to his business-like approach, but he was very much invaluable. After a 100-tackle effort as a junior, he followed it up this past fall with a team-high 139 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception. Much like Pieper, his comrade at the second level, Henry was everywhere Bishop Dwenger needed him to be, and could step up and do anything. He was voted All-SAC First Team.
LB: Detrick Smith, junior, South Side – A smart football player with an endless motor, Smith was an unstoppable force in his junior campaign with the Archers. He led the team with 152 tackles to go with 20.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and an interception. He is a prime reason why South Side continues to make steady strides under Coach Andre Goodwell and is set to return a significant amount of production in 2026. Smith was named First Team All-SAC.
DB: Maalik Moore, junior, North Side – Moore has been a standout in the SAC for three years ever since bursting onto the scene as a receiver as a freshman. While he still continues to be a problem on the offensive side, Moore looked ever more comfortable on defense in 2025, where he picked off a team-high four passes. A rangy 6-6, Moore must be accounted for by opponents no matter where he is, offense or defense. He led the Legends in receptions (53), receiving yards (792) and touchdowns (13) in the fall. He was voted First Team All-SAC at wide receiver and named to the IFCA Top 50 Team as a defensive back.
DB: Dee Hogue, senior, Northrop – Hogue was one of those players in which you noticed his absence from the back end of the Bruins defense pretty quickly. When he was in, he was one of the top ball hawks and tacklers in the secondary in the area. When he was out, as he battled injury late in the season, Northrop’s defense struggled. He led the team in tackles with 112, an uncommon amount from a safety that showed his versatility. He also had eight tackles for loss and tied for the team lead with three interceptions. Hogue was voted First Team All-SAC and named to the Class 6A Senior All-State squad.
DB: Houston Ellinger, senior, Bishop Dwenger – When the Saints needed a player to fill a particular role, wherever it was on the field, they typically looked to Ellinger first. Capable of playing innumerable positions, Ellinger thrived as a senior. He accumulated 69 tackles to go with 13.5 tackles for loss and tied for the team high with 6.5 sacks. He also added two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and an interception. Offensively, he rushed for 493 yards and five scores and hauled in a dozen receptions for 197 yards and a touchdown. Ellinger was also one of Dwenger’s primary kickoff return talents. The IFCA voted Ellinger to its Class 4A Senior All-State Team and he was named Second Team All-SAC.
DB: Gavin Smith, senior, Columbia City – Some guys just find their way around the football. Smith was one of those for the entirety of his prep career. After eight interceptions as a junior, Smith followed it up with eight more in 2025, finishing his tenure at Columbia City with 19 career picks. He also rushed for 377 yards and three touchdowns while catching 10 receptions for 177 yards and two more scores this past season. He also added a touchdown on an interception return (against NorthWood) and a kickoff return (against East Noble). Smith was voted All-NE8 First Team and to the IFCA Class 4A Senior All-State squad.
AT-LARGE: Austin Phillips, freshman, East Noble – Strong and well-built despite being just a ninth-grader, Phillips was a terror on both sides of the ball in his first prep campaign. On defense, he amassed 99 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, three sacks and three forced fumbles. Offensively, Phillips saw plenty of action at running back, finishing with 967 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. He also had a receiving touchdown against New Haven. He was named to the All-NE8 First Team and, uniquely for a freshman, voted Class 4A Junior All-State.
AT-LARGE: Kiyon Beasley, senior, South Side – Beasley was a one-man wrecking crew along the defensive front for the Archers. He led the team in both tackles for loss (22) and sacks (11) to go with 96 tackles. He also had 20 quarterback hurries as he was a consistent menace in the backfield of opponents. Beasley also saw significant time on offense as he finished the year with 182 yards receiving and a score. Beasley was named All-SAC First Team as one of the more dominant defenders in the area that not many people knew of.
P: Corbin Dempsey, junior, Carroll – Dempsey was a versatile weapon for the Chargers, whether he was flipping the field in the punt game or adding points with his exceptionally-accurate placekicking. Twenty of Dempsey’s 36 kickoffs went for touchbacks, while he downed nine of his 19 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. He hit on 26-of-27 extra points and 4-of-5 on field goals, including a long of 44 yards against Concordia. He was voted All-SAC First Team at punter.
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