Shinners honored in ‘normal’ year for Big 30, awarded Unsung Lineman of the Year
December 6, 2021 | oleantimesherald.com
With the Big 30 committee back in place (since COVID-19 derailed life as we knew it), they returned to choosing the traditional 30-player unit, representing both NY and PA — actually that number was 31, the first time it’s ever been that figure without a kicker due to there being a voting deadlock for the final spot. They were able to hand awards out in person for the first time since November of 2019.
The fourth major award-winner, aside from Coach, Player and Defensive Player of the Year, was Salamanca’s Kody Shinners, who was named the E.B. Fitzpatrick/James Russell Memorial Award winner as the Lineman of the Year. He’s the first Warriors lineman to win it since Jeremy John in 1992. He was the choice among a group of finalists that included Pioneer’s Alex Coder and Jasiah Jarocinski and Bolivar-Richburg’s Trent Sibble.
“KODY has kind of been the face of our identity the last few years,” Salamanca coach Chad Bartoszek said of the 6-foot, 250-pound senior. “He’s really matured over the course of his career here. He became a leader, a captain, he hasn’t missed practice in the three years I’ve been here, so he’s kind of become a part of our identity, and it’s going to be hard to lose him.”
“His (presence) along with a few other of our big kids has kind of made us who we’ve been: Just big, tough, physical up front and we’ve really controlled the line of scrimmage for two seasons now, really making things tricky for opposing offenses, and our run game saw the benefits this year offensively with a 1,000-yard rusher in Jesse Stahlman.”
Kody is the son of Jeanette and Jerry Shinners.
Back row: Jeff Pagett (Randolph assistant, accepting for Brent Brown as Coach of the Year), Travis Cooney (Smethport, Defensive Player of the Year), Kody Shinners (Salamanca, Unsung Lineman of the Year) and Xander Hind (Randolph, Player of the Year). Photo credit: Sam Wilson/Olean Times Herald
