High school football: Evan Foust makes plays on both sides of the ball for Highland

ELYRIA — The Highland football team is littered with great players and talent across the field. Lead running back Casey Myser, quarterback Dylan Borla, two-way lineman Ryan Zywiec and Carson Noonan typically grab the headlines. But there is also a young man who takes snaps on both sides of the ball, like Zyweic and Noonan, is just a sophomore and will help ensure that the Hornets' football future is still very bright. Extremely talented Evan Foust contributed on both sides of the ball Friday as his team suffered a 28-20 Division II, Region 6 final loss to Avon at Elyria Charities Field at Ely Stadium. Avon advanced to the state semifinals and will match up against Archbishop Hoban, a 21-7 winner over Walsh Jesuit, at the University of Akron's InfoCision Stadium. The 6-foot, 195-pound Foust lined up all over the field on offense, taking snaps at tight end, wide receiver and running back. He finished the season as the Hornets' leading receiver, hauling in 28 receptions for 577 yards and five scores, and added 242 yards and three TDs rushing. In addition, he averaged 35.4 yards on 12 punts. "He's outstanding," Highland coach Mike Gibbons said. "The kid can do it all, whether its linebacker, tight end, running back or punter. We move him all over the field. He's obviously a great player. He's a sophomore, and I think with his speed and his athleticism the kid's got a shot to not only be an outstanding player for us, but a great college player as well." Foust burst onto the scene with nine catches for 110 yards and a touchdown in a season-opening 31-24 win against Hudson and continued to make his mark, averaging more than 20 yards per reception for the year. "I work so hard and we work so hard," Foust said. "Our mentality is to just go out there and kick (butt) and do whatever it takes to get it done. Even if it's in the offseason, we're working to get better." Foust made a pair of critical catches against the Eagles (14-0). The first converted second-and-16 and kept alive the Hornets' initial scoring drive. The second went for 21 yards down to the Avon 10 immediately following a 21-yard catch-and-run by Myser on fourth-and-11. The Hornets also finished that drive with a touchdown to pull to within 28-20 with 5:54 left. The extra point was blocked by Jakob Weatherspoon. "Some of those catches are amazing," Gibbons said. "You think about a sophomore out there in the regional finals against Avon, it is pretty special. He can fly. He's a 4.5 40-yard guy and he is going to get stronger and bigger. He's got all the tools. He's got a shot at being a D-I linebacker." While Foust has been a key to the offensive side of the ball, he makes his biggest mark on the defensive side. He entered the game as Highland's leading tackler with 81 (36 solo, 45 assists) and also had seven tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pair of pass breakups from his linebacker spot. "It means a lot to play for these dudes," Foust said. "I look up to them. They love me and I do all that I do for them." Foust turned in a sack and another tackle for loss against Avon, both coming on the last drive of the first half to keep the Eagles from extending a 21-7 lead. Along with junior running back Myser and slot receiver Lucas Gerding, Foust will be back in 2025 and will be looking forward to continuing the run of success. "It means everything," said Foust, a first-team All-Suburban League American Conference selection and second-team All-Northeast Inland District punter. "Anything for my brothers out there. I'm getting ready for next year and for it to come. It's hard (right now), but this gives us motivation for next year, and we are going to come back and we are going to be even better and more prepared." Contact Chad Grant at sports@medina-gazette.com.