Georgia Sportswriters Association
All-State Football Team
All-Classification Player of the Year: QB Hutson Mason, Lassiter, Sr.
Class AAAAA
Offensive Player of the Year: Rajaan Bennett, McEachern
Defensive Player of the Year: Alec Ogletree, Newnan
Coach of the year: Jeff Herron, Camden County
Offense
QB: Hutson Mason, Lassiter, Sr., 6-3, 190
RB: Rajaan Bennett, McEachern, Sr., 5-11, 210
RB: Ean Pemberton, Grayson, Sr., 5-4, 145
WR: Griffin Roelle, Lassiter, Sr., 5-9, 190
WR: Quin Roberson, Colquitt County, Sr., 6-0, 180
TE: Jay Rome, Valdosta, Jr., 6-6, 240
OL: Ed Christian, Lowndes, Sr., 6-5, 310
OL: JaWuan James, North Gwinnett, Sr., 6-6, 305
OL: Jeremiah Booth, Camden County, 6-0, 305
OL: Thomas O’Reilly, Pope, Jr., 6-4, 313
OL: Donnie Werden, Northside-Warner Robins, Sr., 6-0, 225
K: Matt Ehasz, Camden County, Jr., 5-11, 150
ATH: Bradley Roby, Peachtree Ridge, Sr., 6-0, 175
Defense
DL: Tavontae Drake, McEachern, Sr., 6-1, 285
DL: Shawn Green, Grayson, Sr., 6-0, 280
DL: Michael Thornton, Stephenson, Sr., 6-1, 273
DL: Cameron Erving, Colquitt County, Sr., 6-5, 280
LB: Rip Rowan, Lassiter, Sr., 6-1, 230
LB: Telvin Smith, Lowndes, Sr., 6-3, 200
LB: Adam Strakose, Newnan, Sr., 5-11, 225
LB: Terry Williams, Grayson, Sr., 6-0, 250
DB: Alec Ogletree, Newnan, Sr., 6-3, 210
DB: Brian Randolph, Kell, Jr., 6-0, 170
DB: Brison Williams, Northside-Warner Robins, Sr., 6-0, 180
DB: Kori Gaines, Grayson, Sr., 5-10, 174
P: Connor Hawk, Norcross, Sr., 5-9, 165
RET: Ean Days, Camden County, Sr., 5-11, 190
Honorable mentions: DL Jonathan Bermudez, Woodstock; DB Detrick Bonner, Luella; WR Chris Boyd, Roswell; RB Mack Brown, M.L. King; LB Corey Carmichael, Woodstock; ATH Chris Caspari, Collins Hill; WR Patrick Cosgrove, Walton; WR Geremy Davis, Norcross; RB Greg Franklin, Marietta; LB Jamie Grable, Milton; WR Jonathan Krause, South Gwinnett; OL Thomas Martin, Camden County; RB Charles Perkins, Collins Hill; K Devon Pike, Northside-Warner Robins; OL Grant Ramsey, Pope; RB Raymond Sanders, Stephenson; DL Derrick Saulsberry, Camden County; OL Austin Shepherd, North Gwinnett; WR Andre Sims, Brookwood; LB Michael Taylor, Westlake; QB C.J. Uzomah, North Gwinnett; OL Reid Webster, Etowah; DL Jeffrey Whitaker, Warner Robins; DL Anthony Williams, Union Grove; RB Tay Willis, East Coweta.
Class AAAA
Offensive Player of the Year: Rajion Neal, Sandy Creek
Defensive Player of the Year: Isaiah Johnson, Sandy Creek
Coach of the year: Chip Walker, Sandy Creek
Offense
QB: Ronnie Bell, Sandy Creek, Jr., 6-0, 180
RB: Rajion Neal, Sandy Creek, Sr., 5-11, 205
RB: Storm Johnson, Loganville, Sr., 6-0, 215
WR: Dmitri Holmes, Clarke Central, Sr., 6-1, 180
WR: Chris Conley, North Paulding, Jr., 6-3, 180
TE: Logan Winkles, Upson-Lee, Sr., 6-0, 240
OL: Morgan Bailey, Loganville, Sr., 6-5, 290
OL: Watts Dantzler, Dalton, Jr., 6-8, 320
OL: Shaun Hill, Apalachee, Jr., 6-3, 220
OL: Alan Posey, Clarke Central, Jr., 6-6, 310
OL: Tim Wynn, Mays, Sr., 6-3, 270
K: Justin Moore, Marist, Sr., 5-11, 160
ATH: Jerrick McKinnon, Sprayberry, Sr., 5-11, 185
Defense
DL: Xzavier Dickson, Griffin, Jr., 6-3, 240
DL: Allen Stripling, Southwest DeKalb, Sr., 6-6, 215
DL: Grady Jarrett, Rockdale County, Jr., 6-1, 275
DL: Owen Williams, Westside-Macon, Jr., 6-3, 250
LB: Cartavious Woods, Griffin, Sr., 5-10, 208
LB: Clinard Stokes, Sandy Creek, Sr., 5-11, 195
LB: Blake Young, Sprayberry, Sr.
LB: Bobby Liggins, Hephzibah, Sr., 5-11, 210
DB: Isaiah Johnson, Sandy Creek, Sr., 6-2, 185
DB: Sharrod Golightly, Southwest DeKalb, Sr., 5-10, 180
DB: Ryan Ayers, South Paulding, Sr., 5-10, 175
DB: Demetruce McNeal, Banneker, Sr., 6-0, 176
P: Keenan Adams, Bainbridge, Jr., 5-8, 162
RET: Marques Dixon, Southwest DeKalb, Sr., 5-10, 182
Honorable mentions: RB Jerrel Anderson, Richmond Academy; DB D’Alvarez Antwine, Sprayberry; RB Robert Brown, Westside-Macon; DL Jabari Carney, Southwest DeKalb; WR Ronnie Carswell, Westside-Macon; WR Jarrett Davis, Sandy Creek; DL Nermin Delic, Northwest Whitfield; WR Trent Demeritte, Winder-Barrow; DL Ray Drew, Thomas County Central; DL Jalen Fields, Dalton; LB Leighton Gasque, Hiram; RB Terrance Gore, Jones County; DL Seth Grummer, Sequoyah; LB Jeff Haney, Apalachee; DB Tres Houston, Banneker; RB Clarence Jackson, North Clayton; RB John Lee, Apalachee; OL Dylan Leonard, Ola; RB Ken Malcome, Southwest DeKalb; QB Martay Mattox, Clarke Central; ATH DeMarco McNeal, Banneker; DB Jonathan Mincey, Southwest DeKalb; LB Kendal Parker, Lakeside-Evans; QB Marcus Waller, Griffin; OL Charlie Zemko, Sandy Creek.
Class AAA
Offensive Player of the Year: Blake Sims, Gainesville
Defensive Player of the Year: Thomas Sprague, Gainesville
Coach of the year: Chad Campbell, Peach County
Offense
QB: Connor Shaw, Flowery Branch, Sr., 6-2, 200
RB: Git Aiken, Eastside, Sr., 5-9, 170
RB: Isaiah Crowell, Carver-Columbus, Jr., 5-11, 190
WR: Tai-ler Jones, Gainesville, Sr., 6-0, 185
WR: Lamar Zanders, Peach County, Sr., 6-3, 185
TE: Jrametries Kirksay, Washington County, Jr., 6-0, 250
OL: David Beasley, Carver-Columbus, Sr., 6-4, 287
OL: Renard Williams, Peach County, Jr., 6-2, 210
OL: Jadarius Dean, Baldwin, Sr., 6-3, 255
OL: Daniel Blitch, North Hall, Sr., 6-6, 320
OL: Chartavious Danzy, Washington County, Jr., 6-2, 260
K: Joe Mansour, LaGrange, Sr., 6-2, 180
ATH: Blake Sims, Gainesville, Sr., 6-1, 180
Defense
DL: Corey Crawford, Carver-Columbus, Sr., 6-5, 235
DL: Kelcey Lewis, Peach County, Sr., 6-2, 200
DL: Sterling Bailey, East Hall, Jr., 6-6, 250
DL: Denarrious King, Baldwin, Sr., 6-0, 230
LB: Thomas Sprague, Gainesville, Sr., 6-0, 215
LB: A.J. Johnson, Gainesville, Jr., 6-3, 220
LB: Luke Crowell, Peach County, Sr., 5-8, 185
LB: Ryan Holmes, Creekview, Sr., 5-10, 200
DB: Nathan Jones, North Hall, Sr., 5-11, 185
DB: Jontavious Davis, Peach County, Jr., 5-11, 150
DB: Damian Swann, Grady, Jr., 6-0, 175
DB: Deion Bonner, Carver-Columbus, Soph., 5-11, 185
P: Chisel Flores, East Hall, Sr.
RET: Caddarius Warthen, Washington County, Sr.
Honorable mentions: DL Charlie Aly, Jackson; DL Henry Anderson, Woodward Academy; DL Neiron Ball, Jackson; QB Terrell Brigham, Burke County; QB Devin Burns, Carver-Columbus; WR Vincent Dallas, Cedar Grove; LB Tevin Davis, Mary Persons; RB Martez Eastland, Ringgold; RB Ben Emert, West Forsyth; DL Wesley Evans, Washington County; LB Clarence France, Carver-Columbus; RB Montravious Gladdin, Washington County; QB Miles Gooch, Towers; DB Byron Isaac, Dunwoody; DL Derrick Laney, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe; ; RB Quint McKibben, Jackson; OL Quincy McKinney, Carver-Columbus; P Will Monday, Flowery Branch; FB Cole Moon, St. Pius X; LB Tommy Sanders, Crisp County; QB Shunquez Stephens, West Hall; QB Patrick Taylor, Peach County; RB Juwan Thompson, Woodward Academy; RB Shadrach Thornton, Liberty County; WR Rodney Young, Flowery Branch.
Class AA
Offensive Player of the Year: Da’Rick Rogers, Calhoun
Defensive Player of the Year: Jessel Curry, Buford
Coach of the year: Jess Simpson, Buford
Offense
QB: Nash Nance, Calhoun, Sr., 6-3, 200
RB: Marquis Terrell, Callaway, Jr., 5-8, 160
RB: Ralph David Abernathy IV, Westminster, Jr., 5-7, 165
WR: Da’Rick Rogers, Calhoun, Sr., 6-3, 205
WR: Markeith Ambles, Henry County, Sr., 6-2, 215
WR: Blake Gowder, Union County, Sr., 6-2, 200
OL: Kolton Houston, Buford, Sr., 6-5, 285
OL: Caitlin Alford, Adairsville, Sr., 6-4, 280
OL: Andrew Bridges, Westminster, Sr., 6-4, 255
OL: Du’Von Millsap, Buford, Sr., 6-5, 333
OL: Kyle Harris, Pepperell, Sr., 6-4, 255
K: Adam Griffith, Calhoun, Soph.
ATH: Barry Bostic, Jefferson County, Sr., 5-11, 170
Defense
DL: Jeremy Phillips, Blessed Trinity, Sr., 6-0, 200
DL: Dale Howard, Appling County, Sr., 6-1, 280
DL: Matthew Hardeman, Avondale, Sr., 6-0, 215
DL: Jesse Webb, North Oconee, Sr., 6-3, 200
LB: Jessel Curry, Buford, Sr., 6-2, 215
LB: Victor Beasley, Adairsville, Sr., 6-5, 225
LB: Lucas Redd, Jefferson, Sr., 6-1, 195
LB: Lanoris Christopher, Thomasville, Sr., 5-9, 190
DB: Kedron Aker, Calhoun, Sr., 6-0, 200
DB: Deon Smalls, Fitzgerald, Sr., 5-9, 160
DB: Andre Jefferson, Southwest-Macon, Sr., 5-10, 175
DB: Fred Holton, Thomasville, Sr., 6-1, 200
P: Dylan Shaddix, Henry County, Sr., 6-2, 210
RET: Senorise Perry, Chattooga, Sr., 6-1, 190
Honorable mentions: QB Devon Blankenship, Brantley County; ATH Mike Bloodser, Lamar County; RB Zach Boden, Lovett; ATH Quan Bray, Callaway; QB Jonathan Carkhuff, Lovett; RB Dustin Christian, Calhoun; RB Keith Christopher, Brooks County; OL William Dunn, Jefferson County; QB Malcolm Eady, Swainsboro; RB Greg Gates, Manchester; WR Quantavious Leslie, Callaway; ATH Taylor Mack, Lovett; LB Taylor Maxey, North Oconee; DB Donovan McCloud, Dublin; QB Chris Milton, Charlton County; QB Darius Minor, Jefferson; QB Kaleb Nobles, Fitzgerald; QB Kolt Owenby, Union County; ATH Mike Palmer, Northeast-Macon; ATH Trenton Pruitt, Fitzgerald; DB Jake Skole, Blessed Trinity; WR Shavarez Smith, Henry County; RB Max Thompson, Avondale; DL Dalvin Tomlinson, Henry County; WR Max Williams, Lovett.
Class A
Offensive Player of the Year: Nick Marshall, Wilcox County
Defensive Player of the Year: Bobby Fulton, Wesleyan
Coach of the year: Mark Ledford, Wilcox County
Offense
QB: Nick Marshall, Wilcox County, Sr., 6-2, 190
RB: Kyle Karempelis, Wesleyan, Jr., 5-10, 170
RB: Chris Barnwell, Savannah Christian, Sr., 5-11, 190
WR: Kevin Blackburne, Savannah Country Day, Jr., 6-0, 160
WR: Zack Walker, Johnson County, Jr., 6-1, 175
TE: Kennard Backman, Whitefield Academy, Jr., 6-3, 225
OL: Kenarious Gates, Greenville, Sr., 6-5, 300
OL: Morgan Clemm, Savannah Country Day, Sr., 6-3, 310
OL: Colby Nelson, Taylor County, Sr., 6-0, 255
OL: Dylan Turner, ECI, Jr., 6-2, 240
OL: Chris Ross, Twiggs County, Sr., 6-1, 250
K: Ryan Thames, Landmark Christian, Jr., 5-10, 150
ATH: Niko Jones, Chattahoochee County, Sr., 5-10, 170
Defense
DL: Octavious Gordon, ECI, Jr., 6-2, 225
DL: Thad Mathis, Darlington, Sr., 5-11, 255
DL: Keith Paisley, Clinch County, Sr., 6-1, 245
DL: Juwan Jones, Miller County, Jr., 6-2, 220
LB: Bobby Fulton, Wesleyan, Sr., 6-0, 185
LB: Austin Goodlet, Gordon Lee, Sr., 5-11, 180
LB: Robert Cooper, Chattahoochee County, Sr., 5-11, 185
LB: Tavious McGahee, Lincoln County, Sr., 5-11, 190
DB: Fred Marshall, Irwin County, Sr., 5-11, 190
DB: Jeremy Stanley, Twiggs County, Sr., 5-10, 175
DB: Nate Moorhouse, Wilcox County, Sr., 5-8, 175
DB: Tev’n Hamilton, Darlington, Jr., 5-11, 175
P: Joseph McAllister, GMC, Jr., 6-3, 180
RET: Kevious Robinson, Irwin County, 5-10, 170
Honorable mentions: QB Mario Alford, Greenville; ATH Willis Aitkens, Holy Innocents’; DB Peter Allen, Holy Innocents’; RB Maricio Askew, Bowdon; LB Dennis Benning, Greenville; RB Deon Brock, Commerce; RB Earnest Butts, Twiggs County; QB Vintavious Cooper, Clinch County; DB Darqueze Dennard, Twiggs County; DL Josh Gebhardt, Landmark Christian; WR Teddy Gibson, Chattahoochee County; RB Keyante Green, Eagle’s Landing Christian; LB Merrit Hall, Wesleyan; WR Bernardis Hughes, Wilkinson County; DB Evan Kasian, Walker; ATH Cameron Lemons, Whitefield Academy; RB Nolan Moran, Mount Paran Christian; WR Lonnie Outlaw, Wilcox County; OL Tyler Pitt, Telfair County; WR Tay Porter, Wilcox County; QB D.J. Rozier, Johnson County; ATH Cosby Salter, Miller County; TE Rusty Scott, Lincoln County; LB Quayshon Simmons, Wilkinson County; QB Conor Welton, Wesleyan.
For the second consecutive year, two players from Region 7-AAA were named the Georgia Sportswriters Association All-State players of the year.
Today, the Georgia Associated Press announced that Gainesville High quarterback Blake Sims was named Class AAA’s Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight year and his teammate Thomas Sprague was named Defensive Player of the year.
Flowery Branch High graduate Izaan Cross won the award in 2008.
Sims finished his final season at Gainesville having not only led the Red Elephants to their first state title game appearance since 1982, but with 3,376 all-purpose yards and 49 total touchdowns.
Sprague, who played linebacker for the Region 7-AAA champion Red Elephants, finished the year with 194 tackles, 7 tackles for a loss, 4 forced fumbles, 2 sacks and 3 defensive touchdowns.
Buford High senior Jessel Curry was named Class AA’s Defensive Player of the Year after accumulating 118 tackles and five interceptions for the state champion Wolves.
The Wolves, whose coach Jess Simpson was named Class AA’s Coach of the Year, had two offensive linemen (Kolton Houston and Du’Von Millsap) also named All-State.
Jefferson senior Lucas Redd, who had 100 tackles this year, was the lone Dragon named to the Class AA All-State team.
While Class AA was limited where local ties are, the Class AAA All-State team could very well be renamed the Hall County all-stars.
Along with Sims and Sprague, Gainesville had two additional players awarded, with Tai-ler Jones (76 receptions, 1,384 yards, 18 touchdowns; 1,639 all-purpose yards, 22 touchdowns) named an All-State wide receiver and A.J. Johnson (174 tackles, 9 tackles for a loss, 2 defensive touchdowns; verbally committed to Tennessee) named an All-State linebacker.
But Gainesville wasn’t the only county school to be represented on the All-State team, as Flowery Branch quarterback Connor Shaw (3,829 total yards, 47 total touchdowns, completed 76% of his passes; verbally committed to South Carolina) was named the state’s top quarterback in Class AAA.
Along with Shaw, North Hall lineman Daniel Blitch was named one of the classification’s best linemen, and his teammate Nathan Jones (114 tackles, 8 tackles for a loss, 9 interceptions, 2 defensive touchdowns) was named an All-State defensive back.
East Hall, which finished the season with a 1-9 record, had two players named to the All-State team in the Vikings final year in Class AAA. Sterling Bailey, who finished with an area-best 22 tackles for a loss, was named an All-State defensive lineman and Chisel Flores, who had seven punts of 66 yards or more was named Class AAA’s best punter.
West Hall quaterback Shunquez Stephens (2,331 passing yards, 24 touchdowns; 424 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns), Flowery Branch wide receiver Rodney Young (3 interceptions, 1 touchdown; 887 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns) and punter Will Monday (33 punts with 40.5-yard average, 9 punts inside the 20) were honorable mentions.
Lassiter quarterback Hutson Mason was named the All-Classification Player of the Year.