Local teams have numerous All-Region selections
All-Region Teams for football were announced recently, and it was evident that there was plenty of notice taken to the high level of play on local fields based on the selections.
Calhoun and Sonoraville each had multiple players earn recognition on the 6-AAA All-Region Team, and Gordon Central had several players named to the 7-AA All-Region Team. Both teams were voted on by the coaches in the region.
Class AAA state champion Calhoun swept the Player of the Year honors for 6-AAA with junior quarterback Gavin Gray earning Offensive Player of the Year and senior linebacker Bailey Lester being named Defensive Player of the Year. Gray had an outstanding 2017, throwing for 3,358 yards on 235-of-369 passing with 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Lester was just as impactful on defense with 124 total tackles, 15 tackles-forloss, 12 sacks and one fumble recovery.
Joining Gray on the 6-AAA First-Team Offense was Calhoun teammates Luke Moseley (Jr., WR), JC Fuller (Sr., OL) and Elmer Gutierrez (Sr., K) along with Sonoraville’s Patrick Moore (Sr., Athlete).
The 6-AAA FirstTeam Defense was full of local selections to go along with Lester, including Calhoun’s CJ Fuller (Sr., DL), Zeke Nance (Sr., DL), Owen Williams (Sr., LB), Davis Allen (Sr., LB), Brannon Spector (Jr., DB) and Bralin Barton (Jr., DB) and Sonoraville’s Blade Bryant (Soph., DB).
Calhoun had four players named to the 6-AAA Second- Team Offense, and Sonoraville added two. For the Jack- ets, Zack Fuller (Jr., RB), Bralin Barton (Jr., WR), Brannon Spector (Jr., WR) and Ben King (Jr., OL) made the cut, and the Phoenix had Mason Moriatakis (OL, Jr.) and Tristan Key (Sr., Athlete) earn a spot.
For the 6-AAA Second-Team Defense, local selections were Sonoraville’s Colton Richards (Soph., LB) and Kobe McEntyre (Soph., DB) and Calhoun’s Collin Baggett (Jr., LB).
Rounding out the local 6-AAA picks on Honorable Mention were Calhoun’s Davis Allen (Jr., TE) and Josh Hales (Jr., OL) and Sonoraville’s Tyler Lyles (Sr., RB/H) on Offense and Calhoun’s Aaron Hayes (Jr., P) on Defense.
The Gordon Central Warriors were well represented on the 7-AA All-Region Team with three First- Teamers, four Second-Teamers and six earning Honorable Mention. Junior tight end Dawson Lackey was named to the First-Team Offense, and senior defensive back Brent Silvar and senior linebacker Cameron Williams earned a spot on the First-Team Defense.
Mason Maddux (Soph., DB) and Dorian McConnell ( Sr., DL) were named to the Second-Team Defense, and Abraham Reyes (Jr., OL) and Luis Castillo (Soph., OL) joined the Second-Team Offense.
Rounding out the Warriors’ selections on Honorable Mention Offense were Branson Towe (Sr. RB), Martavi- us Harris (Sr., QB) and Alex Abat (Jr., RB) and on Honorable Mention Defense were John Victor Rainwater (Soph., LB), Cameron Padgett (Soph., DB) and Dalton Freeman (Jr., DB).
In other prep football news:
Locals to compete in postseason All-Star games
The regular season may have come to an end for local prep football players, but several will get a chance to showcase their skill in postseason all-star or exhibition games in the next few weeks.
Calhoun’s Bralin Barton, CJ Fuller and Zeke Nance and Sonoraville’s Tyler Lyles will all play in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association All-Star Classic on Dec. 28 at Freedom Field in Warner Robins. Barton will play in the Junior Game starting at 3 p.m., and Fuller, Nance and Lyles will play in the Senior Game starting at 7 p.m.
Calhoun has three additional players that will compete in the Georgia Elite Classic on Dec. 28 at McEachern High’s Cantrell Stadium. Davis Allen and Luke Moseley will play in the Junior All-Star Game at 3 p.m., and Bailey Lester will be on the field for the Senior All-Star Game at 5:30 p.m.