Mr. Football finalists announced
Four high school players from the Chattanooga area have been named finalists for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football award in their respective classifications.
The TSSAA released the five semifinalists in each category two weeks ago and on Monday announced the three finalists in each of nine classifications, plus kicker of the year.
Notre Dame senior athlete Cam Wynn is a finalist in Division II-AA, while Tyner Academy senior receiver Jeremiah Batiste and Meigs County junior quarterback Aaron Swafford are finalists in Class 2A. East Hamilton senior Mason Lafollette is a kicker finalist.
The winners in each class will be announced on Nov. 25 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
Wynn, who also was a Mr. Football finalist, had more than 1,200 yards and scored 23 touchdowns this season, and Batiste finished with more than 1,200 receiving yards and 15 TDs.
“It’s a blessing to be a finalist, especially two years,” Wynn said. “That’s an amazing feeling, but I know it all starts with our offensive line and our coaches.”
Swafford, another two-time finalist, has led Meigs County to backto-back unbeaten regular seasons, and the top-ranked Tigers are in the quarterfinals for the second straight year as well. He has more than 2,200 total yards (1,369 passing, 914 rushing) and 43 TDs in his third year as the starter. He also has 30 tackles and returned a fumble for a TD.
“It’s great for our program to have a kid like Aaron be recognized the last two years,” Tigers coach Jason Fitzgerald said. “By the end of his freshman year the upperclassmen were looking up to him because of his work ethic, and we knew then that he could be special.
“It’s a blessing to be a finalist, especially two years. That’s an amazing feeling, but I know it all starts with our offensive line and our coaches.”
– NOTRE DAME’S CAM WYNN
“He makes us go and deserves this recognition, but he’d be the first to say that credit for any success he has goes to the entire team. The reason we’ve been so good this season is because he doesn’t have to do it all. He’s got a lot of talent around him, and that just opens things up more for him to make plays.”
Lafollette made good on all seven field-goal attempts this season with a long of 53, as well as two makes from 48 yards and another from 43. He also was good on 13 of 15 extrapoint attempts, with the two misses being blocked, and 52 percent of his kickoffs went for touchbacks.
Area semifinalists who did not make the cut as finalists were Red Bank senior athlete Calvin Jackson in 3A, Whitwell athlete Hudson Petty in 1A and McCallie quarterback DeAngelo Hardy in Division II-AAA.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress. com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.