Area players named to All-Region football squads
The Region 6-3A All-Region football awards were announced this past Thursday and the Catoosa-Walker County area was well represented.
Ringgold senior Trent Baldwin was named the region’s Defensive Player of the Year, Gordon Lee senior Nate Dunfee was named as the Athlete of the Year, while LaFayette’s Jaden Morris was named the senior Iron Man Award winner.
Baldwin ended the season with 120 total tackles 56 solo, 64 assisted with eight going for a loss. He also had five forced fumbles, three pass break-ups and one interception for the seven-win Tigers.
Dunfee finished the year with 1,282 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns on just 45 carries. He added 22 catches for 268 yards and three more scores and had 15 kick returns for 348 yards and one additional TD. He also made three picks on defense, one of which he returned for a score.
Morris rarely came off the field for Ramblers. He had 22 catches for 311 yards and one touchdown, adding 74 more yards rushing and 34 yards on returns. On defense, he recorded 59 tackles 51 solo with eight going for a loss, while adding four pass breakups, three forced fumbles, two sacks and a blocked punt.
On offense, running back Peyton Williams, receiver Ty Gilbert and offensive lineman Clinton Carlock were named first team for Ringgold. They were joined on the first team offense by LFO receiver Trevon
Gott and offensive lineman Carter Wilson, Ridgeland tight end Parker Metcalf and Gordon Lee offensive lineman Brodie Genter.
Second team offensive honors went to Ringgold quarterback Ross Norman, offensive lineman Myles Hudson and kicker Connor Niswonger, along with Gordon Lee running back Holt Roberts and tight end Sam Sartin. Also making the first team was LFO receiver Brent Bowman, Ridgeland receiver Darrian Burks, and LaFayette wideout Sam Hall, along with offensive lineman Noah Johnson.
Area honorable mention picks included LFO quarterback Dylan Blankenship, Ringgold running back Haddon Fries, LaFayette running back halas Finley, LaFayette offensive lineman Michael Hamilton, Gordon Lee wide receiver Robert Henson and Gordon Lee offensive lineman Nolan Dotson.
On the defensive side of the ball, Ringgold had four first team selections in lineman Brady Gray, linebackers Bryce Hart and Beau Boozer, and defensive back ishaun Taylor. LaFayette was represented by defensive back Dawson Pendergrass and long snapper Grant Langford. Defensive back Gabe Helton and punter Bryson Sullivan were named first team from LFO, while defensive back
ade Cowan was a first team selection from Gordon Lee.
Making the second team was defensive linemen Riley Broome and Brent Lee Raby of Ringgold, along with defensive back Logan Roberts, Gordon Lee defensive lineman Conner Whitman and linebacker Dalton Russell, LFO linebacker Payton Simpson and defensive back Jared Mitchell, and linebackers ane Brown and Braylon Pritchett, along with defensive back Jakobe Turner, of Ridgeland.
LaFayette defensive lineman A.J. Thompson and defensive back Torrey Harris were selected to the honorable mention squad. They were joined by LFO defensive lineman Brody Benton and linebacker Levi Harwell, linebacker Cole Runion and defensive back Hudson Moss of Ringgold, linebacker Chase Watkins and defensive back Demetree Bates of Ridgeland, and defensive lineman Harrison Walker of Gordon Lee.
HERITAGE HAS 16 NAMED ALL-REGION
The Generals were also well represented on the lists for 7-4A, including linebacker Bryce Travillian, who earned one of the big awards of the year.
Travillian was named as the region’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year. He had 76 total tackles this past fall, including 60 solo. A total of 11 of those tackles went for losses, while he also recorded six sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception.
Tyler Cheatwood was named first team as an athlete, while he was joined on the first team by wide receiver Max Owens and H-back Payton Newman. Chipper Grayson was also named first team kicker, as well as second team punter.
Other second team slots went to quarterback aden
Swope, running back Paxton McCrary, defensive back Drew Dietz, linebacker Evan Wingrove and offensive lineman Rhett McDonald.
Earning honorable mention honors were offensive lineman Ben Lokey, defensive lineman Jarod Barnes, running back Landon Cansler, defensive lineman Caden Walling, offensive lineman Lane Hall, and linebacker Tanner Hall.
Sonoraville’s Tristan Mullins shared the region CoDefensive Player of the Year honor with Travillian, while Northwest quarterback Owen Brooker and Sonoraville signal-caller Jaxon Pate were the Co-Offensive Players of the Year.
The Cedartown duo of Harlem Diamond and Eli Barrow shared region Player of the Year honors. Central’s Vicari Swain was the Athlete of the Year in 7-4A, while Jamie Abrams of Cedartown was named Coach of the Year.