3 Bucs, 3 Pirates all-state
Three players each from Boyd- Buchanan and South Pittsburg were named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association 2012 all-state football teams for their respective classifications.
Buccaneers quarterback Jim Cardwell, offensive lineman Malik Brewer and linebacker Rance Harden are joined on the Class 2A team by Marion County running back Blake Zeman. On the 1A team, South Pittsburg running back Demetric Johnson, linebacker Corbin Hale and defensive back Jake Stone are joined by Lookout Valley punter Morgan Sexton.
“Those are three very deserving, hard-working kids that represent the school the right way, so I’m happy to see them get recognized for the way they play the game,” Bucs coach Grant Reynolds said. “Malik had a great year up front for us and Jim was our leader on offense, and having someone like him back to lead the offense is a great asset to the team. Rance is just a really smart, hard-nosed and aggressive guy that did a lot of good things for us on both sides of the ball.”
Cardwell, a junior, combined to rush and pass for more than 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns to lead the Bucs to the state semifinals. Much of that offensive total came thanks to the blocking of Brewer, a 6- foot- 4, 320pound four-year starter who was a Mr. Football finalist this season. He also started on defense and totaled 65 tackles, 10 for loss and three fumble recoveries. Harden, who took over as the Bucs’ main ball carrier because of injury, was the team’s leading tackler to go with more than 1,000 rushing yards and 15 TDs.
Zeman, a sophomore, ranked among the area’s rushing leaders with 1,900 yards and 25 TDs. He also had 80 tackles to help the Warriors reach the quarterfinals.
Johnson was one of the most versatile athletes in the area, leading the Pirates with 1,800-plus rushing yards to go with 300-plus receiving yards. He was a Mr. Football finalist who also had 40 tackles and three interceptions as a defensive back. Stone ranked among the area’s tackle leaders with 142 total stops, while Hale made 90 tackles and had more than 800 rushing yards as a fullback. Sexton, who moved to Chattanooga from Illinois during the summer, led the area with a 42.9 yard punting average.
“He’s the best punter we’ve ever had since I’ve been here,” Lookout Valley coach Tony Webb said. “He’s a real weapon for us, and he affects our decision on what to do because we know he can change field position in our favor. Having a guy like that, he definitely helped our defense by backing people up and making them drive further on us.”