VALDOSTA —
The Associated Press has released the 2012 Georgia High School Association All-State football teams.
Lowndes placed two players on the Class 6A All-State team, while Valdosta placed none. Brooks County placed two on the Class AA team. Cook and Lanier County each placed one defender.
Lowndes lineman Tyler Aultman was named second team offense, while fellow senior Tiquan Lang was named second team returner.
Aultman graded out at 78.1 percent with 27 knockdowns this season, recording 25 pancake blocks and allowing one quarterback pressure in 2012 for the Vikings, who finished with a 9-2 record.
Lang, a player that was nominated for athlete and safety, finished the year averaging 19.4 yards per punt return and 36.6 yards per kickoff return. He scored three touchdowns off returns, finished with a team-high four interceptions and scored six rushing touchdowns this season.
Brooks County junior receiver Deric Herring was named first team offense in Class AA. The go-to target for second team quarterback Malkom Parrish, Herring hauled in a team-leading 65 catches for 949 yards with 14 touchdowns this season for the Region 1-AA champion Trojans.
Parrish, also a junior, finished the year as the Trojans’ leader in yardage after throwing for 3,001 yards and rushing for 1,000. He finished the year with 41 total touchdowns.
Cook’s Matt Foster was named second team defense after finishing the year with 63 tackles, seven sacks and eight tackles for loss for the Hornets. Foster is receiving offers from South Alabama, Jacksonville State and Chattanooga.
Berrien’s Devonte Bass was named an Honorable Mention this season, despite the Rebels finishing with a 3-7 record. Bass finished the year with 1,610 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Lanier County linebacker Russell Zirkle was named to the second team defense. Zirkle, a First Team All-Region 2-A selection, finished the year with a team-best 107 tackles and 9 1/2 sacks. He also had three interceptions.
Gainesville High School’s Deshaun Watson was named the state’s All-Class Player of the Year after he guided the Red Elephants to an undefeated record and the Class 5A state championship.
The Clemson University commitment completed 70 percent of his passes (305 of 434) for 4,011 yards with 50 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.
In Class 6A, Norcross’ Alvin Kamara was named the Offensive Player of the Year, while Lovejoy’s Nathaniel Norwood was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Norcross head coach Keith Maloof was named the Coach of the Year.
In Class AA, state champion Jefferson made a clean sweep. Quarterback Bryant Shirreffs was named the Offensive POY; Wesley Simonton was named the Defensive POY. Dragons’ head coach T. McFerrin was named the Coach of the Year.
In Class A, Wilcox County quarterback Makail Grace was named the Offensive Player of the Year, while Dooly County’s Mantravius Adams was named the Defensive POY. Eagles Landing Christian head coach Jonathan Gless, who guided the Chargers to the Class A Private School state championship, was named the Coach of the Year.
Local Sports
7 local players named AP All-State
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VSU softball wins South Region, headed to nationals
For the third time in four years, and second in a row, Valdosta State’s softball team will play in the national championship tournament.
The Blazers won their third South Region championship Saturday, beating Alabama-Huntsville 8-3 in game three of the best-of-three series at Steel’s Diamond at Blazer Park. -
VSU baseball season comes to an end
Delta State scored seven unanswered runs to defeat Valdosta State 7-2 in an elimination game of the NCAA South Region Tournament at the UT Baseball Field Saturday afternoon.
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Blazers take 1-0 series lead
Angela O’Connor launched a pinch-hit two-run home run over the left-field fence, tying the game against Alabama-Huntsville in the bottom of the sixth inning, and sparking the Blazers and their fans along the way.
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Blazer baseball stays alive, beats Stillman
Valdosta State scored five runs in the first inning to defeat Stillman 6-2 in an elimination game of the NCAA South Region Tournament at UT Baseball Field Friday morning.
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Lowndes’ Harwell, Wortham sign with Valdosta State
Lowndes’ Ty Harwell and David Wortham won’t have to go far to play college baseball.
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Blazers host respected rival UAH in Super Regional
One would expect a matchup featuring two of the top softball programs in Division II to come in the national championship game.
Unfortunately for Valdosta State and Alabama-Huntsville, who have combined to appear in four straight national championship games, they won’t be meeting in title game on Memorial Day in Salem, Va. -
Pop Warner Football coming to Valdosta
Pop Warner Football is coming to Valdosta.
The nationally known organization that puts an emphasis on education and developing American youth has been established in the Valdosta area and will begin playing football this August. -
Blazers lose to Delta State, fall to loser’s bracket
If the Valdosta State baseball team is going to win the South Region Tournament, the Blazers going to have to do it from the loser’s bracket.
The Blazers (33-17) dropped their first game of the tournament Thursday, falling to Delta State 4-2 at UT Baseball Stadium.
VSU will face Stillman College, which lost to No. 1 seed and tournament host Tampa Thursday, Friday at 11 a.m. to advance to the weekend portion of the tournament. The loser will be eliminated. -
Lowndes’ Willis, Breit named Region 1 Coaches of the Year
The All-Region 1-AAAAAA soccer teams were announced Wednesday and Lowndes was well represented.
Lowndes coaches Chris Willis (girls) and Jordan Breit (boys) were named the Region Coaches of the Year, after leading the Lowndes teams to region championships and going undefeated in region play. -
Vikings commit 4 errors, fall to Roswell, 5-2
The small things matter in baseball, especially in a winner-take-all game three.
On Wednesday, Lowndes’ baseball team made too many mistakes on the little things. The Vikings committed four errors that led to five Roswell runs and were eliminated in the Class AAAAAA state playoffs with a 5-2 loss to the Hornets. - More Local Sports Headlines
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