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
- Local Sports
-
-
Win or go home
The Valdosta State softball team faces Armstrong Atlantic University in an elimination game for the 2013 Division II Softball Championship Tournament today at noon.
-
HOOPER: An early look at the 2013 football season
I haven’t written a column in quite some time, largely because there has been so much going on and we haven’t always had the space, nor have I felt up to it after writing so many other stories.
But today, I am writing this column and taking up the inches in the daily sports section and giving a little love to the upcoming football season. -
Blazers fall to Molloy in eight innings
With only one out remaining and trailing by three, the Molloy Lions strung together four hits to plate three runs in the seventh followed by another run in the eighth inning to defeat Valdosta State’s softball team 5-4 in the first round of the 2013 Division II Softball National Championship Tournament on Thursday in Salem, Va.
-
Albritton, Johnson earn All-America honors
Valdosta State softball players Courtney Albritton and Morgan Johnson gathered multiple All-America honors late Wednesday night.
-
Golfers take course for Wounded Warriors
Local patrons participated in the Wounded Warrior Project Golf Tournament at Stone Creek Golf Club in Valdosta on Thursday.
-
Valwood football hosting 4-man scramble golf tourney
Head coach Ashley Henderson and the Valwood football team will be hosting a 4-man scramble golf tournament at Valdosta Country Club Friday, June 14.
-
VHS football cheerleaders to host Junior Cheer Camp
The Valdosta High School football cheerleaders will be hosting a Junior Cheer Camp June 5 through June 7 at the W.G. Nunn Elementary School gymnasium.
-
Gillespie, McPherson pleased with spring practices
Valdosta’s Rance Gillespie and Lowndes’ Randy McPherson both think their football teams got better during the recent 10 days of spring practice.
Then again, both coaches know their teams have a ways to go before the start of the football season. -
Signing day at VHS
It was signing day galore at Valdosta High School Wednesday.
Six student-athletes signed national letter of intents to compete at the next level, while two VHS athletes both signed academic scholarships to Division I universities. -
Powell signs with Shorter
Robert Powell, a member of the basketball team on South Georgia State College’s Waycross Campus, has signed a letter of intent to continue his basketball career at Shorter University in Rome.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
