The GISA AAA All-State team selected just two Valwood Valiants, Aalah Brown and Mark-Anthony Audain.

Two obvious picks.

What’s even more obvious are the Valiants that were shortchanged out of a selection.

“I just find it interesting how a team can play the toughest schedule in GISA and make it to the finals and only get two All-State selections,” Henderson said about his team. “With some of the other (teams) getting multiple more picks than us- and I understand we don’t need to get as many as John Milledge Academy but a we had the highest passer, a 2,000-yard passer not get it. We had the second-best receiver not get it, so you know, it’s just kind of weird.”

Quarterback Pate Hogan threw for 2,033 yards, 14 touchdowns, six interceptions and completed 59.7% of his passes. He’s the leader for passing yards and touchdowns in GISA AAA, yet he was overlooked for the All-State team.

Aalah Brown is No.1 in receiving yards and touchdowns for GISA AAA, with 1,164 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. No.2 is teammate Jaheim James with 673 yards and six touchdowns but he was left off.

To Henderson’s point, it is ‘kind of weird’ how they were overlooked.

How is the only 2,000-yard passer and second-leading receiver in GISA AAA not an All-State selection after Valwood just made it to the state championship game?

No possible statistic could make that answer reasonable.

“Regardless, those kids deserve some recognition for an outstanding season,” Henderson said. “I’m super proud of Aalah and Mark-Anthony for getting selected. I’m proud of all these kids, whole team has worked hard all year and especially these kids. I don’t think any of these kids didn’t play both ways so, who knows what Aalah’s offensive stats would’ve been if he was resting when the defense was on the field.”

Although just two Valiants were named All-State, nine were honored with All-Region selections.

The GISA 3AAA All-Region selections from Valwood:

Aalah Brown – Junior WR/FS

Bay Moorman – Junior MLB/RB

Blaine Cooper – Senior OLB/RB

Micheal Tucker – Junior CB/WR

Jaheim James – Junior CB/WR

Pate Hogan – QB

Mark-Anthony Audain – Junior T/DT

Tyler Cross – Senior FS/LB

Harrison Hamsley – Junior TE/DE

All-Region Honorable Mentions: Brody Carson- Senior T/DT; Javan Wright- Junior FS/SB; Clark Miller- Senior LS; Mason Williams- Senior T/C/DT

A bulk of these players will be back for their senior seasons. Henderson can be happy with that.