Best of Preps - Area Football Offense

Player: Tucker Tipton

Cleveland’s two-year starter at quarterback was the heart of the Blue Raiders offense, throwing for more than 1,200 yards and rushing for 783. With the 6-foot, 185-pound senior on the field, Cleveland’s offense scored four or more touchdowns eight times, and he was a four-year starter in the secondary.

Tipton has committed to continue his football career with the Air Force Academy. He was injured in the regular-season finale and unable to play in Cleveland’s first-round playoff loss at Maryville.

“What makes Tucker so special is his ability to do so many things,” Raiders coach Danny Wilson said. “He can run and throw the ball equally well and knew how to put us in the right play and make sure everybody was where they were supposed to be. When you put all those things together, it makes for a great player.

“He’s also a great leader and example on and off the field.”

Nathan Carroll

McMinn County
5-10, 220, Senior
Lineman
He anchored an offense that averaged 4 yards per run and nearly 300 total yards per game.

David Jones

South Pittsburg
6-1, 205, Senior
Running back
The MTSU commitment and Class 1A Mr. Football ran for 23 TDs and more than 1,100yards.

Courtney Lindsey

Bradley Central
5-9, 170, Senior
Athlete
He ran for 567 yards, threw for 344 and averaged nearly 10 yards per reception for the Bears.

Kyle Long

McMinn Central
6-1, 270, Senior
Lineman
He graded out at 91 percent with 88 pancake blocks for a team with six fivetouchdown games.

Tevin McDermott

McMinn County
6-2, 190, Junior
Receiver
He had 584 receiving yards, averaging 12 per catch, and rushed for more than 230 yards.

Dylan Mills

Walker Valley
6-5, 255, Junior
Lineman
He helped the Mustangs win their final four regularseason games and qualify for the playoffs.

Joe Muir

Marion County
5-10, 170, Senior
Running back
He ran for 1,059 yards and 12 TDs and had 260 receiving yards for the 2A state semifinalists.

Terrell Parks

Cleveland
5-10, 180, Junior
Receiver
He had 600 receiving yards and another 480 rushing and made five interceptions on defense.

Kevin Revis

Rhea County
6-3, 265, Senior
Lineman
The UT commitment and Mr. Football finalist graded out at 98 percent with 44 pancake blocks.

Stephen Stansell

McMinn County
5-11, 172, Senior
Kicker
He had 30 kickoff touchbacks and scored 54 points on field goals and extra points.

Cameron Tallent

Rhea County
6-1, 185, Sophomore
Quarterback
He completed 55 percent of his passes for 1,748 yards and 21 TDs and ran for three TDs.

Josh Walker

Rhea County
6-5, 285, Senior
Lineman
The Middle Tennessee commitment graded out at 89 percent with 37 pancake blocks.

Second team

Brandon Ashby: Sequatchie County, Athlete, Senior
Trevor Barnes: South Pittsburg, Lineman, Senior
Jared Duke: Walker Valley, Lineman, Junior
Delano Ellison: McMinn County, Running back, Senior
Jamin Godfrey: McMinn Central, Kicker, Junior
Montel Hale: North Jackson, Receiver, Sophomore
A.J. Matthews: North Jackson, Running back, Senior
Blake McAmis: Bradley Central, Lineman, Junior
Zak Rayl: McMinn Central, Quarterback, Junior
Travis Smith: McMinn County, Receiver, Junior
Taylor Watson: McMinn Central, Lineman, Senior
Matt Wayne: South Pittsburg, Lineman, Senior

Teams of the year

1. Marion County (11-3): The Warriors fell a yard short of the Region 3-2A title, avenged that loss in the playoffs and advanced to the state semifinals.
2. South Pittsburg (12-1): The Pirates averaged 48 points per game before falling at eventual 1A state champion Trousdale County in the quarterfinals.
3. North Jackson (10-2): Replacing 15 starters and three coaches, including the head coach, the Chiefs won their eighth region championship in nine years.

Coach: Troy Boeck

After Marion County lost its first two games to open the season, the first-year head coach guided the Warriors to 11 straight wins and the Class 2A semifinals for the first time since 1995. Marion lost to state champion Alcoa. A two-point conversion that came up 1 yard short prevented the Warriors from winning the Region 3-2A title, but they avenged that loss by beating Boyd-Buchanan in the playoffs, one of two straight road wins in the postseason. Boeck’s first order of business was to implement a much more stringent summer workout program, followed by very physical preseason practices. “We had talent here. It was just a matter of getting them to believe in themselves,” Boeck said. “Once the kids bought into what we were trying to do, you could see a change in the way they carried themselves into games.”