Smith, Huesman, two Pirates finalists

Jacques Smith did not want the lasting memory of his senior season to be standing on the sideline of Ooltewah's first-round playoff loss.

When the TSSAA announced the finalists for its Mr. Football awards Tuesday afternoon, Smith was on the list, meaning he will have an opportunity to leave the Owls program on a much higher note than serving a one-game suspension last week for punching a teammate in the face.

"Maybe if I win it again, it would take some of the sting out of not playing in my last game as a senior," said Smith, who will leave in December to enroll early at Tennessee. "Not being able to play in my last game pretty much overshadowed everything else about my senior year so far.

"Winning this award would be a blessing, and it would definitely make these last weeks of high school much better. It would be something I can give back to the school, to show my appreciation to the program for everything the school did for me."

Smith is one of four area players among the 33 finalists for the TSSAA's Mr. Football awards. Joining him are Baylor junior Jacob Huesman, a finalist for Division II-AA Back of the Year; South Pittsburg's Terrell Robinson, a Class A Back of the Year finalist; and teammate Jiajuan Fennell, a finalist for Lineman of the Year.

There are three finalists for both Back and Lineman of the Year in three public school and two private school classifications as well as an overall Kicker of the Year. The Mr. Football awards are selected by a combination of statewide votes by coaches and a panel of sports writers. The award winners will be announced Nov. 30 at a banquet at the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center in Murfreesboro.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Smith became the first Ooltewah player to win the award last year, and now he has a chance to join former Red Bank running back Gerald Riggs, former Notre Dame receiver Adarius Bowman and former McCallie quarterback B.J. Coleman as the only local players to be Mr. Football honorees in consecutive years.

"Some people may think I didn't have as great a season as I should have, but if you look at the film I was double- and triple-teamed every game," said Smith, who had 57.5 tackles, 8.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss this season. "But even I got frustrated sometimes when I saw my numbers weren't as good as the previous year. Winning it again would be a big spirit-booster for me before I go to Tennessee."

Huesman transferred to Baylor this season after his father Russ was hired as the head coach at UT-Chattanooga. The 6-1, 185-pound junior won the starting job late in preseason practice and has led the Red Raiders to the second round of the Division II-AA playoffs. He has thrown for 1,433 yards and rushed for 789 and has a combined 18 touchdowns.

"Any time a kid has to move and change schools in the middle of his high school career, it can be tough," Baylor coach Phil Massey said. "But Jacob was immediately accepted and appreciated by his teammates, and he's been a great team leader for us.

"This is an individual award, but it's also a team honor."

South Pittsburg and Class AAA top-ranked Alcoa were the only two public schools with finalists in both categories. Robinson, a 6-3, 190-pound UTC commitment, has thrown for 1,360 yards and rushed for 858 and accounted for 34 touchdowns. Fennell, a 6-4, 220-pound Middle Tennessee State commitment, has 59 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and three sacks as a defensive end. He also has 21 catches for 343 yards and two TDs as a tight end.

"It's obviously a big honor for those two guys individually, but it's even bigger for our team and school," said Pirates coach Vic Grider, whose program last had two finalists in 1999. "To have two guys represent us says a lot about the respect our program has across the state.

"Not only do they have their act together athletically, but they're both in the top 10 in the senior class academically."

2009 TENNESSEE TITANS MR. FOOTBALL FINALISTS

CLASS A BACK

Kevin Ashabraner, Jo Byrns

Kennon Holder, Huntingdon

Terrell Robinson, South Pittsburg

CLASS A LINEMAN

Josh Carroll, Adamsville

Ronnie Fair, Union City

Jiajuan Fennell, South Pittsburg

CLASS AA BACK

Bryson Crowder, Liberty

Jaron Toney, Alcoa

Bo Wallace, Giles County

CLASS AA LINEMAN

O.C. Brown, Manassas

Tyler Robinson, Alcoa

James Stone, Maplewood

CLASS AAA BACK

Reed Gurchiek, Mount Juliet

Anthony Hayes, White Station

Darian Stone, Clinton

CLASS AAA LINEMAN

Chris Mayes, Riverdale

Tim McAdoo, Oakland

Jacques Smith, Ooltewah

DIVISION II-A BACK

Davis Childers, Evangelical Christian

Jake Overbey, Univ. School of Jackson

Doug Page, Franklin Road Academy

DII-A LINEMAN

Walker McWherter, USJ

Steven Stafford, ECS

Derek Vaughn, Davidson Academy

DII-AA BACK

Barry Brunetti, Memphis Univ. School

Orleans Darkwa, Ensworth

Jacob Huesman, Baylor

DII-AA LINEMAN

Jonathan Brown, Christian Brothers

Sam Cooper, Ensworth

Harrison Martin, MUS

KICKER OF THE YEAR

Andrew Fletcher, MBA

Christian Kauffman, MUS

Nick Pollard, Father Ryan