After putting together two of the best seasons for local prep football teams in 2015, Notre Dame and East Ridge combined to place seven players on the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Class 3A all-state team.
The Fighting Irish, who advanced to the state semifinals for a second straight year, have four players - offensive lineman Robert Murphy, linebacker Tyler Enos, defensive back Ricky Ballard and punter Alex Darras - earn TSWA all-state honors.
"We look at each one of these individual honors as a team award," Notre Dame coach Charles Fant said. "To have that many kids make it says a lot about how far our program has come and where we are. We had one kid make all-state my first year (four years ago). The second year we had two, then last year we had three.
"That's the level of talent it's going to take to get to take that last step and get to where we want to be."
Making the list for East Ridge were junior running back Traneil Moore, senior offensive lineman Pete Sexton and senior defensive back Jesse Jones, and Red Bank defensive lineman Tra Stamper was all-state as well.
Hixson offensive lineman Brody Gregory and East Hamilton defensive back Frankie Campo were named to the Class 4A all-state team.
Moore, the state's Mr. Football award winner for back of the year in 3A, rushed for 2,295 yards and 27 touchdowns. Most of that total came running behind Sexton, while Jones returned four of his eight interceptions for scores.
"First and foremost, this is a testament to those kids," Pioneers coach Tracy Malone said. "Pete's been a four-year starter, so to see him finish his high school career making all-state is pretty special, and Jesse is just starting to scratch the surface of what he can do.
"Obviously everything Traneil has done has been well documented and deserved. It just shows that kids can come to East Ridge and be successful."
Stamper made 57 tackles, 13 for loss, seven sacks and three fumble recoveries for the Lions, while Gregory was an overpowering blocker for the Wildcats and Campo was the leading tackler for one of the area's top defensive units.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.
TSWA All-State
Class 4AOffenseQB: Ashton Posey (Marshall County), Chase Cunningham (Catholic). RB: Desmond Dabbs (Greeneville), Dylan Linder (Livingston Academy). WR: Rontavius Groves (Pearl-Cohn), Amari Rodgers (Catholic), Tre Crutcher, Marshall County. OL: Cade Mays (Catholic), Sam Jackson (Lipscomb Academy), Jaelin Fisher (Peal-Cohn), Bryson Knight (Greeneville), Brody Gregory (Hixson). ATH: Jimmy Ferrell (Pearl-Cohn), Devante Turner (Memphis East). K: Ryan Courtright (Lexington).DefenseDL: Emmit Gooden (Haywood), Rutger Reitmaier (Lipscomb Academy), Matthew Gayle (Fulton), Austin Rowan (Catholic). LB: Darron Johnson (Ridgeway), Tariqious Tisdale (Lexington), Markevous McKinnie (Jackson North Side), Rondrow Peebles (Knoxville Central). DB: Kentel Williams (Fulton), Frankie Campo (East Hamilton), Nick Godwin (Hardin County), Teddrick McGhee (Memphis East). ATH: Chase Kuerschen (Catholic), Chaton Mobley (Fulton). P: Brent Cimaglia (Page).Class 3AOffenseQB: Zack Weatherly (CPA), Cole Smith (CAK). RB: Traneil Moore (East Ridge), Noah Whaley (Pigeon Forge). WR: Phillip Nichols (CAK), Ben Guffey (Upperman), Rodney Castille (Liberty). OL: Pete Sexton (East Ridge), Robert Murphy (Notre Dame), Ben Buchanan (CAK), Jacob Rimmer (Milan), Caleb Stephens (White House Heritage). ATH: Deshawn Brown (Camden), Steven Jennings (DeKalb County). K: Ben Smith (Alcoa).DefenseDL: Matthew McClurg (Alcoa), Jonathan Decker (Alcoa), Tra Stamper (Red Bank), Kahlil Jones (Stratford). LB: Tyler Enos (Notre Dame), Christian Williams (Milan), Dantae Wilkes (Liberty), Preston Whitehead (Elizabethton). DB: Jesse Jones (East Ridge), Caleb Woody (Alcoa), Ricky Ballard (Notre Dame), Price Perdue (CPA). ATH: Dustin Clabough (Alcoa), Chip Omer (CPA). P: Alex Darras (Notre Dame)