The Tennessee Sports Writers Association has released its 2016 all-state football teams for Class 4A and Class 3A, and the lists include seven players from the Chattanooga area.
In Class 4A, Central offensive lineman McClendon Curtis, Hixson offensive lineman Brody Gregory and East Hamilton kicker Jake McClure were among the all-state players. The 3A list includes Sequatchie County linebacker Hunter Davenport and Indians offensive lineman John Higgins, along with Red Bank defensive lineman Jamel Davis and East Ridge running back Traneil Moore.
The 6-foot-7, 280-pound Curtis helped lead Central back to the playoffs this past season, while Gregory, a four-year starter, had 38 pancake blocks and graded out as an 85-percent blocker. McClure, a Mr. Football semifinalist for the state's Mr. Football kicker of the year, made 11 of 12 field-goal attempts with a 56-yarder.
Davenport was a Mr. Football finalists who finished with 132 total tackles, 12 for lost yardage, three interceptions and 2.5 sacks, and Higgins helped pave the way for an offense that averaged nearly 300 rushing yards and reached the state semifinals.
Red Bank's Davis, only a junior, had 51 tackles, 10 for loss and 8.5 sacks. He also blocked a field-goal try and caused two fumbles. After missing a couple of games to begin the season while recovering from a knee injury, Moore ran for 1,331 yards to help the Pioneers reach the quarterfinals.
The TSWA will release the class 2A and 1A all-state teams today.
TSWA All-State
Class 4AOffenseQB: Chase Cunningham (Knoxville Catholic), Trey Mitchell (Knoxville Central); RB: Timothy Taylor (Memphis East), Antwuan Branch (Kenwood); WR: Amari Rodgers (Knoxville Catholic), Tre Crutcher (Marshall County), Zack Dobson (Fulton); OL: Cade Mays (Knoxville Catholic), McClendon Curtis (Chattanooga Central), Evan Grooms (Greeneville), Brody Gregory (Hixson), John Wrister (Memphis East), ATH: Jimmyrious Parker (Pearl-Cohn), K: Jake McClure (East Hamilton).DefenseDL: Isaac Buell (Knoxville Central), Timmarious Jefferson (Memphis East), LaTrell Bumphus (Hardin County), Rutger Reitmaier (Lipscomb Academy); LB: Cain McWilliams (Marshall County), Brayden Devault-Smith (Pearl-Cohn), Jadarius Sackie (Knoxville Central), Chaton Mobley (Fulton); DB: Rondrow Peebles (Knoxville Central), William Phillips (Lipscomb Academy), Takeem Young (Greeneville), Joseph Newberry (Ridgeway), ATH: Chase Kuerschen (Knoxville Catholic), P: Brent Cimaglia (Page).Class 3AOffenseQB: Cole Smith (Christian Academy of Knoxville), Corey Newble (Liberty); RB: Traneil Moore (East Ridge), Jermaine Mason (Goodpasture), WR: Tykee Ogle-Kellogg (Alcoa), Conner Johnson (Elizabethton), Rodney Castille (Liberty); OL: Cade Evans (Alcoa), Rook Young (Christ Presbyterian Academy), John Higgins (Sequatchie County), Andrew Cole (Fayette-Ware), Jacob Rimmer (Milan); ATH: Corey Russell (Elizabethton), K: Ben Smith (Alcoa).DefenseDL: Caleb Unkefer (Christian Academy of Knoxville), Jamel Davis (Red Bank), Elijah Harris (Liberty), Cameron Coleman (Elizabethton); LB: Jack Warwick (Alcoa), Jacob Phillips (East Nashville), Hunter Davenport (Sequatchie County), Kalynn Grandberry (Raleigh-Egypt); DB: Terran Cox (Alcoa), T.J. Carter (Stratford), Alec Long (Liberty), Bradley Miller (DeKalb County); ATH: Jaylen Myers (Alcoa); P: Andrew Howard (Christ Presbyterian Academy).