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Taste of “T” Street Festival @ Miss Selma’s School — 10/19/13
10/19 — This third annual fundraiser treated families to live music from children’s musician Brian Kinder, food booths, a scavenger hunt, petting zoo and more.
Tennessee Titans Mr. Football finalists
Class 1A Lineman Brant Lawless (Nashville Christian) Josh Silvey (Greenback) Class 1A Back Preston Rice (Wayne County) Kayne Roberts (Greenback) Class 2A Lineman Alex Kirkendoll (Marion County) Hunter McClain (Marion County) Class 2A Back Darius Harper (Austin-East) Cordarrian Richardson (Trezevant) Class 3A Lineman Jacob Phillips (East Nashville) Jacob Rimmer (Milan) Class 3A Back Hunter Davenport (Sequatchie County) Tykee Kellogg (Alcoa) Class 4A Lineman Cade Mays (Knox Catholic) Cain McWilliams (Marshall County) Class 4A Back Chase Kuerschen (Knox Catholic) Amari Rodgers (Knox Catholic) Class 5A Lineman Trevis Hopper (Memphis Central) Eli Katina (Centennial) Class 5A Back Tee Higgins (Oak Ridge) Jordan Mason (Gallatin) Class 6A Lineman T.D. Blackmon (Maryville) Aubrey Miller (Whitehaven) Class 6A Back JaCoby Stevens (Oakland) Kylan Watkins (Whitehaven) Division II-A Lineman Will Lawrence (Hardin Academy) Trey Smith (USJ) Division II-A Back Eric Gray (Lausanne) Chase Hayden (St. George's) Division II-AA Lineman Griffin Hawkins (Briarcrest) Dorian Hopkins (MUS) Division II-AA Back Ty Chandler (MBA) Robert Riddle (McCallie) Kicker of the Year Jacob Smith (Siegel) Adam Williams (Wilson Central)
Four players from the Chattanooga area have been named finalists for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football award.
There are two finalists for each award, with that list including McCallie quarterback Robert Riddle (Division II-AA Back of the Year), Sequatchie County's Hunter Davenport (Class 3A Back of the Year) and Marion County linebackers Alex Kirkendoll and Hunter McClain (Class 2A Lineman of the Year).
Only one other team has both finalists in one category - Knox Catholic's Chase Kuerschen and Amari Rodgers are up for Class 4A Back of the Year. The Irish also has a finalist (Cade Mays) for that classification's lineman award as well.
A committee of statewide sports writers selected the finalists and winners based on regular-season performance. Academics and character were also taken into consideration when selecting the list.
In the regular season Riddle threw for more than 2,400 yards and 18 TDs. Meanwhile Davenport is the first Mr. Football finalist in program history. He was the only player in the state to be a finalist for both back and lineman awards in the same classification. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder amassed more than 1,100 total yards and 20 TDs on offense and also made 92 tackles, nine more for loss and forced four fumbles defensively.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Kirkendoll ranked among the area's leader in tackles with 126 total, another 11 for loss, three sacks and two safeties. On a defense that allowed just four rushing touchdowns in 10 games, the 5-11, 195-pound McClain had 73 tackles, 10 more for loss, three sacks and also had 1,087 offensive yards and 15 TDs on offense.
Each of the finalists are invited to attend the awards ceremony at the Titans' Nissan Stadium on Monday, November 28, where Mr. Football awards will be presented to the top 16 backs and linemen in eight classifications, as well as the overall top kicker for all classes.
Four semifinalists for each of those awards, per classification, were announced two weeks ago. That list included not only the four area players who were named finalists, but also McCallie lineman Giovanni Hightower-Reviere, Bradley Central quarterback Cole Copeland, South Pittsburg lineman Mitch Butner and East Hamilton kicker Jake McClure.
This is the 32nd year that the Mr. Football Awards have been presented to Tennessee's best high school football players.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis