Honorable Mention
Luke Shiflett, Northwest Whitfield: In a key neighborhood game, Shiflett was a two-pronged offender. He passed for 266 yards and two scores and ran 17 times for 106 yards and another touchdown in a win against Ringgold.Kolten Gibson, Walker Valley: The Mustangs lost to county rival Bradley Central, but the junior completed 28 of 40 passes for 371 yards and two touchdowns.Logan Griswold, Polk County: He ran 14 times for 200 yards, scoring four touchdowns, as the Wildcats ended a 21-game losing streak with a 35-28 victory against East Ridge.
Gordon Lee’s Drew Cobb was within 50 yards of Nootie Abbott’s single-game rushing record for the program in Thursday night’s season opener.
Cobb could have easily set the mark.
The mindset, though, is on the season and the team rather than personal accolades, and Trojans coach Greg Ellis pulled the plug one offensive play into the second half against visiting Dade County.
“He never said a word about not getting a chance at the record,” Ellis said. “He’s a team player. He’s very humble – a quiet guy that goes about his business. The only person I can think of that might be mad at me for pulling him is Drew’s dad. But he’s a team guy, and it’s too long of a season to take a chance (of injury).”