Six area players have been named semifinalists for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football award in their respective classifications, including the first such contender in Chattanooga Christian School history.
CCS junior athlete Boo Carter in Division II-AA, Baylor senior running back Caleb Hampton and McCallie junior defensive lineman Carson Gentle (both in DII-AAA), East Hamilton senior athlete Juan Bullard (Class 4A), Tyner senior quarterback Josh Jackson (2A) and South Pittsburg junior quarterback Kamden Wellington (1A) are all in the running.
Five semifinalists were named in all nine TSSAA classes on Thursday, plus five for the state's overall kicker of the year award. Three finalists for each of the 10 awards will be named at 8 p.m. on Nov. 22, and the awards banquet is set for Dec. 7 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, where the winners will be announced.
“When you’re a young program, these things mean a lot,” said Phil Massey, who is in his first season as coach at CCS, a program in its 14th year. “It just shows the growth of the program over the past couple of years and even the past two weeks with the opportunity last week to play for a region championship, and now one of our own is a Mr. Football semifinalist.
“That’s exciting for our CCS community, our team and for Boo. The great thing is that, even though he’s earned this through his talent and hard work, Boo realizes any attention he gets for an individual award is possible because of the team that surrounds him.”
Carter, one of the state's highest-rated college prospects for the 2024 signing cycle, has 1,458 total offensive yards so far this season to go with 40 tackles and four interceptions — he returned one for a touchdown — and has averaged 19 yards per punt return. He has rushed for 678 yards (8.9 per carry) and 18 touchdowns, and he has caught 36 passes for 780 yards (21.6 per reception) and 10 scores as the Chargers head into Friday's first-round playoff game against visiting Goodpasture.
Hampton helped guide Baylor to an eight-win regular season and a first-round bye in the playoffs, averaging 9.8 yards per carry while rushing for 1,485 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Gentle, who has played both linebacker and defensive end, has 46 solo tackles, 12 stops for loss, seven sacks and 14 quarterback hurries. He also has averaged 19.4 yards on seven catches as a tight end and has an 85% blocking grade for the Blue Tornado, the three-time reigning state champions who host St. Benedict in a playoff opener Friday.
Jackson has guided Tyner to Class 2A’s No. 1 ranking and the Region 3 title, throwing for 2,137 yards and 26 touchdowns so far as the Rams prepare to host Trousdale County in the first round.
Bullard, who moved to quarterback after the Hurricanes' returning starter was injured in the preseason, is the area’s only player with more than 1,000 yards rushing and passing. He helped lead East Hamilton to the Region 3-4A championship to set up a first-round game against DeKalb County, and going into the postseason Bullard has 1,461 rushing yards with 26 touchdowns and 1,220 passing yards with eight scores. In 188 carries, he has yet to fumble.
Wellington, in his first season as a varsity starter, has set every program passing record for the Pirates, including single-game marks with six touchdown tosses twice and 439 yards against North Jackson. For the season, he has thrown for 1,795 yards and 27 touchdowns, and he has also rushed for 459 yards and eight scores as South Pittsburg begins its bid to repeat as state champion by hosting Red Boiling Springs in the first round.
2022 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Semifinalists
CLASS 1A
Kumaro Brown, MASE
Jackson Cassidy, McKenzie
Sam Driggers, Peabody
Isaiah Thomison, Fayetteville
Kamden Wellington, South Pittsburg
CLASS 2A
Mason Bowman, Monterey
Jacquan Davis, Fairley
Quincy Hamilton, Westview
Joshua Jackson, Tyner
Zech Prince, East Robertson
CLASS 3A
Jamarion Dowell, Covington
Easton Elliott, Waverly
Jordan Harris, Alcoa
Mark Joseph, Sheffield
Lance Williams, Alcoa
CLASS 4A
Gabe Borders, Macon County
Juandrick Bullard, East Hamilton
Marcellus Jackson, Fulton
Walker Martinez, Anderson County
Jamari Person, Haywood
CLASS 5A
De’Sean Bishop, Karns
Malaki Dowell, White County
Brayden Latham, Knoxville West
Jordyn Potts, Powell
Braxton Sharp, Munford
CLASS 6A
Justin Brown, Blackman
Arion Carter, Smyrna
Kade Hewitt, Oakland
Jack Risner, Blackman
Noah Vaughn, Maryville
DIVISION II-A
Jared Curtis, Nashville Christian
Kevin Finch, USJ
Ashton Jones, DCA
D.J. Merriweather, Clarksville Academy
Garrett Weekly, Friendship Christian
DIVISION II-AA
Kaleb Beasley, Lipscomb Academy
Orlando “Boo” Carter, Chattanooga Christian
Brock Glenn, Lausanne
Charlie Robinson, Knoxville Webb
Maureice “Junior” Sherrill, Lipscomb Academy
DIVISION II-AAA
Max Carroll, Briarcrest
Gabe Fisher, MBA
Carson Gentle, McCallie
Caleb Hampton, Baylor
Marcel Reed, MBA
KICKER OF THE YEAR
Max Gilbert, Lausanne
Oziel Hernandez, Germantown
Reese Keeney, Farragut
Ben Shrewsbury, Daniel Boone
Jacob Taylor, Oakland
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.
Updated with more information at 5:20 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2022.