Nine players from the Chattanooga area were among those named semifinalists for the TSSAA's annual Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards on Friday.
From each list of five semifinalists per classification and for all-class Kicker of the Year, there will be three finalists named Monday, Nov. 13. The winners for all 10 awards will be announced Monday, Nov. 27, at the Titans' Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
Five of the nine area semifinalists are non-seniors. The area honorees are Baylor's Brendon Harris (Division II-AAA), Notre Dame's Cam Wynn (Division II-AA), Soddy-Daisy's Ty Boeck (Class 5A), Central's Michael McGhee (4A), Red Bank's Calvin Jackson (3A), Marion County's Jacob Saylors and Meigs County's Aaron Swafford (2A), South Pittsburg's Garrett Raulston (1A) and Bledsoe County kicker Gabe Boring.
Going into Friday's first round of the state playoffs, the season statistics for the semifinalists were already impressive.
Harris, a senior who recently committed to Vanderbilt, had 550 rushing yards and seven touchdowns as well as 77 tackles and an interception on defense. Wynn, only a junior but already committed to the University of Tennessee, had 1,430 all-purpose yards, 20 touchdowns and 30 tackles in nine games.
Two-way players are rare at larger programs, but Boeck rarely comes off the field for the Trojans. The senior had more than 1,200 total yards and 17 touchdowns, as well as 95 tackles, four more for loss and three sacks.
Only a junior, McGhee had more than 1,000 rushing yards, 1,500 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns. Also a junior, Jackson is one of the most versatile players in the state, having made the transition from quarterback last season to athlete this year. He had more than 1,700 all-purpose yards, averaging 12 yards per touch, and 27 touchdowns.
"I'm so happy for Mike because he's a great kid and student as well as being a really good football player," Central coach Cortney Braswell said. "It's the culmination of a job well done for Mike and his teammates, who helped him get this recognition.
"To go from where we started last year to now having a player who's a semifinalist for Mr. Football, it's just another exciting part of a historic season for us."
Saylors is a two-time all-state defensive back who has taken on a much larger offensive role in his senior season. He averaged 15 yards per carry while gaining more than 1,500 yards and also had 450 receiving yards and 30 total touchdowns to go with 38 tackles and two interceptions on defense.
Swafford is just a sophomore but led the Tigers to an undefeated regular season and the No. 1 ranking in Class 2A. The dual-threat quarterback threw for 1,100 yards, rushed for more than 1,000 and had 32 total touchdowns to go with 65 tackles and three interceptions, with two of those returned for touchdowns.
Raulston, a junior fullback and linebacker for the Pirates, averaged 8 yards per carry while rushing for close to 800 yards and also had 57 solo tackles, 61 assists and six more for loss for 1A's top-ranked team.
Boring was perfect on 11 extra-point attempts and 5-for-6 on field-goal tries, with a long of 47. He also led the area with a 47-yard punting average.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.
TSSAA Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards semifinalists
South Pittsburg's Garrett Raulston (9) finds a hole in the Whitwell defense. The Whitwell Tigers visited the South Pittsburg Pirates in a key TSSAA football matchup on October 13, 2017. DIVISION I, CLASS 1A
Braxton Givens, Gordonsville
Parker McKinney, Coalfield
Brandon Moore, Fayetteville
Kade Pearson, Huntingdon
Garrett Raulston, South Pittsburg
Meigs County Aaron Swafford tries to find a hole during the game against Hixson on Aug. 25, 2017. (Photo by Mark Gilliland) 
Marion County's Jacob Saylors (8) fights off the tackle of Polk's Connor Barks (15). Saylor scored a touchdown on the play. The Polk County Wildcats visited the Marion County Warriors in TSSAA football action on October 27, 2017.DIVISION I, CLASS 2A
Ethan Cobb, Eagleville
Caleb D. Johnson, MAHS
Jacob Saylors, Marion County
Gavin Stanfield, Waverly Central
Aaron Swafford, Meigs County
Red Bank wide receiver Calvin Jackson III (5) runs the ball downfield during the Red Bank High School vs. Loudon High School at Red Bank High School Friday, Oct. 27, 2017, in Red Bank, Tenn. DIVISION I, CLASS 3A
Kalyn Grandberry, Raleigh Egypt
Calvin Jackson III, Red Bank
Darius James, Fairview
Woodrow Lowe III, Bolivar Central
Jimmyrious Parker, Pearl Cohn
Central's Michael McGhee (16) takes the ball up field against Notre Dame at Notre Dame's Jim Eberle Field on Friday, Sept. 8, in Chattanooga, Tenn.DIVISION I, CLASS 4A
Cade Ballard, Greeneville
Kamron Hightower-Liggett, Marshall County
Stanton Martin, Anderson County
Michael Jamahl McGhee, Chattanooga Central
Dontae Smith, Spring Hill
Soddy-Daisy's Ty Boeck (13) shakes off Red Bank's David Cosby (10) to score the Trojan's first touchdown. The Red Bank Lions visited the Soddy-Daisy Trojans in TSSAA football action at Soddy-Daisy High School on August 18, 2017.DIVISION I, CLASS 5A
Ty Boeck, Soddy-Daisy
Tai Carter, Summit
Jordan Davis, Southwind
Kaemon Dunlap, Beech
Cade Mays, Knoxville Catholic
DIVISION I, CLASS 6A
Jeremy Banks, Cordova
Savion Davis, Riverdale
Dylan Hopkins, Maryville
Carson Shacklett, Brentwood
Jaylin Williams, Germantown
DIVISION II, CLASS A
Da'Joun Hewitt, Davidson Academy
Darius Hylick, Mt. Juliet Christian
Brant Lawless, Nashville Christian
Kemari McGowan, Middle Tennessee Christian
Xavier Myers, Nashville Christian
DIVISION II, CLASS AA
Morgan Ernst, Webb School of Knoxville
Eric Gray, Lausanne
Drew Martin, BGA
Kane Patterson, CPA
Cam Wynn, Notre Dame
DIVISION II, CLASS AAA
Tyler Badie, Briarcrest
Brendon Harris, Baylor
Camron Johnson, Brentwood Academy
Bill Norton, Christian Brothers
Gavin Schoenwald, Brentwood Academy
Bledsoe County kicker Gabe Boring (3) attempts a field goal from the hold of Skylar Standefer (8). The Bledsoe County Warriors visited the Sequatchie County Indians in TSSAA football action Saturday September 25, 2015.KICKER OF THE YEAR
Gabe Boring, Bledsoe County
Thomas Burks, Blackman
Charles Campbell, USJ
Noah Holsinger, Trinity Christian
Aaron Sears, Oakland