Quarterfinal playoff runs by the football programs at both Red Bank and Rhea County led to multiple players earning all-state recognition. The Tennessee Sports Writer Association released its all-state teams for Classes 4A, 5A and 6A on Monday evening, with the small school and private school teams to follow later this week.
A total of nine Chattanooga-area players were honored on the three large-school teams, including Red Bank offensive lineman Delmetrius Gustus and defensive back Reco Trimble on the 4A team. Those two were joined on the 4A team by East Hamilton defensive lineman Mel McFarland, while Rhea County sophomore running back Ethan Davis and linebacker Drew Fisher were joined by McMinn County defensive lineman Jaryd Gable on the 5A team.
The 6A team includes Bradley Central linebacker Knox Watson and Cleveland linebacker Tate O'Bryan and receiver Destun Thomas.
Gustus was the best blocker on a Lions team that rushed for 3,936 yards and 52 touchdowns and Trimble, who signed with East Tennessee State University, finished his senior season with 32.5 solo tackles, five more for loss and four interceptions.
McFarland led the area with 47 tackles for loss and had 90 total stops, along with 12 sacks, five forced fumbles and blocked two punts for the Hurricanes, who tied with Red Bankd and Central for the Region 3-4A title.
Davis followed a breakout freshman season in which he ran for more than 1,000 yards by gaining 2,242 on the ground, plus another 203 receiving, 403 returns yards and totaling 30 TDs. Fisher was named the Region 4-5A co-defensive Player of the Year after finishing with 114 tackles, four more for loss and four sacks. Gable was also the region co-defensive Player of the Year after he also racked up 114 tackles, plus 13 more for loss.
Bradley Central's Watson had 90 tackles and eight more for loss, while O'Bryan ranked among the area's leaders with 22 tackles for loss, plus 57 total stops and six sacks and Thomas, a Memphis University signee, had 42 catches for 1,028 yards and nine TDs to finish as the Blue Raiders career receiving yardage leader.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.
TSWA All-State teams
Class 6AOFFENSEQB – Carson Jones (Maryville), Destin Wade (Summit), QB – Chris Parson (Ravenwood); RB – Noah Vaughn (Maryville), Jordan James (Oakland), Antonio Patterson (Oakland); WR – Markel Fortenberry (Maryville), Trace Corum (Farragut), Destun Thomas (Cleveland); OL – Cal Grubbs (Maryville), Fisher Anderson (Franklin), Carter Miller (Ravenwood), Cooper Koch (Summit), Fletcher Gibson (West Ridge); ATH – Justin Brown (Blackman); K – Reese Keeney (Farragut).DEFENSEDL – Theron Gaines (Oakland), Elijah Herring (Riverdale), Javonte Mackey (Whitehaven); LB – Keaten Wade (Summit), Alex Mitchell (Riverdale), Tate O’Bryan (Cleveland), Knox Watson (Bradley Central); DB – D.J. Burks (Maryville), Myles Pollard (Ravenwood), Kody Jones (Germantown), Devin Rutherford (Bartlett), Isaiah Horton (Oakland), Eric Taylor (Oakland); ATH – Micah Simpson (Morristown East), Anthony Crowell (Lebanon); P – Upton Bellenfant (Stewarts Creek).Class 5AOFFENSEQB – Jake McNamara (Page), Jordyn Potts (Powell), Collin Shannon (Sevier County); RB – DeSean Bishop (Knox Karns), Ethan Davis (Rhea County), Jamarius Brooks (Memphis Central); WR – Ayden Greene (Powell), Adarius Redmond (Powell), Boyce Smith (Page); OL – Camron Gann (Powell), Luke Brown (Henry County), Owen Sacks (Page), Timothy Robbins (Knox Karns), Tyson King (Green Hill); ATH – Malaki Dowell (White County); K – Sam Crickmar (Green Hill).DEFENSEDL – Walter Nolen (Powell), Steven Soles( Powell), Isaiah McGaha (Knox Central), Jaryd Gable (McMinn County) Jeff Pillows (Mt. Juliet); LB – Isaac Bohleber (Knox West), J.J. Foust (Powell), Drew Fisher (Rhea County), Caden Earle (Knox Halls), Colin Hurd (Page); DB – Carson Whitehead (Powell), JaQuirrus Wrenn (Knox West), Brayden Latham (Knox West), Quincy Briggs (Memphis Central), Mikeece Jones (Hillsboro); P – Ryan Bolton (Knox Central).Class 4AOFFENSEQB – Bryson Rollins (Elizabethton), Ryan Scott (Tullahoma), Kyle Lowe (Fayette-Ware); RB – Mason Gudger (Greeneville), Shawn Gary (South-Doyle); WR – Jakobi Gillespie (Greeneville), Barion Brown (Pearl-Cohn), Kaydin Pope (Hardin County); ATH – Marcellus Jackson (Fulton); TE – Zach Shannon (Anderson County); OL – Cadden Bradford (Tullahoma), Delmetrius Gustus (Red Bank), Cameron Douglas (Haywood), Connor Johnson (Elizabethton), Ian Poe (Tullahoma); K – Justus Chadwick (Tullahoma).DEFENSEDL – Seth Vaughn (Fulton), Trenton Taylor (Elizabethton), Rashard Claridy (Greeneville), Mel McFarland (East Hamilton), Jyron McClellan (Upperman); LB – Keenan Vaughn (Fulton), Anthony Petersen (Greeneville), Curtis Young (South-Doyle), Gavin Noe (Anderson County), Brandon Painter (Tullahoma), Casen Cunningham (Montgomery Central); DB – Jaylen Lewis (Haywood), Jake Roberts (Elizabethton), Anthony Brown (Milan), Reco Trimble (Red Bank); P – Bryson Walker (Gibbs).