7 Nanih Waiya players receive accolades
Seven Nanih Waiya football players have received 1A all state recognition from the Mississippi Association of Coaches. Senior linebacker Taylor Higginbotham was named as the Defensive Player of the Year. He led the Warriors in tackles with 113, tackles for losses with 19 and sacks with six. Senior running back Austin Sanders and senior offensive tackle Cody Warren were chosen for the first team. Sanders carried 182 times for 1,434yards (7.9 average) and 19 touchdowns. Warren was chosen to play in the Mississippi/Alabama All Star Game Saturday in Montgomery. Named to the second team are senior running back Tyquan McCully, senior center Braxton Stokes, senior offensive guard Reggie Thomas and junior cornerback Ked Moore. The Warriors won Region 2-1A and finished 11-1, with the loss coming against Biggersville in the MHSAA North State final. Robert Henry of state champion Lumberton was named as the 1A MVP. He is also a two-time 1A Mr. Football.
7 Wildcats earn honors
Louisville won the 4A state championship and seven Wildcats have received all state honors from the Mississippi Association of Coaches, led by Tyvoris Cooper, who was named Overall and Defensive Player of the Year. He is also 4A Mr. Football. Louisville coach Tyrone Shorter is 4A Coach of the Year. Cooper, a senior defensive end, led a unit that registered three shutouts and held 14 opponents to 126 points, nine a game. He had 112 tackles, with 40 for losses and 13 sacks. He also recovered three fumbles and had an interception. He was chosen for the Mississippi/Alabama All Star Game Saturday in Montgomery. Sophomore wide receiver Jarvis Rush, senior defensive end Marcus Eiland, senior defensive tackle Amauri Macon, junior linebacker Keandre Gill and senior cornerback Joshua Nunn were named to the first team. Junior quarterback Jace Hudspeth made the second team. Rush led the Wildcats with 54 receptions for 875 yards and nine TDs, including a 24-yard scoring pass from Hudspeth with seven seconds left in Louisville's 15-14 victory over Poplarville in the championship game. Gill led the team in tackles with 162. Eiland had 109 tackles, Macon 101 and Nunn 45, along with three interceptions. Gill was chosen for the North team at the Bernard Blackwell North/South All Star Game December 19 at Brandon High School. Hudspeth completed 165 of 247 passes (66.8 percent) for 1,967 and 14 TDs. He was MVP of the championship game, passing for 276 yards. Senior running back Cayden Betts of 2019 champion Corinth is the Offensive MVP.
