Following a great high school football season, players from around the area are being honored by coaches around the state.
The All-State selections came through last weekend as the state championships wrapped up in Hattiesburg. Schools inside Winston, Webster and Choctaw county all had players make the distinguished list as the season was capped.
The Louisville Wildcats had a disappointing finish to the year with the school’s first state championship loss, but the season was still a good one. A lot of the players that made it happen were honored by the coaches in Class 4A with seven making the first and second team lists.
Senior offensive lineman Jeremiah Ash spearheaded an experience offensive front this year and was named first team by the coaches. Also making first-team honors were DE Tayquon Mckinney, DL Travon McDonald and LB Ja’cari Owens on the defensive side.
Freshman RB Zaiden Jernigan finished off an amazing freshman campaign with a second-team offensive selection after he rushed for 1,791 yards and 27 touchdowns. He was joined on the list by senior WR Kameron Triplett and OL Chris Hickman.
Earning the highest honors as Coach of the Year was Choctaw County’s Dillon Mitchell in Class 3A. Mitchell is in year two with the Chargers and has been a head coach for just three seasons. He helped the Chargers to a 14-1 record this year and the school’s first state championship. He is 23-4 in his two seasons with two Class 3A, Region 4 championships.
The Chargers had a trio of players on the first-team offensive team as running back Jeramiah Miller, wide receiver Caleb Cunningham and OL Hunter Holland made the list. Miller rushed for over 2,000 yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior despite sitting the second half of nine of the team’s games.
The five-star WR Cunningham had over 1,000 all-purpose yards this year ahead of his college career at Ole Miss. On the first-team defensive team, sophomore defensive tackle Ben’Jarvis Shumaker had a strong year with 9.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks.
The second team had OL Jordyn Ashford on the offensive side of the ball.
East Webster’s fantastic North State championship season saw many returns on the list. DE Prentiss Cork, LB Elijah O’Briant and punter Jordan Gaskin all were named first-team defense. RB Dee Bingham rushed for 1,200 yards and 27 touchdowns on the way to second team honors. OL Ashton McClendon joined him on that list while DB Jordan O’Briant was second team defense with kick returner Lakendrick Potts.
In Class 2A, Brad Gray’s Eupora Eagles made its way into the second round of the playoffs with a young team. One of the players that took a step forward was sophomore QB Peyton Perkins and he earned second-team offensive honors. Also on the list would be RB BJ Cork who fought off injuries and illnesses to put together a strong year.
Winston county rivals Nanih Waiya and Noxapater saw players earn their way on the All-State teams as well after the two teams made it into the playoffs. The Tigers had a first-team offensive player in OL J’Cameron Riley with senior DE T.K. Wilson earning defensive honors. For the Warriors, Jr. TE Samerr Hughes and OL Grant Kitchens were also first team while junior RB Briceton Boler made the second team.
