2008 GHSA All-Middle Georgia Football Team

[Cats4ever]

Player of the Year: Julian Burnett, Westfield

Coach of the Year: Carror Wright, Southwest

First team offense

QB Nick Marshall, Wilcox County, Soph., 6-2, 185 - Passed for 2,226 yards and 29 touchdowns with four interceptions. Rushed for four more touchdowns.

RB Adrian Alexander, Southwest, Sr., 5-8, 165 - Led Southwest’s charge with 2,165 yards and 27 touchdowns.

RB A.J. Cornelius, Northeast, Sr., 5-11, 200 - Rushed for 1,879 yards and 29 touchdowns while also serving as a standout linebacker.

RB Xavier Bacon, Northside, Sr., 5-11, 185 - Rushed for 1,677 yards and 23 touchdowns for the 10-2 Eagles.

WR Danny Madison, Westside, Sr., 6-0, 185 - Caught 39 passes for 850 yards and 11 touchdowns.

WR Darqueze Dennard, Twiggs County, Jr., 6-1, 185 - Led Middle Georgia in catches (61), receiving yards (923) and touchdowns (17).

TE Jramertries Kirksay, Washington County, Soph., 6-2, 220 - Equally adept at blocking and receiving, Kirksay caught six touchdowns and had 45 pancake blocks.

OL Johnnie Farms, Perry, Sr., 6-3, 305 - Two-time all-state lineman has committed to North Carolina.

OL Austin Nowlin, Westside, Sr., 6-2, 250 - Nowlin was the leader of an offensive line that didn’t allow a sack through its first 12 games.

OL Mike Brown, Northeast, Soph., 6-1, 275 - Highest graded Raiders offensive lineman finished with 25 pancake blocks.

OL Jadareius Hamlin, Mary Persons, Sr., 6-3, 250 - Three-year starter has offers from UAB, Georgia Southern, Middle Tennessee, Troy and Western Kentucky.

OL Darius Nelson, Baldwin, Sr., 6-5, 250 - Led stout Braves offensive line with a 91 percent grade.

ATH Antonio Marshall, Wilcox County, Sr., 5-10, 185 - Rushed for 1,494 yards and 22 touchdowns. He caught 18 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns.

ATH Demery Hawkins, Toombs County, Sr., 6-1, 215 - Rushed for 1,328 yards and 10 touchdowns. Also led the quarterfinalist Bulldogs in tackles as a linebacker.

K Devon Pike, Northside, Jr., 5-10, 165 - Made 9-of-11 field goals and went 33-of-34 on extra points.

First-team defense

DL Abry Jones, Northside, Sr., 6-5, 285 - Georgia commit led the Eagles with 15 sacks and 10 tackles for loss to go with 81 tackles.

DL Kory Threatt, Westside, Sr., 6-4, 220 - Finished with 58 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 18 sacks and had eight batted passes.

DL Khiry King, Southwest, Sr., 6-1, 205 - Leader of the Patriots’ defense finished with 92 tackles, 18 sacks and 11 forced fumbles.

DL Jamel Hall, Northeast, Sr., 6-0, 180 - Quick defensive end had 56 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and three forced fumbles.

LB Corico Hawkins, Baldwin, Sr., 6-0, 228 - Two-time All-State linebacker who has committed to Clemson led the Braves in tackles and to an undefeated regular season.

LB Brandon Watts, Washington County, Sr., 6-3, 230 - Despite playing with a separated shoulder, the Georgia Tech commit finished with 83 tackles, nine tackles for loss and three interceptions in eight games.

LB Quayshon Simmons, Wilkinson County, Jr., 6-0, 185 - The junior led the Warriors with 148 tackles, eight tackles for loss and five forced fumbles.

LB Darius Ivey, Northside, Sr., 5-11, 220 - Ivey led the Eagles with 106 tackles to go with three sacks and a tackle for a loss.

DB K.J. Morton, Northside, Sr., 5-11, 175 - Northside lockdown corner had 51 tackles and five interceptions.

DB Tony McCrea, Wilkinson County, Sr., 5-9, 165 - Led the Warriors to the semifinals with his nine interceptions and 15 pass breakups.

DB Rashard Smith, Dublin, Sr., 5-10, 180 - Two-time Class AA Defensive Player of the Year had 10 interceptions for the second straight season and has committed to N.C. State.

DB Jemea Thomas, Fitzgerald, Sr., 5-10, 185 - Georgia Tech commit led Fitzgerald with 140 tackles, four interceptions and three blocked kicks.

RET Deon Cuyler, Johnson County, Fr., 5-8, 170 - Averaged 60.6 yards per kickoff return on seven returns for 424 yards. He returned three for touchdowns.

P David Clark, Warner Robins, Sr., 5-11, 180 - One of best kickers in recent history, Clark averaged 36 yards per punt.

Second team offense
QB D.J. Rozier, Johnson County, Soph.
RB Terrance Lewis, East Laurens, Sr.
RB Robert Brown, Westside, Jr.
RB Keith Swint, Washington County, Sr.
WR Chris Bowden, Mary Persons, Sr.
WR Lonnie Outlaw, Wilcox County, Jr.
WR/TE Keith Mumphrey, Dooly County, Jr.
OL Ben Miller, Dublin, Sr.
OL George Thomas, Westside, Sr.
OL Chartavious Danzy, Washington County, Soph.
OL Albert Clark, Southwest, Sr.
OL Donnie Werden, Northside, Jr.
ATH Mike Palmer, Northeast, Jr.
ATH Javarus Mallard, Twiggs County, Sr.
K Ethan Jackson, Washington County, Sr.

Second-team defense
DL Devarick Jones, Mary Persons, Sr.
DL Chris Hargrove, Wilcox County, Sr.
DL Chris McMullen, Westside, Sr.
DL Brandon O’Neal, East Laurens, Sr.
LB Omar Daniel, Fitzgerald, Sr.
LB Eric Fields, Northside, Sr.
LB Carlos Cave, Westside, Jr.
LB Jamaris Cooper, Baldwin, Sr.
DB Courtney Ingram, Baldwin, Sr.
DB Brantley Pate, Macon County, Jr.
DB Sheldon Mays, Northeast, Sr.
DB DeAnthony Green, Westside, Jr.
RET Chaz Avery, Mary Persons, Sr.
P Devin Chambliss, Mary Persons, Sr.

Third-team offense
QB Orrin McFadden, Westside, Sr.
RB Jerrico Ford, Baldwin, Sr.
RB Nick Williams, Fitzgerald, Jr.
RB Marcus Wilson, Westside, Sr.
WR Ronald Carswell, Westside, Jr.
WR Zack Walker, Johnson County, Soph.
WR/TE Dontavious Lee, Crawford County, Sr.
OL Joseph Altman, Telfair County, Sr.
OL Trent Barnes, Dublin, Sr.
OL Cody Robinson, Washington County, Sr.
OL Fabian Todd, Wilkinson County, Sr.
OL Colby Nelson, Taylor County, Jr.
ATH Lamar Zanders, Peach County, Jr.
ATH Cartell McLendon, Truetlen, Jr.
K Briceton Cannada, Dublin, Sr.

Third-team defense
DL Demetrius Bozeman, Hawkinsville, Sr.
DL Emanuel Gilmore, Dublin, Jr.
DL Derek Stover, Warner Robins, Sr.
DL Reshar Knight, Central, Sr.
LB Dee Lundy, Rutland, Sr.
LB Kelcey Lewis, Peach County, Jr.
LB Javarus Faulk, Central, Sr.
LB A.J. Wright, West Laurens, Sr.
DB Jalani Phillips, Houston County, Jr.
DB Cameron Eddy, Warner Robins, Sr.
DB Brison Williams, Northside, Jr.
DB Quinn Boone, Westside, Sr.
RET Artavious Preston, Crawford County, Jr.
P Alex Byrd, Peach County, Sr.

http://www.macon.com/176/story/567058.html

[Cats4ever]

Wright plan becomes right plan for Southwest
By Jonathan Heeter
Carror Wright puzzled some people when he accepted the head coaching job at Southwest.
But it was about this time two years ago when Wright decided to leave a rebuilt Dougherty program for one of least successful programs in the state. A year removed from playing for a state championship, Wright decided he had work to do in Macon.

When he got to Southwest, Wright discovered just how much work he had to do. The team’s confidence was severely shaken, and he had about 20 players.

But Wright said the day he was hired that he believed he could turn around the Patriots. He said his mission was to rebuild the Southwest program, just like he did at Northeast and Dougherty. He figured it would take five years.

Turns out, the timeframe was the only thing Wright was incorrect about.

Wright, the Telegraph’s GHSA All-Middle Georgia football coach of the year, turned the Patriots into a playoff team in just his second year with the team. He did what very few thought he could — perhaps just his players, coaches and Bibb County athletics director Raynette Evans — quicker than anyone could have predicted.

“We believed when we hired (Wright) that he could turn Southwest around,” Evans said earlier this year. “But to do it so fast says a lot about Coach Wright and his staff.”

When Wright got to Southwest in early 2007, the Patriots were coming off their best year since 2003. They won two games in 2006, but that snapped a streak of two winless seasons. Southwest went 9-40-1 in the five years prior to Wright’s hire, and 2-28 from 2004-2006.

That history was too much to overcome in one year. Southwest went 1-9 in Wright’s first year, with the only win coming over Ola, a second-year program that would beat the Patriots by 30 points in a rematch later in the season.

During the offseason, Wright increased participation. He did what he does best, motivating teenagers to come out and give him and football a chance. The team more than doubled in size from 2007 to 2008.

But even with a strong group of returning players led by running back Adrian Alexander and defensive end Khiry King, Southwest wasn’t given much of a chance.

What wasn’t seen by outsiders was that Wright instilled a sense of family, leadership and accountability.

“He made us believe in ourselves,” King said after the Patriots clinched their first playoff spot since 2001. “He taught us that everybody on the team had their role, and that we can be a great team.”

By midseason, the Southwest alumni no longer hung their heads.

The Patriots won two of their first three — the only loss coming to Twiggs County — to set up a hyped matchup with rival Northeast.

Southwest won that game 34-27 and would lose just once more in the regular season, a 36-28 defeat to GHSA Region 4-AA champion Henry County. The Patriots finished the season with eight wins, which tied the most in school history, and the first winning season since 1989. They also beat Rutland, Central and Howard to become the unofficial county champions.

“I believe God brought Coach Wright here to Southwest to give us hope,” Alexander said. “Looking at where we have been makes us know we don’t want to go back. ...We have hope now.”

The Patriots lost in the first round of the playoffs to Toombs County at Henderson Stadium. But it didn’t take long after that game to reflect on what had been accomplished.

“These kids are going to look back in 15 or 20 years and be upset that they lost this game,” Wright said. “But they’ll be proud that they restored the pride of Southwest football.”

Wright’s work at Southwest garnered him interest from his alma mater Fort Valley State when the Wildcats searched for a new coach. He was a finalist for the job that went to an Albany State assistant coach.

So for the time being, it looks like Wright will get more time to work on that five-year plan.

But even with a strong group of returning players led by running back Adrian Alexander and defensive end Khiry King, Southwest wasn’t given much of a chance.

What wasn’t seen by outsiders was that Wright instilled a sense of family, leadership and accountability.

“He made us believe in ourselves,” King said after the Patriots clinched their first playoff spot since 2001. “He taught us that everybody on the team had their role, and that we can be a great team.”

By midseason, the Southwest alumni no longer hung their heads.

The Patriots won two of their first three — the only loss coming to Twiggs County — to set up a hyped matchup with rival Northeast.

Southwest won that game 34-27 and would lose just once more in the regular season, a 36-28 defeat to GHSA Region 4-AA champion Henry County. The Patriots finished the season with eight wins, which tied the most in school history, and the first winning season since 1989. They also beat Rutland, Central and Howard to become the unofficial county champions.

“I believe God brought Coach Wright here to Southwest to give us hope,” Alexander said. “Looking at where we have been makes us know we don’t want to go back. ...We have hope now.”

The Patriots lost in the first round of the playoffs to Toombs County at Henderson Stadium. But it didn’t take long after that game to reflect on what had been accomplished.

“These kids are going to look back in 15 or 20 years and be upset that they lost this game,” Wright said. “But they’ll be proud that they restored the pride of Southwest football.”

Wright’s work at Southwest garnered him interest from his alma mater Fort Valley State when the Wildcats searched for a new coach. He was a finalist for the job that went to an Albany State assistant coach.

So for the time being, it looks like Wright will get more time to work on that five-year plan.

http://www.macon.com/176/story/566952.html