The impressively long list of all-state players produced by the South Pittsburg High School football program has grown.
On the heels of the Pirates winning their seventh TSSAA Class 1A state championship during last month's BlueCross Bowl at Finley Stadium, five South Pittsburg players have been named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association all-state team.
That group, which pushes the program's total all-state selections through the years to 114, is headlined by quarterback Kamden Wellington and linebacker Jamarion Farrior. Both were Tennessee Titans Mr. Football award semifinalists, and Farrior was also MVP of the Class 1A BlueCross Bowl victory against McKenzie.
Tight end Martavious Collins, who signed with the University of Texas at El Paso in December as an early enrollee, also earned a spot, as did sophomore running back JaMychal Buckner and sophomore defensive end J.R. Hardrick.
Wellington, a rare three-time all-state selection, threw for 1,872 yards and 30 touchdowns this past season, when he ran for 813 yards and 14 scores. Farrior finished among the Chattanooga area's tackle leaders with 141, including 33 for loss and 5.5 sacks. Buckner averaged 9.6 yards per carry while rushing for 1,004 yards and 16 touchdowns, becoming the first sophomore in 12 years to gain more than 1,000 yards for the Pirates. Hardrick, with 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, led a defense that gave up an average of just 4.5 points per game.
All-state football selections for Classes 1A, 2A and 3A were revealed Thursday night, a day after the picks for all three Division II classifications were announced.
In Class 2A, Marion County — South Pittsburg's cross-county rival — had two players selected after helping the Warriors to an undefeated regular season and the Region 4-2A title. Junior athlete Sam Pickett was honored after finishing with more than 1,000 all-purpose yards and 14 touchdowns this past season, and senior linebacker Taylor Scharber joined him on the all-state list after totaling 101 tackles, including 16 for loss and 12 sacks. Also on the 2A team is Polk County defensive back Damian McWilliams, who intercepted five passes, made 72 tackles and returned four kickoffs for touchdowns.
The 3A team had seven Chattanooga-area players, including Brainerd defensive back Terrance Lee, Tyner defensive lineman Jaeden Isbell (21 tackles for loss, five sacks), Central athlete Ronye Watson (2,423 all-purpose yards, 25 touchdowns) and McMinn Central quarterback Ayden Plemons.
That group is joined three Meigs County stars who helped their team to an unbeaten regular season and the Region 3-3A title: quarterback Ethan Meadows (2,469 total yards, 37 touchdowns), linebacker Bryson Hiefnar (127 tackles, 15 for loss) and offensive lineman Landon Thompson (25 pancake blocks).
The all-state teams for Classes 4A-6A will be released Friday night.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com.
Staff file photo by Robin Rudd / The versatility of Sam Pickett, with ball, helped Marion County to an undefeated regular season this past fall, and now he has received all-state recognition as an athlete for the TSWA's Class 2A team. Marion County linebacker Taylor Scharber also made the list in 2A.TSWA ALL-STATE FOOTBALL
Class 1A
OFFENSE
QB — Cameron Schlicht (Dresden), Dawson White (Moore County), Kamden Wellington (South Pittsburg); RB — Calvin Mullins (Lake County), Tristan Jett (Dresden), JaMychal Buckner (South Pittsburg); WR — Colt Norden (McKenzie), Nehemiah Cooney (Oakdale), Nick Turnbow (Dresden); OL — Mason Smith (Coalfield), Tyler Wren (Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering), Martavious Collins (South Pittsburg), Griffin Metcalfe (Rockwood), Aydan Blair (Moore County); ATH — Keaten Brown (Union City); K — Paul Betzou (Dresden).
DEFENSE
DL — Ben Franklin (Cornersville), Eli Justice (Coalfield), Carson Nivens (Oliver Springs), Colton Robbins (North Greene), J.R. Hardrick (South Pittsburg); LB — Jamarion Farrior (South Pittsburg), Stanley Burrow (Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering), Coalton Henry (Coalfield), Jacob Arnold (Union City), Marshall Spann (Eagleville); DB — Joseph Summers (Oakdale), Kyle Adams (Gordonsville), Eli Roberts (Coalfield), Brandon Mitchell (Memphis Middle College); P — River Shropshire (Cosby).
Class 2A
OFFENSE
QB — Stone Wallace (Riverside), Gray Eubanks (Huntingdon); RB — Isaiah Groves (East Robertson), Bryce Stanfield (Waverly), Dominique Burleson (Hampton); WR — Darien Meza (Mt. Pleasant), Corben Reynolds (Loretto), Landon Quinney (Wartburg); OL — Mitchael Mosby (Oakhaven), John Randolph (East Robertson), Ace Meadows (Peabody), Aiden Creasy (Riverside), Myles Pearcy (Riverside); ATH — Sam Pickett (Marion County), K — Patton Simbeck (Loretto).
DEFENSE
DL — Delandis Dandridge (Fairley), Tucker Kyne (Cannon County), Kenderrius Robertson (Mitchell), Javier Gaspar (Smith County), Zach Groves (East Robertson); LB — Cole Gregory (Trousdale County), Chandler Hughes (Mt. Pleasant), Chance Shapiro (Tellico Plains), Taylor Scharber (Marion County), Elijah Groves (East Robertson); DB — Jacquan Davis (Fairley), Damian McWilliams (Polk County), Tadarius Canada (Mitchell), Dion Blair (South Greene); P — Peyton Dickens (Westmoreland).
Class 3A
OFFENSE
QB — Ethan Meadows (Meigs County), Eli Graf (Alcoa), Ayden Plemons (McMinn Central); RB — Skylan Smith (Covington), Jaylen Jackson (Dyersburg), Hicks Hunter (Sycamore); WR — Brandon Winton (Alcoa), Radarious Jackson (Sheffield), Kamauri Turner (Giles County); OL — Jake Wilson (Covington), Landon Thompson (Meigs County), Amare Smith (Giles County), RaeShawn Boyce (East Nashville), Luke Burkett (Gatlinburg-Pittman); ATH — Ronye Watson (Central); K — Trey Pack (Watertown).
DEFENSE
DL — Kalen Edwards (Dyersburg), Daylin Edwards (Covington), Joe McCord (Alcoa), Jaeden Isbell (Tyner), Malik Bolling (East Nashville); LB — Whittman Whaley (Gatlinburg-Pittman), Bryson Hiefnar (Meigs County), Elijah Cannon (Alcoa), Jordan Houston (East Nashville); DB — Demarcus Allen (Austin-East), Antonio Bell (Sheffield), Terrance Lee (Brainerd), Wendell Billingsley (Fairview); P — Josh Hearn (Ripley).