All-region teams, honors named

Anderson County schools well represented in 2023 selections

November 29, 2023 by Ken Lay

Region 2-4A

Anderson County High made another deep postseason run in 2023.

The Mavericks, who haven’t lost a region football game in seven years, made it to the Class 4A Quarterfinals and won eight games, playing one of the state’s toughest schedules and battling injuries along the way.

ACHS went 8-5 during the recently completed campaign, winning another Region 2-4A championship. The Mavs had postseason victories over Sullivan East and Elizabethton earlier this month before being eliminated by Greeneville in the playoffs.

The Mavericks, thus, were heavily represented on the All-Region 2-4A team as the league’s coaches acknowledged the accomplishments of the league’s top student-athletes and coaches.

Anderson County’s Nick Moog won Most Valuable Player honors. Eli Nelson was the Defensive Player of the Year. Gracen Bradshaw shared Defensive Lineman of the Year honors with Fulton High’s Vershawn Cash, and Israel Small was named Defensive Specialist of the Year.

On the coaching staff, Mavs’ defensive coordinator Tony Lambert was honored as the Defensive Assistant of the Year, while Jon Chadwell shared was named Co-Offensive Assistant of the Year, along with Gibbs offensive coordinator Tyler Kitts.

All-region players for Anderson County included: Josh Valero (All-Academic Team); Zae Hall; Xavian James; Waylon LaRue; Trent Strickland; Daylon Cole; Cody Miller, Landon Engle; Ty Murphy; Evan Pyatt; Taylor Davis and Riley Wolfenbarger.

Region 3-5A

It was a historic football season for both Clinton and Oak Ridge high schools.

The Wildcats won the Region 3-5A championship, while the Dragons used a late winning streak to make a postseason run that ended in the state quarterfinals.

Both Oak Ridge, which finished 9-3, and Clinton, which eliminated the Wildcats from the playoffs and went 6-7, were well-represented when the league’s coaches awarded their postseason awards recently.

Oak Ridge running back De’Jauvis Dozier was named the region’s Most Valuable Player, and Derek Rang, ORHS’s first-year head coach, was named Coach of the Year.

Wildcats sophomore quarterback Blaine Stansberry was honored as the league’s Newcomer of the Year. Almani Rembert and Brandon Heyward were named Co-Wide Receivers of the Year. Vashawn Nalls won the Edge Rusher of the Year award, and Eli Pearson was named Placekicker of the Year.

The Wildcats also had four players named to the region’s All-Academic Team in Junior Adams, Dane Hartwich, Hayden Mlekodaj and Lane Mlekodaj.

Oak Ridge’s all-region selections included: Elijah Bradley, Pryce Davis, Will Presley, Ethan Eubanks, Tobja Walters, Bryce Dorsey, Dallas Frendt, Malik Howard, Velon Henderson and Jared Bafford.

Clinton’s Joshuah Keith was the region’s Offensive Player of the Year. D’Mon Marable was the Defensive Player of the Year. Jawan Goins was named Running Back of the Year. Derek Bean shared Defensive Back of the Year honors with Karns High’s Walker Lockhart. Demeion Leavell was named Returner of the Year, and Lucas Butz was Specialist of the Year.

The Dragons’ all-region selections included: Chauncey Feltz, Jayson Graham, Jerius Hondley, Garrett Lee, Bryson Maddox, Eric Page, Wesley Phillips and Rhett Seivers. Lee was also selected to the All-Academic Team.

Former Clinton Head Coach Josh Kerr, now at Campbell County, was named Offensive Assistant of the Year.