Region 7-AAA football coaches award top players

After an outstanding season that saw three teams advance past the first round of the state playoffs, the football coaches of Region 7-AAA settled on their All-Region team and superlatives on Tuesday.

Gainesville quarterback Blake Sims was named the region's Offensive Player of the Year. The senior Alabama commit passed for over 2,200 yards, rushed for over 800 and totaled 43 touchdowns, as he led the Red Elephants to their first state championship game since 1982. Gainesville also claimed the Region 7-AAA title for the second year in a row and fifth time in eight seasons.

Meanwhile, North Hall safety Nathan Jones was named defensive Player of the Year. The senior followed up a stellar junior campaign in which he led the state with eight interceptions, with another great season, picking off nine passes. Also the team's starting quarterback, Jones helped the Trojans finish second in Region 7-AAA and reach the second round of the Class AAA postseason.

White County placekicker Mark Bardenwerper was also named special teams Player of the Year. And West Forsyth's Trey Rood, who has battled cancer this year, traveling to Germany for experimental treatments, won the Courage Award.


-- 2009 REGION 7-AAA ALL-REGION TEAM:

First Team Offense
QB -- Connor Shaw (Flowery Branch)
RB -- Imani Cross (Flowery Branch)
RB -- Ben Emert (West Forsyth)
RB -- Ben Souther (Chestatee)
WR -- Tai-ler Jones (Gainesville)
WR -- Rodney Young (Flowery Branch)
WR -- Darius Kimbrough (Flowery Branch)
TE -- Trevor Ross (North Hall)
OL -- Daniel Blitch (North Hall)
OL -- Taylor Roland (West Forsyth)
OL -- Austin Todd (Flowery Branch)
OL -- Lafonga Tokio (White County)
OL -- Michael Waters (Gainesville)
PK -- Billy Thompson (Flowery Branch)
KR -- Jamond Witt (East Hall)
ATH -- Ben Booth (North Hall)

First Team Defense
DL -- Sterling Bailey (East Hall)
DL -- Stephen Flanagan (North Hall)
DL -- Tyler Hamilton (White County)
DL -- Taylor Stowe (Gainesville)
DL -- Dustin Gayton (West Forsyth)
LB -- Alberto Sanabria (Gainesville)
LB -- A.J. Johnson (Gainesville)
LB -- Thomas Sprague (Gainesville)
LB -- Peyton Wilhoite (North Hall)
DB -- Daunte Carr (Gainesville)
DB -- Tevin Yarbrough (Gainesville)
DB -- Jake Barclay (Creekview)
DB -- Rodriquez Frazier (Flowery Branch)
DB -- Ashely Lowery (White County)
P -- Will Monday (Flowery Branch)

Second Team Offense
QB -- Shunquez Stephens (West Hall)
RB -- Hunter Livingston (Creekview)
RB -- Mantevius Rucker (Johnson)
RB -- Teryan Rucker (Gainesville)
WR -- Brett Morrell (Creekview)
WR -- Ishmail Nuckles (West Hall)
WR -- Cam Segraves (White County)
TE -- Dillon Mulkey (Creekview)
OL -- Jake Andrusko (Creekview)
OL -- Brantley Beck (Chestatee)
OL -- Dave Harkins (Johnson)
OL -- Gus Jones (Lumpkin County)
OL -- Sloan Strickland (Gainesville)
PK -- Shane Doster (North Hall)
KR -- Jacob Teague (Gilmer)
ATH -- Tyson Smith (Gainesville)

Second Team Defense
DL -- Chaz Cheeks (East Hall)
DL -- Thomas Niles (Gainesville)
DL -- Morgan Wright (Creekview)
DL -- Jonathan Whitehead (Lumpkin County)
LB -- Lance Chuvala (Lumpkin County)
LB -- Ryan Holmes (Creekview)
LB -- Cory Sanderson (Flowery Branch)
LB -- Nathan Teter (West Forsyth)
DB -- Desmon Gardner (East Hall)
DB -- Justin Owens (Gainesville)
DB -- Keaton Summerlin (Chestatee)
DB -- Mykah Hester (Flowery Branch)
P -- Chrisel Flores (East Hall)

Honorable Mention:
Creekview
Cody Allen, Michael Ay, Jake Barclay, Daniel Bailey, Eric Cloy, Tanner Gilleland, Dillon Dickerson, Nick Luly, Justin Wright, Alex Tatum, Austin Turcotte, Hunter Tuck.

Chestatee
Lamar Brooks, Guillermo Casas, Cam Phillips, Tyler Terry, Ed Villeda, Robby Poole.

East Hall
Austin Mahaffey, John Hewell, Stephen Mendoza.

Flowery Branch
Matt Bell, Robby Boudreau, Brandon Keller.

Gainesville
Michael Lorentz, Chicano Perez, Kevin Hall, Jacob Couch, David McConnell, Graham Simmons, Greg Stenzel.

Gilmer
Cody Kephart, Derrick Greene, Cole Lambert, Sawyer Pettit, Wesley Nestor, Zach Sprayberry.

Johnson
Chris Henry, Anthony Prophet, Trae Wilson, Tyrone Hendrix, Caleb Jackson, Seth Spivey, EJ Wright, Taylor Whitmire.

Lumpkin County
Taylor Guthrie, Ian McIntosh, Travis Burton, BJ Dorsey, Lee Cagle, Michael Flanagan, Cody Cantrell, Chad Fulton, John Harris, Jake McClure, Kaylen Temples, Josh Rogers.

North Hall
Jordan Chaffin, Ben Booth, Mark Fuller, Robert Humphrey, Nathan Hewell, Dylan Mann, Kyle Oliver, Nick Puckett, Kyle Olson, Nick Puckett.

Pickens
Dylan Lewis.

West Forsyth
Frankie Hepler, Garrett Antolik, Justin Antolik, Daniel McDowell, Colton Cloud, Trevor Guthrie, Cole Carter, Joe Carnaroli, Robert Lewis, Blake Roberts, Daniel McDowell, Ryan Hubbard, Chris Rubessa, Jake Tatum, Garret Morin, Taylor Trupia, Jeff Sayer.

West Hall
William Stroup, Brandon Fuqua, Jake Shirley, Alex Rico, Marquius Young, Trevor Huth, Nathan Turner.

White County
Rick Anglin, Nick Black, Tyler Dotson, Cole Segraves, Adam Hooper, Dylan Lewis.


SCHOLAR ATHLETES:
Cam Phillips (Chestatee)
Daniel Bailey (Creekview)
Jonathan Turk (East Hall)
Destin Tipton (Flowery Branch)
Alberto Sanabria (Gainesville)
Sawyer Pettit (Gilmer)
Chris Henry (Johnson)
David Webber (Lumpkin County)
Nathan Jones (North Hall)
Brooks Godfrey (Pickens)
Christian Robinson (West Forsyth)
Levi London (White County)
Andrew English (West Hall)


TEAM FIRST AWARD:
Robby Poole (Chestatee)
Frankie Nicholson (Creekview)
Chris Ingram (East Hall)
Brandon Tewksbury (Flowery Branch)
Graham Simmons (Gainesville)
Wesley Nestor (Gilmer)
Anthony Prophet (Johnson)
Jake McClure (Lumpkin County)
Nick Puckett (North Hall)
Michael Greenway (Pickens)
Reese Patton (West Forsyth)
Rick Anglin (White County)
Trevor Huth (West Hall)