Staff Reports
The Class 1A, Region 8 football coaches recently chose their all-region team.
Spring Garden junior Bryant Williams and Ider freshman Braxton Traylor were selected as co-Defensive Most Valuable Players. Appalachian sophomore Colton Caldwell claimed the overall Most Valuable Player. Ragland senior A’ron Lee was named Athlete of the Year. Co-Offensive Most Valuable Players are Appalachian senior Braden Gilliland and Woodville junior Jonah Sparks. Special Teams Most Valuable Player is Valley Head freshman Javier Rodriguez.
Appalachian’s Neal Whittington earned Coach of the Year, and Johnathan Beard was chosen Assistant Coach of the Year.
Joining Williams from Spring Garden (6-5) is senior Clayton Sadler, senior Colton Driskell, senior Zane Edwards, junior Brady Ruark, sophomore Ben Baker, and sophomore Brodie Lemons.
Panther honorable mention players are senior Chandler Rogers, senior Bowden Boles, junior Jake Marlow, junior Zack Scogin, and sophomore Hayes Guthrie.
The Gaylesville Trojans (3-7) had three selections in juniors Jack Sentell, Aydn Heinrich, and Jared Butts.
Trojan honorable mention players are juniors Bradlee Smith, Parker Fletcher, jTimmy Dawson, and sophomores Malachi Jennings and Carson Angle.
Region champion Appalachian (11-1) has eight other selections in seniors Eli Beard, Erik Wolf, Jaysen Tolbert, Levi Anderson, and Justin Padilla, junior Cole Smith, and sophomores Bentley Gunter and Sam Stidham.
Eagle honorable mention players are seniors Caleb Conn and Andrew Cranmer, and juniors Ian Putman, Hagan Kanady, and Asher Brown.
Also chosen from region runner-up Woodville (7-4) is senior Elijah Sparks, juniors Case Robertson, Eli Maynard, and Kaden Franklin, and sophomores Caleb Lancaster, Chase Stewart, and Jackson Clark.
Panther honorable mention players are junior AJ Vasquez, and sophomores Aiden Smith and Bryson Stegman.
Representing Ragland (5-6) along with Lee is senior Hunter Nolin, juniors Trey Bothwell, Greyson Hay, and Shawn Hawkins, and eighth grader Kobi Embry.
Purple Devil honorable mention players are sophomore Mason Parker, and eighth graders Nolan Mizzell and Riley Sears, Kodi Embry and Chris Gulledge.
Valley Head (3-7) has four other representatives in seniors Ben Johnson and Cayson McElrath, and juniors Jackson Mann and Tytan Blevins.
Tiger honorable mention players are seniors Luther Wright and Brayden Hughes, and sophomores Jaiden Constanza, Ethan Blevins, Nick Gafford, and John Dupree.
Juniors Harley Smith and Tyler Kidwell represent Ider (2-8). Hornet honorable mention players are Gary McMahon, sophomore Brayden Castleberrry, and freshmen Cameron Alfrey and Luke Pike.
