The 2012 All-Region 4-AAAA Football Team was released recently and while no Griffin High or Spalding High player received a top honor, the local high school teams were well-represented on the Region 4-AAAA, Subregion B All-Region team.

A total of 29 football players from Griffin and Spalding made the Subregion B team.

As far as the top honors went this year, the Region 4-AAAA Player of the Year went to wide receiver, defensive back — and even punter — Cameron Sutton of Jonesboro High, who is heading to the University of Tennessee next fall. Defensive Player of the Year went to Riverdale linebacker Troy Wyche, another senior. The region named two Offensive Players of the Year — senior quarterbacks Trent Earl of Stockbridge and Corey Moss of Upson-Lee while Riverdale senior Tikeem Cooper was named Special Teams Player of the Year.

The Region 4-AAAA Coach of the Year was Kevin Whitley of Stockbridge, who led the Tigers to their best-ever season as they made it to the state quarterfinals before falling to Marist 15-7.

As far as Griffin and Spalding’s representation on the All-Subregion B Team, 18 players from Griffin High were awarded while 11 from Spalding were awarded. The Griffin Bears had 5 make the First Team, 6 make the Second Team and 7 make Honorable Mention. The Jaguars of Spalding had 1 player make the First Team, 7 make the Second Team and 3 make Honorable Mention.

The breakdown for the local players is as follows: Making the First Team Offense for Griffin were junior quarterback Jaquez Parks, junior running back Devontae Freeman, senior offensive lineman Lander McCall and junior wide receiver Trey Willis. Making the First Team Defense were Griffin senior defensive lineman Nhigel Phillips and Spalding senior linebacker Larry McCord.

Spalding head coach Nick Davis was proud of all of his players who made it to the team, but he was glad to see McCord get recognition for the year he had in 2012. McCord had 69 solo tackles, 52 assists, 3 tackles for loss, 2 caused fumbles, 1 fumble recovery for a TD and 1 sack.

“Larry and the rest of my guys were a hard-working group and they deserved to be on this list,” Davis said. “I’m very happy for them and I believe it’s well-deserved.”

Parks passed for 18 touchdowns for the Bears in 2012, leading his team to a 9-2 record and a state-playoff berth. Freeman rushed for 780 yards and had a team-leading 10 touchdowns in 2012 thanks in part to the blocking of fellow first-teamer Lander McCall and others on the offensive line. Willis caught 10 TD passes and had a strong surge of good receiving games late in the year and Phillips made a pretty smooth transition from offensive lineman to defensive lineman in 2012.

“I think this is good for our players. Anytime the region you’re in recognizes the guys for their accomplishments, it says a lot about them,” said Bears head coach Steve DeVoursney. “I’m proud of all the guys who made the team.”

Local players on the Second Team Offense were: Junior Brandon “Cornbread” Thomas (RB Spalding), senior Ontario Yancey (OL Spalding), junior Quyleen Barham (OL Griffin) and sophomore Quay Mangham (WR Griffin).

Local players who made Second Team Defense were: Senior Devontez Carter (DL Spalding), junior Ronquerris “Sapp” Davis (DL Griffin), senior Jevaris Jones (LB Spalding), junior Jake Jeffcoat (LB-K Spalding), senior Steven Welch (LB Griffin), junior Telly Sloan (LB Griffin), senior Anthony Bush (DB Spalding), senior Rodney Jackson (DB Spalding) and senior Richard Wilder (DB Griffin).

Those players who made Honorable Mention were: Sophomore Zach Hammond (OL Spalding), junior Justin Goddard (RB Griffin), sophomore Nic Williams (LB Griffin), sophomore Tevarus Harris (DL Spalding), junior Jonathon Frost (DL Griffin), sophomore Christian Owens (WR Griffin), junior Montico Dodson (DB Griffin), junior Quantico Dodson (DB Griffin), senior Phillip Goodrum (DB Spalding) and sophomore Jordan Colbert (WR Griffin).

ALL-REGION 4-AAAA TEAM



Player of the Year

WR/DB Cameron Sutton SR Jonesboro



Defensive Player of the Year

LB Troy Wyche SR Riverdale



Co-Offensive Players of the Year

QB Trent Earl SR Stockbridge

QB Corey Moss SR Upson-Lee



Special Teams Player of the Year

Tikeem Cooper SR Riverdale



Coach of the Year

Kevin Whitley, Stockbridge



ALL-REGION 4-AAAA, SUBREGION B TEAM

1st Team Offense

Pos. Name Class School

QB Jaquez Parks JR Griffin

RB Patrick Petty SR Jonesboro

RB Devontae Freeman JR Griffin

RB Kahmad Magwood SR Riverdale

OL Marquis Murray JR Jonesboro

OL Isaiah Seise JR Jonesboro

OL Jordan Sidney SR Riverdale

OL Jaylin Barrngton SO Riverdale

OL Lander McCall SR Griffin

WR Dereon London SR Jonesboro

WR Trey Willis JR Griffin

WR Rashad Canty JR Riverdale

Ath Ladarrious Mathis SR N. Clayton

P Cameron Sutton SR Jonesboro



1st Team Defense

Pos. Name Class School

DL Chinedu Okonya JR Riverdale

DL Tykeem Bethea JR Riverdale

DL Isaiah Seise JR Jonesboro

DL Nhigel Phillips SR Griffin

LB Larry McCord SR Spalding

LB Quinton Edwards SR Jonesboro

LB Quadry Halloman JR Riverdale

LB Aaron Atwater SR N. Clayton

DB Taurean Ferguson SR Jonesboro

DB Keith Kent SR Jonesboro

DB Josh Powell SR Riverdale

DB Isa Muhammad JR Riverdale

K Tyler Stewart JR Upson-Lee

2nd Team Offense

Pos. Name Class School

QB Mario Atkinson JR Jonesboro

RB Kenderious Pennyman FR Upson-Lee

RB Brandon Thomas JR Spalding

RB Tikeem Cooper SR Riverdale

OL Ontario Yancey SR Spalding

OL Quyleen Barham JR Griffin

OL Kymbl Fulcher JR Upson-Lee

OL Hunter Stubbs JR Upson-Lee

OL Dre Ivey SO Upson-Lee

WR Quay Mangham SO Griffin

WR Trey Sanders JR Riverdale

WR Taurean Ferguson SR Jonesboro

Ath Toby Fuentes JR Upson-Lee

P Tyler Stewart JR Upson-Lee



2nd Team Defense

Pos. Name Class School

DL Justin Elim JR Riverdale

DL Devontez Carter SR Spalding

DL Ronquerris Davis JR Griffin

DL Kenyarie McKelvin JR Jonesboro

LB Jevaris Jones SR Spalding

LB Jake Jeffcoat JR Spalding

LB Steven Welch SR Griffin

LB Telly Sloan JR Griffin

DB Anthony Bush SR Spalding

DB Rodney Jackson SR Spalding

DB Richard Wilder SR Griffin

DB Patrick Petty SR Jonesboro

K Jake Jeffcoat JR Spalding



Honorable Mention

Pos. Name Class School

QB Asania Aderhold SO Riverdale

OL Zach Hammond SO Spalding

RB Justin Goddard JR Griffin

DE Nick Kennedy SR Upson-Lee

TE CJ Kirschmann SR Upson-Lee

LB Nic Williams SO Griffin

DT Kali James FR Jonesboro

DL Ben Barber SR Upson-Lee

DT Tevarus Harris SO Spalding

LB Cornell Harris SR Upson-Lee

DL Jonathon Frost JR Griffin

WR Christian Owens SO Griffin

DB Quantico Dodson JR Griffin

DB Montico Dodson JR Griffin

WR Jordan Colbert SO Griffin

DB Mante Shannon SR Jonesboro

RB Fred Ward SR Riverdale

DB Phillip Goodrum SR Spalding

DB Deon Jones JR Riverdale

RB Kenneth Hillman JR Jonesboro

OL Timothy Bridges JR Jonesboro

LB Markel Manuel JR Upson-Lee