TIFTON — The final horn has sounded on the 2012 football season and schools are exchanging cleats for sneakers. But while the gridiron nights have ended, the memories of the year remain and the Tiftarea had a wealth of athletes to create them.

The Tiftarea’s outstanding coach of 2012 is Fitzgerald’s Jason Strickland. Filling Robby Pruitt’s shoes should have been nearly an impossible task, but Strickland’s squad made it all the way to the state quarterfinals, coming up just short to future Class AA state champions Jefferson in a wild 53-51 contest that went to three overtimes. The Purple Hurricanes also came within an eyelash of knocking off the then No. 2-ranked Brooks County Trojans, 27-24, in Quitman.

Fitzgerald was one of five area schools to make the playoffs, but the only one to make it out of the first round and the only one to finish with double-digit wins, as the Canes ended with a record of 10-3.

The Tiftarea was dominated by halfbacks this year and the All-Tiftarea team is dominated by a backfield full of them. They are not the only components of the offense, though.

The first team offense is led by quarterback Luke Soliday of Turner County. He became the first player in Rebels history to go over 1,000 yards in both passing and rushing in a single season, finishing with 1,675 and 1,092, respectively. He also scored 22 combined touchdowns, 13 of them through the air. Soliday was nearly able to lead his squad over the Dooly County Bobcats, led by one of the state’s best defensive linemen, Montravius Adams, in the opening round of the public school Class A playoffs. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution named him as an honorable mention quarterback on its All-State team.

The Tiftarea was filled with run-happy teams in 2012 and the backfield is loaded with a trio of outstanding rushers.

Berrien’s Devontae Bass gained more yards on the ground than anyone else in the area this season, picking up 1,400 and 18 touchdowns for a Rebel squad that tripled its win total from a year before and was named honorable mention All-State by the AJC. Joining him is Tift County’s Rashad Daniels, who was the main wrecking force of the Devils’ offense with 1,309 yards and set the school individual game rushing record with 368 yards against Houston County. Completing the backfield is Ron Swain of Fitzgerald, who finished the 2012 season with 954 yards and 18 touchdowns, five of them coming against Jefferson in the quarterfinals, which saw the Canes narrowly fall to the eventual state champions.

When one of Tiftarea’s quarterbacks does look for a passing target, his top wide receiver would be Cook’s Zack Williams, who was named preseason All-State and finished the year with 487 yards and six touchdowns for the Hornets, who made to the first round of the state tournament. A quarterback would also find a fine target with Beau Bergeron of Tift, who earns a first-team spot at tight end.

A fine offensive line is needed to protect such a talented backfield and the Tiftarea is loaded with top talent. Brett Steverson of Fitzgerald has received offers from Colorado State, Duke and Troy as well as a number of D-II schools. His head coach, Jason Strickland has labeled him as potentially being the best offensive lineman he has ever been around and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution named him as a first team All-State player. Filling out the rest of the line are Cook’s Sam Anderson who had 12 pancake blocks, K.J. Billingsley of Irwin County who rated as All-State honorable mention by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Javeon Dunham and Tift. Anchoring the line will be Irwin’s Cam Morgan at center.

When the team needs to put the ball between the uprights, they will rely on Rocky Andres of Cook to get it through. Andres missed only five extra point kicks and was named Region 1-AA’s outstanding kicker.

Lining up on the other side of the ball is another top group of area players, who make up the All-Tiftarea defensive team.

The defensive line is led by Cook’s Matthew Foster, who tops all area line players with 68 tackles, 12 of them for losses and an additional eight sacks. He was also named first team All-State by the AJC.  Joining him are Jack Raines of Tiftarea, who caused plenty of havoc for opposing teams with 56 tackles and six sacks, Fitzgerald’s Deion Bivens who had 44 tackles, 5 sacks and a forced fumble and Irwin’s D.J. Peterson, who had 23 tackles and two sacks.

The linebacking corps is composed of Steve Waters of Tift, who made several key stops for the Devils and was seemingly in on every play. Cook’s Spencer Joiner spent nearly as much time on the other side of the line of scrimmage as his own, recording 10 tackles for losses of his 67. Turner’s Kendall Kicklighter made 66 tackles and forced one fumble in 2012.

Defensive backs are Fitzgerald’s D.J. Smith, who finished with an amazing 10 interceptions, including one for a touchdown against Vidalia in the second round of the playoffs and is an honorable mention AJC All-State pick. He is joined by Quan Williams of Turner, who had eight interceptions.

Punting the ball will be Mason Gann of Tift, who sent returners running backwards all season in an attempt to keep up with his booming kicks.

Rounding out the first team for the 2012 All-Tiftarea squad are three athletes who excelled in multiple areas on the field.

Tiftarea Academy’s Rob Flick was primarily a quarterback. He finished with 2,200 yards passing, but he also was a dynamo in other categories. Flick had 806 rush yards and an additional 471 receiving. Tift’s Austin McCant was all over the field this season, getting significant action as halfback, linebacker and kick returner. Romarius Gaulden started at quarterback for Fitzgerald, but topped the team in rush yards with 1,027 and passed for 449 more and was the anchor for the Canes offense.

Highlighting the second team are Cook’s Ross Pickle at quarterback, who had 25 combined touchdowns and 1,511 pass yards and was an AJC honorable mention All-State player after being named an Associated Press preseason All-Stater. Halfbacks are Irwin’s Ryan Peterson, who is a 2013 invite to the Under Armour Combine, Grant Wilson of Cook and Irwin’s Robert Moore. At wide receiver is Turner’s Quan Hillmon, who had 478 receiving yards and at tight end is Taylor Hughes of Irwin. Kicker is Tift’s Frankie Mejia.

Offensive line are  Trent Hobbs of Tiftarea, Shaq Smith of Fitzgerald and Jared Jackson of Turner, with Blake Suggs of Tift at center.

Defensively are linemen Alton Lawson of Turner and two Berrien Rebels, Tak McWhite and A.J. Wooten. Linebackers are Joseph Spinks of Tiftarea, who finished with nine tackles for losses, Yusuf Muhammad of Turner and Collies Mathis of Cook. Defensive backs are Antuwanne Merritt of Irwin, who had 3.5 sacks and Mark Lamb of Turner, who had two interceptions.

Honorable mention goes to Ryan Wedgeworth (Tift, QB), Kris Miller (Tift, QB), Taylor Griner (Berrien, HB), Larry Stewart (Fitzgerald, HB), Nate Martin (Turner, WR), Xavier Thomas (Turner, WR), Josh Caro (Fitzgerald, C).