Nine local players named to All-State team

TIFTON — Nine players from the Tiftarea were named to the Georgia Sports Writers Association (GSWA), including five players who wre named to the first-team.

Worth County defensive end Meshack Williams was named to the Class AAA first-team as a defensive lineman. For the year, Williams finished with 89 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, and a school record 23 sacks.

The senior also had three caused fumbles, and three fumble recoveries according to former Worth County head coach Harris Rainbow.

Last season, Williams was named an honorable mention pick by the GSWA after collecting 14 sacks and 64 total tackles.

Turner County wide receiver Hiawatha Parker was named to the Class A first-team, after grabbing 53 passes for 961 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Parker is also a two time all-state player, after being named to the honorable mention team last season.

Parker’s teammate, Todd Lawson, was also named to the first-team as a defensive back.

Lawson ended the season with 57 tackles, seven interceptions, and 12 pass breakups.

The senior also had two fumble recoveries and one caused fumble for the Rebels.

Fitzgerald had two players named to the Class AA all-state team.

Jemea Thomas was named to the squad as a first-team defensive back.

The Region 1-AA Player of the Year ended the season with 140 total tackles and four interceptions — including one returned for touchdown — from his free safety position.

The future Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket also had 518 yards rushing, 360 yards in kickoff returns, and 57 yards receiving with nine total touchdowns.

Omar Daniel was also named to the first-team as a linebacker.

The Hurricane senior linebacker ended the year with 132 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and six sacks in helping Fitzgerald to an 11-3 record.

Fitzgerald’s R.J. Davis was named an honorable mention pick out of Class AA.

The junior tight end finished the season with 12 receptions for 286 yards and five touchdowns. Davis also graded out at 91 percent as a blocker for a Hurricane rushing attack that gained 3,672 yards.

Turner County also had two players named to the honorable mention team out of Class A.

Linebacker Dee Hayles was named to the squad after collecting 117 tackles, including nine for loss.

The senior also had four pass breakups, three sacks, five caused fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

Kenveyon Newberry was also named to the Class A squad as an honorable mention pick at quarterback.

The first-year signal caller passed for 2,753 yards on 150-of-303 passes and 21 touchdowns as the Rebels finished 10-3.

Tift County’s Josh Abbott was named to the Class AAAAA team as a linebacker for the second time in his high school career.

An honorable mention pick in 2006, this season Abbott finished up with 111 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and seven-and-one-half sacks.

The senior also had one caused fumble and one safety from his linebacker spot, as the Blue Devils went 8-4, and 33-15 in Abbott’s four years as a starter for Tift.

Lowndes athlete Greg Reid was named the All-Classification Player of the Year.

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