All-state football honorees named in classes 1A, 2A and 3A

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced all-state football teams for Classes 1A, 2A and 3A on Wednesday for the 2021 season. Mr. Football finalists were automatically members of the team.

CLASS 3A
OFFENSE
QB – Caden Buckles, Alcoa, Sr.*
QB – Keaton Harig, Loudon, Sr.*
QB – Jacob Dooley, Waverly, Sr.*
RB– Jamarion Dowell, Covington, Jr.
RB – Amarion Ford, East Nashville, Sr.
RB – Chaye McElroy, Giles County, Sr.
RB – Dontavis Vaughn, Dyersburg, Sr.
WR – Major Newman, Alcoa, Sr.
WR – Jordan Harris, Alcoa, Jr.
OL – Lance Williams, Alcoa, Jr.
OL – Tyler Jeffries, Alcoa, Jr.
OL – Ryan Wright, Northview Academy, Sr.
OL – Parker Hollingsworth, White House, Jr.
OL – Kaymon Overton, East Nashville, Sr.
ATH – Kenji Lewis, Memphis East, Sr.
K – Blair Shelton, West Greene, Sr.

DEFENSE
DL – Michael Williams, Alcoa, Sr.
DL – Jamison Keeley, Smith County, Jr.
DL – Alex Gates, Dyersburg, Jr.
DL – Alden Staggs, Giles County, Sr.
LB – Aaron Davis, Alcoa, Jr.
LB – Aiden Adkins, Signal Mountain, Sr.
LB – Jerry Campbell, East Nashville, Sr.
LB – Pierce Scholato, White House, Sr.
LB – Elijah Cannon, Alcoa, So.
DB – Isaiah Bryant, Alcoa, Sr.
DB – Mark Joseph, Sheffield, Jr.
DB – Noah Dyer, Pigeon Forge, Sr.
DB – Jason Rose, Giles County, Sr.
DB – AC Mason-Young, Covington, Jr.
ATH – Cortlynn Barnes, Millington, Sr.
P – Esteban Mendoza, Unicoi County, Jr.

CLASS 2A
OFFENSE
QB – Ty Simpson, Westview, Sr.*
QB – Luke Myers, South Greene, Sr.
QB – Logan Carroll, Meigs County, Sr.
RB – Aden Hutcherson, Huntingdon, Sr.
RB – Mason Bowman, Monterey, Jr.
RB – Bryson Claiborne, Trousdale, Sr.
WR – Cameron Miller, Memphis Academy of Health Sciences, Sr.*
WR – Cameron Huckabey, Meigs County, Sr.*
WR – Tyler Woodard, Freedom Prep, Sr.
OL – Xavier Shoemaker, Oneida, Sr.
OL – McKinley Kuhn, Hampton, Sr.
OL – Grant Hoover, Monterey, Sr.
OL – Darius Gordon, Huntingdon, Sr.
OL – Trevor Graham, Riverside, Sr.
ATH – Taye Hutchins, Marion County, Sr.
K – Colby Maynor, Polk County, Sr.

DEFENSE
DL – Blake Reeves, Huntingdon, Sr.
DL – Xavier Harper, Trousdale, Sr.
DL – C.J. King, Oneida, Sr.
DL – Charles Perkins, Memphis Academy of Health Sciences, Sr.
DL – Dalton Purgason, Meigs County, Jr.
LB – Kael Feichtinger, Lewis County, Sr.
LB – Hayden Smith, Westview, Jr.
LB – Gavin Alderson, Mt. Pleasant, Jr.
LB – Jayden Robertson, Watertown, Sr.
LB – Ben Smith, Meigs County, Sr.
DB – Conor Jones, Hampton, Sr.
DB – Omarion Harris, Westview, Jr.
DB – Drew Shanklin, Westview, Jr.
DB – Tayton Swift, Forrest, Jr. 
DB – Dom Moran, Rockwood, Sr.
ATH – Amari Thomas, Riverside, Sr.
P – Jackson Abel, Westview, Sr.

CLASS 1A
OFFENSE
QB – Richard Hunter, South Pittsburg, Sr.
QB – Matthew Albritton, Gordonsville, Jr.
QB – Emmett Hegland, Midway, Sr. 
RB – Seth Birchfield, Cloudland, Sr.
RB – Khalik Ganaway, Peabody, Sr.*
RB – De’Andre Kelly, South Pittsburgh, Sr.*
WR – Reginald Hunter, South Pittsburg, Sr.
WR – Landon Baker, Gordonsville, Sr.
WR – Devin Ramsey, Unaka, Sr.
OL – Gus Hill, Fayetteville, Sr.
OL – Barrett Powers, Cornersville, Sr.
OL – Bryson Ridge, Coalfield, Sr.
OL – Connor Meadows, Peabody, Sr.
OL – Wyatt Hays, West Carroll, Sr.
ATH – Marquez Taylor, McKenzie, Jr.*
K – Cooper Keown, South Pittsburg, So.

DEFENSE
DL – Jason Baskerville, Peabody, Sr.
DL – Josiah Huntley, South Pittsburg, Sr.
DL – Gio Davis, South Pittsburg, Sr.
DL – Maverick Simerly, Cloudland, Sr.
DL – Andre Thompson, Fayetteville, Sr.
LB – Will Dudney, Gordonsville, Jr.
LB – Rashad McCreary, McKenzie, Jr.
LB – Tatum Oliver, Dresden, Jr.
LB – Trey Cook, McKenzie, Sr.
DB – Kentius Henderson, Fayetteville, So.
DB – Dawson White, Moore County, So.
DB – Malachi Clay, Lake County, Jr.
DB – Jeremiah Williams, Lake County, Jr.
DB – Jackson Cassidy, McKenzie, Jr.
ATH – Landon Lowe, Coalfield, Sr.
P – Landon Ramsey, Unaka, Jr.

*-Mr. Football finalist

TSWA recognizes all-state football in classes 4A, 5A and 6A

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced all-state football teams for Classes 4A, 5A and 6A on Tuesday for the 2021 season. Mr. Football finalists were automatically members of the team.

Class 6A
OFFENSE
QB – Carson Jones, Maryville, Sr.
QB – Destin Wade, Summit, Sr.*
QB – Chris Parson, Ravenwood, Jr.
RB – Noah Vaughn, Maryville, Jr.
RB – Jordan James, Oakland, Sr.*
RB – Antonio Patterson, Oakland, Sr.
WR – Markel Fortenberry, Maryville, Sr.
WR – Trace Corum, Farragut, Sr.
WR – Destun Thomas, Cleveland, Sr.
OL – Cal Grubbs, Maryville, Jr.
OL – Fisher Anderson, Franklin, Sr.
OL – Carter Miller, Ravenwood, Sr.
OL – Cooper Koch, Summit, Sr.
OL – Fletcher Gibson, West Ridge, Sr.
ATH – Justin Brown, Blackman, Jr.
K – Reese Keeney, Farragut, Jr.

DEFENSE
DL – Theron Gaines, Oakland, Sr.
DL – Elijah Herring, Riverdale, Sr.
DL – Javonte Mackey, Whitehaven, Sr.
LB – Keaten Wade, Summit, Sr.*
LB – Alex Mitchell, Riverdale, Sr.
LB – Tate O’Bryan, Cleveland, Sr.
LB – Knox Watson, Bradley Central, Jr.
DB – D.J. Burks, Maryville, Sr.
DB – Myles Pollard, Ravenwood, Sr.
DB – Kody Jones, Germantown, Sr.
DB – Devin Rutherford, Bartlett, So.
DB – Isaiah Horton, Oakland, Sr.
DB – Eric Taylor, Oakland, Jr.
ATH – Micah Simpson, Morristown East, Sr.
ATH – Anthony Crowell, Lebanon, Jr.
P – Upton Bellenfant, Stewarts Creek, Sr.

Class 5A
OFFENSE
QB – Jake McNamara, Page, Sr.
QB – Jordyn Potts, Powell, Jr.
QB – Collin Shannon, Sevier County, Sr.
RB – DeSean Bishop, Knox Karns, Jr.
RB – Ethan Davis, Rhea County, So.*
RB – Jamarius Brooks, Memphis Central, Sr.
WR – Ayden Greene, Powell, Jr.
WR – Adarius Redmond, Powell, Jr.
WR – Boyce Smith, Page, Jr.
OL – Camron Gann, Powell, Sr.
OL – Luke Brown, Henry County, Jr.
OL – Owen Sacks, Page, Jr.
OL – Timothy Robbins, Knox Karns, Sr.
OL – Tyson King, Green Hill, Jr.
ATH – Malaki Dowell, White County, Jr.
K – Sam Crickmar, Green Hill, Jr.

DEFENSE
DL – Walter Nolen, Powell, Sr.*
DL – Steven Soles, Powell, So.
DL – Isaiah McGaha, Knox Central, Sr.
DL – Jaryd Gable, McMinn County, Sr.
DL – Jeff Pillows, Mt. Juliet, Sr.
LB – Isaac Bohleber, Knox West, Sr.
LB – J.J. Foust, Powell, Jr.
LB – Drew Fisher, Rhea County, Sr.
LB – Caden Earle, Knox Halls, Jr.
LB – Colin Hurd, Page, Jr.
DB – Carson Whitehead, Powell, Sr.
DB – JaQuirrus Wrenn, Knox West, Sr.
DB – Brayden Latham, Knox West, Jr.
DB – Quincy Briggs, Memphis Central, Sr.
DB – Mikeece Jones, Hillsboro, Sr.
P – Ryan Bolton, Knox Central, Sr.

Class 4A
OFFENSE
QB – Bryson Rollins, Elizabethton, Sr.
QB – Ryan Scott, Tullahoma, Sr.
QB – Kyle Lowe, Fayette-Ware, Sr.
RB – Mason Gudger, Greeneville, Sr.*
RB – Shawn Gary, South-Doyle, Sr.
WR – Jakobi Gillespie, Greeneville, Sr.
WR – Barion Brown, Pearl-Cohn, Sr.
WR – Kaydin Pope, Hardin County, Sr.*
ATH – Marcellus Jackson, Fulton, Jr.
TE – Zach Shannon, Anderson County, Sr.
OL – Cadden Bradford, Tullahoma, Sr.
OL – Delmetrius Gustus, Red Bank, Sr.
OL – Cameron Douglas, Haywood, Sr.
OL – Connor Johnson, Elizabethton, Jr.
OL – Ian Poe, Tullahoma, Sr.
K – Justus Chadwick, Tullahoma, Sr.

DEFENSE
DL – Seth Vaughn, Fulton, Sr.
DL – Trenton Taylor, Elizabethton, Sr.
DL – Rashard Claridy, Greeneville, Sr.
DL – Mel McFarland, East Hamilton, Sr.
DL – Jyron McClellan, Upperman, Sr.
LB – Keenan Vaughn, Fulton, Sr.
LB – Anthony Petersen, Greeneville, Jr.
LB – Curtis Young, South-Doyle, Sr.
LB – Gavin Noe, Anderson County, Jr.
LB – Brandon Painter, Tullahoma, Sr.
LB – Casen Cunningham, Montgomery Central, Sr.
DB – Jaylen Lewis, Haywood, Sr.
DB – Jake Roberts, Elizabethton, Sr.
DB – Anthony Brown, Milan, Sr.
DB – Reco Trimble, Red Bank, Sr.
P – Bryson Walker, Gibbs, Jr.

*-Mr. Football Finalist

TSWA announces 2022 Hall of Fame class

A man whose basketball yearbook is an annual guide to the sport, a man who chronicled six of Pat Summitt’s eight national championships and helped break the news of her career-ending disease and a man who has written for a variety of Tennessee outlets over his long career are the newest members of the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Hall of Fame with Chris Dortch, Dan Fleser and Mark McGee elected for the inductee class of 2022.

Dortch is a native of Illinois who grew up watching Missouri Valley and Big Ten basketball games and reading the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He started college at George Mason before graduating from East Tennessee State. Dortch was a sports writer for the Kingsport Times-News from 1978-82 and sports editor of the Johnson City Press from 1982-86. He was a columnist and Tennessee basketball and golf beat writer for the Chattanooga Times from 1987-99.

He became editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook in 1996 before taking over as publisher.

Dortch also has written for Sports Illustrated, NBA.com, SECdigitalnetwork.com, is a contributing editor for Tennessee Golf Quarterly and has written six books, including “String Music: Inside the Rise of SEC Basketball.” He also has been a commentator on the NBA draft for NBA TV and Fox Sports South and has had stints on BTN, Big Ten Basketball and Beyond. Dortch has taught at ETSU and also the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

A graduate of the University of Missouri journalism school, Fleser worked at the newspaper in Columbia, Mo., while still in college. He also worked at his hometown paper in Grand Rapids, Mich. He joined the San Jose Mercury-News, covering the San Francisco Giants beat along with San Jose State and the Mountain West Conference. Dan came to the Knoxville News-Sentinel in 1988 and remained until he was laid off in a staff cut in 2019. 

Fleser’s primary responsibility most of that time was Lady Vols basketball, a beat he owned. In short, no print journalist in the country was more connected to women’s college basketball than Fleser. He covered six of Summitt’s eight NCAA championships. He was present everywhere Pat took the team to promote the women’s game, from Storrs, Conn., to Vermont, Montana, Spokane or Chicago. He remains in touch with Lady Vols from the past 30 years, who appreciate his contributions.  When Summitt revealed her diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s, two journalists were invited to her house for the announcement: biographer Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post and Fleser.

He covered UT baseball, helped with UT football and was an indispensable desk cog on prep football Friday nights. He was also a foot soldier at numerous Spring Flings. In 1992, Fleser joined the Scripps Howard team at the Barcelona Olympics. He has been honored by the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and, in 2021, by the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame. 

McGee graduated from then-David Lipscomb College in 1979 and went to work for the Nashville Banner in November 1981 as a sportswriter. He covered Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Tennessee State, the Nashville Sounds and city colleges. McGee was a Knight Center Fellow in The Business of Sports in 1992 from the University of Maryland. He was a senior writer when he left the Banner in June 1994. McGee covered the Nashville Predators, the Nashville Kats and the Tennessee Titans in his work for the Nashville City Paper, Sports Nashville, Nashville Sports Weekly and Titans Exclusive. He also worked on a law degree at the Nashville School of Law, where he graduated in 1988.

He is a three-time presenter at the Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture. In June 1994, he became editor of the Shelbyville Times-Gazette, a job he held until February 2003. He transitioned to director of media relations for Lipscomb University in August 2002, a position he held through May 2017. McGee also earned a master’s in conflict management in 2017.

McGee has received numerous writing awards, including a national first place and a national second place from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). He currently is an adjunct professor in communications at Lipscomb and executive director of the United Way of Bedford County since April 2018.

TSWA recognizes softball all-state honorees

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced the all-state teams for softball on Saturday for three classifications in Division I and two classes in Division II. All-state teams for softball are selected by TSWA members. Each player is nominated by a TSWA member and those nominations are compiled, sorted and selected by a committee of organization members.

Class AAA
C: Makenzie Henderson, Anderson County, Jr.
IF: Cameron Young, Farragut, Sr.
IF: Cayden Baker, Powell, Sr.
IF: Hayden Dye, Powell, Sr.
IF: Sierra Brown, Walker Valley, Jr.
OF: Avery Strickland, Farragut, Jr.
OF: Reagan Duran, Siegel, Jr.
OF: Syerra Rogers, East Hamilton, Sr.
UT: Lauren Brakovec, Farragut, Jr.
P: Keri Munn, Coffee County, Sr.
P: Catelyn Riley, Jefferson County, Sr.
P: Avery Flatford, Farragut, Jr.

Class AA
C: Olivia Underwood, Sequoyah, Sr.
IF: Abby Shoulders, Macon County, Sr.
IF: Italia Kyle, Alcoa, Jr.
IF: Jenna Blanton, Forrest, Sr.
IF: Laura Mealer, Forrest, Sr.
OF: Addy Edgmon, Sequatchie County, Jr.
OF: Ella Edgmon, Sequatchie County, Sr.
OF: Lexie Wright, Red Bank, Sr.
UT: Mykenzi Duke, Lexington, So.
P: Bailee Phillips, Red Bank, Sr.
P: Cadey McDaniel, Lexington, Jr.
P: Ashley Milligan, Forrest, Sr.

Class A
C: Brinli Bain, Eagleville, 8th grade
IF: Hailey Jones, Summertown, Sr.
IF: Shelby Sullivan, Sale Creek, Sr.
IF: Kaley Campbell, Summertown, Sr.
IF: Briley Dover, Loretto, So.
OF: Zoey Neal, Gibson County, Sr.
OF: Sophie Theobald, Union City, Jr.
OF: Ashtyn Danley, Huntland, So.
UT: Hannah Skiles, Sale Creek, Sr.
P: Claire Woods, Summertown, Sr.
P: Addisyn Linton, Eagleville, 8th grade
P: Cambell Gaby, North Greene, So.

Division II-A
C: Presley Williamson, Boyd Buchanan, Sr.
IF: Myleah Hardy, Columbia Academy, Jr.
IF: Aubrey Barnhart, Goodpasture Christian, Sr.
IF: Kayla Clement, Tipton-Rosemark, Jr.
IF: Brooke Harrison, Tipton-Rosemark, Fr.
OF: Hailey Brooks, Grace Christian Academy-Knoxville, Fr.
OF: Ella Brooks, Grace Christian Academy-Knoxville, Jr.
OF: Karli Quillin, Columbia Academy, Jr.
UT: McCade Cooper, Silverdale Baptist, Jr.
P: Averi Slaughter, Columbia Academy, Jr.
P: Charli Rice, Tipton-Rosemark, Sr.
P: Journey Mitchell, Columbia Academy, Sr.

Division II-AA
C: Ansley Blevins, Girls Preparatory, Jr.
IF: Cadashia Collins, Baylor School, Jr.
IF: Chapel Cunningham, Girls Preparatory, Sr.
IF: Lauren Kay, Chattanooga Christian, Sr.
IF: Madison Vandergriff, Chattanooga Christian, Sr.
OF: Addi Yates, Baylor School, Fr.
OF: Neely Taylor, St. Benedict at Auburndale, Jr.
OF: Raven Jones, Baylor School, Jr.
UT: Acelynn Sellers, Baylor School, Sr.
P: Syd Berzon, Baylor School, Jr.
P: Josie Gex, St. Benedict at Auburndale, Sr.
P: Emily Day, Chattanooga Christian, Sr.

Soccer all-state athletes named by TSWA

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced the all-state teams for soccer on Friday for three classifications in Division I and two classes in Division II. All-state teams for soccer are selected by TSWA members. Each player is nominated by a TSWA member and those nominations are compiled, sorted and selected by a committee of organization members.

Class AAA 
GK: Jake Spirko, Knox West, Jr. 
GK: Jonathan Diaz, Bearden, Sr. 
F: Harrison Watts, Clarksville, Sr. 
F: Matt Brucker, Collierville, Jr. 
F: Kevin Avalos, Smyrna, Sr. 
MF: Victor Ramirez, Columbia Central, Jr. 
MF: Lawson Dale, Cleveland, Sr. 
MF: Parker Humphrey, Germantown Houston, Sr. 
MF: Cade MacLean, Station Camp, Sr. 
D: Zach Campbell, Germantown Houston, Sr. 
D: Cole Turner, Bearden, Sr. 
D: Riley Clothier, Oakland, Sr. 

Class AA 
GK: Jack Gorman, Page, Jr. 
GK: Colby Freeman, Greeneville, Sr. 
F: Amos Vyizigiro, Howard, Jr. 
F: Brayan Moran, Sevier County, Sr. 
F: Manayeh Linton, South-Doyle, Sr. 
MF: Jorge Graniel, Central Magnet, Sr. 
MF: Grayson Dugan, Page, Sr. 
MF: Samuel Crawford, Greeneville, Sr. 
MF: Colby Huffman, Sevier County, Sr. 
D: Jase Stallings, South Gibson, Jr. 
D: Richard Reyes, Sevier County, Sr. 
D: Caleb Oehlkers, White House-Heritage, Sr. 

Class A 
GK: Jed McWherter, Madison Academic, Sr.  
GK: Jack Tambola, Austin-East, Sr. 
F: Jimmy Ramirez, Milan, Sr. 
F: Mason Gianakos, East Hickman, Sr. 
F: Kameron Graham, Adamsville, Jr. 
MF: Aldair Rapalo, Gatlinburg-Pittman, Sr. 
MF: Eydel Ortez, Gatlinburg-Pittman, Sr. 
MF: Braden Nye, Madison Academic, So.
MF: Lucas Wolthers, Merrol Hyde, So. 
D: Esloni Hakizimana, Austin-East, Sr. 
D: Mekhi Stewart, Austin-East, So. 
D: Trevor Keele, Merrol Hyde, Jr. 

Division II-A
GK: Kytn Wolf, Grace Christian Academy-Franklin, Sr.
F: Ben Pensky, Knox Webb, Jr.
F: Max Gilbert, Lausanne Collegiate, So.
F: Patrick Lee, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Jr.
F: Ben Singer, Donelson Christian Academy, Sr.
MF: Malachi Jones, Grace Christian Academy-Franklin, Jr. 
MF: Luke Ricketts, Evangelical Christian, So. 
MF: Pierce Miller, Knox Webb, So. 
D: Preston Holmes, Knox Webb, Jr.
D: Zander Brown, Knox Webb, Jr.
D: Judah White, Grace Christian Academy-Franklin, Sr.

Division II-AA
GK: Chris Krahn, Christian Brothers, Sr.
F: Taylor Gruber, Christian Brothers, Sr. 
F: Gui Vivaldini, McCallie School, Sr.
F: Peter Ayo, Knox Catholic, Sr.
MF: Quinn Brennan, Knox Catholic, Jr.
MF: David Martin, Christian Brothers, Sr.
MF: Harrison Kraus, Father Ryan, Sr.
D: George McCarty, Knox Catholic, Sr. 
D: Martin Wieckowski, Christian Brothers, Sr. 
D: Jake Kellerhals, Baylor School, So.
D: Sean Brennan, Knox Catholic, Sr.