2022 All-Area Football Team: East Duplin's Avery Gaby highlights list of best players

Avery Gaby may have his fill of biscuits by the time he graduates East Duplin.

“It seems like every time I go to Bojangles, I get extra stuff I didn’t pay for,” the senior said with a laugh. “I never got those before, but I guess it is one of the perks of being a state football champion.”

Forget about it being Bo Time, it was the Panthers’ time in 2022 as they won their first state title in program history. Leading the way was Gaby, who rushed for 2,195 yards and 41 touchdowns to help East Duplin go 15-1 and defeat Reidsville 24-21 in the state championship game in Chapel Hill.

Because of Gaby’s efforts, is The Daily News Player of the Year for the 2022 season as voted on by the coaches and the newspaper’s sports staff.

“Avery did a great job for us all year,” East Duplin coach Battle Holley said. “As we got closer to the end, we started using him more on defense, but we also kept giving him the ball. He just plays hard and he practices and the same way he plays in the games.”

Gaby is multiple dimensional. He also had 55 tackles, six for loss, three sacks and he recovered two fumbles. But his biggest contribution was carrying the ball, and he didn’t disappoint. Gaby averaged 8.5 yards per rush.

“It came from putting work in the weight room and all the hours that we put in to prepare for games,” Gaby said. “I am a big faith guy and I believed in what the lord had planned for me.”

One Sunday morning, Gaby had a moment when he knew what was coming.

“I was listening to the preacher one morning and then everything went silent. I couldn’t hear him or the choir, nothing,” Gaby said. “Then I hear the lord say to me four simple words: ‘The drought was over.’”

That moment came the Sunday before East Duplin defeated Wallace-Rose Hill 13-12 on Oct. 21. The next day, Gaby had a conversation with Holley.

“I went into his office and told coach what the lord had told me and I told him that I believed that we were going to win this thing,” Gaby said. “He was like ‘all right, let’s get to work.’ When we get to the state championship game, Coach Holley comes up to me at the beginning of the second half, looks me dead in the eyes and told me “The drought was over, now let’s go win this thing.’”

And the Panthers did, defeating Reidsville, which has won 19 NCHSAA titles, in the final.

While Gaby recalls key moments in East Duplin’s road to winning its first state title, it still hasn’t set in.

“This is East Duplin’s first state championship, we won it against a powerhouse like Reidsville and we had hard games we had to fight through to win it,” Gaby said. “I still can’t believe it. I am still shell-shocked about it.”

2022 ALL-AREA FOOTBALL TEAM

Player of Year

Avery Gaby, Sr., RB/DE, East Duplin: Gaby rushed for an area-best 2,195 yards and 41 touchdowns on 257 carries. He rushed for over 100 yards in all but two of the Panthers’ games. His highest-rushing effort came when he ran for 191 yards and a touchdown on 37 carries in a 24-21 win over Reidsville in the NCHSAA 2-A championship game. Gaby also had 10 catches for 267 yards and three touchdowns and he made 54 tackles, six for loss, had three sacks, two fumble recoveries and a blocked field goal.

First Team Offense

KJ Pollock, Jr., QB, Northside: Pollock led the area with 1,847 yards passing and 21 touchdown passes while completing 148 of 297 throws. He threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-21 loss to Havelock and pass for 266 and 231 yards against New Bern and Jacksonville. Pollock had six other games with at least 100 yards.

Demon June, Soph., RB, Jacksonville: June rushed for 1,108 yards and 18 touchdowns on 146 carries and had six catches for 67 yards and two more touchdowns. He ran for over 100 yards five times, including a season-best 191 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-42 second-round playoff win at Havelock.

Aleni Mageo, Sr., RB, White Oak: Mageo rushed for 1,356 yards and 12 touchdowns on 156 carries, added three receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown. He had seven games with at least 100 yards rushing, including a season-best 274 yards in a 53-14 win over East Carteret. Mageo also returned five punts for 117 yards, including one for a touchdown in a 30-23 win over West Carteret and he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

Brayden Stephens, Sr., RB, Croatan: Stephens rushed for 1,601 yards and 18 touchdowns on 284 carries. He had three games with at least 200 yards, including 271 yards in a 56-38 win over Pamlico. He scored five touchdowns in a 45-20 victory over Dixon.

Amare Caines, Jr., WR, Swansboro: Caines had 28 receptions for 426 yards and three touchdowns. He didn’t have a catch the last two games because he had to play quarterback. His best receiving game came when he had six catches for 131 yards and a touchdown in a 22-19 loss to Farmville Central.

Michael Carlock, Jr., WR, Jacksonville: Carlock had 26 receptions for 610 yards and five touchdowns. He had a season-best six catches for 125 yards and a touchdown in a 34-28 loss to D.H. Conley and a season-best 133 yards on just three catches and a touchdown in a 49-3 win over West Carteret.

Tyree Holloway, Sr., WR, Northside: Holloway had 45 receptions for an area-best 1,067 yards and 14 touchdowns. He had two games with at least 200 yards receiving, including 241 yards on nine catches in a 45-21 loss to Havelock. He also averaged 22.8 yards per kickoff return.

Jesse Clinesmith, Sr., TE, East Duplin: Clinesmith had 13 receptions for 256 yards and four touchdowns and helped solidify the Panthers’ offensive line. He also had 82 tackles, nine for loss and three fumble recoveries at defensive line.

Matt Finizio, Sr., OL, Croatan: Finizio graded in at 88% and was the leader of an offensive line that helped the offense compile 2,684 yards rushing and average 5.3 yards per attempt.

Cody Holt, Sr., OL, Jacksonville: Holt graded in at 80% and was one of the leaders of an offensive line that helped the Cardinals compile 2,591 yards rushing.

Kevin Juarez, Sr., OL, East Duplin: Juarez graded in at 86% and spearheaded a line that helped the Panthers compile 4,716 yards rushing and average 8.2 yards per attempt.

Reid Nelson, Sr., OL, Jacksonville: Nelson graded in ay 83% and was another line leader for the Cardinals, who averaged 6.2 yards per rush.

Tyler Popejoy, Sr., OL, White Oak: Popejoy graded in at 87% and led a line that compiled 3,156 yards rushing and averaged 8.2 yards per rush.

First Team Defense

Kahmari Brown, Jr., DL, White Oak: Brown had 93 tackles, including a team-high 20 for loss, with nine and-a-half sacks, five defended passes, one forced fumble and one recovery.

CJ McDonald, Sr., DL, Richlands: McDonald had 64 tackles, 16 for loss, 13 sacks, four forced fumbles, four recoveries and three interceptions.

Rodrigo Sanchez, Sr., DL, East Duplin: Sanchez had 99 tackles, 12 for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and was named the Panthers’ defensive player of the game in their state final win over Reidsville.

Zarion Walters, Sr., DL, Richlands: Walters had 73 tackles, 11 for loss, 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, four blocked extra points and three blocked punts.

Durice Adamson III, Jr., LB, Northside: Adamson led his team with 117 tackles, five sacks and two interceptions.

Justin Brown, Jr., LB, White Oak: Brown led his team with 129 tackles, seven for loss, and had one interception and two defended passes.

Jackson Gause, Sr., LB, East Duplin: Gause was second on the team with 132 tackles, eight for loss, had five forced fumbles, two recoveries and one interception.

Kade Kennedy, Sr., LB, East Duplin: Kennedy had a team-high 150 tackles and 15 for loss, two and-a-half sacks and one fumble recovery.

Tanner Whitehead, Sr., LB, Southwest: Whitehead had a team-high 126 tackles with seven for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Daunte Hall, Sr., DB, East Duplin: Hall led the area with seven interceptions, 12 defended passes and he had one forced fumble and 93 tackles.

Nizaya Hall, Sr., DB, East Duplin: Hall was second on the team with five interceptions and he made 47 tackles.

Owen Simco, Jr., DB, Richlands: Simco led his team with six interceptions and had three forced fumbles.

First Team Special Teams/Athlete

Darwin Bonilla, Jr., K, East Duplin: Bonilla was 81 of 84 on extra-point kicks, six of eight on field goals.

Kaiden Smith, Jr., P, Northside: Smith averaged 41.4 yards per punt on 27 punts with his longest being 62 yards and he had six boots inside the 20-yard line.

DaMari Gantt, Jr., KR, Jacksonville: Gantt averaged 35.1 yards per kickoff return on nine returns and had two returns for touchdowns in a 49-42 second-round win at Havelock.

Damarius Hester, Jr., ATHLETE, White Oak: Hester rushed for 1,182 yards and 11 touchdowns on 136 carries, completed 28 of 57 passes for 455 yards and four touchdowns, made 19 tackles, defended two passes and had an interception.

Second Team Offense

Jai’Kei Taylor, Sr., QB, Jacksonville: 68-142 completions, 1,233 yards, 14 TD, 442 yards rushing, 8 TD

Darrold Dorsey, Jr., RB, Southwest: 1,080 yards, 150 carries, 11 TD

Andrew Hines, Sr., FB, Southwest: 708 yards, 105 carries, 4 TD

Camren Rivera, Sr., RB, Jacksonville: 833 yards, 106 carries, 9 TD

Sebastian Gallaraga, Soph., WR, Dixon: 41 catches, 608 yards, 2 TD

Shane Shapiro, Sr., WR, Jacksonville: 17 catches, 287 yards, 4 TD

Andon Wilges, Jr., WR, Richlands: 22 catches, 463 yards, 2 TD

Chris Johnson, Sr., TE, Southwest: Reliable blocker on offensive line, also had 44 tackles at DE

Talan Anders, Jr., OL, Richlands: 74% grading percentage

Cole Brinkley, Sr., OL, White Oak: 82% grading percentage

Gabriel Lawrence, Sr., OL, Northside: 92% grading percentage

Jesse Parker, Jr., OL, East Duplin: 82% grading percentage

Waylon Sloan, Sr., OL, East Duplin: 80% grading percentage

Second Team Defense

Jayden Butler, Sr., DL, Northside: 52 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 TFL

Jackson Griffing, Sr., DL, Croatan: 61 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks

Chris Martin, Jr., DL, East Duplin: 93 tackles, 9 TFL, 2 FF, 2 FR

Miles Parker, Jr., DL, Jacksonville: 56 tackles, 7 sacks, 3 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR

Patryk McCallie, Sr., LB, Richlands: Averaged 6 tackles per game

Chase Petty, Jr., LB, Swansboro: 93 tackles, 2 INT, 1 FR, 1 sack

Bradley Richart II, Sr., LB, Dixon: 93 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 1 FR

Amaree Barber, Sr., DB, Jacksonville: 2 INT, 4 PD, 17 tackles

Brecken Bowles, Sr., DB, East Duplin: 114 tackles, 12 TFL, 3 FF, 2 FR, 1 INT

Jordan Johnson, Sr., DB, Northside: 54 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FR

Elam Moore, Jr., DB, East Duplin: 95 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 INT, 2 FR, 1 FF, 1 sack

Second Team Special Teams/Athlete

Chris Exley, Sr., K, Richlands: 26/27 PATs, 4/5 FG

Zack Brown, Jr., P, East Duplin: 36 yards per punt

William Johnson, Jr., KR, Northside: 23.5 YKR, 17.4 YPR, 1 PR for TD

Brayden Anderson-Sidbury, Jr., ATHLETE, Dixon: 21 catches, 3-9 yards, 4 TD, 34 tackles, 11 TFL, 5 sacks

Chris Miller can be contacted via email at cmiller@jdnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @jdnsports.

This article originally appeared on The Daily News: 2022 Jacksonville NC area All-Area Football Team