Who was fall 2021's best? Big South 3A, other area leagues honor season's best on gridiron

Mari Adams will need to clear space to add another honor to his growing collection.

Months after being named as Big South 3A boys basketball Player of the Year, the Crest two-sport standout was named the league’s top offensive player, this following the reveal of the all-conference team on Monday.

Adams rushed for 2,145 yards to set a new Crest High single-season record. The mark was previously set by Charger great Tre Harbison, who ran for 2,080 yards in 2015.

The Crest senior standout rushed for 26 touchdowns, with two more trips to the end zone coming through the passing game.

Teammate and Wake Forest recruit Eli Hall was also recognized, earning the Big South 3A Defensive Lineman of the Year award for a second season in a row. He finished with 32 tackles (eight for a loss) and three sacks this fall.

After leading Crest to its second Big South 3A title in three seasons, Charger football coach Nick Eddins was voted the league’s top coach.

Arias Nash’s sensational senior season was recognized as well, the Stuart Cramer defensive lineman voted Big South 3A Defensive Player of the Year. Nash was credited with 144 total tackles (29 for a loss), a team-high six sacks and five forced fumbles.

Despite a “who’s who” of faces in the Kings Mountain backfield, the Mountaineers’ running game kept plugging along and senior Tykel Smith had a tad to do with its success. Smith was named the league’s top offensive lineman, this after helping the Kings Mountain offense earn 3,972 total yards. Just shy of those 2,000 yards came on the ground.

South Point’s Dylan Nicks was named Big South 3A Special Teams Player of the Year. He averaged 40.2 yards per punt, with 11 of those downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

First team all-conference honorees include: Stuart Cramer quarterback Justin Rocquemore; Crest’s Adams; offensive linemen Smith and Isaiah Eskridge of Kings Mountain, South Point’s Jacob Patterson and Sullivan Absher, and Crest’s Cameron McDowell; athletes Tyson Riley of South Point, Forestview’s Camury Reid, Carmelo Bess of Ashbrook and Crest’s Javarius Green; defensive linemen including Stuart Cramer’s Nash, Hall of Crest, Forestview’s Christian Williams and Ashbrook’s John Derricott; linebackers Jaycob Neely of Forestview, Crest’s Nick Beason and Ryan Harris of South Point; defensive backs Jake Lloyd of Kings Mountain, Crest’s Carter Greene, Gene Neely III of Hunter Huss, Forestview’s Jesse Osborne and Will Ross of South Point; as well as South Point’s Nicks and Peyton Fisher of Kings Mountain as specialists.

Second team selections included: DeVonyae Pettis, Trae Watkins and Montrell Ross of Crest; A.J. Richardson, D’Andre Hoyle, Seth Neal and Jaden Ellis of Kings Mountain; South Point’s Wyatt Triplett; Jakeem Dennard and Austin Parker of Forestview; Stuart Cramer’s Josue Sanchez, Damien Bentley and Markiss Nelson; Chandler Meeks and Sincere Sanders-Moss of Ashbrook; North Gaston’s Brian Cole, Jason Melton and J.J. Gordon; and Malachi Coleman of Hunter Huss.

Western Foothills 3A

East Lincoln and North Lincoln combined to place 18 players on the all-Western Foothills 3A roster.

North Lincoln quarterback Kyle Kovalchuk was voted the league’s top offensive player, this after rushing for 1,088 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also threw for 582 yards and six more touchdowns this fall.

He was joined on the all-conference roster by teammates Bryson Esser, Krystjan Snyder, Malachi Williams, Dylan Nestor, Brennen Rogers, Sam Wilkins, Luke Fitzsimmons, Tyler Donahue and Josh Fox.

On the defensive side, East Lincoln linebacker Ben Cutter was honored as Western Foothills 3A Defensive Player of the Year. He finished with 158 total tackles (15 tackles for a loss), a sack, an interception, four forced fumbles and a blocked punt.

East Lincoln players voted to the all-conference roster include Tyler Mizzell, Keandre Walker, Landon Glezen, Markell Clark, Josh Gilbert, Terry Bryant and Blake Bradford.

Statesville’s Zamari Stevenson was voted the league’s top player, with teammate Sam Buckner named its special teams player of the year. Hickory head man and former Lincolnton coach Joe Glass was named Western Foothills 3A Coach of the Year.

Catawba Valley 2A

Lincolnton football standout Bernard Wingate was named the league’s top defensive player, this after leading his team with 102 tackles. Twenty-six of those tackles occurred in the opponent’s backfield, helping the Wolves return to the postseason for the first time since 2017.

He was joined on the all-Catawba Valley 2A team by Lincolnton teammates Khamoni Heath, Deandra Smith, Andre Smith, Easton Dellinger and Andre Bost.

West Lincoln placed top rusher Mason Avery on the all-conference roster, joined by Zach Daigler, Trace Gilmore, Curtis Goins, Xandor Hedrick, Lathon Sain and Jersey Singletary.

League champion Maiden dominated Catawba Valley 2A’s top awards, as running back Ben Gibbs, big play threat Chris Culliver and coach Will Byrne being recognized as offensive player, specialist and coach of the year.

Catawba Shores 1A/2A

Nine Mountain Island Charter players were named to the all-Catawba Shores 1A/2A team.

Quarterback Dylan Bisson set a new Gaston County single-season passing record with 3,436 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also set the county’s single-game passing mark by going 16-of-19 for 541 yards and four scores Sept. 10 against Union Academy.

Wideout Reggie Taylor also made history in that Sept. 10 game, catching six passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns. He joins Bisson on the Catawba Shores 1A/2A football team along with Ashton Miller, Caleb Patton, Trevin Moyer, Austin McConnell, Brock Haynes, Elijah Hadley and Trae Nickelson.

Cole Hart and Leonard Hadley earned honorable mention.

Southern Piedmont 1A/2A’s top players will be revealed following Saturday’s 2A state title game featuring league member Shelby and Wallace-Rose Hill.

You can reach Joe Hughes at 704-914-8138, email jhughes@gastongazette.com and follow on Twitter @JoeLHughesII.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Fall 2021 all-conference football in Gaston, Cleveland and Lincoln