All-Greater Savannah Football Coach of the Year and Offensive Football Team announced

In his 11 seasons as the head football coach at Benedictine, Danny Britt has built one of the most respected programs in the state.

He led the Cadets to their first state football title in 2014, and the Cadets won the GHSA Class 2A championship once again in 2016. This season, the Cadets played in Class 4A and started the season with a pair of losses.

But the Cadets made a remarkable turnaround as they closed out the season with 13 straight wins, the last a 35-28 victory over Carver-Columbus in the Class 4A championship game in Atlanta.

So which of the three championships was Britt's favorite?

The Savannah Morning News Football Coach of the Year said that's a tough question to answer.

"That's like trying to pick out a favorite child," Britt said with a laugh. "Each year is different, and you love each team — but they're all different. What impressed me about this year's team was their resilience. After starting out 0-2, they came together and turned it around. They worked hard to get better and reached the goal they had set last year to become a state champion."

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Three games stood out in a season full of great memories for Britt, who has a 119-26 record at BC and an overall career mark of 151-48 which includes five seasons at Calvary Day.

"I think our win against Ware County (a 49-42 victory in BC's fifth game) was definitely where we turned the corner," Britt said. "We started playing more loose, while playing harder — and we started to play to our capabilities."

Britt said the 24-21 state quarterfinal win over visiting Marist, the defending state champion, also was pivotal.

"Just in the sense that it was against one of the most storied programs in Georgia and one of the premier Catholic schools in the South for decades," Britt said. "We played really well defensively, and that was a huge win for us."

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Then closing things out to beat Carver-Columbus behind big-time performances from a senior class led by quarterback Holden Geriner (now at Auburn), the versatile star Justin Thomas (head to UGA on a baseball scholarship) and linebacker Holden Sapp (Army) put the finishing touches on a season to remember.

"We played a great game, and Holden (Geriner, who threw for 397 yards and four touchdowns) had an unbelievable game," Britt said. "We knew he had incredible talent, but he really showed it off on the biggest stage. It was a huge win for our program, especially with the lack of size we had this year."

Thomas played his last football game in the state finals, and the senior said he learned a lot playing football under Britt.

Asked to describe Britt in a few words, Thomas said, "He's hard on you and loving at the same time.

"There are times he's going to push you to the limit, but when the time is right he can be caring and loving with you. Coach played at Georgia Southern and he's been around football his whole life, so we always have faith in his knowledge of the game and his play-calling.

"One of my favorite parts about playing for coach Britt was the pregame speeches he gave us. He knows how to motivate his players, and I was ready to take it to another level every time he talked to us."

The All-Greater Savannah Offensive Football Teams are announced, and include Geriner, Thomas and BC receiver Za'Quan Bryan, along with Calvary Day quarterback Jake Merklinger and Savannah Country Day quarterback Barry Kleinpeter.

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The first-team selections also are all nominees for the Offensive Football Player of the Year for the Coastal Empire High School Sports Awards, presented by Georgia Ports Authority, to be held in the spring. It is brought to you with support from Chatham Orthopaedic Associates. The winner will be the announced at the show. More details about the program are coming soon.

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During the live show, these nominees will be honored, along with the top three finalists and the player of the year. All official nominees can receive a free ticket. Check back later in the year for information on how to RSVP.

The Coastal Empire High School Sports Awards show is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country.

All-Greater Savannah Offensive Football Teams

FIRST TEAM

HOLDEN GERINER, Benedictine, QB, sr.

The Auburn signee closed out his prep career in style by having a big-time performance to lead the Cadets to a 35-28 win over Carver-Columbus in the Class 4A championship game. Geriner was named the Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after completing 233 of 333 passes (68%) for a school-record 3,377 yards on the season. He had 36 touchdown passes and just three interceptions.

JUSTIN THOMAS, Benedictine, RB/WR/DB, sr.

Thomas, who has signed to play baseball at Georgia, rushed for 1,426 yards and 25 touchdowns and caught 47 passes for 967 yards and 12 more scores. He also was a standout defensively, with 47 tackles and five interceptions. He had 39 total touchdowns on the season and was an all-state first-team pick by the AJC.

ZA'QUAN BRYAN, Benedictine, WR/DB, jr.

Bryan became the go-to man in the Cadets' passing game with 95 receptions for 1,376 yards and 15 touchdowns on the year. He also rushed for 249 yards and a pair of scores, and made 51 tackles with seven passes defended and a pair of picks to earn all-state first-team honors from the AJC.

JAKE MERKLINGER, Calvary Day, QB, so.

Merklinger completed 70% of his passes for 2,513 yards with 25 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. He also ran for 297 yards and 11 scores, and was named Region 3A Private's Offensive Player of the Year. Merkinger has offers from Michigan State and Cincinnati.

DONOVAN JOHNSON, Calvary Day, RB, fr.

Johnson burst on to the high school scene and established himself as one of the top freshmen in the country. He rushed for 1,336 yards, averaging 7.9 yards per carry and scored 10 touchdowns to earn all-region first-team honors. Johnson played in the Adidas FBU Freshman All-American Bowl and picked up an offer from UCF in December.

BARRY KLEINPETER, Savannah Country Day, QB/LB, sr.

Kleinpeter did it all for the Hornets and helped lead his team to the second round of the Class A Private playoffs, as he earned Region 3-A Private Player of the Year honors along the way. Kleinpeter threw for 1,549 yards and 13 touchdowns with six interceptions. He also rushed for 604 yards and six touchdowns. He was a key player defensively in clutch moments, coming up with an interception to ice an overtime win over Savannah Christian. Kleinpeter has signed to play at New Hampshire.

CAMERON EDWARDS, South Effingham, RB, sr.

Edwards was named the Region 2-6A Offensive Player of the Year. He rushed for 1,093 yards and eight touchdowns in nine games. In his final high school game, Edwards rushed for 232 yards and three scores in a win over Bradwell Institute. The Class 6A state triple jump champion as a junior, Edwards has an offer from Savannah State.

MARQUES JOHNSON, Liberty County, RB, sr.

Johnson was named the Region 3-3A Player of the Year after helping lead the Panthers to the region title. He rushed for 1,105 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also was a standout defensively with 34 tackles, three interceptions and eight passes defended.

MIKE CABELLERO, Windsor Forest, RB, sr.

Cabellero, who is also a standout basketball player for the Knights, was an All-Region 3-3A first-team selection after rushing for 1,023 yards and six touchdowns. He is expected to announce his college commitment soon.

GEORGE FUTCH, Savannah Christian, WR, sr.

Futch, who has committed to Lenoir-Rhyne, had another outstanding year for the Raiders. He caught 47 passes for 782 yards and seven touchdowns and had 27 tackles and five passes defended. He returned a pair of punts for scores and had 10 touchdowns on the year to earn All-Region 3-A Private first-team honors.

JOSH PRIDGEN, Jenkins, RB, jr.

Pridgen was an All-Region 3-4A first-team selection. He rushed for 1,087 yards and 12 touchdowns, including a career-high 214 yards with three touchdowns in a win over New Hampstead in the regular-season finale to clinch the No. 2 playoff seed. He rushed for 170 yards and a score in a playoff loss to Dougherty.

RAVON GRANT, Richmond Hill, WR, jr.

Grant earned All-Region 2-6A first-team honors as he led the Wildcats with 46 catches for 793 yards and five touchdowns. He also had a kick return for a score and helped lead the Wildcats to a second-place finish in the region and a playoff berth.

TED HURST, Johnson, WR, sr.

Hurst is also a standout on the Atom Smasher basketball team. He had 41 catches for 691 yards and six touchdowns and was also a standout defensive back. Hurst was an All-Region 3-3A first-team selection and his offers include Savannah State and Shorter University.

BRIAN JOHNSON, Benedictine, OL, sr.

Johnson weighs in at about 190 pounds, but the senior was a game changer up front for the Cadets. He helped lead an offense that averaged 222 yards rushing and 237 yards passing per game. He was an All-Region 3-4A first-team selection.

JALIN SCOTT, Calvary Day, OL, jr.

Scott made the move from guard to center and had another excellent season for the Cavaliers. The All-Region 3-A Private first-team selection was a key man up front for an offense that averaged 364 yards per game en route to winning the region title and advancing to the state quarterfinals. He has an offer from Savannah State.

ASHTON JACKSON, Jenkins, OL, sr.

The 6-foot-4, 330-pounder helped pave the way for 1,000-yard rusher Josh Pridgen. He was an AJC all-state first-team selection and earned All-Region 3-4A honors. Jackson has offers from schools such as Savannah State, Florida International University and UT Martin.

KAM BING, New Hampstead, OL, sr.

The 6-2, 310-pounder closed out an excellent career at New Hampstead by earning All-Region 3-4A first-team honors. He also was an AJC all-state honorable mention selection. He has offers including Columbus State and Edward Waters.

DREW MORIN, Benedictine, OL, sr.

Morin was a vocal leader up front for the Cadets with a strong presence on the field and in the locker room. He was an All-Region 3-4A first-team selection and a key in the Cadets' run to 13 straight wins, which ended with the Class 4A state championship in Atlanta.

PAULY SEELEY, New Hampstead, QB, jr.

Seeley ran a dynamic offense for a Phoenix squad that averaged 38 points per game. He threw for 1,995 yards with 22 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and ran for a pair of scores. The All-Region 3-4A first-team pick has offers from Bowling Green, Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky.

KAM EDGE, Benedictine, WR/RB, sr.

Edge, who also is a standout shortstop on the Cadets baseball team, emerged as a dangerous offensive weapon. He had 53 catches for 720 yards and six touchdowns and ran for 264 yards and another score, while completing his only pass of the year for a 56-yard touchdown. Edge has committed to play at Army.

MIKE SMITH, Calvary Day, TE, so.

Smith had a breakout year for the Cavaliers, and college recruiters took notice of the athletic 6-foot-4, 225-pound sophomore. He had 42 catches for 684 yards and nine touchdowns and earned All-Region 3-4A first-team honors and an honorable mention all-state recognition from the AJC. His offers include South Carolina, Arkansas, West Virginia and UCF.

TRE BROWN, Jenkins, WR/ATH, sr.

Brown was named the Region 3-4A Athlete of the Year. He was a big-play man for the Warriors with 21 catches for 587 yards and five touchdowns, as well as running for 167 yards and another score, while adding a pair of interceptions on defense. Brown has committed to play at Hutchinson Junior College in Kansas.

ALEX WYNN, Savannah Country Day, WR, sr.

Wynn was a big-play target for Kleinpeter as he had 34 receptions for 724 yards (21.2 yards per catch) with four scoring catches. Wynn was an All-Region 3-A Private first-team selection.

ASHER SIGMON, Benedictine, K, jr.

Sigmon was a consistent force on special teams for the Cadets as he connected on 91 of 93 extra points while converting on his only field-goal attempt of the season. He ranked second in the state and eighth in the nation in PATs, according to Maxpreps.com, and was an All-Region 3-4A first-team selection.

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SECOND TEAM

Matthew Ford, Effingham County, QB, sr.

Ty Goldrick, Richmond Hill, QB, jr.

Keon Edwards, Johnson, QB, sr.

Jamell Coast, New Hampstead, RB, sr.

Michael Grandy, Savannah Country Day, RB, jr.

Samari Dowdy, New Hampstead, RB, jr.

Amarion Scott, Johnson, RB, jr.

Kaden Sonnabend, New Hampstead, TE, sr.

Toriano Bias, New Hampstead, WR, sr.

Doopah Coleman, Calvary Day, WR, Fr.

Deandre Singleton, Calvary Day, WR, sr.

Timmy Brown, Effingham County, WR, jr.

Julius Linton, New Hampstead, OL, sr.

Henry Giello, Savannah Country Day, OL, sr.

James Thompson, Calvary Day, OL, sr.

Alex Workman, Richmond Hill, OL, sr.

Larry Johnson, Jenkins, OL, sr.

Shayne Strickland, Benedictine, OL, sr.

Elijah Thurman, Bradwell, OL, so.

Keontre Williams, Liberty County, OL, sr.

Jaden Boone, Johnson, OL, jr.

Cole Burnsed, Savannah Christian, OL, jr.

Thomas Zimbalatti, Richmond Hill, OL, fresh.

Jep Hudspeth, Savannah Christian, OL, jr.

Malon Petty, Johnson, OL, jr.

Liam Rickman, South Effingham, K, sr.

HONORABLE MENTION SELECTIONS FOR OFFENSE AND DEFENSE WILL BE PUBLISHED WITH THE DEFENSIVE TEAM ONLINE ON THURSDAY

Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Benedictine Britt All-Greater Savannah Coach of Year Offensive team