The State’s best: Meet the 2023 Midlands all-area high school football team

A look at The State’s all-area football team for the 2023 season.

Top honors

The State’s Offensive Player of Year: AJ Brand, Irmo; and Grayson White, Camden

Readers’ choice Offensive Player of Year (fan vote): Ja Mayrant, Camden

Defensive Player of Year: Jaiden Kimble, White Knoll

Readers’ choice Defensive Player of Year (fan vote): Will McQueen, Hammond

Coach of the Year: Tom Knotts, Dutch Fork

Readers’ choice Coach of the Year (fan vote): Brian Rimpf, Camden

First Team

———Quarterbacks———

Drake Braddock, Gilbert: Senior was first-team all-state and was 146-of-244 passing for 2,763 yards and 32 touchdowns. Was selected to the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives all-star game.

AJ Brand, Irmo: Junior set school records for total offense (4,045 yards), passing yards (2,932), touchdown passes (45) and total TDs (62). Was named Class 4A Lower State Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-state.

Landon Sharpe, QB, White Knoll: Junior was first-team all-state and completed 67% of his passes for 2,702 yards and 30 touchdowns in helping the Timberwolves to their first state title appearance. Sharpe also rushed for 400 yards and seven TDs.

Grayson White, Camden: Senior was first-team all-state and leaves Camden as one of its most decorated QBs in school history. White completed 65% of his passes and 4,605 total yards and 59 total touchdowns for the Bulldogs, who played for the Class 3A championship.

Will Wilson, Richland Northeast: The state’s top-ranked quarterback for Class of 2025 and North Carolina State commitment. Junior completed 64% of his passes for 2,337 yards, 22 TDs and rushed for 1,527 yards and 25 TDs. First-team all-state selection.

———Running Backs———

Jaden Allen-Hendrix, Irmo: Senior rushed for a school-record 2,215 yards and caught 21 passes for 363 and 29 total touchdowns. Was selected to the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives game and first-team all-state. Signed with Oklahoma State.

Cortez Lane, Cardinal Newman: Senior was SCISA 4A all-state and rushed for 1,321 yards 19 touchdowns, caught 26 passes for 334 yards and three scores this year. Signed with North Carolina A&T.

BJ Montgomery, Gray Collegiate: Junior rushed for 1,203 yards and 16 touchdowns this season.

DeShaun Washington, Brookland-Cayce: Senior rushed for 1,765 yards and 23 touchdowns this season. He also had 35 tackles on defense.

Trevon Williamson, Gilbert: Freshman rushed for 1,401 yards and 20 touchdowns, caught 12 passes for 222 yards and five scores. On defense, he had 54 tackles and 11 quarterback pressures.

James Willingham, Richland Northeast: Senior rushed for 1,450 yards 15 touchdowns and finished with 2,145 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns.

———Receivers———

Kendall Byrd, AC Flora: Sophomore was first-team all-state and caught a career-high 66 passes for 1,069 yards and 16 touchdowns this season.

Austin Cunningham, White Knoll: Senior missed the first five games because of injury and caught 38 passes for 439 yards and six touchdowns. Was first-team, all-state and Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl selection.

Jordon Gidron, Ridge View: Sophomore caught 45 passes for 731 yards and 10 touchdowns in eight games this season.

Aidan Heriot, Camden: Senior caught 64 passes for 1,166 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Jamel Howse, Newberry: Sophomore was first-team all-state selection and had 36 catches for 789 yards, nine touchdowns. He also rushed for 189 yards and two TDs.

Jamarious Lockett, Gray Collegiate: Senior was first-team all-state and caught 49 passes for 989 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Krew Morris, Gilbert: Junior was first-team all-state selection, caught 53 passes for 822 yards and eight touchdowns.

Donovan Murph, Irmo: Sophomore was first-team all-state, caught 57 passes for 1,087 yards and school-record 17 touchdown passes.

———Offensive Linemen———

Dylan Barbery, Airport: Senior graded out at 85% or above in 10 of 11 games. Was first-team, all-state, Touchstone Energy Bowl selection and committed to Appalachian State.

Shemar Glover, Lower Richland: Senior was all-state selection and graded out at 85% with 50 knockdown blocks.

Bryant Ham, Irmo: Senior was all-state selection and will walk on at Coastal Carolina.

Mark’Quelle Moser, Richland Northeast: Senior was Touchstone Energy Bowl selection.

Ryan McFarland, Lexington: Senior was first-team, all-state selection.

Carter Rimpf, Camden: First-team all-state selection and selected to Touchstone Energy Bowl.

JT Sowell, Gray Collegiate: Senior was first-team all-state, graded out at 90% this season. Was selected to the Touchstone Energy Bowl and signed with Appalachian State.

Camden Sox, Brookland-Cayce: All-state and Touchstone Energy Bowl selection. Sox graded out at 84% this season and 33 pancake blocks.

———Tight Ends———

Caleb Alexander, Irmo: Senior was first-team all-state selection and caught 30 passes for 514 and 12 touchdowns.

Mike Tyler, Hammond: Junior caught 33 passes for 548 yards and seven touchdowns, including the game-winning grab in SCISA 4A championship game.

———Athletes———

Kenmane Brunson, Saluda: Senior was first-team all-state selection and rushed for 853 yards and 10 total touchdowns. On defense, he had 70 tackles, two sacks and an interception.

Ja Mayrant, Camden: Senior had 88 catches for 1,460 yards and 16 TDs. He finished with 2,000 all-purpose yards and 21 total TDs. On defense, he picked off one pass, had seven pass break-ups. Was selected to the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives game.

Zai Offord, Gray Collegiate: Senior was first-team, all-state and selected to Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl. Offord had 43 catches for 580 yards and eight touchdowns. On defense, he had 25 tackles and two interceptions.

Caleb Pearson, CA Johnson: Senior had 2,382 total yards and 28 touchdowns. On defense, he had 50 tackles and two interceptions. Pearson was named Richland County High School Football Player of the Year.

Will Young, Brookland-Cayce: The senior was first-team all-state and played quarterback, running back and receiver for the Bearcats, who advanced to the Class 3A Lower State championship. Young had 2,327 all-purpose yards and 34 touchdowns this year and was picked for the Shrine Bowl.

———Kickers———

Tripp Bryant, River Bluff: Junior was Region 4-5A Specialist of Year and was 7-of-9 field goals including a 47-yarder and 32-of-32 on extra points. He averaged 34 yards a punt and had nine inside the 20-yard line.

Chase Cline, Chapin: Senior was Touchstone Energy Bowl selection and was 8-of-15 on field goals including a 51-yarder. He hit 29-of-32 on extra points, averaged 34.1 yards per punt and 13 inside the 20-yard line.

Justin Welch, Dutch Fork: Junior was 9-of-14 on field goals, including two game-winners and was 3-of-5 between 40-49 yards. He hit 62-of-63 on extra points and had nine touchbacks.

———Defensive Line———

Titus Bowman, Keenan: Junior was first-team all-state selection and had 62 tackles, 27 for loss and 10 sacks.

Dakota Jordan, Dutch Fork: Senior was first-team all-state selected to Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl. Jordan had 46 tackles, 15 for loss, five sacks and 17 QB hurries.

Lincoln Illunga, White Knoll: Senior has 88 tackles, 13.5 for loss, nine sacks, 28 quarterback pressures, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.

Charles Jeffcoat, Dreher: Senior was Touchstone Energy Bowl selection and had 91 tackles, 28 for loss, eight sacks and 12 QB pressures.

Edward Robinson, Blythewood: Senior had 65 tackles, 23 for loss, 19 sacks, 16 quarterback pressure and four pass break-ups

Caleb Strese, Gilbert: Senior was first-team all-state, Shrine Bowl selection and had 104 tackles, 11 for loss, five sacks and two fumble recoveries.

Zarion Williams, Blythewood: Junior had 54 tackles, 27 for loss and 20 sacks, four forced fumbles.

Terrance Wells, Dutch Fork: Senior was first-team all-state, selected for Touchstone Energy Bowl. Wells had 34 tackles, three sacks, 12 QB hurries and forced fumble.

———Linebackers———

Demenco Banks, White Knoll: Senior had 134 tackles, seven for loss, five sacks and 10 quarterback pressures and blocked two kicks.

Jylil Favor, Irmo: Senior was first-team all-state, Region 5-4A Defensive Player of the Year and had 104 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two interceptions and three pass break-ups.

Myles Brown, Ridge View: Senior was first-team all-state and finished with 74 tackles, 18 for loss, six sacks and two interceptions. Signed with Virginia and was selected to the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives North-South game.

Jaiden Kimble, White Knoll: Senior was a first-team all-state, Shrine Bowl selection, Class 5A Lower State Defensive Player of the Year and had 118 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

Will McQueen, Hammond: Senior was SCISA Class 4A Defensive Player of the Year and had 107 tackles, 20 sacks and eight quarterback pressures.

Wilson Nash, Camden: Senior was first team, all-state, Class 3A Lower State Defensive Player of the Year and had 191 tackles, three sacks and 12 tackles for loss.

Christian Sexton, Lexington: Senior was all-state selection and picked for Touchstone Energy Bowl. Committed to Anderson.

Kaine Williams, LB, Gray Collegiate: Senior had 144 tackles, 11 for loss, 6.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hurries.

Deon Winsley, Dutch Fork: Senior had 122 tackles, 11 for loss, one sack, 10 pass break-ups and nine quarterback hurries.

———Defensive Backs———

Jo Jo Crim, Camden: Junior was all-state selection and had 87 tackles, four interceptions and 15 pass break-ups.

Devan Crumpton, Spring Valley: Senior was first-team, all-state and Touchstone Energy Bowl selection and committed to South Carolina to run track and field.

Caleb Geronomi, White Knoll: Sophomore had 77 tackles, four interceptions, seven pass break-ups, one blocked kick and three forced fumbles.

Tyler Jones, Dutch Fork: Senior was first-team, all-state selected for Shrine Bowl and had 69 tackles, two pass break-ups and three fumble recoveries. Signed with S.C. State.

Isaiah McClary, Irmo: Senior was all-state selection and defensive MVP at Touchstone Energy Bowl game. McClary had 93 tackles, 16 pass break-ups, five interceptions and will walk on at South Carolina.

Wynn Meetze, Gilbert: Sophomore had 148 tackles, 11 for loss, four interceptions and six pass break-ups.

Ja’Mel Patterson, Lower Richland: The senior was an all-state selection and had 60 tackles, five interceptions and two blocked kicks.

Myles Pratt, Richland Northeast: Senior was first-team all-state selection and picked for Touchstone Energy Bowl. Pratt had 90 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, an interception and three pass break-ups.

Second Team

———Quarterbacks———

Brady Albro, Chapin; Charlie Bonds, Richard Winn; Cam McMillon, Fairfield Central; Duncan Skehan, Cardinal Newman; Roper Wentzky, AC Flora

———Running Backs———

Maurice Anderson, Dutch Fork; Evan Artemus, Keenan; Averee Hickmon, Camden; Jaylen Jay, Gilbert; Manny Johnson, Hammond; Lamarion Pearson, Lower Richland; Casey Shropshire, North Central; Amadre Woodson, Batesburg-Leesville

———Receivers———

Kalen Bostick, Chapin; Carter Coleman, Ridge View; Stephen Collier, River Bluff; Matt Edwards, Gilbert; KJ Golden, Fairfield Central; Evan Henderson, White Knoll; Kaleb Kelly, Blythewood; Jacob Nerrone, Chapin; Drew Spires, Richard Winn; Telvin Smith, Irmo

———Tight Ends———

Connor Gooding, Gilbert; Hasan Lee, White Knoll

———Offensive Linemen———

Carson Atkinson, Cardinal Newman; Jeb Berry, Hammond; Cooper Horton, Heathwood Hall; Kaleb James, Pelion; Jacory Jones, Brookland-Cayce; Dakari Sumter, Lower Richland; Jalen Swilley, Fairfield Central; Elijah Williams, Irmo

———Athletes———

Sam Burks, Northside Christian; Kenton Caldwell, Newberry; Lamar Eaddy, Eau Claire; Ty Grier, Fairfield Central; Luke New, Pelion

———Kicker/Punter———

Max Ford, Camden

———Defensive Linemen———

Montrell Byrd, Lexington; Mal Clay, Irmo; Xavian Davenport, Gilbert; Kellen George, Ben Lippen; Bryce Nutall, Dutch Fork; Hudson Schick, Northside Christian; JT Lott, Saluda; Tyquan Singleton, Gray Collegiate; Josh Smith, Dutch Fork; Zeb Taylor, Gray Collegiate; Xavier Williams, Chapin

———Linebackers———

Jared Acosta, Newberry; Michael Boulware, Gray Collegiate; Connor Burgess, White Knoll; Jalen Burns, Westwood; Hayden Cushman, River Bluff; Mondo Domenech, White Knoll; Marquel Lewis, Irmo; John Lizewski, Northside Christian: David Matthews, Ridge View; Matthew McCauley, Lexington; KD Outen, Lugoff-Elgin; Emmanuel Presbot, Camden; Braxton Rodgers, Cardinal Newman; David Rodgers, Cardinal Newman; Raleigh Salters, Dutch Fork; Gavin Stam, Chapin

———Defensive Backs———

Peyton Betts, Dutch Fork; Matthew Blocker, Irmo; Devin Geronomi, White Knoll; Shiver Huggins, Camden; Onis Konanbanny, Heathwood Hall; Zay Mathis, Hammond; Ny’keem McNeil, Keenan; Elgin Sessions, Dutch Fork; Wyatt Thompson, Camden