First Team Offense
OL – Tyler Anderson (Sr.), Holtville — Transferring over from Edgewood Academy, the 6-foot-2, 295-pound guard led the Dawgs in pancake blocks and made their flexbone rushing offense that much better.
OL – Jake Andrews (Jr.), Stanhope Elmore — Andrews graded out the highest among all area linemen from his center position at 90 percent along with an area best 50 pancake blocks.
OL – Kody Estes (Sr.), Wetumpka — The Indians rushed for 3,000 yards and the senior left tackle was a big reason why, collecting 42 pancake blocks and 21 knockdowns.
OL – Nathan Smith (Sr.), Holtville — Smith (6-foot-2, 305) was HHS’s most reliable and durable lineman, playing every offensive snap and not allowing a sack all season.
OL – Blake Walters (Sr.) Edgewood Academy — The team’s lone senior and most experienced player, Walters was also its most consistent lineman, recording a team-high 23 pancake blocks.
QB – Casey Baynes (Jr.), Tallassee — Baynes (6-foot, 195) guided the Tigers to the state quarterfinals in his first year starting, accounting for 37 touchdowns and 2,525 total yards.
RB – D.J. Patrick (So.), Elmore County — Patrick provided the Panther punch with nine 100-yard games and topped the area with 1,339 rushing yards and yards per carry average (7.7), along with 12 scores.
RB – Kavosiey Smoke (Jr.), Wetumpka — The 6-foot, 210-pound junior was dangerous catching the ball out of the backfield (16 receptions, 175 yards) and ended up with 1,028 all-purpose yards.
RB – DeAndre Williams (Sr.), Wetumpka — Williams helped Wetumpka to its best season in six years, scoring 22 total touchdowns, including three kickoff return TDs, and recording 1,289 total yards.
WR – Tyric Belyeu (Sr.), Elmore County — A big-play receiver, the 6-foot senior led the area in receiving yards (602) and touchdowns (7), while hauling in 31 passes.
WR – Maurice Young (Sr.), Wetumpka — The speedy wide out racked up 565 all-purpose yards and four scores in his first season with the Indians.
ATH – Jadarious Martin (So.), Wetumpka — No one had more of a breakout season than the WHS sophomore, winning the starting QB job amassing 1,934 total yards and notching 18 total touchdowns.
PK – Colton Autrey (Jr.), Holtville — Autrey snapped the Bulldogs’ 29-game losing streak in the season finale at Beulah with a 42-yard game-winning field goal; he finished 7-of-9 on FG attempts.
First Team Defense
DL – Jake Baker (Sr.), Tallassee — On every snap, opposing offenses had to account for Baker (6-foot-2, 290), who garnered 77 tackles, 23 tackles-for-loss, with 5 sacks and 6 blocked kicks.
DL – Trent Holley (Sr.), Wetumpka — Holley earned his second straight First Team honor, pacing the area with 8 sacks and ended second on the team with 60 stops, along with two fumbles recoveries.
DL – Jay McDonald (Sr.), Wetumpka — The West Alabama commit rounded out the stout WHS defensive front, finishing third on the team in tackles (51) and added 3 forced fumbles and 4 pass break-ups.
DL – Kelontae Varner (Jr.), Stanhope Elmore — From his defensive end spot, Varner paced the Mustangs’ line with 54 stops and had 3 forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.
LB – Logan Goodman (Sr.), Tallassee — Goodman’s 122 tackles headlined the All Area defense while he had 14 tackles for loss along with an interception and 5 fumble recoveries.
LB – Evan Headley (Jr.), Holtville — For the second straight season, Headley (6-foot, 190) posted the highest tackle mark for HHS with 88 stops this year.
LB – DeAndre Meadows (Sr.), Stanhope Elmore — The senior captain of head coach Mike Dean’s complex defense piled up 94 tackles, including 3 sacks.
LB – K.J. Stokes (Jr.), Stanhope Elmore — Stokes flew around the field from his Jack linebacker position, ending his junior year with 92 stops, 5 picks, 5 sacks and 4 fumble recoveries.
DB – Cody Gibson (Sr.), Holtville — Opponents scored a lot on the Bulldogs defense, but Gibson did his best to stop it, breaking up an area best 17 passes and had 48 tackles.
DB – Jamarcus Miller (Sr.), Tallassee — Miller makes the All Area team in back-to-back seasons, capping 2016 with 59 stops, 3 interceptions and 8 passes defended to lead the Tigers.
DB – Nick Turner (Jr.), Wetumpka — In his junior campaign, Turner improved on his All Area sophomore numbers, picking off four throws, returning one for a touchdown, and collected 52 tackles.
DB – Will Venable (Sr.), Elmore County — Though not his natural position, Venable led the area with seven interceptions from the free safety spot.
P – John Ellis Rawls (Sr.), Wetumpka — Rawls was the area’s best punter, averaging 32 yards per punt and booted 8 touchbacks on kickoffs for the Indians.
Honorable Mentions:
OL – Cody Clements (Sr.), Holtville; Keno Morris (Sr.), Tallassee; Ryan Rush (Sr.), Elmore County; Jared Sims (Sr.) Stanhope Elmore; Tavien White (Sr.), Wetumpka
QB – Tripper Warlick (Sr.), Stanhope Elmore
RB – Tyler Abernathy (So.) Edgewood Academy; Kareem Jackson (Sr.), Stanhope Elmore; Markevious Mathews (So.), Tallassee
WR – Keedrick Adams (Jr.), Wetumpka; K.T. Martin (Sr.), Stanhope Elmore
PK – Joshua Stockman (Sr.), Elmore County
DL – Jakobi Bickley (Sr.), Elmore County; Rico Bozeman (Jr.), Wetumpka; Travarris Bozeman (Jr.), Wetumpka; Clay Williams (Fr.) Edgewood Academy
LB – Colton Adams (So.), Wetumpka; Krys Chapman (So.), Stanhope Elmore; Ryan Orr (Jr.), Elmore County; Matt Williams (Jr.), Edgewood Academy
DB – Alex Boling (Jr.), Holtville; Trey McCreary (Jr.), Wetumpka; Kerenski McGhee (So.), Stanhope Elmore; Trace Wall (Sr.), Elmore County
