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Here are the 2023 Gastonia-, Shelby-area high school football all-conference teams

joe l hughes ii, gaston gazette
·6 min read

As the 2023 high school football season draws to a close, awards season has arrived for teams in Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties.

Big South 3A

Following a 13-1 season, including an 8-0 record against Big South 3A opponents, league champion Crest was well-represented on the all-conference roster released on Saturday.

Nine Chargers were named all-Big South performers, with quarterback Ny’Tavious Huskey voted offensive player of the year for a second year in a row. Huskey completed 65% of passes for 3,666 yards and 45 touchdowns.

He was one of six Crest standouts to receive first team recognition, including A.J. Adams, Malachi Addison, Montgomery Edwards, Javarius Green and Derek Mitchell. After leading the Chargers to a Big South 3A title, Jim Sosebee was named the league’s top coach.

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Kings Mountain edge rusher Curtis Simpson was voted Big South 3A Defensive Player of the Year. A UNC football recruit, he finished with 83 tackles (21 for a loss), 13 sacks, three forced fumbles and two blocked punts.

NC State recruit Trent Mitchell was named the league’s top offensive lineman, while teammate Letrasky Pressley was recognized as its best defensive lineman. South Point’s Charlie Birtwistle was voted Big South 3A’s top specialist.

Here’s a look at the rest of the all-Big South 3A football team.

First Team

Offense

A.J. Adams, Crest; Malachi Addison, Crest; Patrick Blee, South Point; Montgomery Edwards, Crest; Chyance Ford, South Point; Javarius Green, Crest; Ny’Tavious Huskey, Crest; Alex Jackson, Kings Mountain; Trent Mitchell, Ashbrook; Gage Phalin, North Gaston; Hudson Spargo, South Point

Defense

Da’Montia Duff, Hunter Huss; Caleb Gordon, Ashbrook; Robert Kendrick, Kings Mountain; Winter Kincaid, South Point; Jurnee Lattimore, North Gaston; Eli Lipscomb, Kings Mountain; Jason Melton, Kings Mountain; Derek Mitchell, Crest; Gene Neely, Hunter Huss; Latrasky Pressley, Ashbrook; Curtis Simpson, Kings Mountain

Specialists

Charlie Birtwistle, South Point; David Howard, Forestview

Second team

  • Ashbrook: J.J. Gordon, Jaidyn Muazzin, Martino Smith

  • Crest: Cam Anderson, Lyrik Pettis, D’Various Surratt,

  • Forestview: Christian Holland, Noah Comer

  • Hunter Huss: Ja’Varion Brown, Z-Man Gladden

  • Kings Mountain: Antonio Armstrong, Javier Currie, Thomas Fair

  • North Gaston: Jayvain Knox, Desmond Simmons, Keldon Williams

  • South Point: Kam Crawford, Colby Hamilton

  • Stuart Cramer: Isaiah Johnson, Chris Wurster

Southern Piedmont 1A/2A

After claiming the Southern Piedmont 1A/2A title and a spot in the 2A West final, Shelby was rewarded with nine all-conference nominations.

Leading the way is senior standout Jaden Pierce, who was voted as the league’s top defensive player. This season, Pierce had 91 tackles (15 for a loss), 4.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.

Shelby head man Mike Wilbanks was also voted Southern Piedmont 1A/2A’s top coach. After losing its first three games, the Golden Lions won 11 consecutive games en route to the 2A West final.

Burns quarterback Ben Mauney was named the league’s top offensive player. He completed 62% of passes this fall for 2,632 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also had 378 rushing yards and five TDs.

Mauney departs as Cleveland County’s all-time leading passer with 8,314 career yards and 95 touchdowns.

Thomas Jefferson’s Eli Lineberger was also voted the league’s top kicker.

Here’s a look at the rest of the all-Southern Piedmont 1A/2A football roster:

Bessemer City: Sireco Logan, Anthony Smith, Mason Chastain, Jashawn Thomas, Elijah Saunders and Josiah Williams.

Burns: Jeremiah Norris, Marshall McGowan, Kamari Surratt, Caleb Byrd, Bryson Westbrook, Jonny Johnson, Graham Warlock and Elijah Goodson.

Cherryville: Caleb Hovis, Josh Ward, Hunter Jackson, Jordan Lowrance, Rayshawn Sewell.

East Gaston: Trenton Sherrill, Johnny Brown, Isaac Brown, Garrett McAulay, Payton Parker, Shelden Clark and Jayce Rowe.

Highland Tech: Cooper McGraw, Elijah Whitted and Carson London

Shelby: Izay Bridges, Tristan Tate, Lan Farmer, Justyn Ross, Jay McNeilly, Calvin Ramseur, Nick Norris, Drew Hollifield and Canden McGill.

Thomas Jefferson: Jack Bartscher, Dezmin Santiago, Ben Skelton and Alton Freeman

Catawba Valley 2A

Lincolnton's Andre Bost was voted the league's top offensive player.

Bost completed 51% of passes for 1,348 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,624 yards and 14 TDs.

Bost was one of eight Wolves selected to the all-conference team, which included teammates Andrew Phelps, Khamoni Heath, Nehemiah Lynch, Peyton Rangel, Karson Cloninger, Khavijae Nixon and Geviaunta Walker.

Following a 9-3 season, West Lincoln also placed eight on the all-Catawba Valley 2A roster. Among them included Gideon Allen, Jaylin Winnex, Ben Sain, Caleb Sain, Camden Sain, Zander Harrelson, Dayne Harrelson and Caden Smith.

Here is the all-Catawba Valley 2A team in full.

Bandys: Cash Obregon, Ian Moore, Scotty Miley, Brady Swett, Samuel Hill

Bunker Hill: Redek Robinson, Xavier McCleave, Tristan Haddock, Walter McGill, Luke Kelley, Cole Lineberger, Jaylan Willis, Jason Willis Jr., Alan Bahena-Soto

East Burke: Jacob Dellinger, Brady Bostain, Levi Coble

Lincolnton: Andre Bost, Andrew Phelps, Khamoni Heath, Nehemiah Lynch, Peyton Rangel, Karson Cloninger, Khavijae Nixon, Geviaunta Walker

Maiden: Josh Stover, Davin Williams, Gerald Danner, Will Stover, Landon Moss, Raheim Misher, Hampton Reid, Kendall Roberts

Newton-Conover: Jordan Lineberger, Ryder Bush-Ivanko, Ty-Marion Miller, Cooper Hayes

West Caldwell: Landon Bloom, Javier Maxwell

West Lincoln: Gideon Allen, Jaylin Winnex, Ben Sain, Caleb Sain, Camden Sain, Zander Harrelson, Dayne Harrelson, Caden Smith

Honorable mention: Kaden Bolick, Bunker Hill; Keegan Bostic, West Lincoln; Jordan Fox, East Burke; Jerry Henline, West Caldwell; Cohen Jenkins, Maiden; Javier Lineberger, Newton-Conover; Elan Lipford, West Caldwell; Jakil Martin, Bunker Hill; Drew Ponder, West Lincoln; Diego Ramos, East Burke; Devin Rinck, Lincolnton; Aries Sigmon, Bandys; Elliot Spicer, Bandys; Noah Watts, Newton-Conover; Zane Williams, Maiden; Khalil Yarborough, Lincolnton

  • Special Teams Player of the Year: Xavier McClure, Bunker Hill

  • Defensive Player of the Year: Scotty Miley, Bandys

  • Offensive Player of the Year: Andre Bost, Lincolnton

  • Coach of the Year: Albert Reid, Bunker Hill

Catawba Shores 1A/2A

Here is the all-Catawba Shores 1A/2A football team as voted by league coaches:

Community School of Davidson: Brandon Albert, Oliver Morris, Connor Ferguson, A.J. Houston, Brandon Hettwer, Josh Renshaw, Ryder Silberman, Angelo Lee, Lane McClure, Michael Tejada (honorable mention), Zack Albert (honorable mention), Tanner Mullins (special circumstance);

Pine Lake Prep: Gabe Bolivar, Jack Smith, Ryan Connotillo, Sam Kern, Cole Jensen, Jacob Lewis, Braden Gower, T.J. Kieffer; Matthew Mothershed (honorable mention), Mikhail Massey (honorable mention), Alec Brown (special circumstance);

Bishop McGuinness: Alex Waterfield, Miller Aho, Nick Graves, Pat Graves, Xander Loncar, Isaac Ross, Andrew Hutjens, Heath Ropko (honorable mention), J.R. Saunders (honorable mention), Mario Lanza (special circumstance);

Mountain Island Charter: Grayson Harvey, Justice Washington, Tavarian Blue, Khiyale Washington, Joshua Moses, Cameron Outing, JaMarcus Boyd, Reese Johnson (honorable mention), Aidan Bomhauser (honorable mention), Reggie Daniel (special circumstance);

Corvian Community: Andre Jackson, Doug Quarles, Sydney Price, Cooper Peterson, Tyler Schoeck, Christiaan Evans (honorable mention), James Dukes III (honorable mention), Cameron Johnson (special circumstance);

Christ the King: Jack Yenichek; James Holland; John Mundy; Amani Benel; Kyle Schmidt, C.J. Wilson (honorable mention), J.P. Zimmerman (honorable mention), Eithon Garcia (special circumstance);

Carver: Isaiah Screen, Antonio Samuels;

Winston-Salem Prep: Greg Cutbertson, Joseph Gause, Hasaan Simmons (honorable mention), Dequan Wilson (honorable mention); Cayman Smith (special circumstance).

  • Offensive Player of the Year: Gabe Bolivar, Pine Lake Prep

  • Defensive Player of the Year: Jack Yunichek, Christ the King

  • Special Teams Player of the Year: Greg Cuthbertson, Winston-Salem Prep

  • Coach of the Year: T.J. Albert, Christ the King

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: NCHSAA football: Gastonia, Shelby high school all-conference teams