Introducing The News-Press All-Area Football Offense Team
At the end of each season, The News-Press selects All-Area teams honoring the best athletes for every sport. Coaches from area schools are sent nomination forms and are asked to nominate and rate their athletes as well as those from other teams. That data combined with The News-Press' research led to the selection of the All-Area teams.
FIRST TEAM
Tawaski Abrams
School: Dunbar
Year: Senior
Position: Utility
Highlights: The Florida commit rushed for 328 yards and six touchdowns and caught 37 passes for 622 yards and six touchdowns. He led the Tigers in scoring in the postseason, finding the end zone four times in three games on the team's run to the Class 3S state semifinals.
Jack Benaitis
School: Bishop Verot
Year: Junior
Position: Offensive line
Highlights: Benaitis played a crucial role in the Vikings' high-octane offense as the team's best pulling guard. Bishop Verot's offense posted more than 200 rushing yards a game and produced 43 rushing touchdowns this season.
Jacob Blanchard
School: Fort Myers
Year: Senior
Position: Offensive line
Highlights: The center led a unit that was one of the best in Southwest Florida this season. The Green Wave offensive line helped the team average 36 points a game with more than 1,900 yards on the ground and more than 1,300 yards through the air.
Cole Cooke
School: Riverdale
Year: Sophomore
Position: Offensive line
Highlights: The 6-foot-8 tackle imposed his will to help make the Raiders one of the best rushing attacks in the state this season. As a team, Riverdale went for 2,579 rushing touchdowns and 20 rushing scores.
Eric Fletcher
School: Dunbar
Year: Senior
Position: Wide receiver
Highlights: The East Carolina signee caught 45 passes for 762 yards and 12 touchdowns on the Tigers' run to the Class 3S state semifinals. He also made his mark on special teams, returning a kickoff for a touchdown in the final seconds of Dunbar's regular-season finale against Lehigh to help win the game.
Tanner Fulwider
School: Fort Myers
Year: Senior
Position: Offensive line
Highlights: The 6-foot-3 guard had an 87 percent blocking rate for the Green Wave this season. Fulwider was part of a unit that helped the team produce more than 300 yards of offense a game this year.
Cole Hayes
School: Riverdale
Year: Junior
Position: Running back
Highlights: Hayes had a breakout season, finishing the year as Lee County's rushing leader. He turned 231 carries into 1,621 yards and 15 touchdowns and also caught two touchdown passes.
Deshon Jenkins
School: Bishop Verot
Year: Sophomore
Position: Running back
Highlights: Jenkins played a key role in a historic Viking offense, carrying the ball 163 times for 1,260 yards and 12 touchdowns. He set a school single-game record with a 257-yard performance, two-touchdown performance in a playoff win against Mulberry.
Eddie Nolan
School: Bishop Verot
Year: Senior
Position: Offensive line
Highlights: The two-way lineman made his mark on a Viking offense that outscored opponents by 379 points this season. Keeping quarterback Carter Smith clean and opening holes for runners, the unit helped the team average 385 yards of offense in 13 games.
Lazaro Rogers
School: East Lee County
Year: Junior
Position: Running back
Highlights: Rogers was a workhorse for the Jaguars this season, playing an important role in improving their record to 5-5 after going winless a season ago. He carried the ball 208 times for 1,515 yards and 18 touchdowns and posted nine games where he went over 100 yards.
Ryan Rosado
School: Oasis
Year: Junior
Position: Kicker
Highlights: Rosado provided a sturdy kicking game for the Sharks, scoring 47 points for the team this season. He made 29 of 31 extra points and six of eight field goal attempts with the longest coming from 43 yards out.
Carter Smith
School: Bishop Verot
Year: Junior
Position: Quarterback
Highlights: The Michigan commit put up another record-breaking season, leading the Vikings with 2,223 passing yards and 29 passing touchdowns and 715 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns. Smith broke Dallas Crawford's Lee County record of 113 total career touchdowns this year.
Madrid Tucker
School: Fort Myers
Year: Junior
Position: Wide receiver
Highlights: Tucker was a mighty weapon for the Green Wave this season, scoring 17 total touchdowns. He was responsible for more than 50 percent of the team's receiving yards, catching 33 passes for 722 yards and 12 scores.
Matthew Turner
School: Bishop Verot
Year: Senior
Position: Wide receiver
Highlights: Turner turned in a strong senior season, catching 50 passes for 962 yards and 15 touchdowns to lead Lee County. He put together a 238-yard, four-touchdown performance in the Vikings' playoff win against Estero.
Justin White
School: South Fort Myers
Year: Senior
Position: Wide receiver
Highlights: White was the go-to option on the Wolfpack offense, catching 50 passes, a school record, for 838 yards and eight touchdowns. He also posted more than 200 yards as a returner, including one taken back for a touchdown.
SECOND TEAM
Malik Allen, Estero
Seven Bullock, Evangelical Christian
Marcus Davis, Dunbar
Andre Devine, North Fort Myers
Victor Jenkins, South Fort Myers
Justin Lewis, Mariner
Chris McFoley, Fort Myers
Enrique Olmos, South Fort Myers
Justin Prieto, East Lee County
Nick Purdy, Mariner
Chris Singleton, Dunbar
Terrance Smith Jr., Lehigh
Tookie Watts, Bishop Verot
Daryl Williams, Dunbar
Jake Wilson, Estero
HONORABLE MENTION
Bishop Verot: Dennis Forte, Ralph Hendry, Sonny Tokotaha
Bonita Springs: Chase Garcia
Canterbury: Brendan Daller, Joe De La Nuez
Cape Coral: Kalonji Hamilton, Ivan Harvin, Lenard Thomas
Cypress Lake: E.J. Codie, Isaiah Livingston, Deveon Simmons
Dunbar: Da'mari Loggins, Austin Price, Camden Rivera
East Lee County: Ronaldo Charles, Gary Hagan, Adrian Osorio
Estero: Drew Arrington, Kegan Kreuscher, Matt Wilson
Evangelical Christian: L.J. Blackwell, Jordan Rizzo, Jack Shuker
Fort Myers: Grant Coppens, Frank Starks, Alex Thelusma
Gateway: Luke Dunham, Preston Ellis, Ty Williams
Ida Baker: Brendon Donnelly
Island Coast: Gervaris Leaphart, Virdaruis Maloy
LaBelle: Nathan Alvarado, Darian Robinson, Isaac Santamaria
Lehigh: Dorian Mallary, Jeremiah Rugama, Marquan Young
Mariner: Kaelen Davidson, McNathan Sainvil, Noah Tolbert
North Fort Myers: Kirtis Denham, Trey Makar, Virgil Malloy
Oasis: Logan Conley, Fred Harley, Carson Monville
Riverdale: Lovensky Blanchard, Jeffrey Yates
South Fort Myers: Chase Enguita, Danilo Ibarra, Joshua Raphael
Southwest Florida Christian: Aiden Matyas, Eli Moore
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Here is The News-Press All-Area Football Offense Team
