Meet the 2023 Gaston Gazette and Shelby Star all-area high school football teams
The Gaston Gazette and Shelby Star have released the all-area high school football team, recognizing the top performers from Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties during the 2023 season.
Here is the team, led by the offensive and defensive players of the year, all-area Ironman and coach of the year awards.
POSTSEASON HONORS: Here are the 2023 Gastonia-, Shelby-area high school football all-conference teams
MAKING HISTORY ALL THEIR OWN: Here are the Shelby-area high school football players who rewrote history books in 2023
Offensive Player of the Year
Ny’Tavious Huskey
Crest, Sr.
Why chosen: Voted Big South 3A Offensive Player of the Year, Huskey powered a Crest offense which averaged 461 yards and 45.9 points per game. At quarterback, he completed 65.3% of his passes for a school single-season record 3,663 yards and 45 touchdowns. Opposing defenses had to account for his legs as well, Huskey rushing for 623 yards and seven TDs.
Defensive Player of the Year
Curtis Simpson
Kings Mountain, Sr.
Why chosen: The 6-foot-4, 215-pound talent was among the area’s most feared pass rushers, finishing with 13 sacks and 19 hurries this past season. A UNC football signee and 2023 participant in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, he had 83 tackles (21 for a loss) en route to being named Big South 3A Defensive Player of the Year.
All-Area Ironman
Robert Kendrick
Kings Mountain, Sr.
Why chosen: Nicknamed “Agent Zero,” Kendrick did a little bit of everything for Kings Mountain during the campaign. A Norfolk State signee, he rushed for 765 yards and 11 touchdowns. Also a standout defensive back and first-team all-area at that position, Kendrick finished with 12 tackles, five interceptions and seven forced fumbles.
Coach of the Year
Dan Rothwell
North Gaston
After going winless in 2022, Rothwell led the Wildcats to five wins this past season and the program’s first playoff berth in a decade.
First team offense
Anthony Smith
Bessemer City, Sr.
Position: Running back
Why chosen: Rushed for an area-high 1,609 yards and 18 touchdowns. The 5-7, 185-pound running back averaged 10.2 yards per carry, helping the Yellow Jackets to their first playoff win since 2018.
Tristan Tate
Shelby, Jr.
Position: Running back
Why chosen: The Golden Lions’ workhorse finished with 1,510 yards on 200 carries and 18 touchdowns. Tate had seven 100-yard games, helping Shelby to the NCHSAA 2A West final.
Andre Bost
Lincolnton, Sr.
Position: Athlete
Why chosen: Featured primarily at quarterback, Bost completed 51% of passes for 1,348 yards and 14 touchdowns, along with 1,624 rushing yards and 14 TDs. He was voted Catawba Valley 2A Offensive Player of the Year.
Izay Bridges
Shelby, Sr.
Position: Wide receiver
Why chosen: Bridges set a new Cleveland County single-season receiving record with 87 receptions for 1,818 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also rushed for 168 yards and eight touchdowns.
Javarius Green
Crest, Sr.
Position: Wide receiver
Why chosen: The UNC football recruit caught 61 passes for 1,245 yards and 17 touchdowns, helping the Chargers to a 13-1 mark and the Big South 3A title. He also had three kick returns for a touchdown, in addition to returning a punt for a TD.
Justice Washington
Mountain Island Charter, Jr.
Position: Wide receiver
Why chosen: Set a Mountain Island Charter single-season record with 62 receptions for 1,303 yards and eight touchdowns.
Caleb Byrd
Burns, Sr.
Position: Offensive lineman
Why chosen: Byrd anchored an offensive line which helped the Burns offense average 436 yards and just shy of 45 points per game.
Montgomery Edwards
Crest, Jr.
Position: Offensive lineman
Why chosen: The 6-2, 275-pound lineman graded out at 88% this past season with 43 pancakes, helping the Chargers win 13 games and the Big South 3A title.
Alex Jackson
Kings Mountain, Sr.
Position: Offensive lineman
Why chosen: A 6-1, 240-pound guard, Jackson was key in helping the Mountaineers average 313 yards per game this past season, a bulk of it on the ground and 37 touchdowns.
Garrett McAulay
East Gaston, Sr.
Position: Offensive lineman
Why chosen: Anchored an offensive line which helped East Gaston averaged 426.6 yards and 39.5 points per game.
Trent Mitchell
Ashbrook, Sr.
Position: Offensive lineman
Why chosen: Bound for NC State, the 6-6, 290-pound offensive lineman helped Green Wave backs rush for just shy of 1,500 yards this past season.
First team defense
Elihu Lipscomb
Kings Mountain, Jr.
Position: Defensive lineman
Why chosen: Finished with 86 tackles (18 for a loss), 6.5 sacks, a forced fumble, four fumble recoveries — two returned for touchdowns — in addition to an interception return for a TD.
Payton Parker
East Gaston, Sr.
Position: Defensive lineman
Why chosen: In eight games, Parker had 47 tackles this fall, with 19 of them in opponents’ backfield. He also had nine sacks en route to being named an all-Southern Piedmont performer.
Jaden Pierce
Shelby, Sr.
Position: Defensive lineman
Why chosen: Pierce was named Southern Piedmont 1A/2A Defensive Player of the Year after recording 91 tackles this fall, 15 of them in opponents’ backfield. He also had 4.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
Ryan Bassani
North Lincoln, Jr.
Position: Linebacker
Why chosen: The 5-11, 185-pound linebacker had 189 tackles (19 for a loss) last season, along with 3.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Jason Melton
Kings Mountain, Sr.
Position: Linebacker
Why chosen: Led the Mountaineers with 161 tackles (8.5 for a loss), a sack, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, one which was returned for a touchdown.
Khiyale Washington
Mountain Island Charter, Sr.
Position: Linebacker
Why chosen: Washington was active his senior season, finishing with 172 tackles, nine sacks, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three blocked punts.
Jurnee Lattimore
North Gaston, Sr.
Position: Defensive back
Why chosen: Had 67 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He also intercepted four passes, returning two for touchdowns, along with a kick return for a TD.
Gene Neely
Hunter Huss, Jr.
Position: Defensive back
Why chosen: Finished with a team-high 132 tackles (four for a loss), 71 of which were on a solo basis. He also had a sack and three interceptions.
D’Various Surratt
Crest, So.
Position: Defensive back
Why chosen: Finished with 57 tackles (two for a loss), five interceptions, six passes defended and a forced fumble in helping the Chargers to a 13-1 record.
David Howard
Forestview, Sr.
Position: Return specialist
Why chosen: Returned three kicks for touchdowns this fall, including a 99-yard return in a Nov. 27 win over Stuart Cramer. He finished with 634 kick return yards.
Jesus Marin
Hunter Huss, Sr.
Position: Kick specialist
Why chosen: Was 5-for-5 on field goals this fall, including a 46-yard field goal in a Nov. 3 loss to Hickory. He also was 17-of-20 on extra points, had 16 touchbacks along with averaging just shy of 35 yards per punt.
Second team
Offense
QB: Ben Mauney, Burns, Sr.
RB: Jeremiah Norris, Burns, Sr.
RB: Jaylin Winnex, West Lincoln, Jr.
Athlete: Patrick Blee, South Point, So.
WR: A.J. Adams, Crest, Sr.
WR: Malachi Addison, Crest, Sr.
OL: Justin Bassani, North Lincoln, Sr.
OL: Zander Harrelson, West Lincoln, Sr.
OL: Khavijae Nixon, Lincolnton, Jr.
OL: Justyn Ross, Shelby, Jr.
OL: Jaquan Thomas, Bessemer City, Sr.
Defense
DL: Sireco Logan, Bessemer City, Jr.
DL: Letrasky Pressley, Ashbrook, Sr.
DL: Jason McNeilly, Shelby, Sr.
DL: Marcel Johnson, East Lincoln, Sr.
LB: Derek Mitchell, Crest, Sr.
LB: Caleb Gordon, Ashbrook, So.
LB: Nick Norris, Shelby, Jr.
DB: Bryson Brown, Kings Mountain, Sr.
DB: Tyler Donahue, North Lincoln, Sr.
DB: Da’Montia Duff, Hunter Huss, Jr.
DB: Canden McGill, Shelby, Sr.
Third team
Offense
QB: Trent Sherrill, East Gaston, Sr.
RB: Aiden Carson, Crest, Jr.
RB: Chyance Ford, South Point, Jr.
RB: Shannon Wingate, North Lincoln, So.
WR: Jackson Beam, East Lincoln, Jr.
WR: Kamari Surratt, Burns, Sr.
OL: Tripp Dow, Forestview, Sr.
OL: Caleb Hovis, Cherryville, Sr.
OL: Cameron Outing, Mountain Island Charter, Sr.
OL: Gage Phalin, North Gaston, So.
OL: Hudson Spargo, South Point, Sr.
Defense
DL: Jamarcus Boyd, Mountain Island Charter, Sr.
DL: Khamoni Heath, Lincolnton, Sr.
DL: Caleb Sain, West Lincoln, Sr.
LB: Cam Anderson, Crest, Sr.
LB: Antonio Armstrong, Kings Mountain, Jr.
LB: Raydyn Brooks, East Lincoln, Sr.
LB: Winter Kincaid, South Point, Sr.
DB: Zamarius “Z-Man” Gladden, Hunter Huss, So.
DB: Jonny Johnson, Burns, Sr.
DB: Andrew Phelps, Lincolnton, Sr.
DB: Jaylen Roseboro, East Lincoln, Sr.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: NCHSAA football: 2023 Gastonia, Shelby all-area high school teams
