Many of the stars from this week’s championship football games, such as Deuce Lawrence, Tyriq Green, Cayden Benson and Josh Hopkins, have been honored as players of the year in their regions.
The last of 56 all-region football teams were completed this week. They honor thousands of Georgia players and can be seen on Georgia High School Football Daily, a publication of AJC Varsity.
Lawrence is the Thomas County Central running back who set a state finals record with 380 rushing yards in a 62-21 Class 5A victory over Gainesville. He is the Region 2-5A player of the year. He also ran for 302 yards in a semifinal victory over Roswell the week before and finished with 2,198 yards this season for a 15-0 team. Lawrence has signed with Wake Forest.
Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Green, a running back/defensive back for Buford, is the athlete of the year in Region 8-6A. He had 1,659 all-purpose yards and scored touchdowns five ways this season (rushing, receiving, returning an interception, punt and kickoff return). He rushed for a season-high 184 yards in the Class 6A final victory over Carrollton. Green is an AJC Super 11 pick who signed with Georgia.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
In Region 2-6A, Carrollton’s Zykie Helton was a rare lineman to win a player of the year award. He played offensive and defensive line and had three tackles for 19 lost yards in the Class 6A championship game against Buford. Helton has signed with Georgia.
Credit: Jeff Sentell
Credit: Jeff Sentell
Amari Latimer is the player of the year in Region 2-3A. Latimer rushed for 2,409 yards and scored 48 touchdowns for 15-0 Sandy Creek. Latimer has signed with West Virginia.
Benson threw 41 touchdown passes for Creekside, the highest-scoring team in Class 4A history. He’s Region 4-4A’s player of the year. Benson is uncommitted.
Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One freshman was a region player of the year. Zach Watts of Class 2A champion Carver of Columbus got the award in Region 1-2A. Watts had 1,893 all-purpose yards. He had three 100-yard rushing games in the playoffs.
One of the state’s best players was not his region’s player of the year. That was Bowdon’s Kaiden Prothro, who set the state record for touchdown receptions in a career with 66. He was named offensive player of the year in Region 7-A Division II.
That region’s player of the year was Prothro’s quarterback, Josh Hopkins, who passed for 2,480 yards, rushed for 1,253, and had 59 total touchdowns. He tossed 27 of those touchdowns to Prothro, a five-star receiver signed with Georgia.
GHSF Daily has compiled all-region teams for more than 10 seasons. The teams are selected by region coaches. GHSF Daily edits and formats them into a standard form and adds detail, such as year in school for each player.
See all 56 all-region teams HERE.
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