Four Coast schools land multiple players on Class 5A All-State Team
South Mississippi is again well represented on this year's Class 5A All-State teams.
Pascagoula earned a pair of Class 5A First-Team All-State selections while both Gautier, Picayune and Stone High all placed three total on the first and second teams.
Senior offensive lineman James Jackson and senior linebacker Matt Inlow both earned first-team honors after leading Pascagoula to a 6-6 record and a playoff bid. Inlow finished as one of the Coast top tacklers with 155 this year. Jackson is committed to play football at Mississippi State, likely as a defensive tackle.
Senior offensive tackle Paul Gainer, a Mississippi State commit, was the lone Gautier representative on the first team. Senior running back DeAndre Torrey and senior offensive tackle Justin Scott both made the second team.
Torrey ran 157 times for 1,330 yards and 18 touchdowns. Scott stands 6-foot-3, 290 pounds and holds an offer from Alcorn State.
Stone High senior running back Terrion Avery also earned first-team honors following a breakout season. He rushed 290 times for 2,271 yards and 26 touchdowns this year.
Senior kicker Mason Hunt and senior safety R'Tarriun Johnson, both of Stone High, landed spots on the second team. Hunt accounted for 66 points this year and Johnson led the Tomcats with 131 tackles.
Picayune had one first-team selection in senior running back Josh Littles, who ran 289 times for 2,399 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Picayune senior Blake Merrifield, who played fullback and linebacker, made the second team as an athlete and Maroon Tide junior Shaun Anderson also landed on the second team as a kick return specialist.
Merrifield rushed for 664 yards and nine touchdowns and also had 43 tackles on defense. Anderson had 99 rushes for 1,096 yards and eight touchdowns at running back.
Class 5A All-State
First Team Offense
Wide receivers
Brandon Smith, Lake Cormorant
Dontario Drummond, Laurel
Raheem Moore, Vicksburg
Tight end
T.J. Stephens, New Hope
Offensive line
Sam Ingram, Germantown
Paul Gainer, Gautier
James Jackson, Pascagoula
Colton Skidmore, Oxford
Trace Clopton, Brookhaven
Running backs
Terrion Avery, Stone
Josh Littles, Picayune
Deon House, Grenada
Quarterback
Julian Conner, Hattiesburg
Place Kicker
Connor McKay, Germantown
Offensive Player of the Year
Marcus Murphy, West Point
Defensive Player of the Year
C.J. Avery, Grenada
Player of the Year
Jordan Murphy, Hattiesburg
Coach of the Year
Chris Chambless, West Point
Athlete
La'Andre Thomas, Wingfield
Second Team Offense
Wide receivers
Dandre Humbles, Hattiesburg
Andre Erby, New Hope
Jevah Jones, Laurel
Tight End
Carl Jones, Germantown
Offensive Line
Tripp Taylor, Germantown
Justin Scott, Gautier
Treyvion Jackson, Clarksdale
Tae-kion Reed, New Hope
Quincy McGee, Hattiesburg
Running backs
DeAndre Torrey, Gautier
Fabian Franklin, Hattiesburg
Brian Jackson, Lake Cormorant
Quarterback
Tyquan Ulmer, Laurel
Place Kicker
Mason Hunt, Stone High
Athlete
Blake Merrifield, Picayune
First Team Defense
Defensive line
Nathan Perry, Germantown
Everett Cunningham, West Point
Terrance Cherry, West Point
Darius Townsend, Laurel
Linebacker
J.J. Russell, Gernada
Matt Inlow, Pascagoula
Cordarrius Bailey, Clarksdale
Ladarrius Rule, Lake Cormorant
Defensive backs
Devin Rockette, Oxford
Christian Cain, Grenada
Esaias Furdge, Clarksdale
Chandler Phillips, Hattiesburg
Punter
Thomas Stevens, New Hope
Kick return specialist
Lydarrius Kirklin, Holmes County Central
Long snapper
Giles Lamar, Oxford
Second Team Defense
Defensive Line
Jeffery Johnson, Brookhaven
Quentin Bivens, Wayne County
Tylan Jones, Lake Cormorant
Anthony Keys, Lake Cormorant
Linebackers
Isiaha Triplett, Grenada
Quentin Wilfawn, Oxford
Keonta Hampton, West Point
Jordan Blackwell, Brookhaven
Defensive backs
D.Q. Thomas, Oxford
R'Tarriun Johnson, Stone
Tray Brownlee, West Point
Jamarcus Dorsey, Lake Cormorant
Punter
Brooks Italiano, Ridgeland
Kick Return Specialist
Shaun Anderson, Picayune
Long snapper
Harrison Savant, Germantown
This story was originally published December 7, 2016 at 1:15 PM with the headline "Four Coast schools land multiple players on Class 5A All-State Team."