Meet the Sun Herald All-South Mississippi Football Team for the 2019 season
The Sun Herald Player of the Year for 2019 is a man among boys on the football field, while the Coach of the Year is a giant in the profession in South Mississippi.
Picayune head coach Dodd Lee and George County defensive lineman McKinnley Jackson wrapped up their time at their respective South Mississippi high schools in 2019, and the two left behind legacies that will be discussed for quite some time.
Following strong finales in 2019 from both men, Lee has been named Sun Herald Coach of the Year and Jackson is the Sun Herald Player of the Year.
COACH OF THE YEAR
About Lee: In his 24th and final season as the Picayune head coach, Lee put one of his best teams on the field. The Maroon Tide came up shy of a state title in a 38-26 loss to West Point in the Class 5A championship game, but there was no denying that they were the best team in South Mississippi. Lee, who coached 39 years total, finished his career with a mark of 265-102.
2019 record: 14-1.
Quotable: “I couldn’t ask anymore out of them, bless their heart. They played banged up, but that’s football. Everybody plays banged up. To get a lot, you’ve got to ask a lot. Our coaching staff did a great job. They ask a lot of those kids. I ask a lot of them and we got it out of them.” — Lee
FANS’ CHOICE
About Archie: The Admirals’ head coach has yet to lose a Region 4-6A contest in two years at the school, and the program has won three consecutive region championships. Under Archie’s watch, the Admirals are 20-5.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
McKinnley Jackson, George County
About Jackson: Few players from South Mississippi have been as intensely recruited as the 6-foot-2, 327-pound defensive tackle. With impressive quickness and strength for a defensive tackle of his size, Jackson was a dominant force in each of his four seasons at George County. He picked up an offer from Louisiana-Lafayette before he even played a down on on the high school level. He has narrowed his list of college options to Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Texas A&M.
2019 stats: 76 tackles, 37 tackles for negative yardage, 10 sacks.
Quotable: “I try to be the best player on the field. I don’t want to be second-best. I want to try to be a player that’s known.” — Jackson
FANS’ CHOICE
Zack Switzer, Resurrection
About Switzer: The running back/linebacker was a dominant force on both sides of the ball for the Resurrection Catholic Eagles. He was named Class 1A First-Team All-State as a linebacker. As a running back, he carried 161 times for 1,243 yards and 15 touchdowns. On defense, he registered 117 tackles, 17 tackles for negative yardage and one interception.
Here’s the rest of the Sun Herald All-South Mississippi Team for 2019:
OFFENSE
QB — Cade Crosby, Gulfport senior — Samford baseball signee, offensive MVP for Region 4-6A. Completed 59.5 percent of his passes for 2,376 yards, 27 touchdowns and four interceptions.
QB — Ruben Lee, Moss Point junior — Completed 57.9 percent of his passes for 2,553 yards, 25 TDs, 9 interceptions. Holds Southeastern Louisiana offer. Co-Offensive Player of the Year in Region 8-4A.
QB — Dustin Allison, Pass Christian senior — Completed 58.6 percent of his passes for 3,123 yards, 35 TDs, 8 interceptions. He also ran for 609 yards and 9 TDs. He led Class 4A in passing and holds a Pearl River offer. Co-Offensive Player of the Year in Region 8-4A.
RB — Cameron Thomas, Picayune senior — Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year. Ran 291 times for 3,517 yards an 48 TDs as one of the nation’s most productive running backs.
RB — Teshun McGee, East Central senior — Hinds Community College commit ran 155 times for 1,559 yards and 24 TDs.
RB — Jay McGee, St. Martin senior — Gulf Coast commit ran for 1,209 yards and 14 TDs despite missing about 2 ½ games of action. He also caught 11 passes for 203 yards and 3 TDs. First-Team All-Region 4-6A.
WR — Dallas Payne, St. Stanislaus senior — Class 4A First-Team All-State. 85 receptions for 1,231 yards and 17 touchdowns.
WR — Tommie Johnson, Gulfport senior — Class 6A Second-Team All-State. 53 catches for 904 yards and 9 touchdowns.
WR — Deshun Shields, Gulfport senior — Class 6A Second-Team All-State. 41 catches for 829 yards and 3 TDs.
WR — Chanton Millender, Moss Point junior — Class 4A Second-Team All-State. 65 catches for 1,087 yards and 14 TDs.
WR/DB — Andrew Moffett, Pass Christian senior — 52 catches for 1,085 yards and 10 TDs. On defense, had five interceptions and 67 tackles. Holds three Div. III offers.
OL — Andrew McMillan, Long Beach senior — South Alabama signee.
OL — Timothy Jay Mickle, Picayune senior — First-Team Class 5A All-State. Holds D1 and junior college offers, paved the way for 6,276 yards on the ground.
OL — Christian Sapp, Hancock senior — South Alabama signee.
OL — Ryan Spiers, Biloxi senior — Class 6A Second-Team All-State. Georgia Tech signee.
OL — J.T. Zakkak, Gulfport senior — Second-team Class 6A All-State. Chose to walk on at Mississippi State after originally committing to South Alabama.
Athlete — Jaden Walley, D’Iberville senior — Ran 95 times for 635 passes and 8 touchdowns, caught 12 passes for 389 yards 2 TD, passed for 130 yards, 2 TD. Mississippi State signee.
DEFENSE
DL/OL — Deonta Reed, Picayune — Class 5A First-Team All-State, named to Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game. Holds D1 and junior college offers, paved the way for 6,276 yards on the ground. Registered 71 tackles on defense.
DL — Reginald Barnes, Pascagoula — Class 5A Second-Team All-State. Six-foot-2, 280-pound senior who holds multiple junior college offers, 69 tackles and two sacks.
DL — Elijah Jenkins, Picayune — Class 5A Second-Team All-State, 59 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
DL — Devin Hart, Poplarville — Class 4A First-Team All-State, 78 tackles and 7 sacks.
LB — Drake Thornton, Gautier — Class 5A First-Team All-State, 129 tackles. Gulf Coast commit.
LB — Kade Turnage, Picayune — Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year, 125 tackles. On offense, he had 587 yards rushing and 8 touchdowns.
LB — Lee Negrotto, St. Stanislaus — Class 4A First-Team All-State. Made 49 tackles, 6.5 sacks as an outside linebacker. As a tight end, he had 31 catches for 480 yards and 9 TDs. Holds a D1 offer from Nicholls.
DB — Elijah Sabbatini, Biloxi junior — Co-Defensive MVP In Region 4-6A, 93 tackles and 3 interceptions. Holds Southern Miss, South Alabama and UAB offers.
DB — M.J. Daniels, George County junior — Class 6A Second-Team All State, six interceptions and 30 tackles. Ole Miss commit.
DB — Justin Walley, D’Iberville junior — Class 6A First-Team All-State, Region 4-6A Co-Defensive MVP. One interception and 74 tackles. Holds offers from Arkansas, Auburn and Mississippi State.
DB — Jaylen Hall, Picayune senior — Class 5A First-Team All-State, 7 interceptions and 41 tackles.
DB — Jamison Lindsey, Gulfport senior — Region 4-6A First-Team, 3 interceptions, 3 caused fumbles, 45 tackles. Holds a Mississippi Valley State offer.
KR — Jacobi Moore, Harrison Central junior — Averaged 45.8 yards on kickoff returns, caught 22 passes for 403 yards, 5 TD, ran for 3 TD. Holds offers from Mississippi State and Ole Miss.
PR — Jordan Irving, Gautier senior — Class 5A First Team All-State, 3 kickoff returns for TDs, 2 punt returns for TDs.
P/K — Tres Ladner, Gulfport junior — Class 6A Second-Team All-State, averaged 42.5 yards per punt, made four of six field goal tries.
Honorable mention: St. Stanislaus QB Max Favre, Poplarville FB Zac Owen, Moss Point WR Larry Simmons, Gulfport LB Michael Esters, Gulfport LB Danthony Shields, Harrison Central LB Ricky Willis, Ocean Springs QB Blake Noblin, St. Martin WR Makia Hebert, Resurrection DB Will Clemens, Biloxi RB K.K. Kendrick, Biloxi LB Thomas Patterson, Pascagoula RB Cory Walker, East Central RB Dylan Grinsteinner, St. Patrick RB Charlie Olsen, East Central QB Will Young, East Central LB Zach Jones, Stone High DB A.J. Petty, West Harrison RB Llanes Dickerson, George County LB Laine Evans, St. Martin LB/WR Easton Wynn, Harrison Central RB Jaidon McClain, Pearl River Central RB Ty Herring, Pass Christian LB Reese Gorman, Bay High RB Noah Cutter, Moss Point DB Caleb Lee, Vancleave RB Dayan Bilbo, Hancock RB Sebastian Fausett.
