Trojan Honors: As Offensive MVP, Hawthorne leads Cumby’s All-District honorees

By JOSEPH ELERSON | News-Telegram Sports Writer

Dec. 6, 2007 - CUMBY - After qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in 28 years, the Cumby Trojans emerged this week with the Offensive MVP and eight First Teamers on the All-District 17-A football team.

Seven other Trojans made Second-Team All-District and one was named Honorable Mention.

The representation on the team was based on the teams 6-5 finish overall and 3-2 in district play as the third place team behind Boles and Wolfe City.

"It was a good year but not a great year for us this year," said Cumby head coach Kent Hawthorne. "We got some bad feelings with the playoff game, and our kids played hard and made the playoffs. They did everything they could do this year and the kids had a great year, but as coaches we've got some things we need to take care of."

The biggest honor went to sophomore quarterback Brixx Hawthorne as the Offensive Most Valuable Player, as he rushed for 987 yards and nine touchdowns and threw for over 1,600 yards with 18 touchdowns. Hawthorne was also named Second Team outside linebacker and First Team punter.

"We did pretty good with the team this year in getting Brixx Hawthorne as the Offensive MVP," said Coach Hawthorne, his father. "He had nearly 2,700 yards combined and 27 touchdowns as a sophomore this year. He was nominated against the quarterback from Boles and he won the award unanimously.

"We had Nathan Dunnihoo as First Team running back and he was our leading receivers and rusher, so he did a good," the coach said. "Kris Stanford was First Team receiver and had a great year. We were able to get all three of our receivers on the team recognized."

Other First Team recognition went to senior running back/kick returner Nathan Dunnihoo, sophomore tight end/defensive end Michael Morris, junior offensive lineman Jason Wallace, senior offensive lineman Michael Cross, sophomore cornerback Rodney Hobbs, who was also named Second Team fullback, junior outside linebacker Ryan Vaughan and senior defensive lineman Petter Hassel.

Hawthorne said getting their foreign exchange student on the team in Norway's Hassel was a big honor since this was his first year to play American football.

"I was very proud of Petter getting on the First Team because everything was new to him," the coach said. "He played really hard for us and played with a lot of fire."

On the Second Team were senior wide receiver Jake Vann, sophomore receiver Timmy Cook, sophomore offensive lineman Taylor Gay, junior offensive lineman Bobby Anderson, senior cornerback B.T. Brown, sophomore inside linebacker Tanner Gomez and senior defensive end Brian Clem. The Honorable Mention selection went to offensive lineman Gary Luna.

"It was important this year because a lot of those kids made it on the team last year," Hawthorne said. "I think that speaks for itself that they are able to get back on the team and we will gain some experience back next year.

"Some of them you can't replace and it is like that every single year. Stanford stood up this year and became a leader for the team and he will be hard to replace. Somebody will have to take over for us next year."

Other superlative awards went to Boles junior running back Joe Gilliard as the Most Valuable Player, Boles freshman Kailob Wallace as Newcomer of the Year, Boles senior Robert Liebel as the Defensive Most Valuable Player, Dallas A+ Academy sophomore Zach Lemke as the Special Teams Player of the Year and the Boles coaching staff as the Coaching Staff of the Year.

Eight Cumby athletes were also named First Team Academic All-District as Cross, Hawthorne, Stanford, Vaughan, Hassel, Anderson, Dunnihoo and Chris O'Neal received recognition.

"I was proud to also have these kids named Academic All-District since we stress the importance of good grades in the classroom," Hawthorne said. "This is nothing that we do, but what the players do in the classroom. That is a testament to our teachers and how hard they work here at Cumby with the kids."

The District 17-A All-District football team is listed below:

District MVP - Joe Gilliard*, Jr., Boles

Offensive MVP - Brixx Hawthorne*, So., Cumby

Defensive MVP - Robert Liebel*, Sr., Boles

Newcomer of the Year - Kailob Wallace, Fr., Boles

Special Teams Player of the Year - Zach Lemke*, So., Dallas A+

Coaching Staff of the Year - Boles

First Team Offense

Quarterback - Emmanuel Akers*, Sr., Wolfe City

Tailback - Nathan Dunnihoo*, Sr., Cumby; James King*, Jr., Wolfe City

Fullback - Robert Liebel, Sr., Boles

Wide Receiver - Tyler Yates*, So., Fruitvale; Corey Peel*, Sr., Wolfe City; Kyle Dawson*, Sr., Wolfe City; Kris Stanford*, Sr., Cumby

Tight End - Michael Morris, So., Cumby

Center - Tate Stevens, So., Boles, Kory Wilkinson, So., Wolfe City

Offensive Linemen - B.K. Scott*, Sr., Wolfe City; Case Martin*, So., Wolfe City; Keegan Rees, Sr., Boles; Kevin McLain*, Sr., Boles; Jaron Powell*, Sr., Celeste; Jason Wallace*, Jr., Cumby; Michael Cross, Sr., Cumby

First Team Defense

End- Keegan Rees*, Sr., Boles; Michael Morris, So., Cumby

Linemen - Kevin McLain*, Sr., Boles; Petter Hassel*, Sr., Cumby; Kody Woodruff*, So., Wolfe City

Inside Linebacker - B.K. Scott*, Sr., Wolfe City; Kelly Dodson, Jr., Boles; Issac Caston, Sr., Dallas A+

Outside Linebacker - Daniel Sachez*, Sr., Boles; Kory Wilkinson*, So., Wolfe City; Ryan Carrigan*, Fr., Wolfe City; Ryan Vaughan*, Jr., Cumby

Safety - Emmanuel Akers*, Sr., Wolfe City; Austin Congleton*, So., Fruitvale

Cornerback - Zach Holley, Sr., Boles; Corey Peel, Sr., Wolfe City; Rodney Hobbs, So., Cumby

Punter - Justin Wright, Jr., Celeste; Brixx Hawthorne, So., Cumby

Kicker - Oscar Rueda*, So., Dallas A+

Kick Returner - James King, Jr., Wolfe City

Second Team Offense

Quarterback - Justin Wright*, Jr., Celeste

Tailback - Fritz Vale, Jr., Celeste; D.D. Wright, Jr., Wolfe City

Fullback - Rodney Hobbs, So., Cumby

Tight End - Zack Petrea, Sr., Boles; Shawn LaPrade, Sr., Fruitvale

Wide Receiver - Jake Morman*, Sr., Celeste; Jake Vann, Sr., Cumby; Timmy Cook*, So., Cumby

Center - Jesse Floyd*, Jr., Celeste; Taylor Gay*, So., Cumby

Linemen - Juan Garcia, Jr., Dallas A+; Kody Woodruff, So., Wolfe City; Caleb Monroe, Sr., Wolfe City; Tyler Pettus, So., Boles; Bryan Cleveland, Jr., Boles; Justin Glenday, Sr., Celeste; Bobby Anderson, Jr., Cumby; Carrie White, So., Fruitvale

Second Team Defense

Linemen - Justin Roundtree, So., Wolfe City; Bryan Cleveland*, Jr., Boles

End - Case Martin*, So., Wolfe City; Brian Clem*, Sr., Cumby

Inside Linebacker - Jesse Floyd, Jr., Celeste; Tanner Gomez, So., Cumby; Shawn LaPrade, Sr., Fruitvale

Outside Linebacker - Brixx Hawthorne*, So., Cumby; Tyler Yates*, So., Fruitvale

Cornerback - Derek Welch*, Sr., Celeste; James King*, Jr., Wolfe City; B.T. Brown*, Sr., Cumby

Safety - Fritz Vale, Jr., Celeste; Kris Stanford, Sr., Cumby

Punter - Blaine Lunsford*, Sr., Fruitvale

Kick Returner - Nathan Dunnihoo*, Sr., Cumby

Honorable Mention

Cumby players listed only:

Offensive Lineman - Gary Luna