Local players earn spots on all-state team
Published 12:23 am Saturday, February 2, 2019
By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY
Daily News
Nine local players, including five from Callaway, have earned a spot on the Georgia Sports Writers Association all-state football team that was unveiled this week.
Callaway, which reached the Class AA semifinals before losing to Rockmart, is well-represented on the GSWA all-state team.
Three Callaway players, running back Cartavious “Tank” Bigsby and offensive linemen Keiondre Jones and Tate Johnson, made the first team.
Bigsby had a dominant junior season, running for 2,221 yards on 238 carries with 22 touchdowns, and more than 700 of those yards came during the Cavaliers’ playoff run.
Jones was a four-year starter on the offensive line, and he signed with Auburn in December.
Johnson helped solidify the offensive line in his first season at Callaway, and he has received numerous college offers.
Another member of Callaway’s offensive line from last season, senior Keshawn Cameron, was a second-team all-state selection.
Senior Hunter Williamson has the distinction of making the all-state team as a punter and a place kicker.
Williamson was a second-team pick as a punter, and an honorable-mention selection as a place kicker.
Williamson didn’t miss a field goal all season, and he made two of them in the semifinal loss to Rockmart.
Troup, which made the Class AAAA semifinals while setting a program record with 12 wins, has two first-team players on the all-state team.
One of those players is junior Kobe Hudson, who had a phenomenal debut season as Troup’s quarterback. Hudson, who was named the Region 5-AAAA player of the year, was a two-way threat. Hudson completed 172-of-302 passes for 3,386 yards with 32 touchdowns.
Hudson also had a team-leading 1,410 yards on 151 attempts with 18 touchdowns.
Hudson was at his best when the games meant the most.
During Troup’s four playoff games, Hudson threw for 805 yards with seven touchdowns, and he ran for 594 yards with six touchdowns.
In his final game against eventual state-champion Blessed Trinity, Hudson threw for 234 yards with three touchdowns, and he ran for 204 yards with two touchdowns.
Troup’s other all-state player is senior King Mwikuta, who enjoyed a dominant season from his defensive-line position.
Mwikuta, who was a three-year starter at Troup, signed with the University of Alabama in December.
One of LaGrange’s all-state players is linebacker Dexter Fitzpatrick, who had a remarkable senior season.
Fitzpatrick, who was the Region 5-AAAA defensive player of the year, was tops in Class AAAA with 182 tackles, including 89 solo stops, and he had 26.5 tackles for loss.
Fitzpatrick has committed to Lenoir-Rhyne University, and he plans on signing next week.
Senior punter Wesley Kuhn was a second-team all-state pick.
Kuhn was a weapon for the Grangers.
The senior had 54 punts for a 41.7-yard average, and 18 times he pinned an opponent inside its own 20-yard line.
Kuhn led Class AAAA in both categories.
In Kuhn’s first game of the season, a 10-3 loss to Class AA state-champion Heard County, Kuhn had six punts for a 50-yard average.
