Dallas Co., Southside lead schools in all-county selections

Published 10:31 am Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Four all-state players headline the Selma Times-Journal’s All-County Football Team for 2016.

DeQuan Johnson, the Times-Journal’s Player of the Year, leads an offense stocked with playmakers.

Johnson is joined by Southside quarterback G’Neil Johnson, who threw a county high 21 touchdown passes this year and fellow Panthers’ wide receiver Keshawn Arrington. While DeQuan gets a lot of attention as Southside’s main pass catcher, Arrington made his fair share of big catches as well, including the game tying touchdown reception against Selma this year.

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Southside’s trio is joined by Dallas County junior running back Calvin Starks and Keith running back Domonique Jones. Both players made the team for the second consecutive year.

The offensive line is headlined by Dallas County’s Paul Daniels, who has made the all-state team three straight years. He’s joined by fellow Hornets’ offensive lineman Hunter Wolfe, as well as Meadowview Christian’s Jon Ryan Szymanski, Selma’s Jeremiah Wright, Ellwood Christian’s Larry McGary and Selma’s Rontterious Tabb.

Meadowview Christian’s Mason Kendrick, who was injured and missed part of the year, made the team as an athlete on offense. Kendrick plays just about every position in the 6-man game for the Trojans.

The defense is also loaded with game changers.

The defensive line includes Morgan Academy’s Chase Utsey, Dallas County’s Patrick Haskell and Ellwood Christian’s Anton Rutledge. The linebackers are led by all-state selection Ky’Woine Thomas from Keith.

He’s joined by teammate Levi Thomas, who led the Bears in tackles per game this year.

Dallas County’s Derrion Atchison, Morgan Academy’s John Tyler Fisher and Selma’s TaQwillis Chappell are the other linebackers on this year’s team. Fisher and Utsey were both named to the Alabama Independent School Athletic Association all-star team.

The secondary is led by Southside’s Edward Moore, who gives the Panthers four total selections.

Moore had seven interceptions and was also a first team selection for all state in class 3A. Dallas County’s Quincy Parker, Ellwood Christian’s Taylor Ellis and Meadowview Christian’s Jeremy Lee also made the team. Lee and Ellis were also heavily involved on offense for their teams.

Dallas County led all county schools with five selections, but each school had at least two players on the team.

The Times-Journal’s coach of the year was Southside coach Daniel Flowers, who led the Panthers to their best overall record in a decade.

The complete team can be viewed on page 8A of today’s edition of the Times-Journal.