2012 All-Northern Region Team
Given
the rather strict rules that we set for ourselves in picking all-region
Advertisement
teams, there are tough choices to be made every season; but few years
seemed to have brought as many tough decisions as 2012 as the depth of
talent in the Northern Region made picking the squad seem especially
arduous this year.
A quick review of the rules that we set for
ourselves; the VirginiaPreps.com all-region teams feature twelve
players on offense (QB, two RB, two WR, TE, five OL and one wildcard
spot), twelve players on defense (four DL, four LB, three DB and one
wildcard spot) and four specialists (K, P, two RET) along with a coach
of the year from each division. Additionally, we do not allow
for
a player to be named in more than one spot which, along with the
wildcard position, is our only concession to rewarding as many players
as possible. Our ultimate goal is exclusivity which,
naturally,
leads to some deserving players being left off the list but also
increases the weight of our selections as the chosen players needed to
turn in exceptional seasons.
Unsurprisingly, the Stone Bridge
Bulldogs lead the way on this year's squad with five players earning
first team honors from the only team to advance through regional play
undefeated. However, nine teams earned multiple spots on the
first team with fourteeen programs in total placing a player on the
first-team roster. Again, the depth of talent across
the entire region was extraordinary this season.
All-Northern
Region Offense
src="http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/914/1334234.jpg">
style="font-weight: bold;">QB Kyle Downer, Oakton
The
Cougars senior quarterback led his team to the Division Six regional
crown topping the numbers one, two and three seeds along the way and
the Couagars' main man (who holds an offer from JMU) shouldered the bulk of the load for the
offense by accumulating 2869 yards and 37 touchdowns on the season by
completing 116 of 187 passes for 1409 yards and 12 touchdowns while
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gDewQo-_6k"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
RB Joe Wilson, Robinson
The
Rams junior running back led the region in rushing with one of the
bigger seasons in recent memory totaling 2,358 yards and 33 touchdowns
in eleven games with a stretch in the middle of the season when he
totaled 238 or more yards in four consecutive games. In their
postseason game, Wilson carried 31 times for 233 yards and scored two
touchdowns.
RB Demornay Pierson-El,
West Potomac
The
Wolverines junior speedster ranked as one of the most dynamic
playmakers in the region this season by totaling 1658 yards and 26
touchdowns rushing this season in ten games including three contests in
which he totaled over 200 yards on the ground. All of this
despite being the #1 option in the West Potomac offense that opponents
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/292617/highlights/18733380"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
WR Aramis Alexander, Lake
Braddock
The
Bruins sophomore wideout led the Northern Region in receptions with 75
catches on the year for 741 yards and four touchdowns for the powerful
Lake Braddock offense. Twice in the season he totaled more
than
122 yards and, in seven other games, Alexander hauled in seven or more
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1870605/highlights/19903393"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
src="http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/914/1301766.jpg">
style="font-weight: bold;">WR D'Ante Yarborough, Stone Bridge
Though
he collected only 38 passes on the year in regional action, the
Bulldogs' junior led the
Northern Region in receiving yardage with 1057 on the season for an
incredible 27.8 yards per reception average. Additionally, in
totaling 17 touchdowns on the season, Yarborough scored multiple times
in seven games including a three-touchdown effort in the regional title
game.
TE Tasi Mathias, Mount
Vernon
The
Majors' senior collected 16 passes for 220 yards with one touchdown on
the season recording a catch in seven of his team's ten contests
including a six-catch, 95-yard, one score effort against Centreville.
OL Chris Durant, Oakton
The
Cougars' senior ranked among the most dominant blockers in the Northern
Region for an Oakton team that both ran and threw the ball equally well
from their option attack averaging 28.3 points on the season while
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/196502/highlights/19915409"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
src="http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/914/1335591.jpg">
style="font-weight: bold;">OL Ned Johnson, Westfield
The
senior blocker was a key reason that the Bulldogs' offense was
absolutely unstoppable throughout the course of the season never
scoring less than 28 points in a game until the regional championship
contest when oakton limited them to 13 points. Westfield
rushed
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/662206/highlights/34671379"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
OL Jack Howerton, Langley
The
Saxons' senior was an all-district lineman on both sides of the ball
for a Langley team that notched a playoff victory for the first time
since 2000 when they topped Hayfield in the quarterfinals.
Howerton, a long time standout for the program, was a key
reason
for running back Philip Mun rushing for over 1800 yards and quarterback
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/891365/highlights/33742394"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
OL Joon Yeo,
Westfield
The
Bulldogs' senior was a key blocker on a powerful offensive line that
led a unit that scored over 38 points per ball game, on average.
In the Westfield ground game, backs Dalaun Richardson and
Tyler
Thrasher-Walker, the team's two leading yard-gainers, combined to rush
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/790884/highlights/34366378"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
OL Connor Smith, Stone
Bridge
Want
a tough gig? Try being the center for the Stone Bridge
Bulldogs
in their single wing attack that requires you to snap to one of three
different players lined up in the backfield. This junior took
on
that job and flourished as he helped the Division Five regional
champions score at least 24 points in every regional game this season
as they totaled over 2400 yards both on the ground and through the air.
style="border: 1px solid ; width: 200px; height: 267px; float: right;"
alt="" src="http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/914/1284821.jpg">
style="font-weight: bold;">ATH and Offensive Player of the
Year, M.J. Stewart, Yorktown
In
helping Yorktown record their second straight 12-1 season, the
Patriots' junior was an unstoppable force rushing for 1842 yards and
scoring 36 touchdowns with 274 yards receiving and he even completed
both of his pass attempts on the season for 46 yards. When
the
competition got stiffer in the regional postseason, Stewart's star
shone even brighter totaling 607 yards of offense in three games with
ten touchdowns helping the Pats down Jefferson and South County before
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1fZVcQEwjg"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
style="color: red;">All-Northern Region Defense
DL and Defensive Player of the Year, Jonathan Allen, Stone Bridge
Simply put, the Bulldogs' senior and University of Alabama commit is
the single biggest wrecking force on the defensive side of the ball in
the region. A dominating player against both the run and the
pass, Allen helped the Division Five regional champions limit all but
two teams that they played to two scores or less. ON the
season, despite being double-teamed on nearly every play, Allen
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQn_2UcPRfs"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
alt="" style="width: 200px; height: 267px; float: right;"
src="http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/914/1337091.jpg">
style="font-weight: bold;">DL Brian Deely, Westfield
Though a bit undersized compared to other defensive ends, the Bulldogs'
senior takes advantage of his active feet, plays with strong leverage
and chooses outstanding pursuit angles from the edge to make plays for
the Westfield defense allowing them to win tweleve straight contests to
open the season and to advance to the Division Six regional title game
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/623785/highlights/23290392"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
DL Jesse Mizell, Stone
Bridge
Teams looking to run away from Defensive Player of the Year Jonathan
Allen from Stone Bridge found the sledding nearly as rough in the other
areas of the field and this Bulldog senior was usually to blame either
through getting early disruption off the snap or by chasing down
anything that came his way. When Allen missed some time due
to nagging injuries, the Stone Bridge d-line barely missed a beat;
Mizell was a big reason for that.
DL Chad Wiggins,
Centreville
The
Wildcats' junior all-purpose defender is a terror in the middle of the
field capable of making big plays with his hand in the dirt at
defensive tackle or when he's standing up at middle linebacker.
His
emergence as a playmaker on the defensisve side of the ball was one of
the primary reasons that a rebuilding Centreville team finished 8-4 on
the season with three of those losses coming by a touchdown or less.
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/523049/highlights/27767395"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
style="border: 1px solid ; width: 200px; height: 267px; float: right;"
alt="" src="http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/914/1282463.jpg">
style="font-weight: bold;">LB Sean Huelskamp, Chantilly
The Defensive Player of the Year in the Concorde District, Huelskamp
was a leading playmaker on both sides of the ball for a Chargers team
that finished the season with an 8-4 record with two of their losses
coming by a touchdown or less. Capable of playing both inside
and outside linebacker, the senior had to be accounted for on every
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/590833/highlights/35274439"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
LB Tyler Donnelly,
Yorktown
The Patriots linebacker earned the Defensive Player of the Year honors
in the National District in leading a Yorktown defense that allowed
only 16 points per game in notching a perfect 10-0 regular season
before winning their first two postseason contests falling only to
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_B14d_a25c"
target="_blank"> Click here for highlights
style="font-weight: bold;">LB Dan Schwab, Madison
The Warhawks senior was a leader on the defensive side of the ball for
a Madison team that lost only two games during the regular season, one
to Division Six regional champion Oakton and the other to Division Five
regional champion Stone Bridge. The team's leading tackler,
Schwab was selected by the coaches as a first team all-district backer
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/812653/highlights/18314387"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
LB Oren Burks, South
County
The
Stallions outstanding linebacker was selected as the Defensive Player
of the Year in the Patriot District as the senior was the top playmaker
for a South County team that recovered from a 1-5 start to win five
straight advancing to the regional semifinals where they were ousted by
Yorktown. During their late season run, the defense limited
five
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/661761/highlights/33485373"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
style="border: 1px solid ; width: 200px; height: 267px; float: right;"
alt="" src="http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/914/1298111.jpg">
style="font-weight: bold;">DB Raeshawn Smith, Chantilly
One of the top playmakers in the Concorde District on both sides of the
ball (and as a return man), the junior was a lockdown corner for a
Chargers team that advanced to the regional semifinals for the second
time in three seasons. He also earned second team honors on
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/592744/highlights/27682763"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
DB Charles Tutt,
Centreville
A first team selection on both sides of the ball in the
Concorde District at wide receiver and defensive back, the
sophomore proved to be one of the more explosive playmakers in the
district and one of the danger spots on the Wildcats defense to
contest. Tutt also ranks as one of the better return men in
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1719926/highlights/25074411"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
DB Aaron Jackson, South
County
One of the most explosive players in the Patriot District and the
Northern Region, the senior earned first team honors in the league as a
wide receiver, defensive back and kick returner. Along with
linebacker Oren Burks, Jackson led a second-half resurgence that saw
the state runners up move from 1-5 to earning a postseason berth where
they won in the opening round before falling to Yorktown.
ATH Micah Gregory,
Yorktown
Selected as a first team National District defensive back, Gregory was
a major reason for the Patriots second consecutive run to the regional
championship game as he and M.J. Stewart helped anchor one of the best
secondaries in the region making the Patriots one of the toughest teams
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_Zd0CLcq2w"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
All-Northern
Region Specialists
style="border: 1px solid ; width: 200px; height: 267px; float: right;"
alt="" src="http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/914/1182570.jpg">
style="font-weight: bold;">P Nick Dorka, Madison
The Warhawks kicker / punter was selected for both first team spots in
the Liberty District then was unanimously honored by the coaches as the
all-region punter while earning second team all-region honors at the
kicker spot. On the season, the senior averaged nearly 43
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/823382/highlights/19870429"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
K Chris Blewitt, West
Potomac
Widely regarded as the most dangerous kicking leg in the region, the
senior was a first-team honoree at both the punter and kicker spots in
the Patriot District and earned first team all-region honors from the
coaches as a kicker. On the season, he connected on eight
field goals and 23 extra points while consistently pinning opposing
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/292614/highlights/18277448"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
RET Harrison Craddock,
Herndon
The unanimous first team choice as a kick returner in the Concorde
District, the senior was a dangerous man with the ball in his hands
this season with kickoff returns for touchdowns of 82, 83 and 90 yards
href="http://www.hudl.com/athlete/395211/highlights/28504373"
target="_blank">Click here for highlights
src="http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/914/1337112.jpg">
style="font-weight: bold;">RET Rassaun Goldring, Stone Bridge
Opponents kicking the ball to the Bulldogs' senior found trouble as he
proved to be a big play waiting to happened as evidenced by his 75-yard
punt return for a score against South Lakes during the regular season.
He turned his game up even more in the postseason returning
both a punt and a kickoff for scores against Yorktown in the regional
championship game which Stone Bridge won by 19 points.
All-Northern
Region Coaches
Divison Five Mickey
Thompson, Stone Bridge
After uncharacteristically losing in the regional semifinals in 2011,
the Bulldogs came back this season with vengenance on their mind and
the traditional powerhouse flexed their muscles all season in sweeping
through the region undefeated with Chantilly playing them within two
touchdowns until Hanover lost a 28-21 game in the state semifinals.
Division Six Jason
Rowley, Oakton
Several coaches turned in remarkable jobs this season but, ultimately,
this choice came down to Rowley and Westfield's Kyle Simmons.
While the Bulldogs coach guided his team into the regional
championship game undefeated, the Cougars' general earns the nod for
their incredible postseason run that saws the #7 seed top the region's
top three seeds in successive weeks to capture the regional crown.
All-Northern
Region Second Team
QB Ryan Burns, Stone Bridge
RB Philip Mun, Langley
RB Dalaun Richardson, Westfield
WR Nick Yore, Yorktown
WR Devon Burns, Westfield
TE Ryan Antonellis, Lake Braddock
OL Hector Hernandez, Stuart
OL Kidus Woldeyes, South County
OL Bryan Jefferson, Annandale
OL Aiden Elkhatib, Robinson
OL Josh Smith, Centreville
ATH Deandre Harris, Chantilly
DL Jake Pinkston, Robinson
DL George Assante, Hayfield
DL Dean Doe, Lake Braddock
DL Patrick O'Connor, Jefferson
LB Phil Novacki, Langley
LB Cameron Reynolds, Stone Bridge
LB Bobby Lam, Oakton
LB Nat Trebach, Hayfield
DB Jason Hoskins, Lake Braddock
DB Lamar Hardy, Westfield
Db Malcolm Sherman, Edison
ATH Wes Scott, Hayfield
P Chris Mullins, Westfield
K Conner Bouverron, Westfield
RET Jake Hall, Madison
RET Lasalle Mensah, Edison
D5 Coach Bruce Hanson, Yorktown
D6 Coach Kyle Simmons, Westfield