Each year, we close the chapter on a football season before turning our attention to another with the announcement of the VirginiaPreps.com All-State Teams. Before we get to the 2016 honorees, let's review the standards placed around the teams we name each season.
First, we limit ourselves to just 12 players on each of the ball, offensively and defensively, as well as four special teams players (two return men, a kicker and a punter). Also worth pointing out is that since it is a mere 28 total players and because we want to honor as many as possible, we will not name a player at more than one position.
On offense, there will be a quarterback, two running backs, two receivers, a tight end, five offensive linemen and an 'athlete' that is pretty much the wild card position. From the defensive side of the ball, there will be four linemen, three linebackers and four defensive backs as well as an 'athlete' spot.
With those guidelines out of the way, let's reveal the selections...
3A 1st Team All-State Offense:
QB - Jake Sturgill - Abingdon (SR)
RB - Grayson Overstreet - Staunton River (JR)
RB - Ronnie Walker - Hopewell (JR)
WR - Ryan Mitchell - Hidden Valley (SR)
WR - Andre Jackson - Phoebus (SR)
TE - Chris Daniel - Hidden Valley (SR)
OL - Brandon Martin - James Monroe (SR)
OL - Tom Sheets - Staunton River (SR)
OL - Tyran Hunt - Southampton (SR)
OL - J.T. Turner - Lord Botetourt (SR)
OL - Patrick Esarey - Staunton River (SR)
ATH - Elijah Davis - Heritage-Lynchburg (JR)
Offensive Player of the Year: Grayson Overstreet - Staunton River (JR)
3A 1st Team All-State Defense:
DL - Keshawn Battle-Patterson - Phoebus (SR)
DL - Davon Jones - Rustburg (SR)
DL - Nas Cooper - Hopewell (SR)
DL - Marcus Taite - Phoebus (SR)
LB - Weldon Thorpe - Heritage-Lynchburg (SR)
LB - Shadarius Thorne - Phoebus (SR)
LB - Jared Morris - Spotswood (SR)
DB - Johnathan Gregory - Phoebus (SR)
DB - Josh VanGilder - Blacksburg (JR)
DB - Deshawn Pope - Phoebus (SR)
DB - Isaiah Dixon - Rustburg (SR)
ATH - Chase Orndoff - Blacksburg (JR)
Defensive Player of the Year: Johnathan Gregory - Phoebus (SR)
3A 1st Team All-State Special Teams:
K - Camden Wise - Blacksburg (JR)
P - Matthew Fulton - Abingdon (SR)
RET - Coleton Beck - Blacksburg (JR)
RET - Tiquest Terry - Blacksburg (SO)
Coach of the Year: Thad Wells - Blacksburg
3A 2nd Team All-State Offense:
QB - Tanner Bernard - Brookville (JR)
RB - Damontra Milteer - Lakeland (SR)
RB - Kalip Jones - Staunton River (JR)
WR - Ryan Perry - Brookville (SR)
WR - Sean Allen - Hopewell (SO)
TE - Darius Bell - Southampton (SR)
OL - Garrett Whitley - Lakeland (SR)
OL - Raul Smith - Hopewell (SR)
OL - Dakota Morris - Fort Defiance (SR)
OL - Kole Bridgers - Hidden Valley (SR)
OL - Micah Perkins - Blacksburg (SR)
ATH - Dant'e Jones - Rustburg (SR)
3A 2nd Team All-State Defense:
DL - Noah Overstreet - Lord Botetourt (JR)
DL - Reggie Jones - Hopewell (SR)
DL - David Doss - Abingdon (SR)
DL - Brad Shelton - Blacksburg (SR)
LB - Fred Raspberry III - Petersburg (SR)
LB - Carter Counts - Abingdon (SR)
LB - Colton Ashby - Rustburg (SR)
DB - Malcolm Lofton - Park View-South Hill (SR)
DB - Greg Cuffey - Hopewell (JR)
DB - T.J. Tester - Staunton River (JR)
DB - Garrison Mayo - Lord Botetourt (SR)
ATH - Jason Scales - Magna Vista (SR)
3A 2nd Team All-State Special Teams:
K - Nolan Marine - James Monroe (SR)
P - Caleb Snead - Heritage-Lynchburg (SR)
RET - Kavante Dawson - Norcom (SR)
RET - Tarell Poe - Brookville (SR)
Matthew Hatfield serves as Publisher for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is a regular contributor to the ACC Sports Journal. Check out Hatfield’s Twitter page for more sports related updates, and you can also read his work in the Suffolk News Herald. To contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com, and don’t forget to listen to him every Saturday at 10AM on ESPN Radio 94.1.
