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...
4A 1st Team All-State Offense:
QB - Noah Beckley - Salem (SR)
RB - Larry Basham - William Byrd (JR)
RB - Caleb Kraegenbrink - Lafayette (SR)
WR - Viante Tucker - Salem (JR)
WR - Hezekiah Grimsley - Lafayette (SR)
TE - Dylan Rivers - Sherando (SR)
OL - Darnell Ewell - Lake Taylor (SR)
OL - Josie Staples - Salem (SR)
OL - Dexter Klock - Lafayette (SR)
OL - Tommy Christ -Dominion (SR)
OL - Travon Wilkerson - Dinwiddie (SR)
ATH - Vashon McCants - Dominion (SR)
Offensive Player of the Year: Noah Beckley - Salem (SR)
4A 1st Team All-State Defense:
DL - Timothy Fields - Dinwiddie (SR)
DL - Roman Bond - Lake Taylor (SR)
DL - Devon Kasey - William Byrd (SR)
DL - Yetur Matos - Chancellor (SR)
LB - Riley Fox - Salem (SR)
LB - K'Vaughan Pope - Dinwiddie (JR)
LB - Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey - Lake Taylor (SR)
DB - Tye Freeland - Dinwiddie (SR)
DB - Kionte Burnette - Salem (SR)
DB - Rashard Russell - Lake Taylor (SR)
DB - T.J. Hart - King's Fork (JR)
ATH - Liam Walters - Lafayette (SR)
Defensive Player of the Year: Riley Fox - Salem (SR)
4A 1st Team All-State Special Teams:
K - Nate Craft - Salem (JR)
P - Riley Dellinger - Deep Creek (SR)
RET - D'Ago Hunter - Eastern View (JR)
RET - Savon Smith - Millbrook (SO)
Coach of the Year: Stephen Magenbauer - Salem
4A 2nd Team All-State Offense:
QB - Syour Fludd - Monacan (JR)
RB - Zyan Sturdivant - Dinwiddie (JR)
RB - Kuashaun Forest - GW-Danville (SR)
WR - Mason Gryniuk - Woodgrove (SR)
WR - Amonyae Watson - Heritage-Newport News (SR)
TE/WR - Chris Pierce - Smithfield (SR)
OL - Cameron Kilgour - Woodgrove (SR)
OL - Miles Scott - Dinwiddie (SR)
OL - E.J. Boldin - John Champe (SR)
OL - Traveon Williams - Heritage-Newport News (SR)
OL - Lee Hamilton - Amherst (SR)
ATH - Jerry Page - Amherst (SR)
4A 2nd Team All-State Defense:
DL - Omar Tyson - Dinwiddie (JR)
DL - Trevor Booker - Amherst (SR)
DL - Doug Steele - Loudoun Valley (JR)
DL - Vincent Pinello - Salem (SR)
LB - Mikey O'Connell - John Champe (SR)
LB - Jeremiah Boyd - Heritage-Newport News (SR)
LB - Raeshawn Griffin - Lake Taylor (SR)
DB - D.J. Hutcherson - Heritage-Leesburg (SR)
DB - Tavaris Noel - Grafton (SR)
DB - Adam Miller - Sherando (SR)
DB - Henry Barley - GW-Danville (SR)
ATH - Kyle Smith - Dominion (SR)
4A 2nd Team All-State Special Teams:
K - Todd Anspach - Dinwiddie (JR)
P - Aidan Marshall - Handley (SR)
RET - Luke Owen - Salem (JR)
RET - Jayson Robinson - Dominion (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.
