CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Virginia High School League announces its 2023 Class 4 All-State Football Team. Salem senior running back Peyton Lewis is the Class 4 Offensive Player of the Year, and Phoebus senior defensive end / linebacker Anthony Reddick is the Class 4 Defensive Player of the Year. Phoebus Head Coach Jeremy Blunt is the Class 4 Coach of the Year.
As a senior, the 6’1”, 197-pound running back rushed for 2,107 yards (207 carries) and 30 rushing TDs. The University of Tennessee signee added three receptions for 42 yards, one touchdown, 144 yards on five kick returns, 172 on five punt returns, and two touchdowns. In the State Semifinals at Tuscarora, Lewis carried Salem to the state title game, rushing for 373 yards (30 carries) and four touchdowns in the 31-21 win.
During the State finals, Lewis ran for a game-high 84 yards and a touchdown in the last-second defeat to Phoebus. Lewis rushed for 3,667 career yards for a 10.3 yards per carry average, 47 rushing touchdowns, and 52 total touchdowns for the Spartans. Lewis is a five-time VHSL Class 4 State Champion in track & field, including back-to-back titles in the indoor 55-meter and outdoor 100-meter dashes as a sophomore and junior.
The 6’2”, 219-pound Reddick finished the year with 101.5 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 26.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and three recoveries. Additionally, Reddick earned First Team All-State selections as a sophomore and junior. In the state title game, he had ten total tackles (5 solo/5 assist) and one tackle-for-loss as Phoebus clinched its third straight state championship.
Reddick signed with the University of Maryland on Wednesday, December 20, National Signing Day.
Head Coach Jeremy Blunt led Phoebus to a 15-0 record with a thrilling last-second 86-yard TD pass for a 21-14 win over Salem in the State Championship game, clinching its third straight state title. The Phantoms have now won 10 titles in the past 22 years.
Since Blunt took over the Phoebus program as a mid-year interim Head Coach in 2012, he has guided the Phantoms to an overall record of 132-19 and a current 35-game winning streak. He has led the Phantoms to four consecutive State Championship appearances, winning the Class 3 titles in 2021 and 2022 and being the state runner-up in 2018.
The All-State football team consists of 32 players (Offense: one quarterback; four linemen; one center; three running backs; three receivers; one tight end; one kicker; one kick returner; one all-purpose offensive player (Defense: four defensive linemen; five linebackers; four defensive backs; one punter; one punt returner; one all-purpose defensive player).
Each All-State selection committee comprises eight football coaches (2 from each Region).