All-state football honorees announced for 5A, 6A by TSWA

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced all-state football teams for Classes 5A and 6A on Monday for the 2020 season. Mr. Football finalists were automatically members of the team.

CLASS 6A
OFFENSE
QB – Cade Granzow, Brentwood, Sr.
QB – Jaxson Campbell, Independence, Sr.
RB – Jalen Hunt, McMinn County, Sr.*
RB – Jordan James, Oakland, Jr.
RB – Robert Giaimo, Bartlett, Sr.
WR – Walker Merrill, Brentwood, Sr.
WR – Isaiah Horton, Oakland, Jr.
WR – Jake Briningstool, Ravenwood, Sr.*
OL – Bryce Goodner, McMinn County, Sr.
OL – Graham Keating, Oakland, Sr.
OL – Fisher Anderson, Franklin, Jr.
OL – Harrison Wilkes, Germantown Houston, Sr.
OL – Zach Ferguson, Dobyns-Bennett, Sr.
ATH – Ray Banner, LaVergne, Sr.
K – Upton Bellenfant, Stewarts Creek, Jr.

DEFENSE
DL – Lou Burchfield, Maryville, Sr.
DL – Javon Nelson, Riverdale, Sr.
DL – Ethan Hassler, Collierville, Sr.
DL –Jackson Martin, Dobyns-Bennett, Sr.
LB – Brent Rowe, Hendersonville, Sr.
LB – Spencer Rich, Brentwood, Sr.
LB – Junior Colson, Ravenwood, Sr.
LB – Justin Jefferson, Bartlett, Sr.
DB – John Howse IV, Brentwood, Sr.
DB – D.J. Burks, Maryville, Jr.
DB – Javon Burke, Bradley Central, Sr.
DB – Ellis Ellis, Hendersonville, Sr.
ATH – CJ Taylor, Warren County, Sr.*
P – Trey Turk, Oakland, Sr.*

CLASS 5A
OFFENSE
QB – Destin Wade, Summit, Jr.*
QB – Tucker Pope, Walker Valley, Sr.
RB – Jermarcus Johnson, Henry County, Sr.
RB – De’Sean Bishop, Knox Karns, So.
RB – Shawn Gary, South-Doyle, Jr.
WR – Liam Fortner, Knox Central, Sr.
WR – Micah Simpson, Morristown East, Jr.
WR – Brody Swafford, Walker Valley, Sr.
OL – David Hull, South-Doyle, Sr.
OL – Brady Cash, Knox Central, Jr.
OL – Brycen Hodges, Powell, Sr.
OL – Cooper Koch, Summit, Jr.
OL – Carter Szydlowski, Columbia Central, Sr.
ATH – Jason Foust, Powell, So.
K – Ewan Johnson, South-Doyle, Sr.

DEFENSE
DL – Rhett Stottlemire, Soddy Daisy, Sr.
DL – Levi Herald, South-Doyle, Sr.
DL – Jaxon Adams, Oak Ridge, Sr.
DL – Andrew Gilbert, Knox West, Sr.
LB – Kalib Fortner, Knox Central, Sr.*
LB – Drew Fisher, Rhea County, Sr.
LB – Eli Denton, Walker Valley, Sr.
LB – Ethan Scott, Knox West, Sr.
DB – Prince Kollie, David Crockett, Sr.*
DB – Preston Sisler, South-Doyle, Sr.
DB – Preston Turner, Oak Ridge, Sr.
DB – Jawan Odoms, Henry County, Sr.
ATH – Shannon Blair, Knox West, Jr.
P – Ryan Bolton, Knox Central, Jr.

* - Mr. Football finalist

TSWA announces college players of the week - Dec. 22

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Lincoln-Memorial’s Whitfield earns TSWA Player of the Week honors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Lincoln-Memorial’s Devin Whitfield was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, averaging 26.5 points on 63 percent shooting from the field in two wins for the Railsplitters.

The Lipscomb, Ala., native netted 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range and 5-for-5 at the foul line, at Catawba College. The redshirt senior followed that with 32 points against Campbellville-Harrodsburg, hitting 13-of-20 shots overall with four more triples.

Whitfield is averaging 20.5 points while shooting 43 percent (13-for-30) from behind the arc in LMU’s 5-0 start this season.

2020-21 TSWA MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
December 9 – Tavon King, Cumberland University
December 15 – Luke Smith, Belmont

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Chattanooga’s Williams garners TSWA Player of the Week
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Chattanooga’s Eboni Williams was voted the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, registering 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds over four contests for the Mocs.

The Hoover, Ala., native collected 14 points, six boards, three assists and two steals in a victory at Austin Peay and posted 14 points, nine caroms and three steals versus Eastern Kentucky.

In the GSU Holiday Classic, the junior forward netted 20 points with eight rebounds and four assists in a victory against Georgia Southern and helped the Mocs win the event with her first double-double of the year, recording 30 points and 10 boards at Georgia State.

Williams is averaging 14.9 points and 6.8 rebounds in eight games this season for UTC.

2020-21 TSWA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
December 9 – Allissa Mulaski, Bryan College
December 15 – Anastasia Hayes, Middle Tennessee

TSWA honors college players of the week - Dec. 15

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Belmont’s Smith earns TSWA Player of the Week honors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont’s Luke Smith was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, averaging 21.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 steals in two victories for the Bruins.

The Knoxville, Tenn., native made seven 3-pointers and 8-of-15 from the field for 23 points against Tennessee State, adding four boards and three steals. The junior hit five more triples and posted 19 points, three rebounds, four assists and five steals at Lipscomb.

Smith shot 12-of-21 from 3-point range in the two outings and currently ranks second nationally in 3-point field goals and fourth in steals. He leads the OVC in scoring (20.0) among players who have played multiple games.

2020-21 TSWA MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
December 9 – Tavon King, Cumberland University

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Middle Tennessee’s Hayes garners TSWA Player of the Week
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee’s Anastasia Hayes was voted the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, registering 27.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in two contests for the Blue Raiders.

The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native netted 27 points with six boards and six assists versus Tulane, connecting on 8-of-20 shots overall and 10-for-13 at the foul line. The junior followed that with 28 points, a career-best 14 rebounds and eight helpers at TCU, hitting 10-of-22 field goals and 7-for-9 at the charity stripe.

Hayes is averaging 26.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists thru three games this season.

2020-21 TSWA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
December 9 – Allissa Mulaski, Bryan College

College players of the week named by TSWA - Dec. 9

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Cumberland’s King earns TSWA Player of the Week honors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Cumberland University’s Tavon King was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, averaging 25.5 points in a pair of victories for the Phoenix.

The Gates, Tenn., native netted 17 points and three rebounds against Shawnee State, hitting three 3-pointers in a 68-57 win. The senior guard scored a career-best 34 points in a double overtime triumph versus the University of Pikeville, adding three boards, two assists and three steals.

King registered seven straight points in the first overtime and he collected the final six points of the contest as well, all in the last two minutes. He is averaging 21.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game this season.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Bryan’s Mulaski garners TSWA Player of the Week
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Bryan College’s Allissa Mulaski was voted the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, posting 19.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in two wins for the Lions.

The Lebanon, Tenn., native recorded 25 points with seven 3-pointers at Brenau University, including six in the first half and four in the second quarter. The freshman guard followed that with 14 points at Columbia International, adding four more triples.

Mulaski is netting 11.4 points in five games while shooting 54 percent (15-for-28) from behind the arc.

TSWA announces 2021 Hall of Fame class

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced its Hall of Fame class for 2021 on Thursday, which includes Larry Taft (Nashville), Maurice Patton (Nashville/Columbia) and George Starr (Cleveland). The 2021 induction ceremony is scheduled for July 8 at Cumberland University, with Taft, Patton and Starr joining the Class of 2020 (Tommy Bryan, Teresa Walker, Mark Wiedmer).

MAURICE PATTON, The Tennessean/Columbia Daily Herald
The Franklin native entered sports journalism as a student at Middle Tennessee State University, writing part-time for the (Murfreesboro) Daily News Journal. Patton’s first full-time position came in 1987 as half of a two-person sports department at his hometown newspaper, The Review Appeal. He joined The Tennessean in 1990 covering high schools, the Nashville Sounds (1994-2008), the University of Tennessee (1995-97), MTSU (1997-99), Tennessee State (1999-2006) and Vanderbilt (2006-09). He covered the 1995 College World Series, the 1996 and ’97 Women’s Final Four, the 1997 NBA Draft, the 2000 Super Bowl, numerous SEC men’s and women’s basketball tournaments and three bowl games along with three spring training assignments. He was an Associated Press Top 25 poll voter for football and women’s basketball. He operated a Midstate high school sports website, MoPattonSports.com, for two years before being named sports editor at the Columbia Daily Herald in 2016. Patton is currently editor for Southern Middle Tennessee Sports, a digital platform focused on coverage of local high school athletics, and co-host of the sports talk radio show Southern Middle Tennessee Sports Today. The Tennessee Sports Writers Association's longtime treasurer, he ranks the opportunity to cover all three state wrestling tournaments (2012-14) in which his son participated – placing fourth in the latter two – as one of his career highlights.

GEORGE STARR, Cleveland/Lee University
A native of Athens, Starr began his career as sports editor at the Daily Post Athenian in Athens for four years. He worked as the sports editor at the Cleveland Daily Banner before becoming a sports writer at the Chattanooga Free-Press for four years. Starr returned to the Cleveland Daily Banner for 13 years, first as sports editor before being named managing and executive editors. He went to Lee University in 1997 as sports information director. He has served as the voice of Lee University basketball and baseball programs for 36 years and continued to work at the Banner during many of his years at Lee. He covered eight NCCAA national championships, four consecutive NAIA Women’s Soccer national championships and traveled to Lewiston, Idaho, for eight NAIA World Series. After Lee transitioned from NAIA to NCAA Division II, Starr covered three Gulf South Conference championships as well as deep postseason runs in several other sports. He guided the publicity of Lee’s transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II in 2012 and produced numerous award-winning NAIA and CoSIDA media guides. In the beginning of the Lee athletic website, Starr directed the content of the website and led efforts to provide live stats and live streaming for all home volleyball, soccer, basketball, baseball and softball games. Starr is a member of the Bradley County Sports Hall of Fame, Lee Athletics Hall of Fame and Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame.

LARRY TAFT, The Tennessean
Taft has worked for the Knoxville News-Sentinel, The Democrat-Union in Lawrenceburg and The Tennessean, primarily covering high school sports for nearly 40 years. He covered his first boys’ state basketball tournament in 1973 and his first football championship in 1974. In the 1980s, Taft started a weekly football wrap-up complete with district standings used in newspapers statewide. Taft also covered the Nashville Sounds for many years, traveling to cover road games. He served as director of media relations at the TSSAA for 16 months before returning to The Tennessean. Taft was sports editor of The Tennessean for five years before leaving in 2012. He is a 2011 inductee into the TSSAA Hall of Fame as a contributor. He currently is a board member and secretary-treasurer of the College Football Hall of Fame's Middle Tennessee chapter, and earlier this year he was selected by the organization as a recipient of its prestigious Roy Kramer Contribution to Football Award. Larry and his wife, Dinah, have four sons and nine grandchildren.