Nearly 100 of the state’s top high school senior football players, including nine from the Chattanooga area, have been chosen to play in next month’s fourth annual Toyota East vs. West Tennessee All-Star Classic at Carson Newman College in Jefferson City.
Kickoff for the game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 11, at 12:30 (EST).
Players chosen from the Chattanooga area were McCallie's Keenan Hale, Red Bank's Kelvin Clay, Boyd-Buchanan's Vincente Jordan, Polk County's Michael Hargrove, McCallie's Jarrod Coleman, Baylor's John Mackey, Bradley Central's Tucker Bolton, McMinn County's Ken Starr and Red Bank's Izaiah Rutledge.
Baylor's Jacob Huesman and Cleveland's Jarmarcus Mobley were chosen alternates.
Hixson's Houston White and McMinn County's Bo Cagle were chosen as assistant coaches.
The Toyota East – West game is the only all-star game in Tennessee to be televised live across the state.
This year’s list of players includes three Duke commitments, six players committed to sign with Southeastern Conference schools and a number of other Division I schools including Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech and Syracuse. Nearly a dozen players who were finalists for Mr. Football Awards have agreed to play in the game.
“We’re very excited about the list of players who have committed to play in this year’s game,” said Bill Marbet, executive director of the Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association, the event’s sponsoring organization. “Coaches and players alike all across the state consider this to be the premier game of its kind in Tennessee and we’re extremely proud to have such an outstanding list of players who have accepted an invitation to play in our game,” he added.
Besides the early commitments and Mr. Football finalists, several other outstanding players have agreed to play in the prestigious game. Anderson County QB Tanner Williams, who has virtually rewritten the record books for passing yardage, and C.A.K.’s Quinn Epperly will battle for signal caller duties on the East team.
Williams had a banner senior campaign with more than 3,700 yards through the air for the Mavericks. Epperly threw for 2,324 yards as a senior.
Sharing QB duties on the West team will be Danny Potter of Brighton (2,782 yards), Jake Overby of U.S.J. (2,103 yards) and Tyler Rice of Wayne County.
Players will report to Carson Newman on Tuesday, Dec. 7. Highlights of the week will include a trip to the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville where players and coaches will bring early Christmas presents to the young patients, and an evening in Gatlinburg where players will be treated to free admission at various attractions including Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, Ripley’s Haunted Adventure and the Dixie Stampede.
TV stations carrying the broadcast include WUXP-30 in Nashville, WVLT-8 in Knoxville, WFLI-53 in Chattanooga and WAPK-36 in Tri-Cities, plus Comcast cable in Memphis and Jackson Energy Cable in Jackson. WMNL (990 am) in Knoxville will be the flagship station for the radio broadcast.
2010 Toyota East vs. West Tennessee All-Star Classic
East Roster
OFFENSE
QB (2)
Tanner Williams (6-1, 185), Anderson Co.
Quinn Epperly (6-1, 195), C.A.K.
ALT - Jacob Huesman (6-1, 190), Baylor
RB (4)
Devrin Young (5-7, 165), Bearden (TENNESSEE)
Chris Sensabaugh (5-11, 200), Dobyns Bennett
Jeremiah Bryson (5-10, 178), Smyrna (PITTSBURGH)
DaMetrius Thomas (5-10, 187), Fulton
ALT - Jamarcus Mobley (5-8, 175), Cleveland
WR (6)
Desmund Horne (5-11, 175), Maryville
Steven Isom (6-2, 180), Alcoa
Keenan Hale (6-2, 185), McCallie – (SYRACUSE)
Jacob Sexton (6-2, 185), Scott
Ron Durbin (6-2, 190), Gatlinburg Pittman
Kelvin Clay (6-1, 171), Red Bank
ALT - Parrish Gaines (6-3, 185), Smyrna
TE (1)
Jess Patton (6-3, 225), Blackman
OL (8)
Kyler Kerbyson (6-5, 290), Knox. Catholic (TENNESSEE)
Jose Valedon (6-5, 270), Oak Ridge (VANDERBILT)
Cody Robinson (6-3, 305), Warren Co. (DUKE)
Derek Evans (6-1, 270), Alcoa (APPALACHIAN ST.)
Brandon Miller (6-5, 270), Tullahoma
Tre Fletcher (6-2, 260), Oakland
Vincente’ Jordan (6-3, 325), Boyd Buchanan
Steven Fortner (6-0, 255), C.A.K.
KICKER/PUNTER (1)
Zach Sharp (6-1, 165), Maryville
ALT - Trevor Brunsvold (6-1, 175), MTCS
DEFENSE
CB (4)
Buddy Mitchell (5-9, 175), Oakland
Taino Perez (5-10, 170), Farragut
William Carmichael (6-2, 170), Greeneville
Austin Tallent (5-11, 170), Alcoa
S (3)
Stian Romberg (6-4, 200), Maryville
Cory Clark (5-11, 170), Seymour
Wade Plemons (6-1, 180), Loudon
ALT - Sam Woodard (6-2, 195), Oneida
LB (6)
Deon Meadows (6-0, 215), Smyrna
Jaiari Dunaway (6-2, 220), Siegel
Brooks Harper (6-2, 215), Farragut
Michael Hargrove, (6-1, 225), Polk Co.
Corey Washington (5-11, 190), Clinton
Hunter Thompson (6-1, 230), Blackman
ALT - Philip Saah (6-1, 210), Knox. Central
DE (4)
Darrell Warren (6-1, 225), Alcoa
Jarrod Coleman (6-4, 230), McCallie (CHATTANOOGA)
John Mackey (6-1, 240), Baylor
Tucker Bolton (6-4, 235), Bradley Central
ALT - Evan Brown (6-4, 235), Heritage
DT (4)
Keenan Evans (5-10, 230), Campbell Co.
Ken Starr (6-2, 260), McMinn Co.
Bryson McCluskey (6-5, 315), Riverdale
Izaiah Rutledge (6-1, 250), Red Bank
COACHES:
HC - Scott Blade, Oak Ridge
DC/LB - Thomas McDaniel, Oakland
RB - Steve Carson, Eagleville
OC/QB - Rusty Bradley, C.A.K.
DL - Jim Moore, Seymour
WR - Houston White, Hixson
DB - Bo Cagle, McMinn Co.
OL - Jim Younger, Oak Ridge
West Roster
OFFENSE
QB (3)
Danny Potter, Brighton (6-0, 200)
Jake Overby, U.S.J. (6-1, 180)
Tyler Rice, Wayne Co. (6-3, 195) (UT-MARTIN)
ALT - Josh Jerles, Clarksville Acad. (6-1, 170)
RB (3)
Ryan Heaston, Cordova (5-11, 175)
Darrell Dancer, Jackson N’side (5-10, 195)
Prince Iworah, Father Ryan (5-10, 176)
ALT - Victor Caro, Brentwood Acad. (5-9, 185)
ALT - Artaves Gibson, Mitchell (6-2, 225)
FB (1)
Reco Williams, Clarksville NE (6-2, 245)
WR (6)
Dhahraun Bevins, Jackson N’side (5-110, 170)
Nick Hill, Pearl Cohn (6-2, 190) (DUKE)
Hunter Branch, Fairview (6-3, 185)
Max Zinchini, Beech (6-0, 180)
Jabriel Washington, Trinity Chr. (5-11, 170) (ALABAMA)
Connor Maitland, F.R.A. (6-0, 170)
ALT - Anthony Woodard, Gallatin (6-6, 170)
TE (1)
Russ Henderson, Lexington (6-1, 220)
ALT - Clayton Williams, E.C.S. (6-3, 215)
OL (7)
Keenan Crenshaw, Ensworth (6-1, 300)
Lucas Patrick, Brentwood (6-4, 287) (DUKE)
James Lewis, Arlington (6-4, 290) (VANDERBILT)
Marty Bottom, Trousdale Co. (6-3, 305)
Drew Kelly, Independence (6-4, 270)
Alex Ballentine, Giles Co. (5-10, 250)
Matt Levine, Father Ryan (6-4, 250)
ALT - Kyle Gregory, Trousdale Co. (5-11, 245)
LS (1)
Hunter Stout, Arlington (6-0, 210)
KICKER/PUNTER (1)
Jackson Redditt, Wilson Central (6-2, 190)
ALT - Austin Benoy, Briarcrest (5-10, 147)
DEFENSE
LB (5)
Tra’Darius Goff, Columbia (5-10, 230)
Nantambu Fentress, Ensworth (5-9, 180)
Josh Killett, Brentwood (6-2, 200)
Austin Taylor, Crockett Co. (6-1, 230)
Julius Lewis, Whitehaven (6-1, 215)
ALT - Aaron Bryant, Hillsboro (6-0, 215)
DE (3)
Desmond Shaw, Cordova (6-3, 220)
Christian Coleman, Milan (6-3, 255) (KENTUCKY)
Xavier Nelson, Liberty (6-3, 240)
ALT - Connor Caldwell, M.B.A. (6-1, 225)
DT (4)
Shaquille Mason, Columbia (6-2, 307) (GEORGIA TECH)
Jordan Murphy, Camden (6-4, 280)
Joe Townsend, Hendersonville (6-4, 275)
Andrei Lucaci, M.B.A. (6-2, 300)
ALT - Marvin Barton, Whitehaven (6-4, 300)
ALT - Timothy Rogers, Lexington (6-2, 240)
DB (8)
S - Trent Garland, Lawrence Co. (5-11, 180) (TENNESSEE TECH)
S - Deontae Battle, McGavock (6-1, 180)
S - Trey Ford, Mitchell (6-0, 160)
S - Derek Easley, Camden (5-10, 170)
S - William BeAird, Brentwood Academy (6-0, 190)
S- Whit Shelton, Lawrence Co. (5-11, 198)
CB - Aaron Simms, McGavock (5-11, 170)
CB-Tracy Hampton, Nash. Overton (5-11, 175)
ALT-Darius Turner, McGavock (6-2, 175)
ATHLETE (1)
Josh Pleasant, Brentwood Academy (5-10, 180)
COACHES
HC/OC/QB - Chris Wiley, Arlington
DC - Ron Crawford, Brentwood
OL - Paul Wade, Ensworth
RB - Jason Curtis, Arlington
DB - Kevin Creasy, Trousdale Co.
DL - Joe Welch, Bolton
LB - John Dowtin, Cordova
WR - Will Wolfe, Brighton
(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)