The Western Piedmont 2A Conference named its All-Conference selections for football just days after the season ended for its two playoff teams.
The Forbush Falcons and Walkertown Wolfpack shared the WPAC Championship as both teams went undefeated in conference play. Due to COVID-19 protocol, the teams were unable to play each other to decide a conference champion. Forbush finished the regular season 6-0, and Walkertown 4-0.
Walkertown earned the WPAC’s top playoff seed in a tiebreaker and was the No. 5 seed in the 2A state playoffs, while Forbush settled for the No. 7 seed. Walkertown was defeated by No. 4 Shelby 42-6 in the first round, and Forbush fell 46-21 to No. 2 Mountain Heritage.
Just outside the playoff picture were the only two WPAC teams to complete a seven-game schedule: North Surry and Surry Central.
The Eagles and Greyhounds both finished with a record of 4-3. Both schools picked up wins over West Stokes, Carver and Atkins, which respectively finished sixth, seventh and eighth in the conference. Surry Central defeated North Forsyth in week seven for its fourth win, and North Surry’s win over Central was part of a four-game win streak to end the season.
Coach of the Year
Surry Central’s Monty Southern was named WPAC Coach of the Year. The Golden Eagles coach led the team to .571 winning percentage after finishing with an .181 winning percentage in 2019.
In 2019, Surry Central averaged 16.2 points for and allowed an average of 27.4 points. The Eagles put up 25.3 points per game this season while only allowing 16. Central’s 25.3 points per game in 2021 is the school’s highest average since 2016, when Central won the WPAC Championship averaging 29.8 points.
Players of the Year
North Surry’s Ty Montgomery was named WPAC Defensive Player of the Year. The senior linebacker did a little bit of everything on both sides of the ball for the Greyhounds.
Montgomery finished the year with 104 total tackles for an average of 14.9 per game. Of his 104 tackles, 55 were solo and 20 were tackles for a loss. Montgomery also recorded three sacks, two QB hurries, forced one fumble and recovered four fumbles.
Forbush quarterback Casey Graham was named WPAC Offensive Player of the Year. Graham finished the year with 1,019 yards passing and nine passing touchdowns on 70-of-114 completions. Graham also carried the ball 38 times for 117 yards and three touchdowns.
All-Conference
The following players were named to the WPAC All-Conference team.
North Surry
Rylee Jenkins – Senior OL/DL: 30 total tackles, eight tackles for a loss, four sacks, five QB hurries, two forced fumbles, 15 pancake blocks
Jahreece Lynch – Sophomore WR/DB: 14 catches for 480 yards and six receiving TDs, 23 carries for 98 yards, 89-yard kickoff return for a TD, 42-yard punt return for a TD, 40-yard pick-6, five pass deflections
Elijah Moore – Senior OL: 30 pancake blocks, helped block for team’s 900+ yards rushing and 800+ yards passing
Zeke Moore – Sophomore OL/DL: 30 total tackles, six TFL, one sack, four QB hurries, one fumble recovery, 20 pancake blocks
Jake Simmons – Freshman RB/LB: 133 carries for North Surry freshman record 746 yards and six touchdowns, 45 total tackles, three TFL, six QB hurries, one fumble recovery
Ryan Simmons – Junior LB/ATH: 60 total tackles, 23 TFL, six sacks, four QB hurries, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one pick-6
Tanner Woods – Senior WR: 22 catches for 206 yards and five touchdowns, 23 total tackles, one fumble recovery, four pass deflections
Honorable Mentions
D’Marcus France – Freshman DB/WR: 33 total tackles, two TFL, four pass deflections
Aaron Mauck – Sophomore QB: 40-of-77 passing for 719 yards and 11 touchdowns, four carries for 29 yards
Surry Central
Memphis Bolatto – Junior DB: 15 total tackles, five pass deflections, one interception, one fumble recovery, one blocked punt
Steven Campbell – Senior LB: 28 total tackles, five TFL, three sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries
Karson Crouse – Senior RB/DB: team-high 49 total tackles, 5 pass deflections, four forced fumbles, three TFL, one interception, 50 carries for 324 yards, seven rushing TDs, three receptions for 39 yards
Andres Gonzalez – Junior OL/DT: lead puller on OL, helped block for team’s 1,064 yards rushing and 735 yards passing, 23 total tackles, seven TFL, five sacks, one safety
Chase Holt – Senior QB/LB – 44-of-98 passing for 750 yards and eight passing TDs, 53 carries for 255 yards, 20 total tackles, five TFL, two interceptions
Logan Priddy – Junior SB/ATH: led the state with 348 yards on regular season kickoff returns, 94-yard return for a TD led the state, 39 rushes for 192 yards, four rushing TDs, nine receptions for 186 yards, one receiving TD
Sam Whitaker – Senior DE: set Surry Central school record with 15.0 sacks, 40 total tackles, 14 TFL, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one blocked punt
Brady Woods – Senior WR/FS: 18 receptions for 357 yards and six TDs, 31 total tackles, four TFL, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one blocked field goal
Honorable Mentions
Dakota Mills – Junior CB/WR: three interceptions, one pass deflection, one fumble recovery, 10 total tackles, five receptions for 54 yards
Kade Norman – Junior LB/TE: 37 total tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com