Players from South Mississippi, many from the “Southern Six”, dominated the Class 5A All-State Teams as recently announced by the Mississippi High School Activities Association.
Picayune tailback Dante Dowdell, the Mr. Football in Class 5A, was also named the Overall Most Valuable Player in that classification and as the top offensive performer overall.
Dowdell signed with the University of Oregon on Wednesday. He helped lead Picayune to back-to-back Class 5A state championships. Over the past two seasons, Dowdell has rushed for 5,301 yards and 65 touchdowns. This year he accounted for 2,165 rushing yards on 265 carries and recorded 36 touchdowns from his tailback spot.
He is coming off an appearance playing for his home state in the annual Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Football Classic, and he along with Gautier quarterback Kaden Irving just played in the prestigious U.S. Army Bowl at “The Star” in Frisco, Texas which is the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys. Dowdell ran for over 100 yards in that game and Irving threw a touchdown pass.
Irving was named the first-team all-state quarterback. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Irving is one of just a few prep football players in the state of Mississippi ever to throw for over 10,000 yards and 100 touchdowns in his playing career.
During his senior season, Irving guided the Gators to their first-ever appearance in a South State championship game, as Gautier faced off with Dowdell and the Maroon Tide in the Class 5A contest. Irving, an Ole Miss baseball signee, completed 62 percent of his passes this season going 258-for-420 for 3,953 yards and 46 touchdowns while averaging almost 16 yards per completion. He also rushed for 462 yards and another 17 touchdowns, as he accounted for almost 4,500 yards of total offense and 63 touchdowns.
A total of fifteen players from the “Southern Six: were honored for their play this season with all-state status.
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MHSAA CLASS 5A MHSAA All-State teams
Coach of the Year: Cody Stogner, Picayune
Overall/Offensive Player of the Year: Dante Dowdell, RB, Sr., Picayune
Defensive Player of the Year: Kamarion Franklin, DE, Jr., Lake Cormorant
First Team Offense
Kaden Irving, QB, Sr., Gautier
John Peterson, RB, Sr., Vancleave
Malik Montgomery, RB, Jr., Vicksburg
Kahnen Daniels, RB, Jr., West Point
Ayden Williams, WR, Sr., Ridgeland
A.J. Phillips, WR, Sr., Gautier
Dillon Alfred, WR, So., Gautier
Casey Tynes, OL, Sr., George County
DeQuarious White, OL, Sr., Holmes County Central
Seth Ross, OL, Sr., Lafayette
Malachi Breland, OL, Sr., Laurel
Malik Ellis, OL, Sr., Laurel
Chris Davis, ATH, Jr., Picayune
John Parker Hancock, PK, So., Neshoba Central
First Team Defense
Zavion Coleman, DE, Sr., Picayune
Jamonte Waller, DE, Jr., Picayune
Caleb Bryant, DL, Sr., Vicksburg
Chris Brown, DL, Sr., Callaway
Amarion Tyson, LB, Jr., Picayune
Alkerion Hopkins, LB, Sr., Wayne County
Tabias Hinton, LB, Sr., Hattiesburg
Tommy Kelly, LB, Sr., Provine
Jaleel Fleming, DB, Sr., Vicksburg
J.D. Kelly., DB, Sr., Vicksburg
Malolm Boykin, SS, Sr., Hattiesburg
Elijah Ruffin, FS, Sr., Neshoba Central
Brayden Mills, P, Sr., Wayne County
Jordan Gentry, KR, Sr., Florence
Ryder Burns, LS, Sr., Lake Cormorant
Second Team Offense
Duece Knight, QB, So., George County
Jay Reed, RB, Sr., Lafayette
Mehki Gaddis, RB, So., Neshoba Central
Dillon Brown, RB, Sr., Hattiesburg
Michael Williams, WR, Sr., Natchez
Makyi Reed-Jones, WR, Jr., Lafayette
Nick Taylor, WR, Sr., Cleveland Central
Jeffrey Allan Grimme, OL, Sr., Vancleave
Tajon Smith, OL, Sr., West Point
Elijah Baker, OL, Jr., Hattiesburg
Joey Anthony, OL, Jr., Callaway
Tyrese Erby, OL, Sr., Columbus
Kadarius Wade, ATH, Sr., Callaway
Irianna Evans, PK, Sr., George County
Second Team Defense
Angel McGee, DE, Sr., Gautier
Mason Jenkins, DE, Sr., West Jones
Joseph Head, DL, Sr., Holmes County Central
Montrayvious Carter, DL, Sr., Canton
Monyah Boykin, LB, Sr., Gautier
Jhace Mallard, LB, Sr., West Point
Jeremy Porter, LB, Sr., Laurel
Beau Holley, LB, Sr., Neshoba Central
Kylan Egerson, DB, Sr., Lafayette
Hemyur Naji, DB, Sr., Columbus
Tamarus McGee, SS, Sr., Canton
Octavius Pernell, FS, Sr., Holmes County Central
Will Dabney, P, Sr., Lafayette
Zywan Lacey, KR, Sr., Columbus
Tytan Edmonson, LS, Jr., Florence
