All-3A Region 5 Team
- Updated: December 9, 2016
State semifinalists Piedmont and Ohatchee dominate the selections on the all-region team, sweep the major region awards
Here are the major award winners from Class 3A Region 5 (clockwise from left): Austin Brazier (28), Steve Smith and Taylor Hayes (11), Austin Tucker (3) and Taylor Eubanks (14). (Photos by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)
By East Alabama Sports Today
Piedmont and Ohatchee dominated play in the best football region in the state this season, so it stands to reason they would dominate the all-region team.
The two-time state champion Bulldogs and North runner-up Indians dominated the Class 3A Region 5 all-region team and swept the major awards.
Piedmont quarterback Taylor Hayes, the Class 3A championship game MVP for the second year in a row, is the Player of the Year. Linebacker teammate Austin Brazier is the Defensive Player of the Year. Coach Steve Smith is the Coach of the Year.
Ohatchee’s dynamic duo of running back Austin Tucker and quarterback Taylor Eubanks are Co-Offensive Players of the Year.
Hayes rushed for 1,856 yards, passed for 1,906 yards and accounted for 60 touchdowns in a 15-0 season. He accounted for seven of the Bulldogs’ eight touchdowns against Ohatchee in the state semifinals and all three of their touchdowns in the state title game.
Once considered a high-level baseball prospect who plays all the major sports at his school, Hayes said after the state title game football “probably has” replaced baseball on his recruiting radar.
“I’ve got a lot of teams on me in football, some smaller schools and some D-Is,” he said. ”I’ll see what happens through baseball, talk to my parents about my options. I love playing the game. I love both of them. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
It is impossible to separate Austin and Eubanks from the impact they had on the Indians’ success, and just as impossible not to recognize their value. Tucker has rushed for 2,278 yards, Eubanks rushed for 1,487 yards and both ran for 27 touchdowns. Additionally, Eubanks threw for 583 yards and seven scores.
Here is the complete team:
Class 3A Region 5
Coach of the Year: Steve Smith, Piedmont
Player of the Year: Taylor Hayes, Piedmont
Offensive Players of the Year: Taylor Eubanks, Ohatchee; Austin Tucker, Ohatchee
Defensive Player of the Year: Austin Brazier, Piedmont.
PIEDMONT
DL Logan Beadles, Jr.
LB Chase Bobbitt, Sr.
LB Austin Brazier, Sr.
QB Taylor Hayes, Sr.
OL Krae Keener, Sr.
DL Gavin Kircus, Jr.
OL Mason Langley, Sr.
LB Cobey McFry, Sr.
DB Cardavion Myers, Jr.
RB Lee Stanley, Jr.
DL Matthew Thornton, Soph.
OL Javian Woods, Sr.
OHATCHEE
LB Austin Duncan, Jr.
QB/LB Taylor Eubanks, Sr.
OL/DL Jarrett Ford, Jr.
DL Trystan Garcia, Sr.
TE Owen Hale, Sr.
OL/DL Caleb Montgomery, Sr.
RB/LB Austin Tucker, Sr.
DB Chase Widgeon, Sr.
OL Garret Young, Sr.
RANDOLPH COUNTY
OL/DL Richard Bledsoe, Jr.
DB Donte Davenport, Jr.
RB/DB Seth Hannah, Sr.
RB Trent Lane, Soph.
QB/WR Andrew Prestridge, Jr.
WR/DB Tre Terrell, Jr.
WEAVER
OL Riley Benavides, Jr.
DL Matt Elston, Sr.
WR/KR Maurice Goodman, Sr.
RB/LB Tyrik Hall, Sr.
RB/QB Paul Hubbard, Sr.
WELLBORN
OL Chandler Cupp, Sr.
DL Jamyron Curry, Jr.
DB Jordan Montgomery, Sr.
LB Kane Pitts, Sr.
GLENCOE
WR/DB Aaron Bush, Sr.
RB/DB Austin Bush, Sr.
TE/LB Bradley Scott, Jr.
PLEASANT VALLEY
RB Ethan Borders, Jr.
LB Alex Parris, Soph.
HONORABLE MENTION
Piedmont – WR Darian Bossie, OL Chasteen Cole, OL Blake Headrick, DB Kaedon Jenkins, LB Logan Smith; Ohatchee – OL Aaric Goode, DL Jacob Lowe, TE C.J. Ray, RB Jessie Sellers; Randolph County – TE E.J. Clark, RB/LB Aaron Knight, LB T.J. Sims; Weaver – OL/DL Caleb Allison, RB/LB Kyle Clapper; Wellborn – OL Ethan Beadles, OL Dalton Epps, LB Kederick Harris, LB Javian Thomas; Glencoe – QB/LB Cole Holbrooks, OL/DL Paul Hicks, OL/DL Coleman Morris, WR/DB Micah Sizemore; Pleasant Valley – LB Colton East, DB Dakota Jones, QB Reagan King, LB Ashton King, DL Jordan Lambert.
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