色多多

Games came down to the wire, whether it was last-second field goals, late touchdowns or victory-clinching defensive stands, teams achieved postseason success they hadn鈥檛 reached in decades and sometimes ever, and players well on their way to future collegiate careers recorded huge numbers on both sides of the ball.

Presented here is The 色多多鈥� 2023 All-Timesland Football Team, highlighting those athletes who excelled on the gridiron this season and played major roles in bringing their squads success. In addition to a first and second team, back by popular demand, a 鈥淪izzlin鈥� Sophomores鈥� team is also featured, presenting the next crop of talent that is primed to make headlines in years to come.

Coach of the Year: Brad Lutz, William Byrd

The Terriers鈥� stark change this season under Lutz was remarkable. They went from a winless 0-9 campaign just two years ago to a 3-7 record last year to a sudden 12-2 mark this fall, a single-season program record.

Moreover, Byrd achieved postseason success it never had previously in its 96-year history. That included back-to-back playoff victories, three postseason wins in one year and a region championship, the latter of which it captured in a convincing 31-7 win over undefeated No. 1 seed Magna Vista.

Lutz, who completed his fifth season at the helm, said during preseason in August that he was waiting for a season like this to arrive and it was finally here, a year in which building the program 鈥� players gaining experience, building size and strength and finding cohesion 鈥� would finally pay off.

Notable wins included two over Lord Botetourt, the first of which snapped a six-game losing streak and the second sent Byrd to the Region 3D title, an overtime victory over William Fleming and a victory over Pulaski County that gave the Terriers their first playoff win since 2016.

Player of the Year: Landen Clark, Radford

As head coach Michael Crist put it after the Class 2 state championship, Landen Clark wills his team to win.

Beyond the astounding numbers Clark racked up this season, the senior quarterback solidified himself as All-Timesland Player of the Year by engineering a game-winning drive in the final two minutes of the Region 2C title game, throwing a go-ahead touchdown pass with 10 seconds remaining.

As far as his stats, Clark finished with a whopping 71 total touchdowns between his offensive and defensive outputs. As signal-caller, he collected 66 touchdowns and 4,458 yards, throwing for 40 touchdowns and 3,367 yards on 207-of-339 passing, and running for 26 touchdowns and 1,181 yards on 136 carries. He also converted 14 two-point attempts and even hauled in 35 yards worth of receiving.

At safety, Clark amassed 10 interceptions, half of which he returned for touchdowns, and tallied 71 tackles. He also served as Radford鈥檚 punter and averaged 38.9 yards on 29 kicks, placing three inside the 20-yard line.

He led the Bobcats to an undefeated season and their first state championship in 51 years earlier this month, recording a 364-yard, five-touchdown performance in a victory over powerhouse Riverheads. He was named Class 2 Offensive Player of the Year, and received first team all-state honors as both a quarterback and defensive back, and second team honors as a punter.

Clark has signed to continue his football career as a quarterback at Elon University.

First Team

Offense

Quarterback: Israel Hairston, William Byrd

The senior signal-caller collected over 2,600 yards in the air and on the ground to lead the Terriers to a 12-2 season and their first-ever region championship.

Hairston completed 102 of 170 passes for 1,440 yards and 13 touchdowns while carrying the ball 113 times for 1,211 yards and 15 touchdowns. He broke school records in career passing yards, career passing touchdowns and single-season passing yards.

He was named Region 3D and Blue Ridge District Offensive Player of the Year, and earned a second team all-state selection.

Running back: Peyton Lewis, Salem

The Tennessee signee rushed for 2,097 yards and scored 30 touchdowns to lead the Spartans to a 13-2 record, the Region 4D championship and their first state championship game appearance since the spring 2021 season.

Lewis averaged 10.1 yards per carry and recorded six games with at least three rushing touchdowns, including three with four scores. He also returned two punt returns for touchdowns and averaged 34.4 yards per return.

He was named Offensive Player of the Year for Class 4, Region 4D and the River Ridge District.

Running back: Tedruhn Tucker, Galax

The senior amassed 2,374 yards and 28 touchdowns to help lead the Maroon Tide, the No. 5 seed in Region 1C, on a Cinderella run to the Class 1 state championship, their first since 2015.

Tucker averaged 5.9 yards per carry and added two receiving touchdowns, catching four passes for 65 yards. He garnered first team all-region and all-district honors.

Running back: Malachi Coleman, William Fleming

The junior averaged 138 yards per game, finishing with 1,787 and 16 touchdowns to guide the Colonels to an 8-5 record and back-to-back upsets in the Region 5C playoffs as the No. 8 seed.

Coleman averaged over 8 yards per carry and added 52 receiving yards on four catches. He received a first team all-state selection for his season performance.

Center: Britin Witt, Jefferson Forest

The 6-foot-2, 285-pound senior was unanimously chosen as Seminole District Offensive Lineman of the Year after serving as a key piece of the Cavaliers鈥� offense and quarterback Josiah Bell鈥檚 1,600 yards.

Witt, a VMI commit, earned a second team all-state selection, as well as first team all-region and all-district nods.

Lineman: Moritz Schmoranzer, North Cross聽

The 6-foot-4, 280-pound senior earned back-to-back first team all-state selections after serving as the anchor of an offensive line that helped the Raiders go 10-2 and capture their second straight state championship.

聽Schmoranzer has signed to play at the University of Pittsburgh.

Lineman: B.J. Cheatwood, William Byrd

The 6-foot, 230-pound junior was named Blue Ridge District Offensive Lineman of the Year as part of a Terriers squad that went 12-2, including winning 10 straight, and reaching the Class 3 state semifinals.聽

Cheatwood also received a first team all-state selection, as well as first team all-region and all-district nods.

Lineman: Carter Stallard, Christiansburg

The 6-foot-8, 320-pound junior was the anchor of a lineman corps that helped the Blue Demons rack up over 4,600 yards of offense, including 3,600 yards on the ground.

Stallard didn鈥檛 allow a sack in 290 pass attempts and tallied 162 pancakes. He earned a second team all-state selection and was the top vote-getter on the all-River Ridge District first team.

He has received 13 offers from FBS schools, including Louisville, West Virginia and Virginia Tech, and is the third-ranked offensive lineman in the state among juniors.

Lineman: Jack Bryie, Salem

The 5-foot-11, 253-pound junior served as right tackle for a Spartans offense that collected over 4,700 total yards and finished the season as the Class 4 state runner-ups.

Bryie graded out at 80% and notched 22 knockdown blocks. He earned a second team all-state selection.

Tight End: Austin Ashworth, Galax

The senior caught 29 passes for 622 yards and scored five touchdowns for a Maroon Tide squad that went 11-4 and won the Class 1 state championship.

Ashworth earned back-to-back first team selections in both Region 1C and the Mountain Empire District.

Receiver: Max Kanipe, Radford

The 6-foot-2 senior was Landen Clark鈥檚 favorite target, catching 74 passes for 1,598 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns for the Bobcats鈥� undefeated team.

Kanipe tallied nine receptions of 40 or more yards, and put up a stellar performance in the Class 2 state championship game, tallying 218 yards on nine catches and scoring twice. He earned a first team all-state selection.

Receiver: Torian Younger, Magna Vista

The 6-foot-1 junior hauled in 46 receptions for 752 yards and scored 10 touchdowns for a Warriors team that recorded its first unbeaten regular season since 2011.

Younger was named to the Class 3 all-state second team.

All-Purpose: Kolier Pruett, Narrows

The senior wide receiver tallied 21 catches for 354 yards and four touchdowns in just three games before an injury to the Green Waves鈥� starting quarterback moved him under center.

As signal-caller, Pruett racked up over 2,000 yards and 31 touchdowns, throwing for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns on 64-of-129 passing and running for 1,010 yards and 18 touchdowns on 113 carries.聽

He also served as Narrows鈥� punt returner and averaged 41.8 yards on six returns, scoring two touchdowns.

Kicker: Cole Byrd, Bassett

The junior made 16 of 20 field-goal attempts this season, hitting from as far as 51 yards. He made a dozen kicks from 30 yards or more and four from beyond 40 yards.

He went a perfect 29-for-29 on PATs and earned a first team all-state selection.

Defense

Lineman: Eason Zhou, North Cross

The senior defensive end racked up 14 sacks this season, along with 75 total tackles, 16.5 of which went for loss and 43 he made solo. He forced two fumbles, recovered one and scored a defensive touchdown.

Zhou earned first team all-state and all-conference selections.

Lineman: Nate Johnson, Glenvar

The senior defensive end amassed 91 total tackles for a Highlanders squad that went 10-3 and reached the Region 2C championship game. He notched 12 sacks and 12 tackles for loss, along with three batted passes.

Johnson earned a first team all-state selection for the third straight year and holds the Glenvar all-time sack record.

Lineman: Ethan Stockton, Magna Vista

The senior tallied 23 tackles for loss, 46 solo tackles and nine sacks for the Warriors this season, earning first team all-region and all-district nods.

Lineman: Kesean Anderson, Lord Botetourt

The senior University of Ohio commit made 26 tackles for loss and 33 solo tackles for the Cavaliers defense this year, adding three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and five QB hurries.

Anderson garnered a second team all-state selection.

Linebacker: Bodie Kahoun, Patrick Henry

The Notre Dame signee collected a massive 200 total tackles in his senior campaign with the Patriots, 126 of which were solo and 27 went for loss. He also tallied nine sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and scored two defensive touchdowns.

Kahoun received first team all-region and all-district nods.

Linebacker: Jaelyn Allen, Salem

The senior notched 88 solo tackles out of his 127 total for the Spartans. He tallied 20 tackles for loss, along with four sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.聽

Allen was named Defensive Player of the Year for both Region 4D and the River Ridge District, and received a first team all-state selection.

Linebacker: Charlie Davis, Radford

The senior collected 157 tackles, 27 of which went for loss, along with three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries for the Bobcats鈥� championship-winning defense that recorded five shutouts.

Davis was named Class 2 Defensive Player of the Year.

Defensive Back: Kwalei Carter, Patrick Henry

The junior tallied 92 tackles this season, as well as seven tackles for loss, three sacks, four pass breakups and two interceptions.

Carter earned a second team all-district nod for defensive all-purpose.

Defensive Back: Cade Lang, Lord Botetourt

The senior tallied five interceptions, seven pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and scored three defensive touchdowns, garnering first team all-region and all-district selections.

Defensive Back: Raekwan Blake, Jefferson Forest

Blake finished his junior campaign with five interceptions, returning one for a touchdown, and collected 61 total tackles, six pass breakups and three forced fumbles.

He received first team all-region and all-district nods.

Defensive Back: Darren McCoy, William Fleming

The 5-foot-8 senior broke up 10 passes and tallied four interceptions for a Colonels defense that averaged less than 17 points allowed per game and recorded three shutouts.

All-Purpose: JT Thompson, Christiansburg

The senior played inside linebacker, outside linebacker and defensive back for the Blue Demons, collecting 100 tackles, four forced fumbles, two pass breakups and an interception.

Thompson earned first team all-region and all-district selections.

Punter: Owen Sweeney, Cave Spring

The senior wide receiver and linebacker provided a spark for the Knights on both sides of the ball, but he also averaged 43.8 yards per punt on special teams.

Sweeney earned first team all-region and all-district selections as a punter, and signed to continue his football career at VMI.

Second Team

Offense

Quarterback: Simeon Moore, Magna Vista

Running Back: Trevor Gallimore, Pulaski County

Running Back: Tristan Overbay, Lord Botetourt

Running Back: Michael Melton, Fort Chiswell

Center: Ryan Coe, Salem

Lineman: Logan Candis, Jefferson Forest聽

Lineman: Preston Lonker, Cave Spring

Lineman: Christian Holland, Magna Vista

Lineman: Christopher Faulkner, Patrick Henry

Tight End: Phillip Radford, Floyd County

Receiver: Purcel Turner, Alleghany

Receiver: Sincere Taylor, Radford

All-Purpose: Tanner Evans, Christiansburg

Kicker: Cam McClendon, Jefferson Forest

Defense

Lineman: Slade Keesee, Jefferson Forest

Lineman: Alex Moorman, William Fleming

Lineman: Ricky Bailey, Radford

Lineman: Doniven Davis, William Byrd

Linebacker: Chris Cole, Salem

Linebacker: John Kiker, William Byrd

Linebacker: Shane Gibson, Glenvar

Defensive Back: Tequan Martin, Patrick Henry

Defensive Back: Jakari Nicely, Lord Botetourt

Defensive Back: Hunter DePriest, Alleghany

Defensive Back: Omarza Gray, William Fleming

All-Purpose: Rylan Swortzel, Floyd County

Punter: Chris Martin, Salem聽

Sizzlin鈥� Sophomores

Offense

Quarterback: Brody Dawyot, Glenvar

Running Back: Cooper Mullins, Glenvar

Center: Izaak Flannagan, Bassett

Linemen: Nate Hayes, North Cross; Elijah Hutcheson, William Fleming; Jerelle Carter Jr., Magna Vista

Tight End: Taygen Sanchez, Lord Botetourt

Receiver: Jaziel Hart, North Cross

All-Purpose: Izaiah Cotto, Christiansburg

Defense

Linemen: Jaiden Edwards, Christiansburg; Justin Barnett, William Fleming

Linebacker: Jovanny Gonzalez, William Fleming

Defensive Backs: Ja鈥橲haun Turner, Bassett; Eric Irons, Lord Botetourt; Jakyari Menefee, Bassett