COVINGTON, Ga. –From Jay Cawthon’s first season as head coach of Eastside to Alcovy claiming its first ever region championship, there were a lot of firsts in the Covington area.
Therefore, the 2021 football season was filled with a lot of monumental moments for all four programs.
So, The Covington News compiled a list of players that makes up the 2021 All-Covington News football team.
Leading this list are four awards given to individuals whose play stood out from the rest.
Most Valuable Player
Dallas Johnson, Eastside
Death, taxes and Dallas Johnson rushing for over 100 yards in a single game. All three have turned out to be sure things, especially in 2021.
Johnson, who set Eastside football’s single season rushing record, had 100-plus yards on the ground in nine of the team’s 12 games this past season.
As a result, the senior running back accumulated 3,696 total yards and scored a total of 34 touchdowns for his career.
Region 8-AAAAA coaches voted him as Region Player of the Year for his stellar play, too.
Offensive Player of the Year
Logan Cross, Social Circle
This won’t be the first time this season Logan Cross is recognized as offensive player of the year. Region 8A-Public coaches voted him for the same honor a few weeks back.
And deservingly so.
Completing 61% of his passes. Cross threw for 2,213 yards and had 24 touchdown passes compared to only six interceptions.
Cross’ completion percentage, total yards and touchdown throws are the highest of any quarterback in the area.
Defensive Player of the Year
Nolan McCamy, Newton
The Newton Rams hung their hats on defense for the majority of 2021. It was a complete defensive unit to keep the Rams in striking distance during most of their games.
Though it was an entire unit, Newton’s defense was led by one man: Nolan McCamy.
McCamy led the team in tackles with 65 total and tallied two sacks while also collecting one interception to boot.
His contributions from his linebacker position earned him a spot on the Region 4-AAAAAAA First Team All-Region team, too.
Coach of the Year
Jason Dukes, Alcovy
Jason Dukes has been at the helm of the Alcovy football program for three complete seasons. Prior to his arrival in 2019, the Tigers were in a six-year drought for a playoff appearance, never advanced past the first round and never captured a region championship.
That changed for Alcovy this season.
On Nov. 6, the Tigers claimed the Region 3-AAAAAA championship after defeating Evans High School. They finished 5-0 in region play, too, and played Carrollton in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.
Alcovy also has gone to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2012-2013 seasons.
All of this has been accomplished on Dukes’ watch. That’s why Region 3-AAAAAA coaches also voted Dukes as their Coach of the Year.
Here are the all-offensive and all-defensive selections along with honorable mentions:
All-Offensive
QB: Ashton Evans (Alcovy)
RB: Tristan Mayweather (Alcovy)
RB: Kenai Grier (Eastside)
WR: Mathias Height (Alcovy)
WR: Marcus Calwise (Newton)
WR: K.J. Reid (Social Circle)
OL: Jalen Farmer (Eastside)
OL: A.J. Vinson (Social Circle)
OL: Desmond Page (Alcovy)
OL: James Amos (Eastside)
OL: Oro Avery (Newton)
All-Defensive
DL: MJ Stroud (Alcovy)
DL: Tahjae Mullix (Newton)
DL: Jaxon Ethridge (Social Circle)
LB: Christian Benson (Eastside)
LB: Tucker Cleary (Social Circle)
LB: Anthony Bynum (Newton)
LB: Levi Adcox (Alcovy)
DB: Phillip Baynes (Social Circle)
DB: Nicholas Benton (Newton)
DB: Jamel Johnson (Alcovy)
DB: Aeron Gresham (Eastside)
Honorable Mentions
Rodney Williams (Eastside)
Cole Shannon (Eastside)
Mason Moore (Social Circle)
Amarion Russell (Social Circle)
Rontravious Perry (Newton)
Audavion Collins (Newton)
Armani Russ (Alcovy)
Braxton Crawford (Alcovy)
Members of the 2021 All-Covington News football team were selected by a panel including Sports Editor Phillip B. Hubbard, Editor and Publisher Taylor Beck, News Editor Tom Spigolon and correspondent Garrett Pitts.
