By Chris McCarthy/Editor
By now, Toby Pee’s scrapbook for this past high school football season is no doubt running out of pages.
Pee must find room for yet another honor, however, as the Sardis High senior is the Player of the Year for the 2012 All-Messenger football team.
The 6’0, 180-pound halfback produced arguably the best all-round season by any running back in any of the six classifications in compiling 2,424 yards and 39 touchdowns from scrimmage. The 6’0, 180 pound halfback rushed for 1,829 yards and 31 TDs and caught 46 passes for 595 yards and six scores in helping the Lions to a 6-4 record and a berth in the Class 4A state playoffs.
Pee is a finalist for the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 4A Back of the Year award and was a first-team Class 4A All-State selection at running back. He also was a Class 3A first-team All-State selection in 2011.
Pee finished his three-year varsity career with 6,898 yards and 88 touchdowns from scrimmage – 5,494 rushing with 66 TDs, 1,381 receiving with 22 touchdowns and 23 passing with five TDs.
Pee is both a two-time region and Etowah County MVP and was The Messenger’s 2011 Player of the Year.
The Offensive MVP award went to Etowah junior Devin Horton. The dual-threat back racked up over 1,100 all-purpose yards in rushing for 758 yards and 11 touchdowns and catching 14 passes for 347 yards and two scores. Horton’s production helped the Blue Devils post a 7-4 record and a second straight trip to the Class 5A postseason.
Glencoe’s Blake Christian earned Defensive MVP honors after leading the Etowah County area in sacks for the second year in a row. The senior defensive end had 11 sacks to go along with 72 tackles (17 of which went for a loss), two fumble recoveries and a safety.
Coach of the Year honors went to Southside’s Marty Smith. Following a 3-7 record in his first season with the Panthers in 2011, Smith this year guided SHS to a 6-4 mark and finished a game out of the state playoffs. The Panthers’ six wins were the most for the program since 1993.
2012 All-Messenger football team
Player of the Year
Toby Pee, Sr., Sardis
Offensive MVP
Devin Horton, Jr., Etowah
Defensive MVP
Blake Christian, Sr., Glencoe
Coach of the Year
Marty Smith, Southside
First team
Quarterback
Jonathan Ford, Sr. Westbrook
Running back
Dantley Coker, Jr., Southside; Austin Mills, Sr., Coosa Christian
Receiver
Kailon Robeson, Sr., Sardis; Charlie Reed, Sr., Hokes Bluff
Tight End
Blake Devine, Jr., Southside
Offensive Line
Khalid Cannon, Sr., Gadsden City; Zach Dean, Etowah; Blaine Pruitt, Sardis; Ethan Lake, Sr., Westbrook; Austin Snyder, Sr., Southside
Defensive line
Jared Harris, Sr. Etowah; Finesse Middleton, Sr., Gadsden City; Tyler Dillashaw, Sr., Westbrook; Tyler Carr, Soph., Southside
Linebacker
Mason Brown, Soph., Glencoe; Zack Childers, Sr., Sardis; Eric Tucker, Sr., Etowah; Chase Pope, Jr., Hokes Bluff
Defensive back
Jay Duckett, Sr., Etowah; Devernon Marshall, Sr., Westbrook; Dylan McKee, Sr., Hokes Bluff; Dalton Reid, Sr., Glencoe
Punter
Daniel Otwell, Sr., Glencoe
Kicker
Austin Piazza, Sr., Gadsden City
Second team
Quarterback: Will Scott, Jr., Sardis
Running back: Thomas Ozmint, Soph., Glencoe; Dominick Pinson, Sr., Etowah
Receiver: Jared Shirley, Sr., Sardis; Austin Hancock, Sr., Glencoe
Tight End: Jackson Bogle, Sr., Gaston
Offensive line: Andrew Hoyt, Sr., Sar-dis; Matthew Watkins, Sr., Hokes Bluff; Lee Corey, Jr., Gaston; Chase Ingle, Sr., Westbrook; Cam Lancaster, Sr., Glencoe
Defensive line: Rodney Edwards, Sr., Gadsden City; Cedric Childs, Sr., Etowah; Dalton Gowens, Sr., Glencoe; Dalton Coker, Sr., Southside
Linebacker: Jordan McCartney, Sr., Westbrook; T.J. Posey, Jr., Gadsden City; Hunter Armstrong, Fr., Southside; Noah Click, Soph., Hokes Bluff
Defensive back: Jesse Hubbard, Soph., Sardis; Darrell Whatley, Sr., Westbrook; Xavier Caldwell, Sr., Etowah; Levi Weems, Jr., West End
Punter: D.D. Adkison, Sr., Gadsden City
Kicker: Chris Underwood, Jr., Westbrook