The 2015 All-Observer High School Football Team
Mallard Creek, the three-time N.C. 4AA state champion, sweeps the 2015 All-Charlotte Observer football player and coach of the year awards.
▪ Quarterback James Smith is the offensive player of the year. He threw for 3,346 yards and 35 touchdowns and he ran for 1,197 yards and 18 touchdowns. Smith is the first quarterback in N.C. history to win three straight 4AA championships.
Smith was offensive MVP for his team as a sophomore in the championship game. The past two seasons, he was the game’s overall championship MVP. In this month’s 49-6 win againstGreensboro Page in the state final, Smith threw for 172 yards, three touchdowns and he ran for 74 yards and a fourth score. Several times this season, he led the Mavericks on key drives to extend or win games, including in the N.C. 4AA semifinal when Mallard Creek rallied to beat East Forsyth in overtime.
▪ Mallard Creek’s Mike Palmieri is coach of the year for the second straight season after leading the Mavericks to a 14-2 record and third straight 4AA state championship. Mallard Creek is the state’s first team to win three consecutive 4AA titles and the second public school team from Mecklenburg Countyto win three straight championships. Independence won seven straight from 2000-06.
Palmieri’s team played one of the nation’s toughest schedules this season. The Mavericks facednational powers Butler, McDonough (Md.) and Byrnes (S.C.) in the regular season, navigated what is arguably the state’s toughest conference, the MECKA 4A, and entered the playoffs as a No. 6 overall seed in the west. In the playoffs, Mallard Creek had to win on the road on consecutive weeks, against No. 3 seed (Butler), No. 2 Hough and No. 1 East Forsyth.
In the final, Mallard Creek’s 49-6 win over Page was the third largest margin of victory in the 4AA championship game.
All-Observer First-Team Offense
QB: James Smith, Mallard Creek, 5-10, 181, Sr.: Three-time N.C. 4AA championship-winning quarterback threw for 3,346 yards, 35 touchdowns and rushed for 1,197 yards and 18 touchdowns. Back-to-back selection as N.C. 4AA state championship game MVP.
RB: Jaret Anderson, Charlotte Catholic, 5-10, 180, Sr.: Ran 314 times for 2,075 yards and 28 touchdowns. He had the game-winning touchdown in Catholic’s state championship win against Greenville Rose. In two seasons, Anderson rushed for 4,142 yards and 63 touchdowns. The career rushing yards rank No. 10 in Mecklenburg County history; the touchdowns rank No. 6.
RB: Cody Reece, Mount Pleasant, 5-9, 185, Sr.: Ran for 2,969 yards to lead all N.C. rushers by more than 500 yards. Had 30 touchdowns. For his career, Reece had 6,798 yards, 73 touchdowns and only seven fumbles in 1,123 carries.
WR: Myles Dorn, Vance, 6-3, 200, Sr: North Carolina recruit was MECKA 4A conference’s offensive player of the year. Set a single-season school record with 95 catches for 1,383 yards. Also had six interceptions on defense.
WR: Sage Surratt, East Lincoln, 6-2, 200, Jr.: Caught 97 passes for 1,734 yards and 25 touchdowns. Had eight 100-yard receiving games and nine with multiple touchdown catches. Has 3,688 career receiving yards and 53 touchdown catches.
TE: Thad Moss, Mallard Creek, 6-4, 260, Sr.: National recruit caught 58 passes for 885 yards and 13 touchdowns. Moss won his second straight state title this season. He won a championship at Victory Christian as a junior.
OL: Eric Douglas, Mallard Creek, 6-5, 290, Jr.: Anchor of an offense that produced more than 7,000 yards total offense. Major-college prospect is a two-time All- Observer pick.
OL: Nequan Hailey, Monroe, 6-1, 280, Sr.: Top blocker for offense that compiled 6,641 total yards, including 3,414 rushing yards. Also big run stopper on defense with 58 tackles and 14 tackles for a loss.
OL: Demontre Buckson, Rock Hill Northwestern, 5-11, 260, Sr.: Had 14 pancake and eight knockdowns for S.C. 4A champion and graded 93 percent. Buckson played center and guard for a team that averaged nearly 50 points per game.
OL: DeJour Simpson, Mallard Creek, 6-3, 320, Sr.: Anchored line that produced two 1,000-yard running backs and a 1,000-yard rushing quarterback. Two-time all-conference pick is a major-college recruit.
OL: Taleni Suhren, Ardrey Kell, 6-5, 290, Sr.: Wake Forest recruit graded out better tha 80 percent for the season and allowed just two sacks. Suhren was a N.C. Shrine Bowl pick.
SPEC: Chazz Surratt, East Lincoln, 6-4, 210, Sr.: N.C. Gatorade Player of the Year will play for North Carolina. Threw for 3,536 yards, 51 touchdowns; rushed for 1,345 yards and 15 scores. N.C. career total offense leader.
PK: Keith Duncan, Weddington, 5-9, 160, Sr.: Furman recruit is finalist for national kicker of the year . Duncan set N.C. record for most field goals in a season (22). He made five of 50-plus yards and 58-of-58 extra points. He also had 67 touchbacks on kickoffs.
KR: Cade Carney, Davidson Day, 5-11, 210, Sr.: All-state star averaged 30 yards per kick return and 33.4 yards per punt return. The Greater Charlotte Football Awards Player of the Year, Carney committed to Wake Forest. He rushed for 1,188 yards and 16 touchdowns in just eight games.
All-Observer First Team Defense
DL: Julian Okwara, Ardrey Kell, 6-5, 210, Sr.: Notre Dame recruit and N.C. Shrine Bowl pick had 80 tackles, nine sacks and eight quarterback hurries despite constant double teams.
DL: Connor Miller, Charlotte Catholic, 5-11, 225, Sr.: Had 110 tackles and 14.5 tackles for loss for the N.C. 4A state champion. Miller also had 13 sacks, four forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles and five pass break ups. Anchored defense that allowed 8.8 points per game.
DL: Logan Rudoph, Rock Hill Northwestern, 6-4, 225, Jr.: Major-college prospect had 60 tackles, 15 sacks, 13 quarterback pressures and 10 tackles for loss for the S.C. 4A state champion. He also had four forced fumbles and three recovered fumbles.
DL/LB: Miquille Bryant, Monroe, 5-9, 179, Jr.: Undersized defender led Observer-area N.C. players with a school-record 17.5 sacks. Bryant had 127 tackles, 42 tackles for a loss and helped his team win the N.C. 2AA state championship.
LB: Tharon Ingram, Mallard Creek, 6-2, 230, Sr: 122 tackles, seven sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception for the N.C. 4AA state champion. Ingram, a Shrine Bowl pick, was the Mavericks’ defensive MVP in this month’s 4AA state championship game.
LB: Xander Gagnon, Charlotte Catholic, 6-4, 222, Sr., LB: Had 152 tackles, including six for a loss, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery returned for a score. Two-time all-conference player and 2015 SoMeck Defensive Player of the Year committed to Duke.
LB: Josh Brown, Mallard Creek, 6-4, 215, Sr.: Florida State recruit had 130 tackles, 14 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, an interception and 12 quarterback hurries. Brown was a 2014 first-team Associated Press all-state pick.
DB: Ryan Jones, Mallard Creek, 6-3, 205, Jr.: Cornerback for N.C. 4AA champion shut down some of the state’s top receivers in regular season and postseason play. Jones had 25 tackles and six interceptions. Also one of the area’s top receives .
DB: Marquill Osborne, Hough, 6-0, 180, Sr.: Tennessee recruit was MECKA 4A Defensive Player of the Year after making 32 tackles, intercepting four passes and returning one pick for a score. Teams didn’t throw toward him often. On offense, he had 586 yards and five touchdowns receiving, .
DB: Desmen Robinson, Monroe, 6-3, 167, Sr.: Had 11 interceptions to lead all N.C. Observer coverage-area players. Had 15 pass break ups and three forced fumbles. Robinson has 22 career interceptions and averages 37 yards per punt return.
DB: Cedric Stone, Independence, 5-11, 170, Sr.: Southwestern 4A Defensive Player of the Year committed to Georgia State. Had 37 tackles, four interceptions and 10 pass break ups.
PR: Eric Gallman II, Mountain Island Charter, 5-10, 175, Jr.: Led all N.C. returners with a 24.4 return average. Ranked No. 7 in kickoff returns with a 32.7 average. Also had 73 catches for 1,202 yards and six touchdowns. Has 5.17 weighted grade-point average.
P: Austin Kent, Providence, 6-2, 210, Sr.: Averaged 47.2 yards per punt with a long of 70. Put 92 percent of his kickoffs into the end zone and hit two field goals of 53 or more yards.
Second-Team Offense
QB: Greg Ruff, Rock Hill South Pointe, 5-9, 175, Sr.
RB: Ryland Etherton, Belmont South Point, 6-0, 185, Sr.
RB: Jerry Howard, Rock Hill Northwestern, 6-0, 205, Jr.
WR: Jeremiah Miller, Sun Valley, 6-2, 185, Jr.
WR: Emeka Emezie, Marvin Ridge, 6-3, 195, Jr.
TE: Hank Tuipulotu, Fort Mill Nation Ford, 6-3, 225, Sr.
OL: Zach Mayo, Mount Pleasant, 6-3, 280, Sr.
OL: Jack Carter, Davidson Day, 6-5, 240, So.
OL: D’Mitri Emmanuel, Marvin Ridge, 6-3, 305, Jr.
OL: Alex Gourley, South Iredell, 6-1, 290, Sr.
OL: JaMykal Neal, Myers Park, 6-3, 290, Jr.
SPEC: Gage Moloney, Rock Hill Northwestern, 6-2, 200, Jr.
PK: Bryan Diaz, Monroe, 6-0, 205, Jr.
KR: Justice Woods, Community School of Davidson, 6-1, 180, Sr.
Second Team Defense
DL: Garrett Groulx, Davidson Day, 6-3, 240, Jr.
DL: Zach Gilbert, South Mecklenburg, 6-3, 251, Sr.
DL: Lance Moore, Weddington, 6-0, 215, Sr.
DL: Elijah Adams, Rock Hill South Pointe, 6-0, 235, So.
LB: Izaiah Thomas, Monroe, 5-11, 195, Sr.
LB: Tyler Pistorio, Providence, 6-2, 215, Sr.
LB: Nick Muse, Belmont South Point, 6-4, 220, Sr.
DB: Melvin Rouse, Charlotte Latin, 5-9, 175, Jr.
DB: Aapri Washington, Mountain Island Charter, 5-10, 170, Jr.
DB: Khalil Moore, Davidson Day, 5-11, 165, Sr.
DB: John Brannon, South Mecklenburg, 6-2, 170, Sr.
PR: Jalyn Cagle, A.L. Brown, 5-10, 200, Sr.
P: Jonathan McDaid, Ardrey Kell, 6-0, 180, Sr.
This story was originally published December 25, 2015 at 5:26 PM with the headline "The 2015 All-Observer High School Football Team."