Southwestern 4A all-conference football team announced.
Indian Trail Porter Ridge running back Jaylen Coleman and Rocky RIver linebacker Jaylon Sharpe head the 2018 Southwestern 4A all-conference team.
The team was voted on by conference coaches. The Observer’s all-star team will be released later this month. The I-MECK 4A and SoMeck 7 all-conference teams have already been announced.
Coleman, a Duke recruit, led the Pirates to the N.C. 4A semifinals. He ran 211 times for 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Rocky River’s Jaylon Sharpe repeats as league defensive player of the year. Sharpe had 127 tackles this season.
Porter Ridge’s Jared Wheatley was special teams player of the year. Wheatley averaged 48 yards per punt with a long of 64. He kicked off 88 times and 61 went for touchbacks. He was 63-of-67 on point-after-touchdown kicks and was 8-of-9 on field goals, with a long of 52.
▪ Garinger High’s Jeff Caldwell was named league coach of the year. In his first season, in 2017, Caldwell led the Garinger to a 42-0 win over Monroe Central Academy to end a 55-game losing streak, then the longest in the state.
This season, Garinger finished 3-8, winning the most games at the school since 2010, when the Wildcats finished 7-5. That was the school’s last winning season. From 2011-16, Garinger won one game.
| Coach of the Year | Jeff Caldwell | Garinger |
| Offensive Player of the Year | Jaylen Coleman, RB | Porter Ridge |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Jaylon Sharpe, LB | Rocky River |
| Special Teams Player of the Year | Jared Wheatley, K/P | Porter Ridge |
| Offensive Line | Korion Sharpe | Rocky River |
| Grayson Lewis | Hickory Ridge | |
| Tre Richburg | Butler | |
| Leo Arredondo | Butler | |
| Anthony Carter | Butler | |
| Will McDonald | Porter Ridge | |
| Chase Hagler | Porter Ridge | |
| Cole Cimino | Porter Ridge | |
| Juwan Truesdale | Myers Park | |
| Hayden Malchesky | Myers Park | |
| Running Back | Antonio Smith | Garinger |
| Jamal Worthy | Butler | |
| Quasean Holmes | Butler | |
| Jatoine Fields | Myers Park | |
| Quarterback | Grayson McCall | Porter Ridge |
| Drake Maye | Myers Park | |
| Wide Receiver | James Maye | Rocky River |
| Malcolm Bailey | Garinger | |
| Keyon Lesane | Butler | |
| Elijah Bowick | Myers Park | |
| Mushin Muhammad | Myers Park | |
| Shai Wheeler | Independence | |
| Tight End | Chris Bailey | Garinger |
| Sam Beeman | Porter Ridge | |
| Placekicker | Matt Dennis | Myers Park |
| Offensive Specialist | Logan Cruce | Hickory Ridge |
| Defensive Line | Kalil Alexander | Rocky River |
| Elijah Richardson | Garinger | |
| Toney Black jr | Hickory Ridge | |
| Traevon Freeman | Butler | |
| Raevon Freeman | Butler | |
| Davidson Carroll | Porter Ridge | |
| Jordan King | Myers Park | |
| Tyson Clawson | Independence | |
| Linebacker | Lawence Campbell | East Meck |
| Brian Greir | Rocky River | |
| Trey Purnell | Hickory Ridge | |
| Brandon Masone | Butler | |
| Dylan Burdette | Porter Ridge | |
| Jake Harkleroad | Myers Park | |
| Roe Chitwood | Myers Park | |
| Omar Zazueta | Independence | |
| Defensive Back | Zyone Easterling | Rocky River |
| LaShawn Audry | Garinger | |
| Chris Massey | Hickory Ridge | |
| Garrett Williams | Hickory Ridge | |
| Tyran Jones | Butler | |
| Trey Bly | Myers Park | |
| Cameron Roseman-Sinclair | Myers Park | |
| Zach Repak | Independence | |
| Punter | Jared Wheatley | Porter Ridge |
| Defensive Specialist | Zay Staten | Garinger |
This story was originally published December 8, 2018 at 5:14 PM.