Meet the players who made the All-Observer all-area HS football defensive team
Here are the players selected to the All-Observer high school football defensive team.
The All-Observer coach of the year is South Mecklenburg’s Joe Evans.
The offensive player of the year is Daylan Smothers of Chambers High.
The defensive player of the year is James Pearce of Chambers High.
(To see the All-Observer offensive team, click here)
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL: James Pearce, Chambers, 6-5, 220, Sr: Tennessee signee had 14 tackles for a loss plus 14.5 sacks. He had two safeties, nine pass breakups, two interceptions and three touchdowns.
DL: Dashawn Davis, Hough, 6-2, 268, Sr.: two-year starter who led Huskies in tackles with 74. He also had 27 sacks and 27 tackles for a loss.
DL: Santana Hopper, Shelby, 6-3, 250, Sr.: state champion finished with 82 tackles, 15.5 sacks plus more than 30 tackles for a loss. Appalachian State recruit.
DL: Eli Hall, Crest, 6-4, 275, Sr.: Shrine Bowl pick and Wake Forest signee had 45 tackles and was named Big South defensive lineman of the year.
LB: Jalon Walker, Salisbury, 6-2, 225, Sr.: Georgia signee had 142 total tackles, 32 tackles for a loss, two sacks, a safety and a score. Under Armour All-American.
LB: Torren Wright, AL Brown, 6-3, 220, Sr.: N.C. State signee was Greater Metro 4A defensive player of the year. Wright had 118 tackles, 13 sacks and had 10 Division I offers.
LB: Malaki Hamrick, Shelby, 6-4, 210, Sr.: UNC recruit was named MaxPreps’ NC player of the year. Had 132 tackles, 37 for a loss plus 19 sacks, a blocked punt and one defensive touchdown.
DB: Taivon Derisma, Chase, 6-0, 170, Sr.: had 12 interceptions, which was second in the nation, plus 44 tackles, five breaks ups and more than 700 yards receiving and six touchdowns.
DB: Gavin Gibson, Hough, 6-0, 210, Sr.: two-year starter finished with 41 tackles and five interceptions. Gibson blocked five punts and returned two interceptions for touchdowns.
DB: Isaiah Brown-Murray, Hough, 5-9, 170, Sr.: three-year starter had 39 tackles, three interceptions, one of which he returned for a score. Murray blocked three punts and had five kickoff return touchdowns.
DB: PJ Hopper, Shelby, 5-10, 160, Sr.: Hopper had 51 tackles and seven interceptions for the N.C. 2A state champs. He also had a blocked punt.
P: Bryce McFerson, Metrolina Christian, 6-1, 180, Sr.: Notre Dame recruit is a All-American who averaged 46 yards per punt and put six inside the 20. Rated the nation’s No. 1 punter by Kohl’s kicking.
PR: Keegan Moose, Mount Pleasant, 5-11, 175, Jr.: Yadkin Valley special teams player of the year averaged 33.1 yards per punt return and 25.4 on kick returns. He had 54 tackles, four interceptions on defense.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL: Christian Williams, Forestview, 6-3, 240, Sr.
DL: Nick Hall, Salisbury, 6-0, 305, Sr.
DL: Cody Hardy, Parkwood, 6-5, 250, Sr.
DL: Zarion Jackson-Bass, Chambers, 6-3, 225, Jr.
LB: Jaiden Reeder, Chambers, 6-1, 240, Sr.
LB: Keyaan Abdul Rahim, Providence Day, 6-0, 210, Jr.
LB: Steven Zayachowsky, Porter Ridge, 5-10, 185, Jr.
DB: Dewayne Gissendanner, Providence, 5-10, 185, Sr.
DB: Jeremiah Broady, Chambers, 5-9, 170, Sr.
DB: Jason Chambers, Butler, 5-11, 175, Sr.
DB: Darren James-Hamilton, Mallard Creek, 5-11, 175, Jr.
P: Jackson Moore, Marvin Ridge, 6-0, 160, Jr.
PR: Albert Fleming, Olympic, 6-1, 180, Sr.
