All State 8-Player Football Athletes

JD McDonald
MHS | Senior | 8-player Football 1st team | Quarterback | Defensive back
2,297 Yards total ofense, 29 touchdown, 61 tackles

Head Coach Reed Anderson: “As a coach, having a two-year starter at quarterback is ideal and great. Having a three-year starter is even more so, and that’s what we had with Jaymac. He is a very athletic kid who required an opposing defense to respect his running and passing ability. Many times he was able to make plays with his feet that kept drives going. He had the confidence to know what play would work and would ask on a regular basis for those plays. He was valuable on special teams as almost every kickoff was a touchback, and was near perfect on his extra points. He was a tough kid and would get up hit after hit and just keep going.”

Robert Morrison
MHS | Senior | 8-player Football 1st team | Wide receiver | Defensive back
553 Yards total offense, 10 touchdown, 53 tackles

Head Coach Reed Anderson: “Robert is one of the most athletic kids to come through Monticello. He can do almost anything you ask him to. This ability also causes his track coaches to really think about his events because he could win almost any of them. His side-to-side speed was amazing to watch. He could run down kids all over the field. We never worried when he was in on defense because he could run them down and hit hard. Our scout team always claimed he was the hardest hitter. He bounced between receiver and running back, and even played a little quarterback in his time at MHS.  He has speed, power, and is very agile.”

Mason Atwood
MHS | Senior | 8-player Football 1st team | Offensive | Defensive lineman
2-year starter on offense, 81 tackles, 6 sacks

Head Coach Reed Anderson: “Mason is one of our most physical players. Doesn’t matter how big or tall he is, he is going to be physical and go hard play after play. These qualities made him an ideal offensive and defensive lineman. His aggression was unmatched on the team and something we relied on game after game. We knew we could run behind Mason because he was going to get after it no matter who was lined up over him. His intensity was infectious and it helped everyone on the team bring more energy. His qualities and personality made him the leader of our line and they mimicked him. He is a dawg.”

Zac Thayn
MHS | Senior | 8-man Football 1st team | Wide receiver | Linebacker
346 yards receiving, 6 touchdowns, 113 tackles, 4 interceptions

Head Coach Reed Anderson: “Zac is a kid that you hope your younger players idolize. He is a great team player and would play any position we asked him to. We moved him out to receiver this year and he studied all year long to know exactly what he needed to do. We asked him to play guard one game when we were struggling with injuries on the line and he did that with a smile on his face as well. As a defender he became our best sure tackler. He built on the previous year and was a consistent force for us, leading the team in tackles and interceptions. He would always make sure to take care of the younger kids and help them improve greatly this year as well.”

Thomas Fullmer
MHS | Senior | 8-player Football 1st team | Running back | Defensive lineman
522 Yards rushing, 6 touchdowns, 71 tackles, 18 tackles for loss

Head Coach Reed Anderson: “Thomas is a very versatile player. We could move him around quite a bit and he could be a threat anywhere we put him. He played a majority of defensive end this year and was very quick and strong off the ball. Later on we asked him to move to middle linebacker and he thrived there too. In a small school having versatile players is key as the injuries change from week to week. Thomas fit this profile. Even on offense, we asked him to play running back and receiver. He was also versatile on special teams. He was our long snapper as well as kick returner and then eventually punt returner.”

Joshua Hicks
MVHS | Senior | 8-player Football 2nd team | Wide receiver | Defensive back
72 yards/game receiving, 1.5 touchdowns/game receiving

Head Coach Brad Upshaw: “How do I encapsulate all this young man was for our program and for me as a coach? I’m not sure I can, but the word that comes to mind is ‘invaluable.’ During his football career Joshua was a great example of the effort and commitment it takes to be great. He was the role model we were looking for on and off the field. Josh wasn’t just a gamer for the Cougars, he was a leader, a scrappy defender, and exuded toughness through perseverance in all aspects of his life. Josh played any position we asked him to play, although I think he dreamed of making big catches.
“He played quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive guard, and center on offense. We listed him as a defensive back, but he also played cornerback, strong safety, free safety, line backer, and defensive end for us. Most importantly Josh is a good brother, a loving son, and a great teammate. We all appreciate Josh as a leader, a person, and as a brother because of his ability to connect with people. He led us with his voice, with his commitment to his responsibilities, and by the way he chose to play the game. The football field and Cougar fans will miss Josh. The respect and love that he’s receiving is well deserved. Invaluable.”

Landin Clark
WHS | Senior | 8-player Football 2nd team | Offensive | Defensive lineman

Head Coach Andrae Beard: “Landin is a prime example of a ‘student athlete.’ Throughout his whole high school career he never appeared on the ineligibility list. He always made sure his assignments were done. Landin was a part of the Raider football team for three years. Covid took one year away from him. He played mainly as a linebacker, but also as a running back throughout his career. He is a going kid, fast runner, coachable, and got along with his teammates. Landin always pushed himself and his teammates beyond their limits. He would constantly help bring up his younger teammates and help coach them when we needed it. This year, he stepped up and lead the team as a captain. He has a lot of talent and is an awesome kid. We’re going to miss him next year.”

Chandler Henderson
MHS | Senior | 8-player Football 2nd team | Offensive | Defensive lineman
51 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 4 sacks

Head Coach Reed Anderson: “I love having a kid like Chandler on the team. We asked him early in the summer to change positions from receiver to center. We had a big hole to fill and we knew that he could do it. He never hesitated and became a constant force in our offense. There were many games where he never came off the field for even one play. He would finish and have no energy left; he left it all on the field. It was a quality that played a huge role in his success as he transitioned to the most opposite offensive position. His dedication and effort show how he was able to become one of the most well-respected linemen in the league despite never having played that position.”

Tavon Black
MHS | Junior
8-player Football 2nd team | Running back | Linebacker
502 rushing Yards, 143 Receiving yards, 8 total Touchdowns, 86 Tackles

Head Coach Reed Anderson: “Tavon early and put more and more on his shoulders as the year wore on. He was our best kid who was in the weight room every day for the last three years. He is strong, fast, and quick. He became our best strong runner and could get down the field before you blinked.  Later in the year we moved him to kick returner and right away he returned a few kicks for touchdowns. He loves having the ball in his hand. He is a tough kid, and will keep going no matter what. He played the state championship game on a broken foot. I’m excited to have him for another year.”