Orange Leader article on WRS winners

[AggiesAreWe]

Johnson, Hale win Smith Awards

Cody Pastorella
The Orange Leader

BEAUMONT — Beaumont Central’s linebacker Jacoby Hale and Silsbee quarterback Jeremy Johnson respectfully won the defensive and offensive Willie Ray Smith Awards at the Elegante Hotel on Thursday night, the 18th year for the event that honors the top high school football player from Southeast Texas.

Voters simply saw it like coaches and recruiters from the University of Utah and West Virginia University, which will be the future homes for the senior award winners.

Hale, who helped the Jaguars to the fourth round of the Class 4A playoffs in 2008 and the third round in 2009, finished out his final season at Central with 130 tackles including 15 for negative yards. He also had seven pass breakups and forced four fumbles, returning two for touchdowns.

For such efforts, Hale earned a scholarship to Utah, a Texas all-state selection, was named District 20-4A’s defensive-player-of-the-year, and ultimately became the first Jaguar to win either the offensive or defensive Willie Ray Smith Award.

Meanwhile, Johnson, who will be a Mountaineer this fall, took home the offensive award for his outstanding season in which he led Silsbee to a District 21-3A championship and to a second straight playoff appearance.

Johnson threw for 2,291 yards and rushed for 850 more on 173 carries. The elusive right-armed general compiled 19 touchdowns through the air and chalked up 15 more on the ground. He totaled 3,141 total yards with a combined 34 TD's.

He becomes the third Silsbee Tiger to win either award and the second to claim the offensive award. In 1994, Silsbee running back Jay McGuire won the offensive award and 10 years later, William Morrissey of Silsbee was given the defensive honor.

The other offensive finalists for the 2010 offensive award were Port Neches-Groves senior running back Caleb Harmon, Kirbyville junior running back LeFredrick Ford, and West Brook junior quarterback Bruce Reyes.

The other defensive finalists included PN-G senior defensive back Dre Dunbar, Kirbyville senior linebacker JaMichael Ervine, Lumberton senior linebacker Anthony Beard, and West Brook junior linebacker Collin Garrett.

Smith winners

Here are the past Willie Ray Smith Award winners:

1993: Dexter Hebert, Kelly

1994: Jay McGuire, Silsbee

1995: Jeffery Spikes, Burkeville

1996: Elihah Burkins, Thomas Jefferson

1997: Bryan Bock, Bridge City

1998: Offense: Chip Ambres, West Brook; Defense: Charles Sias, WO-S

1999: Offense: Beaux Daville, Orangefield; Defense: Rod Gulley, Newton

2000: Offense: Dustin Long, PN-G; Defense: Gayron Allen, WO-S

2001: Offense: Sean Yoder, Nederland; Defense: Jermaine Hope, WO-S

2002: Offense: Tony Eckert, Lumberton; Defense: Ricky Wilson, Lincoln

2003: Offense: Matt Peebles, Bridge City; Defense: William Bryant, Jasper

2004: Offense: Jamaal Charles, P.A. Memorial; Defense: William Morrissey, Silsbee

2005: Offense: Jamaal Charles, P.A. Memorial; Defense: Brain West, Ozen

2006: Offense: Kenneth Beasley, WO-S; Defense: Sean Weatherspoon, Jasper

2007: Offense: Micah Mosley, Nederland; Defense: Earl Thomas, WO-S

2008: Offense: Cody Hussey, Lumberton; Defense: Tramain Thomas, East Chambers

2009: Offense: Christian Micheal, West Brook Defense: Kevin Robinson, WO-S

2010: Offense: Jeremy Johnson, Silsbee; Jacoby Hale, Central

[Guest BKJ85]

Great article. It was on point.

[Speedkills]

There are some great players listed on that list and I forgot Jamal Charles won it twice