Six superlatives highlight over a dozen Bulldogs named to All-Region 4-A Team
Mr. Football Finalist Nate Adams is MVP
CELINA-A total of six superlatives highlighted a long list of Clay County Bulldogs honored when the All-Region 4-A Football Team was announced last week.
Not only did senior two-way star Nate Adams learn he had been named one of three Class A Mr. Football Finalists, but he also found out he was anointed the best player in his league, when he was named the unanimous Region 4-A MVP.
Joining him with superlative honors were Offensive MVP Nolan Adams and Defensive MVP Reece Adams—both juniors, along with a pair of seniors—Skill Player of the Year Lance Burchett and Special Teams Player of the Year Manny Hernandez.
In addition, Clay County assistant Mike Dickerson was named the conference’s Defensive Coach of the Year.
Besides the half-dozen superlatives, a total of eight other players made the All-Region 4-A Team.
Seniors Worm Smith, Hayden Adams, and Ayden Soto; juniors Kolton Brown, Waylon Cherry, Cole Eads, and Bryson Sharp; and sophomore Roland Holaway were awarded all-region honors.
Nate Adams set new career records for both Bulldog quarterbacks (7,586 yds./89 TDs) and defensive backs (31 INTs), and he also set new single-season passing records this year (3,553 yds./43 TDs).
He joins Whitwell’s Bennett McDougal and Mckenzie’s Tate Surber in contention for the Mr. Football award, which will be handed out at an awards luncheon at Nissan Stadium next Tuesday, December 10.
Burchett set a new single-season bar for receiving yardage with 1,499 yards (14 TDs), while Nolan Adams broke the Bulldog single-season receiving touchdown record with 19 and totaled 1,275 yards.
Reece Adams’ 135 tackles also serves as a program record for a season, while Hernandez made 48 extra points and a field goal this year.
Smith recorded 90 tackles as Clay County’s second-leading tackler, and Hayden Adams made 66 stops and led the team in sacks.
Soto finished as the team-leader in rushing yardage (766 yds./8 TDs), while Brown, Cherry, Eads, Sharp, and Holaway also had good years on both sides of the ball.
The awards come after the Dawgs’ completed an impressive 10-3 season and made only the program’s third-ever State Quarterfinal appearance this year.
They also beat Gordonsville to claim their second-ever Region 4-A Championship in 2024.