FPD takes top honors in GIAA All-State teams (Central Georgia selections, full teams)
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By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Celebrating a state championship isn’t the end of celebrations, nor is the end of the season.
FPD took home the GIAA Class AAAA trophy, and had the most selections on the GIAA Class AAAA All-State team.
Quarterback Jakhari Williams is the player of the year, and Brett Collier the coach of the year.
The GIAA has three classes for the regular season, and splits up Class AAA into another class, AAAA. So teams in the same region during the season compete on different levels for the postseason, as well as postseason honors.
For example, John Milledge competes with Mount de Sales, Stratford, Tattnall and FPD in region/district 6-AAA for the regular season, but stays in AAA for the playoffs while the other four move up to the for-playoffs-only AAAA.
JMA’s Javian Butts is the region/district offensive player of the year, while Williams took the 4A state honor.
Full all-state teams are here.
Williams finished 28th on MaxPreps’ listing of passing yards – many schools don’t update stats on MaxPreps – covering all associations with 2,117 yards, throwing for 23 touchdowns with only one interception, coming in the 44-24 AAA state title-game win over Brookstone.
The Syracuse signee also ran for 674 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Collier was named as FPD’s head coach for 2023 before the 2022 season, announced as Greg Moore’s final one as head coach. Collier became the second FPD head coach to win a state championhip in his first season in charge of the Vikings, joining Mark Farriba, who did so in 1985.
JMA’s Butts is Central Georgia’s leading rusher, and second among GIAA backs on the MaxPreps list, with 2,265 yards and 28 touchdowns. That’s good for sixth statewide for MaxPreps.
Record-setting running back Jordan Triplett of Frederica, who rushed for 3,172 yards and 41 touchdowns, is the AAA player of the year, and Valwood’s Brad Wells coach of the year.
Edmund Burke’s Grant Mobley is the AA player for the year, and his coach Andy Woodard is the top coach.
Central Georgia selections
Class AAAA
FPD: QB Jakhari Williams, Sr.; WR Carter Hays, Sr.; OL Ben Barton, Sr.; RB Hayden Aulds, Sr.
Mount de Sales: WR Lawton Hall, Sr.
Stratford: OL Griffin Moore, Sr.
Tattnall: OL Web Davidson, Sr.; RB Antone Johnson, Jr.; LB Rhett Dobson, Sr.; LB Thomas Union, Jr.
Westfield: LB Dean Massey, Sr.; QB Brayden Gay, Jr.;
Class AAA
John Milledge: RB Javian Butts, Sr.; DL Tyrecus Hrrison, Sr.; RB Bud Veal, Sr.; QB Kolt McMichael, Jr.; WR Jalan Butts, Sr.; TE Isaiah Womble, Sr.
Class AA
Central Fellowship: Christian Spielman, Sr.; Knox Walls, Sr.; Judson Walls, So.
Brentwood: LB Zach Denton, Jr.; FB Thomas Moye, So.; WR Drew Carter, Sr.;
Gatewood: LB Evan Bennett, Sr.; TE Lawson Wooten, Sr.; QB Ames Johnson, Jr.; WR Blake Callaway, Sr.; DB Hunter Johnson, Jr.
Piedmont: DB Mason Tumlin, Jr.; LB Silas Cowan, Jr.
Trinity Christian: Boots Vinson, Sr.; Wade Register, So., Cameron Shepherd, Jr.