The Triangle’s Best. Here is The News & Observer 2021 All-Area high school football team
Two players who helped their teams get to N.C. High School Athletic Association state championship games are The News & Observer’s high school football players of the year.
Rolesville quarterback Byrum Brown is the newspaper’s Offensive Player of the Year. Brown, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound junior, threw for 1,879 yards and 20 touchdowns. He ran for 603 yards and 10 touchdowns and was a finalist for the inaugural N.C. High School Heisman award.
Brown was offensive player of the year in the Northern Athletic Conference.
The Defensive Player of the Year is Cleveland’s Trey Robinson, a 6-foot, 220-pound senior. Robinson, a defensive end, had 59 tackles, of which 32 were tackles for a loss of yardage. He had 11 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He was part of a Cleveland defense that posted four shutouts and set school records for fewest yards allowed and fewest points allowed in a season.
Robinson set a school-record with 14 sacks as a junior and his 25 career sacks are also a school-record. He was the Greater Neuse 3A defensive lineman of the year.
The Coach of the Year is Rolesville’s Martin Samek. Samek led Rolesville to an unbeaten regular season and its first state championship appearance.
First Team Offense
QB: Byrum Brown, Rolesville, 6-3, 190, Jr.: Threw for 1,879 yards, 20 TDs; ran for 602 yards, 10 TDs. Northern Athletic offensive POY.
RB: Brock Biestek, Cardinal Gibbons, 6-2, 203, Sr.: Averaged 8.7 yards per carry (653 yards, 8 TDs). Had 419 yard receiving, 4 TDs; Georgeotwn recruit.
RB: Omarion Hampton, Cleveland, 6-0, 220, Jr.: 58 carries for 685 yards (11.8 yards per carry), 13 TDs. Had 1,055 yards total offense and 15 TDs. More than 20 Power 5 offers.
OL: Rylan Vann, Cary, 6-1, 275, Sr.: N.C. State commit didn’t allow a sack all year and had 14 knockdowns. Plus 29 tackles, 2 sacks on defense.
OL: Jessiah Henderson, Rolesville, 6-5, 305, Jr.: All-conference tackle has offers from Central Michigan, Alabama A&M, plus interest from NCSU, Appalachian State, Charlotte.
OL: Jackson Gardner, Leesville Road, 6-5, 300, Sr.: Shrine Bowl pick was a first-team Cap 7 all-conference pick
OL: Seth Phillips, Holly Springs, Sr.: Barton College recruit was a first team pick for the South Wake Athletic all-conference team.
OL: Timothy Hogan, Leesville Rd., 6-5, 283, Jr.: First-team CAP 7 all-conference pick paired with Jackson Gardner on strong Leesville Road line.
WR: Jonathan Streeter, Panther Creek, 5-10, 170, Sr.: 42 catches for 743 yards and 11 touchdown for the App State signee and Tri-8 offensive player of the year.
WR: Welsey Grimes, Millbrook, 6-3, 180, Jr.: CAP-7 offensive player of the year caught 44 passes for 868 yards and 13 touchdowns in eight games.
WR: Noah Rogers, Rolesville, 6-4, 180, Soph: 742 yards receiving, nine touchdowns and 822 purpose yards. Named Northern Athletic conference special teams player of the year.
ATH: Triston Spencer, Wake Forest, 5-10, 185, Sr.: caught 19 passes for 297 yards and a score; had 33 tackles on defense.
K: Owen Zalc, Green Hope, 5-9, 145, Soph.: Made 5-of-7 field goals and 14-of-15 PATs; also punted 21 times for a 36.4 yard average and averaged more than 55 yards per kickoff with five touchbacks.
KR: Jayshawn Middleton, Cleveland, 5-11, 165, Soph.: Averaged more than 35 yards per return and caught 48 passes for 615 yards.
First Team Defense
DL: Jeff McKnight, Panther Creek, 6-4, 235, Sr.: 59 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss and seven sacks for the Tri-8 defensive player of the year.
DL: Beau Atkinson, Leesville Road, 6-6, 235, Jr.: 34 tackles, five sacks for Atkinson this season.
DL: Chris Allen, Wake Forest, 6-4, 260, Jr.: Averaged 6.3 tackles per game; named the NAC 6 all-conference defensive player of the year. Allen had six sacks.
DL: Trey Robinson, Cleveland, 6-0, 220, Sr.: Two-time all-conference pick was Greater Neuse defensive lineman of the year.
LB: Jacorrey Bible, Rolesville, 6-3, 190, Jr.: 60 tackles, 13 sacks and three caused fumbles; named Eastern defensive MOP from the N.C. 4AA state championship game.
LB: Jabril McNeill, Sanderson, 6-4, 235, Sr.: Oregon recruit had 50 tackles, five sacks and 15 tackles for a loss.
LB: Max Hines, Wake Forest, 6-0, 205, Jr.: Had 65 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble for regional power.
DB: Anthony Jemerson, Leesville Road, 5-10, 165, Jr.: 22 tackles, five passes deflected.
DB: Judah Day, Cary, 5-8, 165, Sr.: In five games, Day had 26 tackles, 19 solo and two tackles for a loss. HE also had three interceptions adn three blocked kicks.
DB: Keyshawn Monk, Cleveland, 6-1, 185, Jr.: 67 tackles, three tackles for a loss, plus eight passes defended, two interceptions, three forced recoveries and a forced fumble.
DB: Christian Ruffin, Southeast Raleigh, 5-11, 185, Sr.: 42 tackles, two interceptions, plus 278 yards receiving. All Cap 7 pick.
P: Parker Liles, Garner Magnet, 5-10, 150, Jr.: Liles was a top-10 punter in North Carolina with a 41.4-yard average.
PR: Zay Jones, Panther Creek, 6-1, 185, Sr.: Averaged 13 yards per return; also had 450 yards receiving.
Offense Second Team
QB: Skyler Locklear, Cleveland, 6-0, Jr.
RB: Jaydon Brooks, Princeton, 6-0, 205, Jr.
RB: Mikey DiPasquale, Wake Forest, 5-11, 186, Soph.
OL: Jelan Greene, Clayton, 6-2, 300, Sr.
OL: Jake Crocker, Princeton, 6-5, 310, Soph.
OL: Adam Bowling, Apex Friendship, 6-4, 308, Sr.
OL: James Gartin, Cleveland, 6-0, 225, Sr.
OL: Jaquan Adams, Sanderson, 6-4, 295, Sr.
WR: Kyhlil Jones, Chapel Hill, 5-10, 150, Sr.
WR: Payton Bloom, Apex Friendship, 6-1, 175, Sr.
WR: Cyrus Rogers, Rolesville, 6-2, 170, Sr.
K: William Hardy, Knightdale, 5-11, 190, Sr.
KR: Syvion Taylor, Green Hope, 5-10, 170, Sr.
ATH: Zion Myers, Sanderson, 5-10, 205, Soph.
Defense Second team
DL: Anthony Mebane, Southern Durham, 6-4, 245, Soph.
DL: John Caramanico, Cardinal Gibbons, 6-1, 260, Sr.
DL: Donovan Spellman, Clayton, 6-3, 210, Jr.
DL: Daniel Iluyomade, Athens Drive, 6-1, 215, Sr.
LB: Hunter Morris, Cleveland, 6-2, 215, Sr.
LB: Nathan Johnson, Apex Friendship, 6-2, 205, Sr.
LB: Matt Gulley, Apex, 6-3, 220, Sr.
DB: Leron Sparks, Cleveland, 5-11, 170, Jr.
DB: Shawn Chappell II, Southern Durham, 6-2, 186, Sr.
DB: Bryan Pulley, SE Raleigh, 6-1, 181, Jr.
P: Bryce Beard, Southeast Raleigh, 6-0, 172, Sr.
PR: Jaxon Lucas, Garner Magnet, 6-2, 175, Soph.
This story was originally published May 27, 2021 at 6:30 AM.
