The Fannin County Rebel football team was recently recognized for making the 7AA All Region Team. The Rebels have put together a very successful season, stringing together 10 straight wins, a season that has got the attention of Georgia High School Football Daily (GHSFD), who named the Rebels their Team of the Week in the entire state of Georgia in a ceremony Wednesday, December 9. Ted Langford, from the GHSFD said, “There are more than 400 high schools in the state of Georgia and we review all the games across the state to determine which team had the biggest win from the previous weekend. It is my honor and privilege to present the State Team of the Week Award to the Fannin County High School Football Rebels.”
Fannin Head Coach Chad Cheatham said, “I want to say thank you to this team and what they have done and the way they have made history.” Cheatham continued by thanking the coaching staff saying, “These are the men that really make it happen. What they have done with these kids not only on the field but off the field, the way they mentor and love them, is the reason that this kind of stuff happens. I want to tell you (team) I love you, Fannin County we love you, we thank you, and we need you this Friday night.”
Award winners are:
• Chad Cheatham: 7AA Region Coach of the Year
• Chris Thigpen: 7AA Assistant Coach of the Year
• Luke Holloway: 7AA Region Offensive Player of the Year. Holloway has 117 rushing attempts for 780 yards and nine rushing touchdowns, 118 passing completions for 1,848 yards and 26 touchdowns.
• Micah O’Neal: 7AA Defensive Player of the Year. O’Neal collected 61 solo tackles, 27 assists, 18 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, four sacks, nine hurries, two forced fumbles, one scoop and score and one tackle for a safety.
Jalen Ingram, Cohutta Hyde and Seth Reece made the 7AA First Team All Region. Ingram has 40 catches for 686 yards and 10 touchdowns. Hyde has 27 catches for 550 yards and 12 touchdowns. Hyde also has three interceptions, five pass deflections and averages 21.7 yards per punt return. Reece has 63 carries for 429 yards and nine touchdowns, and 22 receptions for 231 yards. Defensively Reece has 26 total tackles and three interceptions.
Rebel Linemen Mason Bundy, Ricardo Arellanes made the 7AA First Team All Region, and Dylan Collins made Second Team All Region. Fannin’s offensive line helped account for 3,725 total yards this season. Andre Bivens was also named to Second Team All Region.
Defensively, Dalton Ross, Cason Owensby, Carson Collis and McCay Turner made the 7AA First Team All Region Defensive Team. Ross has 36 solo tackles, 16 assists and 9.5 sacks. Owensby has 54 solo tackles, 32 assists, 13 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and one forced fumble. Carson Collis has 15 solo tackles, 13 assists, three interceptions, one forced fumble and nine pass break ups. McCay Turner has 18 solo tackles, 27 assists, nine tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, two sacks, one hurry and one pass break up.
Logan Long, Andrew Waldrep, James Mercer and Jake Sands made the 7AA Second Team All Region. Long had 22 solo tackles and 20 assists, while Waldrep had 39 solos, 22 assists, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interceptions and one forced fumble.
Mercer has 14 tackles, 13 assists, 10 pressures and four sacks. Sands has 20 solos, 20 assists, one interception for touchdown, two interceptions, three tackles for loss, and three pass break ups.
Honorable mentions include: Chris Scott, Brayden Foster, Caleb Postell and Jack Kantner.