Jeff Linville | The News

Mount Airy’s Mitchell Brown kicks a field goal with a hold by Austin Taylor. Brown, an all-conference soccer player, was named the Northwest Conference specialist of the year for his kicking.

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Mount Airy’s Kelly Holder has won the Northwest Conference Coach of the Year Award.

South Stokes swept the offensive and defensive player of the year awards, but the Granite Bears earned the coaching award after winning 12 straight games and the conference title.

After opening the season with a loss, the Bears won out the rest of the season, including 7-0 in NW conference play. After a 19-7 win over West Stokes in King, the Bears really got on a roll. They won the last six league games with an average score of 37-8.

“Any individual award is a culmination of the team’s efforts,” said Holder. “I wouldn’t be getting this if we weren’t winning.”

He gave credit to his assistants for always taking care of their responsibilities.

He was especially thankful for how the coaches picked up the slack this season when his father became ill. Kelly and his brother Kevin were away from the team for a week with the funeral, and the coaching staff got the team ready to play that Friday.

The four local schools had some players in the running for the player of the year awards, but the Sauras took both.

Zack Singleton won his second-straight defensive player award.

Mount Airy’s Julius Coram could have been on the short list, but he missed some games at the end of the year with a serious injury.

“Julius just makes plays that others can’t,” said Holder. It hurt the Bears to miss him at the end of the season.

Also standing out on the defensive side were North Surry’s Katlin Sias, East Surry’s Christian Shinault, North Stokes’ Dillon Rogers and West Stokes’ Zach Manley and Brock Reynolds.

The offensive player award went to running back Jacquan Martin, who rushed for 2,066 yards and 32 touchdowns with an average of 9.4 yards per carry.

North Surry’s Blaze Acord was just behind Martin in both rushing yards, TDs and yards per average. Both backs are juniors and will be vying for the award again next year.

Also performing highly this season were North Stokes’ QB Garrett Wood and WR Matt Hopkins.

Wood passed for 2,605 yards and 21 TDs, while Hopkins caught 71 passes for 944 yards and 10 TDs. Wood also rushed for 260 yards and seven touchdowns and caught a 45-yard pass on a trick play.

Overall, the Bears had 10 selections to the all-conference team, five for each unit. Because several players went both ways, those 10 picks went to six boys.

Zaqwan Dobson, Darius Gwn, Isaiah King and Austin Taylor each made the offensive and defensive teams. Guard Benji Hicks made the offensive team, while linebacker Mason Timmerman made the defensive squad.

East Surry’s Jeremy Gilley also made both teams. He was joined on the offensive side by John Dickenson, Zach Koons and Andrew Millsaps. On defense, Gilley was accompanied by Shinault and Casey Marion.

North Surry had four players on each team.

For offense, Acord was joined by Shawn Dehart, Eric Gunter and Devin Pruitt. On defense, the Hounds were Sias, Dakota Goss, Tripp Miller and George Rumplasch.

For Surry Central, offensive lineman Nick Thomas made the first team for the third-straight year.

Soccer standout Mitchell Brown earned the special teams player of the year award for his job kicking for the Bears.

Brown was automatic on extra points, making 55 on the season. He also made nine field goals for 82 total points, or 5.9 per game.

Against Central Academy in the first round of the state 1A playoffs, Brown made two field goals and five PATs for 11 total points.

On kickoffs, he routinely booted the ball inside the 15-yard line and had seven touchbacks. He also showed his willingness to make a hit with three tackles.

“He only missed two extra points all season,” noted his coach. One was blocked, and the other was when his regular holder was out and there was a bobbled snap.

Defensive Selections

East Surry Jeremy Gilley, Casey Marion, Christian Shinault

Mount Airy Zaqwan Dobson, Darius Gwyn, Isaiah King, Austin Taylor, Mason Timmerman

North Stokes Dillon Rogers

North Surry Dakota Goss, Tripp Miller, George Rumplasch, Katlin Sias

South Stokes JJ Davis, Tanner Midkiff, Aarron Pentasuglia, Justin Rogers, Zack Singleton

West Stokes Austin Long, Zach Manley, Brock Reynolds, Anthony Wilding

Offensive Selections

Bishop McGuinness: Joe McNamara

East Surry: John Dickenson, Jeremy Gilley, Zach Koons, Andrew Millsaps

Mount Airy: Zaqwan Dobson, Darius Gwyn, Benji Hicks, Isaiah King, Austin Taylor

North Stokes: Matthew Hopkins, Garrett Wood

North Surry: Blaze Accord, Shawn Dehart, Eric Gunter, Devin Pruitt

South Stokes: Todd Gibbs, Jacquan Martin, Evan Scott

Surry Central: Nick Thomas

West Stokes: Jordan Evans, Rashard Witherspoon

Specialist of the Year: Mitchell Brown Mount Airy

Offensive Player of the Year: Jacquan Martin South Stokes

Defensive Player of the Year: Zack Singleton South Stokes

Coach of the Year: Kelly Holder Mount Airy

Honorable Mention

Bishop McGuinness: Greg Salomon, Reed Stahl

East Surry: Austin Johnson, Lucas Koons

Mount Airy: Zane Valentine, Garrett Vanhoy

North Stokes: Jordan Manuel, Dustin Smith

North Surry: Austin Barker, Josh Cox

South Stokes: Tyler Hawks, Dalton Lampley

Surry Central: Colby Chilton, JC Whitt

West Stokes: Grayson Cobb, Brett Whittington

Reach Jeff Linville at jlinville@heartlandpublications.com or at 719-1920.