Martin top lineman in conference
Andrews junior Drew Martin led the way for Smoky Mountain Conference football honorees in Cherokee County by being named Lineman of the Year.
Martin was a mainstay on both the Andrews offensive and defensive lines, helping lead a strong running game and arguably the best defense in the conference. Despite being undersized upfront, the Wildcats ran for 255.7 yards per game.
On the other side of the ball, Martin had a team-best 117 tackles, including 13 for loss, and led a defense that allowed just 15.4 points per game. That combination of a strong run game and an excellent defense allowed Andrews to put together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1966-67, which included a win over 1A state runner-up Mitchell as well as a win over county foe Murphy for the first time since 1981.
Joining Martin on the All-Conference team were his twin brother, Austin, and fellow junior Isaac Weaver. Austin was honored for his play at linebacker, where he had 60 tackles and often wreaked havoc in opposing backfields. Besides teaming up with his brother to form a fearsome defensive duo, Austin also ran for a team-high 1,202 yards and eight touchdowns.
Weaver was honored for his play at running back, finishing the season with 1,550 total yards and 12 touchdowns. He also played defensive back, and had nine of the Wildcats 15 interceptions.
Junior lineman Taylor Waldroup and sophomore lineman Dalton Rose were both named honorable mentions. Waldroup finished with 45 tackles and two sacks, while Rose had 48 tackles and four sacks
Murphy had eight All-Conference selections in seniors Juan Allen and Payton McCracken, and juniors Jonathan Hamby, Ty Laney and Will Johnson. Seniors Rylan Smith and Kellen Rumfelt, and junior Kyle Willard, were named honorable mentions.
Allen was a dynamic weapon on both sides of the ball, finishing with 1,137 total yards and 20 touchdowns on offense and four interceptions on defense. McCracken was the Bulldogs’ top receiver, finishing with 48 catches for 825 yards and six touchdowns.
Hamby was a strong piece on Murphy’s offensive line at center. He paved the way for running backs like Laney, who ran for a team-high 1,264 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Laney was a linebacker, alongside Will Johnson, with both always seeming to be around the ball. Johnson also played tight end and had 11 catches for 247 yards and a touchdown.
Rumfelt returned for his third season under center, throwing for 2,016 yards and 16 touchdowns while running for another nine. Smith and Willard were both solid lineman who helped the Bulldogs make their 12th straight Elite 8.