They say Augusta (and its surrounding CSRA neighbors) is a basketball town. That may be so, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of major high school football talent to go around.
Introducing The Augusta Press All-CSRA Football Team. It’s our first attempt at evaluating the best of the best football talent in our specific CSRA coverage area. For now, that includes Richmond and Columbia counties, as well as some further outliers such as Thomson, Burke County, Lincoln County and Washington County. We also try to reach a handful of South Carolina CSRA schools such as Midland Valley, Silver Bluff, North Augusta, Aiken and South Aiken.
Admittedly, due to limited personnel bandwidth, we are mostly concentrated on Richmond and Columbia counties for now. But we try to reach as far as we can when we can. We say that so as to ward off the notion that this is inclusive of every single CSRA locale. We know there will be some we miss just because we don’t have the bandwidth for that right now.
But for the area we attempt to cover, we give you what our staff believes is the best of the best. Congratulations to all of our area’s top players, teams and coaches or an amazing 2023 high school football season.
Let’s do it again in about eight months or so!
OVERALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
RB Traevon Dunbar, Sr., Midland Valley (S.C.): Dunbar’s stat line is absolutely crazy. He finished his senior campaign with 3,051 yards on just 272 carries. That’s an 11.2 yard-per-carry average to go along with 42 rushing touchdowns. Not only did his stellar play smash school and state records, but it helped Midland Valley to an undefeated regular season, first region championship in more than a decade and a 12-1 finish with a quarterfinals appearance in the SCHSL state playoffs. The 3-star prospect pledged his services to West Virginia during an Instagram reveal Wednesday afternoon.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
QB Jim Franklin, Jr., Aquinas: If we had an Iron Man award to give out, the Aquinas signal caller would’ve gotten that too. From pushing himself to bounce back from a devastating leg injury as a sophomore to popping a dislocated finger back into place between plays, Franklin was the epitome of toughness for the Fightin’ Irish, and as such, was the heart and soul of this playoff squad, especially given unfortunate season-ending injuries to key players. He was far and away the area’s leading quarterback, completing 68% of his throws for 2,692 yards while tossing 31 touchdown passes to just seven interceptions. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound junior also proved himself a bonafide dual-threat quarterback with his 587 rushing yards and nine scores on the ground. Franklin’s performance is sure to place him in the conversation of best returning quarterbacks in Georgia next season, regardless of classification.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
DL Jayden Fuller, Sr., Silver Bluff (S.C.): This was a hard one, because there were so many worthy candidates throughout the area. But the Silver Bluff linebacker and defensive end’s total body of work stands out. In 2023, Fuller accumulated 140 tackles, 25 for loss, along with seven sacks, one interception and a trio of forced fumbles and pass breakups. The 6-foot, 225-pound senior showed his versatility on defense lining up in both outside and middle linebacker positions and as a defensive end. The South Carolina All-State selection was also the Class AA defensive player of the year. A 3-star prospect, Fuller will play his college football at Division I Miami-Ohio next season.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
DL Jaden Wuerth, Aquinas: Cover up his class and just read his stat line, and you’d think you’re dealing with a senior on his way to some Division I football powerhouse next season. Now, take the cover off of his class, realize he’s just a freshman, and give your eyebrows permission to raise. Despite being fresh out of middle school, the 6-foot-2, 232-pound freshman looks and plays like a full grown man. Wuerth piled up 139 total tackles with 70 solo stops and 36 tackles for loss while also registering 14 quarterback sacks in his freshman campaign. Of course he’s first-team all-region and should get some all-state consideration as well. Scariest part for future opponents is he has three more years to improve.
BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR
RB Jenarion Kamga, Jr., Westside: Just a couple of years removed from the exploits of Xavier Green, Westside touts another standout running back in Kamga. The 5-foot-8, 175-pound junior showed flashes of brilliance as a sophomore with his 303 rushing yards, but 2023 was his breakout year. Kamga tallied 1,504 yards on the ground and 14 touchdowns this season while averaging 7.5 yards per touch. He showed off an impressive balance of burst and vision, and his performance in Westside’s offensive backfield was what kept the Patriots in many games in a 4-6 campaign that saw Westside just barely missing the playoffs. Kamga may very well be the leading returning rusher in the area for the 2024 season.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Earl Chaptman, Midland Valley: The CSRA is blessed with a multitude of solid football coaches, but Chaptman’s 2023 season stood head and shoulders above. In his third season at the helm, Chaptman took a program that, before last year’s 5-6 finish, had won a grand total of five games from 2017-2021, and made it a legit SCHSL Class AAAA state championship contender. Midland Valley’s 12-1 mark in 2023 was the first winning season for the school since 2015 when the Mustangs were one game away from a state championship. Midland Valley’s 2023 region crown was the first since 2010 and only the third in program history. And the 12 wins set a new high-water mark for wins in a single season.
Here are the rest of our All-CSRA performers in first and second team, All-Freshman and honorable mention groupings.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Jim Franklin, Jr., Aquinas
RB: Traevon Dunbar, Sr. Midland Valley
RB: Jenarion Kamga, Jr., Westside
WR: Braylon Staley, Sr., Thurmond
WR: Ka’Monta Durden, Washington County
WR: Jack Rhodes, Soph., Aquinas
TE: Jack Thexton, Jr., Lakeside
OL: Mason Short, Jr., Evans
OL: Ashton Mazone, Sr., Midland Valley
OL: Braydn Kesselring, Sr., Midland Valley
OL: Roderick Collins, Sr., North Augusta (S.C.)
OL: Chance Bush, Sr., Laney
ATH: Carl Holmes, Sr., Laney
K: Nate Nordeen, Sr., Thurmond
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Ethan Evangelista, Sr., Harlem
RB: Telly Johnson, Sr., Hephzibah
RB: Jevon Edwards Jr., South Aiken (S.C.)
WR: Elijah Evangelista, Sr. Harlem
WR: Buddyrow Garrer, Jr., Aquinas
WR: Ronderius Gray, Sr., Burke County
TE: Evan Phillips, Sr., Midland Valley
OL: Taylor Hart, Jr., Harlem
OL: Stephen Heard, Sr., Evans
OL: Brian Bailey, Sr. Hephzibah
OL: Jayden Thomas, Sr., Thomson
OL: Owen Adams, Sr., Burke County
ATH: Terrence Smith, Sr., South Aiken
K: Jack Stevens, Sr., North Augusta
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL Jaden Wuerth, Fr., Aquinas
DL: Nasan Houston, Sr., Cross Creek
DL: Jordan Boyd, Sr., Silver Bluff
DL: Josh Merriweather, Thurmond
LB: Jayden Fuller, Sr., Silver Bluff
LB: Brandon Lively, Sr., Burke County
LB: Andon Hawkins, Jr., Midland Valley
LB: Christian Crite, Jr., Lincoln County
DB: Dallas Carter, Jr. Augusta Christian
DB: Roderick Jackson, Jr., Thomson
DB: Storm Hunt, Sr., Thomson
DB: Tre Clarke, Sr., Thurmond
P: Wilson Donnelly, Sr., Augusta Christian
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL: Justin Barnes, Sr., Lakeside
DL Jordan Jones, Jr., Thomson
DL: Jaydon Eason, Sr., Silver Bluff
DL: TJ Jackson, Sr., Aquinas
LB: Copelan Thurmond, Sr., Aquinas
LB: Baylor Davis, Jr., Harlem
LB: Jacob Jackson, Sr., Evans
LB: Wes Michaelson, Sr., Aquinas
DB: Devin Hogan, Sr., Lincoln County
DB: Zyaire Douglas, Sr., Aquinas
DB: Jensen Brantley, Sr., Burke County
DB: Jamere Roberts, Sr., Thomson
P: Will Holder, Jr., Harlem
ALL FRESHMAN TEAM:
DL Jaden Wuerth, Aquinas
RB/DB Aaron Beard, Lincoln County
WR Mekhi Quiller, Aquinas
QB Carter Chavous, Augusta Prep
QB Brandon Wallace, Cross Creek
DB Vincent Carter, Jr., Laney
RB/ATH Lothan McBride, Richmond Academy
K Sam Amerson, Thomson
RB Jonathan Norman, Lincoln County
QB Andrew Barton, Richmond Academy
LB/RB Rod Anderson, Augusta Christian
HONORABLE MENTION: QB Quan Edmond, Sr., Thurmond; QB Jahkiaus Jones, Sr., Thomson; LB Deondre Baskett, Jr., North Augusta; DL Marcus Kohn, Sr., Hephzibah; RB Michael Doe, Soph., North Augusta; DB Semaj Jenkins, Sr., Lincoln County; LB Dominic Morgan, Sr., Midland Valley; WR Demarius Tolen, Sr., Thurmond; QB Corey Tillman, Jr., North Augusta; RB Beans Hunt, Sr., North Augusta; WR Cameron Nixon, Jr., Cross Creek; RB/LB Rayshaun King, Sr., Evans; RB Jeremy Richardson, Sr., Burke County; RB Preston McNair, Jr., Midland Valley; Aquinas; K Forston Partridge, Soph., Lincoln County; WR Antonio Heath, Sr., Hephizbah; K Tyler Wallace, Jr. Evans; QB Amare Clark, Sr.. Grovetown; DB Trent Thomas, Sr., Grovetown; QB Sean Vandiver, Soph., Burke County; WR Jakobi Jones, Sr., Glenn Hills; OL Garris Chambers, Jr., Silver Bluff; DL Nickolas Smalls, Jr., Westside; OL Christian Echols, Sr., Silver Bluff; ATH Javaris Harris, Sr., Laney; ATH DJ Daggett, Sr., Laney; WR Kasai Jones, Thomson; QB Cameron Beasley, Sr., Washington County; QB Mickenzie Atterberry Jr., Sr., Silver Bluff; LB Kamren Shaw, Soph., Washington County; DL Deantez Bacon, Butler; Andrease Garner, Sr., Butler; OL Hykeim Mickens, Sr., Josey; OL Kaleb Middleton, Sr., Laney; OL/DL K’Vaughn Boxton, Jr., Augusta Prep; QB Levi Murphey, Jr., Westminster Schools of Augusta.
