HobbsDailyReport.com
Nick Bazzle, head coach of North Lincoln High’s South Fork 2A championship football team, has been named the conference coach of the year.
BAZZLE
In voting of league head coaches released on Saturday by the conference, Bazzle won the award after guiding the Knights to an unbeaten league regular season at 7-0.
North Lincoln finished 12-2 after falling 30-27 in overtime at home on Friday night to Burns in the third round of the state 2AA playoffs.
Offensive Player of the Year went to Maiden’s Dylan Abernethy, a 6-foot, 165-pound wide receiver.
Middle linebacker Ethan Martin of East Lincoln (6-2, 235, Senior)won Defensive Player of the Year.
Junior Brandon Johnson of Newton-Conover (5-10, 170, Junior) was selected as the Specialist of the Year.
Maiden finished 9-4 and Abernathy had 65 catches for 1,135 yards and 17 touchdowns after 12 games.
Martin had 21 solo tackles and 121 assist for the Mustangs, who finished 8-4. He averaged 12.3 tackles per game and had five of East Lincoln’s 72 tackles for lost yardage this season.
In Newton-Conover’s 8-5 finish, Johnson had 38 catches for 662 yards and six TDs and added 36 solo tackles, 13 assists, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
As a kicking game returner, Johnson averaged 18.1 yards on kickoffs and 11.4 on punts and had 417 kick return yards.
North Lincoln led the all-conference picks with nine, Maiden and Newton-Conover each had eight and East Lincoln and West Lincoln had six each.
ALL-SOUTH FORK 2A FOOTBALL
(as voted on by conference head coaches)
Bandys: Josh Williams, Josh Ellis, Hunter Jones, Wayne Carroll
East Lincoln: Justin Barnett, Ethan Martin, Spencer Sinyard, Cole Barber, Paulie Menegay, Trent Smith
Lake Norman Charter: Jaden Goodman, Jeff Womack
Lincolnton: Dejaious Gash, Doobie Bryant, C.J. Borders
Maiden: Dylan Abernethy, Chris Morgan, Daniel Harris, Brennan James, Carson Hansley, Presley Poovey, Amarion Craig, Ethan Rhodes
Newton-Conover: Allen Wilfong, Brandon Johnson, Garrett Kurtz, Sakarri Moorison, Xavion Coulter, Justice Craig, Allan Shade, Zane Redmond
North Lincoln: Ty Williams, Jake Sorrus, Landson Beard, Joseph Elberti, Wyatt Painter, Sam Brady, Jacob Cline, Daniel Carter, Traavall Price
West Lincoln: Canon Bridges, Xander Pendergrass, Mason Huitt, Harley Scronce, Chandler Carpenter, Alex Hall
Offensive Player of the Year: Dylan Abernethy, Maiden
Defensive Player of the Year: Ethan Martin, E. Lincoln
Specialist of the Year: Brandon Johnson, Newton-Conover
Coach of the Year: Nick Bazzle, N. Lincoln