16-4A BOYS ALL-DISTRICT | Kilgore’s Sanders MVP; district champ Chapel Hill takes several superlatives

In boys basketball this year in District 16-4A, Chapel Hill won the district title, and the Kilgore Bulldogs took them to the very end. In fact, the two teams split their two season meetings. Kilgore would go into the playoffs as the No. 2 seed from the district.

And the overall district most valuable player? None other than Kilgore’s own Jayden Sanders, a senior who – unless you live in a cave – you know is headed to the University of Michigan, where he’ll continue his education and his football career.

Joining Sanders in the superlative awards for the 16-4A All-District Team: Chapel Hill’s Marquis Collins was named the offensive MVP, and teammate Jorden Ford the defensive MVP. Pine Tree’s Darron Pair was named newcomer of the year, and Chapel Hill’s Isiah Mayfield the sixth-man of the year.

The coaching staff of the year, led by Akimba Johnson, went to Chapel Hill.

First team all-district

For Kilgore, Javon “JT” Towns, a senior, was named first-team all-district, and joining him were Henderson sophomore Brailon Walker; Gilmer senior Brady McCown; Carthage junior Jay Lewis and sophomore Colt Vickery; Cumberland Academy junior Timorian Simmons; Chapel Hill seniors Trevor Brooks and Jordyn Bradshaw; Pine Tree senior Jaeden Williams and sophomore Decorian Dietz; and Spring Hill junior John Harris.

Second-team all-district

Juniors Brayden Woods and Kayson Brooks of Kilgore were both named second-team all-district.

Others on the second team were Henderson senior Trevor Kind; Gilmer junior Jaden Holladay and junior Abram Sims; Spring Hill senior Bryan Seale and sophomore Bridge Martin; Pine Tree seniors Kalil Deckard and Jordan Taylor and junior Trent Fowler; Chapel Hill senior Demetrius Brisbon and sophomore Anthony Smith; and Cumberland Academy senior Ahmad Farrah.

Honorable mention all-district

Henderson’s honorable mention selections were senior La’Kelton Freeney, junior Vince Howard, junior Griffin Antunes and sophomore Ayden Perry. For Kilgore, chosen for honorable mention: senior Cooper Shipman, and juniors Brayden Williams, Bi’syn Williams, and Dre’ Sanders.

Gilmer senior Noah Kaunitz was named honorable mention, as were Spring Hill sophomores Hudson Bartell, Jacolen Jackson and Keilan Logan; Carthage senior Leo Brown, sophomore Bryston Price, and freshmen Kaden Goedon and Jace Harris; Pine Tree seniors Brandon Smith, Joshua Fuller and Trevion Nafrady; and Cumberland Academy seniors Brandon Estrada, Pedro Sarmiento and Jake Manalac, and sophomore Angel Price.

On the academic all-district team for Kilgore: Kayson Brooks, Wylie Mitchell, Donovan Rider, Dre’ Sanders, Jayden Sanders, Cooper Shipman, Javon Towns and Brayden Williams.

For Henderson: Kind, Howard, Antunes, Ayden Perry, and Justin Howard.

For Gilmer: Taj Manson, Kaunitz, Abram Sims, McCown, and Braylunn Upchurch.

For Carthage: Vickery, Landon Hodges, Matthew Richter and Jay Lewis.

Cumberland: Price, Josue Shareef, and Kendrick Abbey.

Pine Tree: Nafrady, Dietz, Fowler, Colton Croft, Pair and Josiah Washington.

For Spring Hill: Bridge Martin, John Harris, Ayden Quackenbush, Bryan Seale, Keilan Logan, and Hudson Bartell.

And Chapel Hill: Ryder Steele, Malik Gee and Jeremy Harper.