Big South Conference hands out football awards

The Big South 3A Conference co-champions and the team that gave eventual state champion South Point its biggest playoff scare earned the league’s top postseason awards.

South Point quarterback Josh Justice was named offensive player of the year, Ashbrook defensive end/linebacker Norkeithus Otis was selected defensive player of the year, Forestview kicker Matthew Florence was tabbed special teams player of the year and Forestview’s Chris Medlin was named coach of the year, the Big South announced Monday.

The awards were voted on by the league’s head coaches after the regular season and before the state playoffs began.

Justice led South Point to the regular-season co-championship with Forestview, averaging 129.2 rushing yards and 52.5 passing yards in six conference games. The 6-foot, 190-pound senior rushed for six touchdowns and passed for four in league action, helping South Point’s triple-option offense average 36.5 points and 389 yards against its conference opposition.

“He was a big difference-maker for us,” South Point coach John Devine said. “He made everything happen for us. Just like every quarterback in the past, he had the big leadership role. He was an outstanding football player for us this year. There’s no telling where we’d be without him.”

For the full season, Justice rushed for 1,910 yards and 22 TDs while passing for 811 yards and nine scores, helping South Point march to the 3AA state title and finish 14-2. Justice has drawn recruiting interest from Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill and Davidson.

The Red Raiders nearly didn’t escape from a first-round playoff struggle against Ashbrook thanks in large part to Otis. The 6-foot-3, 198-pound junior led a defense that shut out two opponents and had South Point on the ropes before falling 21-14 in a first-round overtime thriller. Otis and the Green Wave held South Point to a season-low 204 yards that night.

Otis led Ashbrook with 109 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. He forced four fumbles and recovered one.

“His motor never quits,” Ashbrook coach Mike Briggs said. “He’s a fantastic young man. He really is. We’re fortunate that he plays for Ashbrook because he knows how to play the game.”

Otis has become a major Division I prospect, drawing offers from South Carolina, Florida, N.C. State, Maryland, Duke, East Carolina and Clemson.

Florence booted four field goals, covering distances of 23, 38, 21 and 31 yards. More than 85 percent of his kickoffs sailed into the end zone for touchbacks. He kicked the game-winning field against Crest for the second straight year and nailed the game-winning extra point against South Point. He also threw a TD pass in a non-conference game against East Gaston and averaged 35 yards per punt.

Medlin coached Forestview to its best season in school history, leading the Jaguars not only to a school-record 10 wins but also their first playoff win in nine tries.

The Jaguars beat South Point for the first time in 11 attempts, paving the way for the school’s second conference title and first since 2001. Forestview later lost to Ashbrook and had to settle for a shared title with South Point.

Still, a co-title was much more than was expected. Forestview was projected sixth in the Big South preseason coaches’ poll after losing its top rusher and leading tackler from last year’s 8-4 team that went 5-1 in the Big South.

Fifty-eight players including Justice, Otis and Florence made the all-conference team. In addition to the player-of-the-year awards, co-champions Forestview and South Point placed 11 each on the team. Ashbrook, Crest and Hunter Huss each had eight all-conference selections after tying for third. Sixth-place Kings Mountain placed five on the team while seventh-place North Gaston put four.

You can reach Phillip Gardner at 704-869-1843.

All-Big South 3A Conference team

Offensive player of the year — Josh Justice, QB, South Point

Defensive player of the year — Norkeithus Otis, DE/LB, Ashbrook

Special teams player of the year — Matthew Florence, K, Forestview

Coach of the year — Chris Medlin, Forestview

All-conference team

Trevor Austin, K, Crest

Torrey Belcher, LB, Kings Mountain

Zeek Bigger, LB, Ashbrook

Joey Blake, LB, Hunter Huss

Alex Bradshaw, DB, Forestview

Jonathon Bullard, DL, Crest

Neil Chambers, RB, Crest

McKenzie Cook, OL, Forestview

Tydre’ Crawford, FS, South Point

Michael Crosby, NG, Crest

Aaron Crumbley, FB, South Point

Cy Davis, WR, Forestview

Lachay Duncan, S, Ashbrook

Maurice Falls, DL, South Point

Trey Funderburke, LB, Kings Mountain

Ridge Garvin, RB/DB, Hunter Huss

Jontavian Hall, DE/WR, Hunter Huss

Darion Hancock, RB, Forestview

Edward Hopper, DL, Kings Mountain

Ontario Hopper, DL, Ashbrook

Patrick Horne, LB, South Point

Tyler Humphries, WR, North Gaston

Austin Hunt, LB, Crest

Christian Insley, LB, Ashbrook

Brian Jackson, LB, Ashbrook

Daniel Jeffers, LB, North Gaston

Xavier Jeffries, FS, Kings Mountain

Kevin Jeter, RB, Forestview

Max Johnson, LB, North Gaston

Jordan Kagen, OL, South Point

Jeffrey Lawing, OL, South Point

Joseph Laye, WR, North Gaston

Rhaheim Ledbetter, FS, Crest

Troy Leeper, DL, South Point

Roderick Lindsay, LB, Forestview

Chris Love, LB/FB, Hunter Huss

Scott McWhirter, RB, South Point

Menjay Melsior, LB, Forestview

Shane Merrill, WR, South Point

Chris Miller, OL, Crest

Randy Nguyen, OL, Hunter Huss

Justin Shempert, FS, Ashbrook

J.T. Stillwell, WR, Hunter Huss

Brandon Stowe, DB, Forestview

Jawan Taylor, DB, Forestview

Jordan Toomer, RB, Ashbrook

Brent Walden, OL, South Point

Preston Watts, RB, Ashbrook

Jonathan White, QB, Forestview

Reggie Wilkins, QB, Crest

Jawan Williams, WR/DB, Hunter Huss

Marshall Williams, QB, Hunter Huss

Rod Williams, LB, South Point

Josh Wright, OL, Forestview

Terrance Young, WR, Kings Mountain