HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Dixon named Player of the Year; Matney honored as COY

Belfry all-state running back Isaac Dixon questioned his decision to return for another year of football midway through the high school football season.

The Pirates were 0-5 for the first since 1947 and the chances of getting an opportunity to play for another state championship were slipping away.

Not so fast!

He was a key element in Belfry’s second-half resurrection as the Pirates won nine of the final 10 games, including a 33-28 win over Paducah-Tilghman in the Class 3A title game.

The win capped off the biggest turn around in program history.

Dixon, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound senior, ranked third in the state with 1,986 rushing yards and rushed for 29 touchdowns on 196 carries, including 376 yards and five touchdowns in his final curtain call.

He was named as the Mountain Top Sports Player of the Year on Tuesday, leading an elite group of outstanding players.

Johnson Central and University of Kentucky signee Grant Bingham captains the All-Area first team offense. He helped the Eagles return to the Class 4A championship.

Phelps defensive standout and senior Landon Dotson captains the first team defense. He was among the state’s top tacklers.

Martin County senior running back Kolby Sparks was chosen as captain of the second-team offense while Paintsville senior Matt Davis leads the second-team defense.

Late Johnson Central coach Jim Matney was named Coach of the Year for his lifelong impact on high school football in eastern Kentucky. He passed away from complications from COVID.

Here are the Mountain Top Sports all-area football teams:

Coach of the Year: Jim Matney, Johnson Central

Player of the Year: Isaac Dixon, Sr., Belfry

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

QB – Isaac McNamee, Sr., Pikeville

QB – Carson Adams, Sr., Letcher Central

RB – Blake Birchfield, Jr., Pikeville

RB – Zack McCoart, Fr., Johnson Central

RB – Harris Phelps, Jr., Paintsville

RB – Jayden Newsome, Jr., Shelby Valley

OL – Grant Bingham, Sr., Johnon Central (Capt.)

OL – Logan McCoy, Sr., Belfry

OL – Owen Lemaster, Sr., Johnson Central

OL – Mason Salyers, Jr., Pikeville

OL – Alex Bowen, Sr., Martin County

OL – Peyton Salyers, Jr., Pikeville

TE – Cameron Hensley, Sr., Belfry

WR – Aden Barnett, So., Magoffin County

WR – Zac Lockhart, Sr., Pikeville

WR – Nicholas Haning, Sr., Letcher Central

WR – Brady Robinson, Jr., Betsy Layne

ATH – Chase Mims, Sr., Betsy Layne

ATH – Russ Osborne, So., Shelby Valley

ATH – Tayvian Boykins, So., Pike Central

K – Aaron Chang, So., Pikeville

FIRST TEAM

DEFENSE

DL – Zack Savage, Sr., Belfry

DL – Landon Dotson, Sr., Phelps (Capt.)

DL – Landon Hammock, Sr., Pikeville

DL – Bryston Wells, So., Martin County

LB – Hayden Brashear, Sr., Letcher Central

LB – Caleb Lovins, Jr., Shelby Valley

LB – Mason Lemaster, Sr., Johnson Central

LB – Luke Ray, Jr., Pikeville

LB – Carter Akers, Sr., Prestonsburg

DB – Zayne Hatfield, Sr., Belfry

DB – Ryleh McKenzie, Sr., Johnson Central

DB – Austin Allen, Jr., Paintsville

P – Jonah Little, Jr., Letcher Central

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

QB – Lucas Litteral, Sr., Magoffin County

QB – Dylan Burdine, Jr., East Ridge

RB – Kolby Sparks, Sr., Martin County (Capt.)

RB – Matt Anderson, Jr., Pike Central

RB – Blue Fletcher, Sr., Lawrence County

RB – Dawson Mills, Jr., Martin County

OL – Parker Preece, Sr., Paintsville

OL – Shawn May, Sr., Pike Central

OL – Gavin Branham, Sr., Shelby Valley

OL – Dylan Boner, Jr., Johnson Central

OL – Brady Clark, Sr., Pikeville

OL – Christan Griffith, So., Letcher Central

TE – Grant Scott, Jr., Pikeville

WR – Shawn Howell, Sr., Betsy Layne

WR – Isaiah Adkins, Jr., East Ridge

WR – Wade Hensley, Jr., Pikeville

WR – Brady Bentley, So., Shelby Valley

ATH – Matt Crum, Sr., Johnson Central

ATH – Alex Strickland, Sr., Lawrence County

ATH – Bryson Locklear, Sr., Phelps

K – Sawyer Crum, Jr., Johnson Central

SECOND TEAM

DEFENSE

DL – Matt Davis, Sr., Paintsville (Capt.)

DL – Jacoby Thornsbury, Sr., Pikeville

DL – Kenzeth Ratliff, Sr., Phelps

DL – Shawn May, Sr., Pike Central

LB – Keaton Day, Jr., Letcher Central

LB – Dylan Ferguson, Jr., Lawrence County

LB – Curtis Jenkins, Fr., Magoffin County

LB – Devin DeRossett, Jr., Pikeville

LB – Carson Wright, Jr., Pikeville

DB – Blake Adams, Jr., Floyd Central

DB – Grant Rice, Sr., Johnson Central

DB – Ethan Bentley, Sr., Shelby Valley

DB – Sam Wright, So., Pikeville

P – Zach Taylor, Sr., Paintsville

SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION

Zach Taylor, Paintsville; Jesse McCoy, Johnson Central; Dalton Caudill, East Ridge; Dylon Williams, Betsy Layne; Ethan Jarvis, Prestonsburg; Lucas Wyatt, Johnson Central; Brenden Whetsel, Shelby Valley; Brayden Standifer, Magoffin County; Chris Meek, Johnson Central; Frederick James, Paintsville; Reese Music; Dre Young, Belfry; Brad Howell, East Ridge; Brayden Spears, Belfry; Xavier Rogers, Pike Central; Jordan Ratliff, Shelby Valley; Logan Reed, Pikeville;

B.J. Peterson, Floyd Central; Brad Standifer, Magoffin County; Koby Johnson, Letcher Central; Kaden Gillispie, Lawrence County; Jake Varney, Belfry; Billy Bush, Pike Central; Ben Lafferty, Magoffin County; Branson Smith, Martin County; Caden Justice, Belfry; Max Martin, Floyd Central; Caleb Costa, Martin County;  Caden Woolum, Belfry; Madden Miller, Martin County; Jo Jo Ratliff, East Ridge Grayson Whitaker, Magoffin County.

HONORABLE MENTION

Zack Brooks, Pike Central; Nick Collinsworth, Lawrence County; Matt Davis, Paintsville; Kaden Barnette, Letcher Central; Noah Iricks, Pike Central; Jackson Shannon, Prestonsburg; Cainan Land, Phelps; Zack Mason, East Ridge; Braxton Hatfield, Belfry; Mason Lawson, Johnson Central; Eric Perez, Pike Central; Logan Billiter, Shelby Valley; Boston Hamilton, Betsy Layne; Corey Turnmire, Phelps;

Nick Sartin, Belfry; Doug Hall, Lawrence County; Ethan Adkins, Pike Central; Matthew Isaac, Letcher Central; Brant George, Prestonsburg; Jackson Robinson, Shelby Valley.