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.