Augusta, GA
Best of the Gridiron: Top CSRA high school football athletes honored
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The latest edition of the Best of the Gridiron Awards show is in the books.
Presented by the Augusta Sports Council, here’s a full list of the high school football athletes recognized for their performances during the 2025 season.
GEORGIA — FIRST TEAM
Offense
- QB: Mekhi Wade — Lincoln County
- RB: Tamari Curry — Westside
- RB: Kelby Glaze — Lincoln County
- WR: Jayden Futrell — Harlem
- WR: Jaris Sinkfield — Thomson
- OL: Solomon Mathis — Hephzibah
- OL: Carter Messick — Grovetown
- OL: Bryan Sapp — Burke County
- OL: Liam Thompson — Harlem
Special Teams / Flex
- Athlete: Jack Rhodes — Aquinas
- Kicker: Fortson Partridge — Lincoln County
- Punter: Shelton Freeman — Westside
Defense
- DL: De’Antre Charles — Westside
- DL: TK Reeves — Burke County
- DL: Marcus Taylor — Laney
- DL: Jeremiah Wynn — Lincoln County
- LB: Chase Burley — Westside
- LB: Logan Heyward — Hephzibah
- LB: Elijah Hutchinson — Aquinas
- LB: Marty Thomas — ARC
- DB: Kennedi Bailey — Thomson
- DB: Brennen Bjorkman — Greenbrier
- DB: Zay Brinson — Thomson
- DB: Joshua Crawford — Westside
SOUTH CAROLINA — FIRST TEAM
Offense
- QB: Xavier Geter — Midland Valley
- RB: Michael Doe — North Augusta
- RB: Preston Smith — Midland Valley
- WR: Kyson McLeod — South Aiken
- WR: Shaheed Williams — Strom Thurmond
- OL: Carter Boatwright — Strom Thurmond
- OL: Malcolm Gaston — North Augusta
- OL: Damien McIntosh — Aiken
- OL: Seth Short — North Augusta
Special Teams / Flex
- Athlete: Kaleb Simpkins — Strom Thurmond
- Kicker: Jacob DeGennaro — North Augusta
- Punter: Knox Young — South Aiken
Defense
- DL: Simeon Jones — North Augusta
- DL: Davion McKinnis — North Augusta
- DL: Brandon Poston — Aiken
- DL: Keyaideen Williams — Silver Bluff
- LB: Grayson Kitchings — Aiken
- LB: Jalen McGraw — Bamberg-Ehrhardt
- LB: Akiem Mills — Ridge Spring-Monetta
- LB: Deonte Phillips — Strom Thurmond
- DB: Donte Bell — North Augusta
- DB: Jaiden Holloway — Ridge Spring-Monetta
- DB: Mekhi Quiller — Fox Creek
- DB: Dallas Williams — North Augusta
Along with the over 50 award winners, the event also recognized the nation’s top Division-1 and FCS college punters.
Georgia’s Brett Thorson took home the 2025 Ray Guy Award back in December.
The born and raised Australian punted 42 times during Georgia’s 2025 season, averaging 45-yards per punt.
“Obviously, Georgia is home for me. Obviously, I don’t have a hometown that I have any bias to, so since moving here, Georgia has been home for me. It’s an extreme honor to keep it, and to know Ray was from Georgia himself is a nice little bit of icing on top,” said Thorson.
The Citadel’s James Platte was awarded the FCS Punter of the Year Award.
An award that seemed way out of reach during his early playing days.
“It’s a dream come true. Growing up always seeing all the Ray Guy awards coming out of here, especially when I was getting into punting a lot heavier in high school. It was always an aspiration and if you told me six years ago I was going to be here, I probably would have called you a liar,” said Platte.
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