By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PEARL — Class 6A state champion George County brought home some big individual honors as well as a team title last week.

Rebel head coach Brandon Davis was named Class 6A Coach of the Year and his son Ben, a junior second baseman, was named Player of the Year in Class 6A as well.

The elder Davis helped guide his alma mater to a school record best 30-5 overall mark in capturing the crown, while the younger Davis helped his father secure the first state title for the program in 27 years when Brandon was a senior starting catcher.

In addition, eight “Southern Six” standouts were honored with First Team All-State status and another four were named to the Second Team.

Other George County players honored with First Team status were pitcher Preston McAdory, outfielder Tripp Lightsey and pitcher Canyon Reeves. Reeves was named the Most Valuable Player in the Class 6A state championship series.

Also, a pair of players from both Picayune and Pearl River Central were selected First Team as well. Blue Devil pitcher Jacob Johnson and infielder Conner Dyess were in that number as were Picayune’s Kyler King and Tanner Busby who each were selected as utility players.  

The Mississippi High School Baseball Coaches All-State Teams for all classes are voted on by coaches around the state who are members of the Mississippi Association of Coaches.

Here is the complete list of honorees in Class 6A:

CLASS 6A

Coach of the Year: Brandon Davis, George County

Player of the Year: Ben Davis, INF, Jr., George County

First Team

Preston McAdory, P, Fr., George County

Brooks Willoughby, P, Sr., Warren Central

Jacob Johnson, P, Jr., Pearl River Central

Maddox Lynch, INF, Jr., Warren Central

Houston Greene, INF, Jr., Center Hill

Conner Dyess, INF, Sr., Pearl River Central

Connor Watkins, INF, Jr. Warren Central

Tripp Lightsey, OF, Jr., George County

Canyon Reeves, OF, Sr., George County

Cade Fairley, OF, Jr., Warren Central

R.B. Hardin, C, Sr., Neshoba Central

Camden Clark, UTL, Sr., West Jones

Kyler King, UTL, Sr., Picayune

Tanner Busby, UTL, Sr., Picayune

Second Team

Andrew Nielsen, P, Sr., George County

Jaxon Rayburn, P, Sr., West Jones

Talmadge Davis, P, Sr., Hattiesburg

Ryan Nelson, INF, Sr., Warren Central

Baylor Roberts, INF, Jr., Saltillo

Dakota Smith, INF, Sr., West Jones

Drew Klinck, INF, Sr., Grenada

Avery Rogers, OF, Sr., Center Hill

Gage Reeves, OF, Sr., George County

J.J. Morreale, OF, Sr. Pearl River Central

Preston Downs, C, Jr., Grenada

Landen Wallance, UTL, Sr., West Harrison

Parker Ishee, UTL, Sr., Ridgeland

Ryder White, UTL, Sr., Neshoba Central