By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

HATTIESBURG — Gautier’s historic run to its first-ever state championship game in program history yielded some lofty dividends for the Gators this season.

A pair of Gautier senior standouts garnered the highest single individual honors from the Mississippi Association of Coaches in Class 5A.

Gator quarterback Trey Irving was named as the “Offensive Player of the Year” and GHS linebacker Fredrick Nicholson was selected as “Defensive Player of the Year” on the Class 5A First Team All-State squad.

Irving enjoyed a splendid season in which he accounted for right at 4,000 yards of total offense and 44 touchdowns on the season. For his stellar play he was also named as the Class 5A “Mr. Football” in the state.

Irving finished Friday night with 229 yards passing with a touchdown and 120 yards rushing to lead Gautier in its 28-21 loss to perennial state power West Point.

Defensively, Nicholson registered almost 180 total tackles on the year.

“I’m just unbelievably proud of this team,” Gautier head coach Marc High concluded “They set a lot of standards and achieved many accomplishments for this program.”

A pair of Vancleave High players joined the Gautier duo on Class 5A All-State teams, as both Dalton Toothman and Scotty Toothman were selected.

Bulldog offensive lineman Dalton Tootham earned Class 5A First Team All-State honors while linebacker Scotty Toothman picked up Second Team accolades.

Here is the complete Class 5A All-State teams as chosen by members of the MAC:

CLASS 5A

Coach of the Year: Brett Morgan, West Point

Offensive Player of the Year: Trey Irving, QB, Sr., Gautier

Defensive Player of the Year: Fred Nicholson, LB, Sr., Gautier

First Team Offense

Garrison Davis, QB, Sr., Holmes County

D.J. Woods, RB, Sr., Corinth

Caiden Quarles, RB, Jr., Brookhaven

Pat Crump, FB, Jr., Corinth

Jayden Cration, WR, Jr., Canton

Jaiden Tucker, WR, Jr., Holmes County

Julius Mathis, TE, Jr., Holmes County

Dalton Toothman, OL, Jr., Vancleave

Jabarius Oliver, OL, Sr., Yazoo City

Gage Luther, OL, So., Pontotoc

Elijah Lowery, OL, Sr., West Point

Kylen Lindsey, OL, Sr., Laurel

Javaris Beamon, ATH, Sr., Cleveland Central

Ty Jones, PK, Sr., North Pike

Second Team Offense

Eric Gilkey, QB, Sr., Canton

Shamane Clark, RB, Sr., West Point

Desmond Johnson, RB, Sr., Yazoo City

Markavion Jones, FB, So. Pontotoc

Trevion Stokes, WR, Sr., Cleveland Central

Zecheriah Jenkins, WR, Jr., Laurel

Je’kari Douglas, TE, Sr., Natchez

Payton Burns, OL, So., Corinth

Lincoln Cole, OL, Sr., Cleveland Central

Colton Cossey, OL, Sr., Pontotoc

Jacob Williams, OL, Sr., Cleveland Central

Zach Richardson, OL, Jr., Brookhaven

Ken Chatman, ATH, Sr., Natchez

Carson Key, PK, So. South Jones

First Team Defense

Jakel Irving, DE, Sr., Natchez

Jordan Rush, DE, Jr., West Point

Tyricco Henderson, DL, Jr., Canton

Damarvion Haughton, DL, Jr., West Point

Quantarrius Dawson, LB, Sr., West Point

Trey Williams, LB, Sr., Corinth

Lacoyrius Branch, LB, Sr., Cleveland Central

Durrell Washington, LB, Jr., Brookhaven

Rameriaze Edwards, DB, Sr., Brookhaven

Preston Crump, DB, Jr., Corinth

Marcus Mukeba, SS, Sr., West Point

Cortez Thomas, FS, Sr., Holmes County

Dreamus Harron, P, Jr., Brookhaven

Gavin Howard, KR, Jr., Holmes County

Malachi Williams, LS, Sr., Holmes County

Second Team Defense

Jeremy Bibbs, DE, Jr., Brookhaven

Willie Green, DE, Sr., Greenville

Christian Jones, DL, Sr., Brookhaven

Al’javion Wells, DL, Sr., North Pike

Malachi Williams, LB, Sr., Holmes County

Scottie Toothman, LB, Sr., Vancleave

Rylen Mounce, LB, So., Pontotoc

Jeremiah Tillery, LB, Sr., Natchez

Eddie Ratliff, DB, Jr., Brookhaven

Jamel Abney, DB, Jr., Laurel

Kameron Morgan, SS, So., Natchez

Simon Butler, FS, So., Pontotoc

Javarious Griffin, P, So., Cleveland Central

Bryan Davis, KR, Jr., Florence

Jason Spencer, LS, Jr., Cleveland Central