By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

STARKVILLE — After producing one of the top rushing performances in the state of Mississippi over the past 50 years, Poplarville standout junior running back Ty Keys standout senior signal has earned a huge honor.

Keys was selected as the Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year on the All-State First Team unit in that classification over the weekend. The prestigious annual award is voted on voted on by coaches around the state who are members of the Mississippi Association of Coaches. 

Keys ran for an almost inexplicable 42 touchdowns and 3,285 yards this season.

Joining Keys with Class 4A First Team All-State status are one of his top blockers in Hornet offensive lineman Aidan graham as well as Pass Christian wide out Dwight Thomas.

Defensively, Pass Christian linebacker Jayden Taylor and Pirates long snapper Louis Schneider were also selected First Team All-State.

Four other “Southern Six” products were named Class 4A Second Team All-State. Those players are listed by position below.

CLASS 4A

Coach of the Year: Chip Bilderback, Columbia

Offensive Player of the Year: Ty Keys, RB, Jr., Poplarville

Defensive Player of the Year: Tra Lewis, LB, Sr., Columbia

First Team Offense

Braden Shettles, QB, Sr., New Albany

Zaiden Jernigan, RB, So., Louisville

Deavion Watson, RB, Jr., Senatobia

Bryson Alford, FB, Sr., West Lauderdale

Sheldon Issac, WR, Jr., McComb

Dwight Thomas, WR, Sr., Pass Christian

Broderick Peters, TE, Sr., McComb

Emanuel Tucker, OL, Sr., New Albany

Jeremiah Wynter, OL, Sr., Kosciusko

Ketreveon Jones, OL, Sr., Rosa Fort

Aidan Graham, OL, Sr., Poplarville

Cameron Skeen, OL, Sr., Louisville

Clydarion Peters, ATH, Sr., Columbia

Griffin Carmichael, PK, So., Corinth

Second Team Offense

Paris Trivillion, QB, Jr., Pass Christian

Xavier Waters, RB, Jr., Itawamba AHS

Travion Mosley, RB, Jr., West Lauderdale

Jackson Schuler, FB, Jr., Kosciusko

Tylan Fortune, WR, Sr., Leake Central

Trey Tippett, WR, Jr., Louisville

Braedyn Burress, TE, Sr., Corinth

Derrick James, OL, Jr., Columbia

Jobe Lambert, OL, Jr., Poplarville

Payton Burns, OL, Jr., Corinth

Riley Peteet, OL, Jr., Kosciusko

Drake Sykes, OL, Sr., Pass Christian

Braylin Rodgers, ATH, Jr., Houston

Grayson Alexander, PK, Jr., New Albany

First Team Defense

Jaiden Clark, DE, Sr., Shannon

Micah Nickerson, DE, Sr., South Pike

Mitchell Turner, DL, Jr., Louisville

Gregory Keeton, DL, Sr., Forest

Jayden Taylor, LB, Sr., Pass Christian

Rokari Covington, LB, Sr., Kosciusko

Frederrick Ford, LB, Jr., Greenwood

Jace Jackson, LB, Sr., McComb

Preston Crump, DB, Sr., Corinth

Xavioun Kincaid, DB, Sr., Forest

Keith Lay, SS, Sr., Kosciusko

J.T. Herron, FS, Sr., Kosciusko

Logan Evans, P, Sr., Newton County

Patrick Crump, KR, Sr., Corinth

Louis Schneider, LS, Sr., Pass Christian

Second Team Defense

Jayden Foster, DE, Jr., New Albany

Nick Sudduth, DE, Sr., Kosciusko

Elijah Johnson, DL, Sr., Senatobia

Sam Legeune, DL, Jr., Poplarville

Maurice Booker, LB, Sr., Yazoo City

Jamarion Gaston, LB, Jr., Itawamba AHS

Treyvaughn Robinson, LB, So., Forrest Co. AHS

Colton Lewis, LB, Sr., Itawamba AHS

Cam Bell, DB, Sr., Newton County

Delwin Perkins, DB, Jr., McComb

Dolph McDonald, SS, Jr., Morton

Imarrion Parker, FS, Sr., Louisville

LaDarius Martin, P, So., South Pike

Christian Alexander, KR, Jr., Rosa Fort

Cohen Liggett, LS, Jr., Newton County