There may not be a more deserving player not participating in a postseason All-Star game than Blackville-Hilda’s Joe Thomas.

Passed over for the Shrine Bowl and the North-South All-Star game, Thomas was not overlooked recently when the South Carolina Football Coaches Association voted him to its Palmetto Champions All-Star team.

“We are glad that Joe is receiving this,” Blackville-Hilda head coach David Berry said. “But, this is not all about Joe. This is about those people up front. It’s just as much their reward as it is his.”

Thomas, an Elite 11 selection the past two seasons, has rushed for 1,700-plus yards and 30 touchdowns thus far this season.

Calhoun County head coach Walt Wilson was selected as the Class A Lower State Coach of the Year. His Saints recently concluded their season with an 11-1 record, losing 40-34 to Bamberg-Ehrhardt Saturday.

Wilson and Thomas will now participate in a banquet to honor the players and coaches selected to the team on Dec. 4 in Columbia. There were 25 players and 10 coaches selected to the team, and from that list an All-Star lineman, back, special teams player and coach of the year will be named.

Other players and coaches named to the team are listed below.

BACKS AND LINEMEN

Big 16

Upper State

Back: Walt Canty, Dorman

Lineman: Brandon Thomas, Dorman

Lower State

Back: Roderick McDowell, Sumter

Lineman: Michael Miller, Sumter

4A Upper State

Back: Stephon Gilmore, South Pointe

Lineman: Hakeem Adams, Northwestern

Lower State

Back: Michael Frazier, Conway

Lineman: Mailiciah Goodman, West Florence

3A

Upper State

Back: Justin Trapp, Fairfield Central

Lineman: Tyler Felt, J.L. Mann

Lower State

Back: Terrance Wilson, Crestwood

Lineman: Donquill McElveen, Lake City

2A

Upper State

Back: Channing Kennedy, Abbeville

Lineman: Justice Cunningham, Central

Lower State

Back: Rockarius King, Timberland

Lineman: Quinton Washington, Timberland

1A

Upper State

Back: Joe Thomas, Blackville-Hilda

Lineman: J.K. Jay, Christ Church

Lower State

Back: Antonio Mitchum, Hemingway

Lineman: Kwame Geathers, Carvers Bay

SPECIALISTS

Big 16: Dylan Zimmerman, Summerville

4A: Aaron Mayes, Blythewood

3A: Grant Clayton, A.C. Flora

2A: Zach Sears, Pendleton

1A: Chandler Catanzaro, Christ Church

COACHES

Big 16

Upper State: Dave Gutshall, Dorman

Lower State: Paul Sorrells, Sumter

AAAA

Upper State: Bobby Carroll, South Pointe

Lower State: Dan Pippen, North Augusta

AAA

Upper State: Will Young, Greer

Lower State: Rick Knight, Midland Valley

AA

Upper State: Joey Mangum, Pageland Central

Lower State: Art Craig, Timberland

A

Upper State: Don Frost, Christ Church

Lower State: Walt Wilson, Calhoun County

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