BEST OF CLASS 3A

LITTLE ROCK — BEST QUARTERBACK

Kyle Bailey

Kyle Bailey, 5-10, 180, doesn't put up eye-popping numbers at Cedarville, but the three-year starter is a winner. He's led the Pirates to 15 victories in his first two seasons as a starter, as well as a pair of playoff appearances. Last season Bailey guided Cedarville to the Class 3A quarterfinals for the first time in school history. "Kyle knows our offense as well as anybody," Coach Mike Guthrie said. "He does a great job of feeling how the game is going."

BEST RUNNING BACK

Ryan McDonald

Charleston's Ryan McDonald, a 5-11, 170-pound junior, rushed for 936 yards and 11 touchdowns last season even though he didn't have a carry until midway through the regular season. He ran for 146 yards and a touchdown in the Class 3A state championship game against Fountain Lake. McDonald runs a 4.5 40-yard dash, but he is strong enough to run over people as well. "He gave us another dimension," Charleston Coach Doug Loughridge said.

BEST RECEIVER

Michael Meador

Michael Meador, 6-0, 175, was an all-conference selection last year after catching 28 passes for 680 yards (24.3 yards per catch) and 7 touchdowns while helping lead Charleston to the state title. He has breakaway speed, clocking in at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and is at his best in big games. Meador had 205 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns in the state championship game.

BEST BLOCKER

Levi Norris

If Levi Norris, 6-1, 230, gets his hands on a defensive player, someone else is going to have to make the tackle. Few players have benefited as much from Mansfield's increased emphasis on weightlifting as Norris, who in April finished second in the 259-pound division of the state weight meet. Norris, a guard, has a 285-pound power clean and a 310-pound bench press. He is moving to defensive end from tackle, where he led the Tigers with eight sacks last year.

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER

Casey Polk

Casey Polk, a 5-11, 225-pound linebacker, started as a sophomore last season and was a major reason why Mansfield wound up winning the first two playoff games in school history. Polk anchored Mansfield's 4-3 defense, making a team-leading 133 tackles. Coach Jason Gill expects him to be even better as a junior. "Defense is all about intensity," Gill said, "and he keeps our intensity up."BEST TACKLER

Casey Kinsey

Casey Kinsey, a 6-2, 210-pound strong safety at Lamar, doesn't want to just tackle people. He wants to clobber them. He loves to hit, whether it's as a member of Lamar's defense - where he made 55 tackles and four interceptions last year - or as a fullback on offense. "I love to catch someone off the edge and blind-side them," Kinsey said.

MOST VERSATILE

Timothy Hoyt

Timothy Hoyt, a 6-1, 185-pound senior, is labeled by Yellville-Summit Coach Calvin Mallet as "Mr. Everything." Hoyt never leaves thefield, playing quarterback, cornerback, punting, kicking and returning kicks. Hoyt accumulated 2,423 yards and 26 touchdowns on offense last season, had a team-leading 4 interceptions, averaged 41 yards per punt and has made 50-yard field goals in practice. "We're a player away from playing JV football," Mallett said. "He's that good."BEST LEADER

Derrick Haney

Anyone who plays quarterback at Charleston needs to be a good leader, and Derrick Haney, 5-10, 160, certainly fits that mold. Haney is following four All-State quarterbacks, but he has already impressed teammates and coaches with his performance during the offseason. "Haney is a leader on the field," Coach Doug Loughridge said. "He throws a good ball, he's very heads-up, and he's a general on the field." Haney also made 46 extra-points and four field goals last year at kicker.

Did you know

1-3A Conference teams went 11-4 in the Class 3A state playoffs last season. Charleston (4-0) won the state title, while Lavaca (3-1) advanced to the semifinals and Cedarville (2-1) and Mansfield (2-1) went to the quarterfinals. Greenland lost in the first round.