The best of the MS Coast: Meet the 2024 Sun Herald All-South Mississippi Football Team

The Mississippi Coast roared back after a one-year hiatus from the state championship round and placed two teams in the final week of the season.

History was made on two different ends of the Coast when Poplarville took home its first-ever Gold Ball and the Gautier Gators claimed their first South State title in school history.

The two schools are aptly honored on the 2024 All-South Mississippi Team. Gautier quarterback Trey Irving earns our Player of the Year honor and Poplarville’s Jay Beech is the Sun Herald’s Coach of the Year for the third time in his career.

Here is the complete 2024 All-South Mississippi Football Teams.

Sun Herald Player of the Year

Trey Irving, Gautier

No one on the Coast dazzled in and out of the pocket quite like Irving did while guiding the Gators to their first-ever state championship game appearance. The 5A Mr. Football winner — the first in school history — brought Gautier its first 12-win season since 1998 and earned 5A Offensive Player of the Year from the Mississippi Association of Coaches.

Irving led the Coast in passing with 2,956 yards with 22 touchdowns and a Coast-best 69.3 completion percentage. The senior’s 1,126 rushing yards were second among Coast quarterbacks and his 22 rushing scores were first. Irving’s 44 touchdowns responsible for led the Coast. He will continue his career at East Mississippi Community College.

Fan’s Choice Player of the Year

Bryant Ausmer, Ocean Springs

Ausmer was the overwhelming favorite among Coast fans, garnering 13,601 votes out of 24,562 ballots. Ausmer’s 55 percent — much like his sack total — paced the field.

Poplarville linebacker Ayden Harmon finished second with 35 percent of the poll and Pascagoula quarterback Silas Corder finished third. The Fan’s Choice honor isn’t the only one Ausmer pulls in from the Sun Herald this year.

Offensive Player of the Year

Darrell Smith, Picayune

The latest in a long line of dominant Picayune running backs, Smith traded size for raw strength and balance and racked up a state-leading 2,501 rushing yards with 28 rushing touchdowns.

“Robo” rarely left the field. After each of his 32 touchdowns — which include two passing, one receiving and one kick return — Smith stayed between the lines as the holder on special teams. The senior also played cornerback, recording 24 tackles, four tackles for loss, one pass deflection and one forced fumble.

Defensive Player of the Year

Bryant Ausmer, Ocean Springs

Ausmer had one season as a full-time starter and he took full advantage of it. The senior edge rusher punished opposing quarterbacks with a statewide-best 23 sacks — 16 more than the next closest player on the Coast.

The Greyhound parlayed the vicious season into a Southeastern Louisiana signature. In total, Ausmer recorded 83 tackles, 41 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick.

Coach of the Year

Jay Beech, Poplarville

The Hornets broke through in 2024. Beech’s fifth trip to the final round of the postseason resulted in a 4A state title as the only non-No. 1-seed in Hattiesburg.

Poplarville finished the season 13-2 and undefeated in the postseason for the first time in school history. Four of the Hornets’ five playoff wins came in one-score games and three of them were decided by one point. This is the third time Beech has won the Sun Herald Coach of the Year honor.

Sun Herald All-South Mississippi First Team

QB Silas Corder, Pascagoula: The Southern Miss signee finished second on the Coast in passing yards and touchdowns with 2,271 and 23. Corder leaves Pascagoula as the school’s all-time leader in both categories.

QB Deuce Knight, George County: Knight leaves George County as the state’s first five star quarterback since Jason Campbell. Like Campbell, Knight is heading to Auburn after a senior season saw him throw for 2,234 yards and 25 touchdowns and rush for another 12 scores.

RB Jordan Stapleton, West Harrison: The junior put together the best season in school history, becoming the first Hurricane to top 2,000 yards while leading the Coast with 200.3 rushing yards per game. Stapleton averaged 11.8 yards per carry and scored 23 touchdowns.

RB Will Smith, Ocean Springs: Smith was third on the Coast and tops in his division in rushing with 1,337 yards. The senior Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. commit scored 13 times and leaves as the school’s third all-time leading rusher.

RB Amarie Jackson, Pascagoula: Jackson had a dynamic junior season, recording 1,450 all-purpose yards and 20 total touchdowns, including 16 rushing.

WR Brenn Moody, George County: Moody was the Coast’s only 1,000-yard receiver this season with 1,023 yards on 46 catches, averaging 22.2 yards per reception with 10 touchdowns.

WR Kainen Rush, Gautier: Rush led the Coast with 60 receptions and was second in yards with 991. The senior had 10 touchdown catches and a kick return score.

WR DJ McNair, George County: The junior had a Coast-high 22.7 yards per catch as part of a 38 reception, 863 yard campaign where he caught 9 touchdown passes.

WR Matthew Daniely, Pass Christian: The Pirates’ top receiver caught 40 passes for 848 yards and a Coast-best 11 touchdowns.

TE DeAndre Smith, Stone: Smith tallied 416 all-purpose yards and found the end zone three times as the Tomcats’ playmaking tight end.

TE Jeremiah Moss, Poplarville: Moss caught 11 passes for 239 yards and five touchdowns while playing a key role in blocking for a Hornets offense that rushed for nearly 4,000 yards.

OL Zaylin Dedeaux, Ocean Springs: Dedeaux was a 7A All-State First Team select and a Bernard Blackwell All Star. The senior recorded 35 knockdowns.

OL JJ McCann, Gulfport: The senior guard dominated in the trenches, earning a selection on the 7A All-State First Team and a spot in the Mississippi-Alabama All Star game.

OL Javen Bolden, Picayune: Bolden was a force for the Maroon Tide and was honored with a 6A All-State Second Team selection.

OL Dalton Toothman, Vancleave: The junior landed four Division I offers this year and finished the season with a spot on the 5A All State First Team.

OL Deshawn Feazell Moss Point: The 6-foot-2, 330 lb. lineman turned his second 4A All-State selection into a signature at Southeastern Louisiana.

ATH Sharroid Whitehead, Ocean Springs: Whitehead began the year at receiver and finished it at quarterback. The junior enjoyed a breakout season that featured 669 passing yards, 1,061 rushing yards and was responsible for 21 total touchdowns.

ATH Jordan Walley, D’Iberville: The sophomore ran the Warrior offense at quarterback and terrorized opposing quarterbacks at cornerback. Walley threw for 657 yards with nine touchdowns against zero interceptions on offense and recorded five interceptions with nine passes defended on defense.

EDGE Finn Williford, St. Stanislaus: Williford was a bright spot for the Rocks, registering 21 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two interceptions, three fumble recoveries and a blocked kick.

DL Jazear Carter, West Harrison: Carter dominated at defensive tackle, racking up 101 tackles with 24 tackles for loss, five sacks and four pass deflections.

DL Ricky Orso, Ocean Springs: Orso enjoyed a strong senior season, making 17 stops in the backfield with three sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

DL Nolan Wilson, Picayune: Wilson broke out as a senior with 16 tackles for loss, six sacks, seven forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Wilson went from unranked as a prospect to a four star recruit with 17 offers this season.

DL Jayden Curtis, St. Martin: Curtis produced 52 tackles his junior year with 15 tackles for loss, six sacks and a forced fumble.

EDGE Brayden Jackson, Gautier: Jackson’s first full season on defense resulted in 93 stops with 21 coming in the backfield and seven by way of sack. The senior forced six fumbles, recovered one and blocked a kick.

OLB Jacolby Bailey, Ocean Springs: Bailey’s junior season saw him lead the Greyhounds in stops with 115, plus recorded 19 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

ILB Fred Nicholson, Gautier: The Southern Miss signee led the Coast in tackles with 176 while also registering 10 tackles for loss, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four blocked kicks.

ILB Boone Wilson, Harrison Central: Wilson led the Red Rebels with 146 tackles and 13 tackles for loss. The senior recorded five sacks, as well.

ILB Ayden Harmon, Poplarville: Harmon was disruptive as a junior, making 134 tackles with 11.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. Harmon also had four pass deflections, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick.

OLB Brody Saenz, Ocean Springs: The junior recorded 95 stops, 24 coming in the backfield with four sacks, four passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

CB Eric Johnson, Ocean Springs: Johnson led the Coast in pass breakups with 14. The junior also had two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

S Tylan Wilson, Pascagoula: Wilson was the Coast’s interception champion with six picks his junior season. He finished with 73 stops, six more passes defensed and three forced fumbles.

S Kohl Bradley, George County: Bradley led all Coast defensive backs in tackles with 147. The South Alabama signee had two interceptions, eight passes defended, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.

CB Kaiden Street, Pascagoula: Street registered 51 tackles on the year with 13 pass breakups during his junior season.

PK Evan Noel, St. Stanislaus: Noel had a Coast-best 11 field goals as a senior. The Florida signee also had a 41.1-yard punt average.

P Jesus Cardenas, Gulfport: The Admiral senior led the Coast with a 42.1-yard punt average with eight downed inside the 20-yard line.

Ret Bryhsen Smith, Ocean Springs: Smith returned seven kickoffs for 296 yards and two touchdowns as a senior.

Sun Herald All-South Mississippi Second Team

QB Paris Trivillion, Pass Christian: The first-year starting quarterback threw for 2,042 yards and 19 touchdowns and rushed for another 767 yards and six touchdowns.

QB Dane Sullivan, Gulfport: Sullivan completed 144 passes for 1,824 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 245 yards and three more scores.

RB Nick Miller, Poplarville: Miller led the Hornet backfield with 1,127 rushing yards on 6.7 yards per carry with 15 touchdowns.

RB Trey Harris, West Harrison: Harris totaled 1,077 yards and 16 touchdowns on 10.7 yards per touch. The senior averaged 107.7 yards a game.

RB Cooper Crosby, Gulfport: The junior picked up 1,063 yards on 7.6 yards per carry with 14 touchdowns. Crosby also caught 21 passes for 346 yards and two scores.

WR Sebastian Gonzalez, Gautier: The senior caught 55 passes for 625 yards and five touchdowns for the Gators.

WR Montrell Dortch, George County: Dortch was on the receiving end of 38 passes and totaled for 651 yards and nine touchdowns.

WR Avery Harris, Bay High: Harris tallied 621 receiving yards on 22.2 yards per catch with eight touchdowns.

WR Darius Carter, Pascagoula: Carter caught 29 passes for 609 yards and eight touchdowns. The junior averaged 21 yards a catch.

TE Gabe Fricke, Hancock: Fricke led all Coast tight ends with 31 receptions for 233 yards and two touchdowns.

TE Malakai Knight, D’Iberville: Knight was a red zone threat, catching 12 passes for 225 yards and five touchdowns.

OL Brooks Martinez, Bay High: The 308-lb. center landed on the 4A First Team All State list and is an MGCCC signee.

OL Aiden Graham, Poplarville: The junior tackle was a key anchor in the Hornets’ rushing attack and was named a 4A Second Team All State member.

OL Jacob Ladner, West Harrison: Ladner helped lead the Hurricanes’ devastating ground game and was named to his region’s All-MVP team.

OL Hayden Ainsworth, Biloxi: Ainsworth has emerged as a top prospect through his sophomore season, earning offers from Ole Miss, George, Florida State and others. Ainsworth was an All-MVP pick in his region.

OL Caleb Gollott, D’Iberville: Gollott landed on the 7A All-MVP Team for the second time after anchoring the Warriors’ powerful rushing game.

ATH Jacquez Alexander-Dedeaux, Pass Christian: Alexander-Dedeaux made his impact known on both sides of the line of scrimmage, rushing for 841 yards and 19 touchdowns on offense and making 74 tackles with one sack, an interception and three forced fumbles on defense.

ATH BJ Ducre, Picayune: Ducre was a multi-use tool for the Maroon Tide, rushing for 247 yards, hauling in 131 receiving yards and playing a pivotal blocking role at tight end. Ducre also recorded 44 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks as a linebacker.

EDGE Aidan Taylor, Hancock: Taylor made 40 tackles, 15 stops in the backfield with two sacks and two fumble recoveries.

DL Christian Hughes, Gulfport: Hughes totaled 67 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and six sacks during his senior season.

DL Javon Anderson, Gulfport: Anderson transitioned the the line and made 49 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, two sacks and wreacked havoc with eight pass deflections and a forced fumble.

DL Colton Ladner, Stone: Ladner picked up 85 tackles with 16 tackles for loss and three sacks as a junior.

DL Tyneke Davis, George County: Davis had 88 tackles from the interior with 10 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.

EDGE Sam Will, Poplarville: Will was disruptive off the edge, recording 57 stops, 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks with two pass deflections.

OLB D’Solomon Stallion, Gulfport: The junior registered 105 tackles, 14 tackles for loss with one sack, a pass deflection and a forced fumble.

ILB Andre Peters, Gulfport: Peters was second on the Coast with 149 tackles. The junior added seven tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

ILB Blaine Green, George County: Green had 126 total stops with eight coming for loss. The senior made three sacks and had one fumble recovery.

ILB Scottie Toothman, Vancleave: Toothman racked up 121 tackles with 18 tackles for loss and one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick.

OLB Gabe Millender, Gautier: Millender made 109 tackles, had five tackles for loss with sacks and recovered four fumbles.

CB Jason Smith, Poplarville: Smith made 89 stops as a physical corner with six passes defensed, three interceptions, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick.

S Tomareo Johnson, Pascagoula: Johnson had 10 pass breakups with four interceptions and forced two fumbles with two fumble recoveries.

S Ayden Watson, Ocean Springs: Watson registered 101 tackles, had 11 passes defensed and an interception as a junior.

CB Kingston McNeil, Gautier: The sophomore stepped up with 52 tackles, six pass deflections, one interception and a forced fumble.

PK Sam Powell, Hancock: Powell knocked in seven of his nine field goal attempts his senior season.

P Peyton Williams, Ocean Springs: Williams punted 27 times with an average distance of 39.6 yards and eight downed inside the 20-yard line.

Ret Junior Harris, Vancleave: Harris returned 22 kicks for a Coast-best 422 yards as a senior.

Underclassmen Watch List

The top 20 stars of tomorrow.

• So. QB Paris Trivillion, Pass Christian

• So. QB Zander Howard, Stone

• Fr. QB Jason Glaude, Pascagoula

• Fr. RB Ayden Green, Stone

• Fr. RB Latrell Pogue, Gautier

• So. RB Ty Keys, Poplarville

• Fr. RB Seth Crockett, St. Martin

• So. WR Devon Garrett, Gautier

• So. WR Adam Oliver, St. Stanislaus

• So. WR Jackson Callaway, Bay High

• So. OL Hayden Ainsworth, Biloxi

• So. ATH Jordan Walley, D’Iberville

• So. ATH CJ Howell, Christian Collegiate

• So. DL Jobe Lambert, Poplarville

• So. DL Jakori Rogers, Gautier

• So. DL Lawrence Robinson, Gulfport

• So. LB Landon Cato, Moss Point

• So. LB Jonathan Shelby, Pascagoula

• So. DB Jashaun Bass, Biloxi

• So. DB Braylon Fairley, George County

Honorable Mention

QB Xander Ladner, Bay High; QB Kaisonn Koenenn, Hancock; RB Jaylen Antoine, Bay High; RB Brandon Gautier, George County; RB Kyle Capers, Vancleave; RB Andre Crosby, D’Iberville; RB Taye Guiton, East Central; WR Darrion Kirksey, Harrison Central; WR Condarius McCorvey, Moss Point; WR Krisjeohn Burks, Gulfport, TE Roman Williams, West Harrison; OL Cohyn Myers, Ocean Springs; OL Brennan Williams, Picayune; OL Cole Gill, West Harrison; ATH Connor White, Ocean Springs; ATH Jalen Anderson, Biloxi; ATH Brandon Parker, Picayune

EDGE Tariq Noel, Stone; DL Brayden Woodworth, Vancleave; DL Robert Kergosien, St. Stanislaus; DL Jacob DeAngelo, East Central; DL Malachi Bullard, Gulfport; DL Andrew Whitney, St. Stanislaus; LB Denzel Larkin, Gautier; LB Sage Fayard, Bay High; LB Brayden Williams, Stone; LB Jarrad Loper, Pascagoula; LB Coleman Gazzo, Biloxi; LB Gaines Huff, East Central; LB Noel Estrada, St. Martin; LB TJ Love, George County; DB Favian Dawkins, Stone; DB Logan Lizana, East Central; DB Lathan Lewis, Pass Christian; DB Max Rhodes, St. Stanislaus; DB Tre Hanshaw, Harrison Central; DB Trevon Deans, Gulfport; DB Eli Seal, Poplarville