Tarboro's Todd Gurley II was named as the Associated Press' Player of the Year in football this week. You have to admit, he put on a show this past season - especially toward the endBut he is not the first area player to win the award.
North Edgecombe's Milton Shaw received the honor in 1991 - a rare feat for a player from a 1-A school.
I had the honor of presenting Shaw with a plaque, in the shape of the state of North Carolina, from AP that was sent to the sports desk during my days with the then-called Rocky Mount Evening Telegram. As I was scheduled to cover a home North Edgecombe basketball game days later, I took the plaque to the game and presented it to him at midcourt during a halftime ceremony.
Now my friend, Tarboro Daily Southerner sports editor Calvin Adkins, will have the honor of doing the same for Gurley sometime in January.
As I glanced at the list of former winners of the award (started in 1983), I can't believe that I got to see 15 of them play at least once - and one of them at Rocky Mount's home field. Wonder if you can guess who "that player" was?
Associated Press Football Player of the Year
2011—Todd Gurley II, RB, Tarboro
2010—Vad Lee, QB, Durham Hillside
2009—K.P. Parks, RB, West Rowan
2008—Xavier Nixon, OT, Fayetteville Britt
2007—Darius Thomas, QB, West Charlotte
2006—Quan Warley, RB, Thomasville
2005—Quan Warley, RB, Thomasville
2004—Joe Cox, QB, Charlotte Independence
2003—Andre Brown, RB, Greenville Rose
2002—Chris Leak, QB, Charlotte Independence
2001—T.A. McLendon, RB, Albemarle
2000—Chris Leak, QB, Charlotte Independence
1999—Manny Deshauteurs, RB, Brevard
1998—Nick Maddox, RB, Kannapolis Brown
1997—Nick Maddox, RB, Kannapolis Brown
1996—Montrell Coley, RB, Goldsboro
1995—Marcus Reaves, RB, Fayetteville Byrd
1994—Terence Stokes, RB, Bunn
1993—Ernest Tinnin, QB, Burlington Cummings
1992—(tie) Antoine Ikard, RB, Maiden; Maurice Mebane, WR, Burlington Cummings
1991—Milton Shaw, RB, North Edgecombe
1990—Donnie Davis, QB, Burlington Cummings
1989—Mike Thomas, QB-P, Richmond County
1988—Chuckie Burnette, QB, Burlington Cummings
1987—Anthony Barbour, RB, Garner
1986—Robert Siler, RB, Siler City Jordan-Matthews
1985—Alvin Baker, RB, Claremont Bunker Hill
1984—Todd Ellis, QB, Greensboro Page
1983—Darryl McGill, RB, Southern Durham
2010—Vad Lee, QB, Durham Hillside
2009—K.P. Parks, RB, West Rowan
2008—Xavier Nixon, OT, Fayetteville Britt
2007—Darius Thomas, QB, West Charlotte
2006—Quan Warley, RB, Thomasville
2005—Quan Warley, RB, Thomasville
2004—Joe Cox, QB, Charlotte Independence
2003—Andre Brown, RB, Greenville Rose
2002—Chris Leak, QB, Charlotte Independence
2001—T.A. McLendon, RB, Albemarle
2000—Chris Leak, QB, Charlotte Independence
1999—Manny Deshauteurs, RB, Brevard
1998—Nick Maddox, RB, Kannapolis Brown
1997—Nick Maddox, RB, Kannapolis Brown
1996—Montrell Coley, RB, Goldsboro
1995—Marcus Reaves, RB, Fayetteville Byrd
1994—Terence Stokes, RB, Bunn
1993—Ernest Tinnin, QB, Burlington Cummings
1992—(tie) Antoine Ikard, RB, Maiden; Maurice Mebane, WR, Burlington Cummings
1991—Milton Shaw, RB, North Edgecombe
1990—Donnie Davis, QB, Burlington Cummings
1989—Mike Thomas, QB-P, Richmond County
1988—Chuckie Burnette, QB, Burlington Cummings
1987—Anthony Barbour, RB, Garner
1986—Robert Siler, RB, Siler City Jordan-Matthews
1985—Alvin Baker, RB, Claremont Bunker Hill
1984—Todd Ellis, QB, Greensboro Page
1983—Darryl McGill, RB, Southern Durham
