By JOE DODD
Gilmer Buckeyes’ senior quarterback G.J. Kinne was named the Associated Press Class 3A Offensive Player of the Year, and teammate Curtis Brown was named to the first team defense, headlining a group of six Buckeyes honored by the AP.
Kinne won the Offensive Player of the year award for the second straight year. In 2005, Kinne was selected after leading the Canton Eagles to the Class 3A Regional Finals, before losing to eventual state champion Tatum. After his father, Canton head coach Gary Joe Kinne left the Eagles for a position at Baylor, Kinne moved with his mother and step-father to Gilmer, and joined the Buckeyes for his senior season.
Kinne’s season was nothing short of spectacular, but once again Kinne and his teammates suffered a playoff loss to the eventual state champion; this time to Liberty-Eylau in the first round. Kinne finished the regular season with 2,962 yards, 43 touchdowns and only one interception, while completing 149 of 218 passes, helping the Buckeyes’ offense average 528.7 yards and 55.4 points per game. The selections were based on regular season statistics.
“It’s really just a great tribute to the coaches and players around me,” said Kinne. “It’s great, but it’s kind of hard to be excited about it with such a disappointing end to the season.” Kinne said that he would trade both Player of the Year honors for a state championship trophy. “This doesn’t even compare. It’s great, and I’m happy that I received it, but I’d definitely rather have the other one.”
Brown’s selection to the first team defense is both impressive and puzzling, since the Texas Longhorns’ commitment played sparingly on the defensive side of the football, and missed most of 5 games with an ankle injury. Despite missing almost half of the regular season, Brown put up jaw-dropping numbers for the Buckeyes’ offense, catching 33 passes for 831 yards and 13 touchdowns. Brown also contributed 14 rushes for 136 yards and another touchdown, and returned 4 kick-offs for a total of 138 yards and another score, along with gaining 59 yards on 7 punt returns. In all, Brown accounted for 1164 yards and 15 touchdowns in just over 5 games.
“It was a surprise,” Brown said, when asked about being named as a defensive player. “I guess they felt like they had to give me something since I’m considered to be one of the best players in the state.” According to Rivals.com, Brown is the best player in the state. The recruiting website has Brown listed as the state’s top recruit, and 9th best recruit in the nation. Brown committed to Texas in March, and the Longhorns are expected to play him at cornerback; the position Brown last played as a sophomore on the Buckeyes’ state championship team.
Buckeyes’ junior running back Justin Johnson was named to the second-team offense after posting 1,015 yards and 11 touchdowns on just 86 carries. Johnson also contributed 357 yards and 4 touchdowns on 15 catches, along with 153 yards and another score on 5 kick-off returns.
Junior offensive lineman David Snow, along with junior receiver Lamar Harris, and senior linebacker Arsenial Richardson were honorable mention selections. Snow had 60 pancake blocks and graded out at 83 percent, while Harris caught 39 passes for 641 yards and 12 touchdowns, and Richardson led the Buckeyes’ defense with 113 tackles, 5 sacks, and 3 interceptions.
Kinne has committed to Baylor, and is expected to join the Bears this summer. Brown graduated from Gilmer High School early, and will play in the Army All-American game on Jan. 6 in San Antonio before enrolling in classes at Texas the following week. Richardson is hoping to land a Division 1 scholarship offer, while Johnson, Snow, and Harris are each considered to be among the state’s top 100 recruits, and will return to the Buckeyes next season.
Mirror Photos / Mary Laschinger Kirby
G.J. KINNE (16) and CURTIS BROWN (3) were among the AP's Class 3A All-State selections for 2006.
Gilmer Buckeyes’ senior quarterback G.J. Kinne was named the Associated Press Class 3A Offensive Player of the Year, and teammate Curtis Brown was named to the first team defense, headlining a group of six Buckeyes honored by the AP.
Kinne won the Offensive Player of the year award for the second straight year. In 2005, Kinne was selected after leading the Canton Eagles to the Class 3A Regional Finals, before losing to eventual state champion Tatum. After his father, Canton head coach Gary Joe Kinne left the Eagles for a position at Baylor, Kinne moved with his mother and step-father to Gilmer, and joined the Buckeyes for his senior season.
Kinne’s season was nothing short of spectacular, but once again Kinne and his teammates suffered a playoff loss to the eventual state champion; this time to Liberty-Eylau in the first round. Kinne finished the regular season with 2,962 yards, 43 touchdowns and only one interception, while completing 149 of 218 passes, helping the Buckeyes’ offense average 528.7 yards and 55.4 points per game. The selections were based on regular season statistics.
“It’s really just a great tribute to the coaches and players around me,” said Kinne. “It’s great, but it’s kind of hard to be excited about it with such a disappointing end to the season.” Kinne said that he would trade both Player of the Year honors for a state championship trophy. “This doesn’t even compare. It’s great, and I’m happy that I received it, but I’d definitely rather have the other one.”
Brown’s selection to the first team defense is both impressive and puzzling, since the Texas Longhorns’ commitment played sparingly on the defensive side of the football, and missed most of 5 games with an ankle injury. Despite missing almost half of the regular season, Brown put up jaw-dropping numbers for the Buckeyes’ offense, catching 33 passes for 831 yards and 13 touchdowns. Brown also contributed 14 rushes for 136 yards and another touchdown, and returned 4 kick-offs for a total of 138 yards and another score, along with gaining 59 yards on 7 punt returns. In all, Brown accounted for 1164 yards and 15 touchdowns in just over 5 games.
“It was a surprise,” Brown said, when asked about being named as a defensive player. “I guess they felt like they had to give me something since I’m considered to be one of the best players in the state.” According to Rivals.com, Brown is the best player in the state. The recruiting website has Brown listed as the state’s top recruit, and 9th best recruit in the nation. Brown committed to Texas in March, and the Longhorns are expected to play him at cornerback; the position Brown last played as a sophomore on the Buckeyes’ state championship team.
Buckeyes’ junior running back Justin Johnson was named to the second-team offense after posting 1,015 yards and 11 touchdowns on just 86 carries. Johnson also contributed 357 yards and 4 touchdowns on 15 catches, along with 153 yards and another score on 5 kick-off returns.
Junior offensive lineman David Snow, along with junior receiver Lamar Harris, and senior linebacker Arsenial Richardson were honorable mention selections. Snow had 60 pancake blocks and graded out at 83 percent, while Harris caught 39 passes for 641 yards and 12 touchdowns, and Richardson led the Buckeyes’ defense with 113 tackles, 5 sacks, and 3 interceptions.
Kinne has committed to Baylor, and is expected to join the Bears this summer. Brown graduated from Gilmer High School early, and will play in the Army All-American game on Jan. 6 in San Antonio before enrolling in classes at Texas the following week. Richardson is hoping to land a Division 1 scholarship offer, while Johnson, Snow, and Harris are each considered to be among the state’s top 100 recruits, and will return to the Buckeyes next season.
Mirror Photos / Mary Laschinger Kirby
G.J. KINNE (16) and CURTIS BROWN (3) were among the AP's Class 3A All-State selections for 2006.
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