Six Warren Central players make All-Region 2-6A first team

Published 11:00 am Friday, January 15, 2021

Warren Central’s run to the second round of the 2020 MHSAA Class 6A football playoffs netted one last round of accolades as six players were selected to the All-Region 2-6A first team in voting by the league’s coaches.

Offensive lineman Dontavius Bell, quarterback Kentrick Thompson, defensive lineman Taylen Smith, defensive backs Tevin Bell and Jaylin Thompson, and kicker Josh Griffin were all picked for the first team.

The two Bells — no relation to each other — and Smith were previously selected to the Mississippi Association of Coaches Class 6A All-State team as well, and Smith was The Vicksburg Post’s Defensive Player of the Year for Warren County.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

Tevin Bell, a senior cornerback, led the Vikings with five interceptions. Smith totaled 53 tackles, with 12 for loss and eight sacks. He also had two interceptions that he returned for touchdowns.

Jaylin Thompson, another senior cornerback, did not have an interception but did lead the team with 10 pass defenses. He also had 51 tackles.

Kentrick Thompson, Jaylin’s brother, moved from running back to quarterback in 2020 and made the All-Region team as a quarterback/athlete. He passed for 835 yards and five touchdowns, and ran for a team-high 546 yards and seven TDs.

Griffin made four field goals and was 16-for-17 on PATs. He also had 16 touchbacks on 26 kickoffs, and averaged 36.1 yards on 21 punts. Griffin signed with Southern University during the early signing period in December and played in the Bernard Blackwell Mississippi All-Star Game.

Seven other players from Warren Central were selected to the All-Region 2-6A second team — offensive lineman Charles Holmes, Colt Lee and K.J. Miller; defensive lineman Laurence Madison; linebacker Jashun Simon; safety Jason Williams; and running back Timothy Thompson.

The Region 2-6A Most Valuable Player award went to Madison Central quarterback Creek Robertson.

Quarterbacks Caleb Miller of Clinton and Luke Altmyer of Starkville shared the Offensive Player of the Year award.

The Defensive Players of the Year were linebacker John Lewis of Germantown and South Panola defensive tackle Trey Norwood. Lewis had previously been selected the Class 6A Defensive Player of the Year on the MAC All-State team.

About Ernest Bowker

Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.

email author More by Ernest