Some Mr. Football Awards again found welcoming homes in Blount County, just like the gold state championship trophies the TSSAA doles out each December.

For the second consecutive year, Maryville High School football players claimed the two Class 4A awards and an Alcoa player captured the Class 2A Back of the year honor.

"That says Blount County football is strong," said Alcoa senior quarterback Randall Cobb, who won the 2A Back trophy Monday at the Nashville Airport Marriott. Former Alcoa running back and Carson-Newman freshman Chris Shiverdecker won last year.

"We got two of the strongest football programs in the state. And it shows."

Maryville senior tight end and University of Tennessee commitment Aaron Douglas won 4A Lineman of the Year for a second consecutive time. Last year, he completed the sweep with Tennessee freshman and former Maryville receiver Tyler Maples. This season, quarterback Brent Burnette held the headboard-sized 4A Back of the Year trophy.

"He's been our bell cow," Maryville coach George Quarles said of Burnette, who's passed for 3,299 yards and 36 touchdowns this season. "He couldn't have played any better. He did it most of the year without a running game.

"He didn't have the benefit of playing with a super running game to take pressure off of him, until recently. So, the numbers he has put up have been legitimate."

While Quarles called Burnette Maryville's "bell cow," Mike Keith, the voice of the Tennessee Titans and the emcee of the event, thrice announced Burnette's first name as "Ben."

Burnette, centerstage, never grimaced.

"It's an accomplishment for me just to be a finalist," he said. "Any of the two other guys up there could have won it. It's just huge to be mentioned with all the great players up there today.

"Brent winning that award just means the world to me," said Douglas. "He's the leader of our team. He definitely deserved that (award)."

Tennessee commitment and Smyrna senior wide receiver Rodriguez Wilks won the 5A Back category that included Farragut running back Andre Sterling and his more than 2,700 yards rushing.

Montgomery Bell Academy teammates Preston Bailey and Ben Bartholomew - also Tennessee commitments - swept the Division II-AA Lineman and Back awards, respectively.

William Blount punter Kase Whitehead, who averaged nearly 47 yards per punt this season, was one of only three players up for the statewide kicker of the year award, which was given to Polk County's Mike Hammons.

A statewide panel of sportswriters selects all Mr. Football winners from nominations sent in by football coaches and the media.

BlueCross Bowl Tickets: Tickets for this weekend's state football championships at Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro are on sale at participating schools - Fulton, Alcoa and Maryville. Tickets are $10 and each school receives additional money from advance ticket sales.

Fulton Send-off: Send-off ceremonies and bus departure for Fulton's football team will be 2 p.m. Friday from the school's courtyard.

Class A

Back- Marco Dailey, Mt. Pleasant

Lineman- Alex Matlock, Bruceton

Class 2A

Back- Randall Cobb, Alcoa

Lineman- Dakota Crews, Lewis County

Class 3A

Back- Deaunte Mason, Pearl-Cohn

Lineman- Dont'a Hightower, Marshall County

Class 4A

Back- Brent Burnette, Maryville

Lineman- Aaron Douglas, Maryville

Class 5A

Back- Rodriguez Wilks, Smyrna

Lineman- LaDarrius Verge, Riverdale

Division II-A

Back- Grant Jessen, St. George's

Lineman- Ben Popeck, St. George's

Division II-AA

Back- Ben Bartholomew, MBA

Lineman- Preston Bailey, MBA

Kicker of the Year

Mike Hammons, Polk County

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.