By Kris Freeman
White House Football

Eight White House Blue Devils players including three award-winners were named to the All-Region 4-3A team with a banquet Monday night at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville.

Mr. Football finalist Rogers Gaines was named the Region 4-3A Offensive Lineman of the Year, completing the season with over 80 pancake blocks and no sacks allowed in 166 pass attempts, while blocking for two 1,000-yard backs and a 1,000-yard passer.

One of those backs was honored as junior DeMarqus Payne was named the Offensive Back of the Year, rushing 172 times for 1194 yards and 11 touchdowns, and catching seven passes for 37 yards. He also added a touchdown on a blocked punt by senior Will Vick, which Payne picked up and ran 50 yards for a score.

Senior kicker Zack Trobaugh continued a recent Blue Devil tradition by winning the Kicker of the Year award for the region, making 5-of-8 field goals on the year including all three outside 40 yards he attempted. The highlight of the season was a game-winner at the horn against Greenbrier, the first time in school history a White House kicker has made a field goal to win the game at the end of regulation.

Five other members were named to the All-Region 4-3A team - four juniors and one senior. Linebacker Adam Wiss will end his Blue Devils career as a member of the postseason award winners, second on the team with 92 tackles, including one sacks and four tackles for losses to go with three quarterback hurries and one interception.

The other four members will return to the Blue Devils in 2008, as Matt Parker was named to the team with 75 tackles, nine tackles for losses, three interceptions and four passes defended on defense, while catching 20 passes for 493 yards and three touchdowns on offense.

Chad Neal led the team in receiving and was named to the team with 22 catches for 379 yards and three scores, and had 72 tackles with five interceptions and five passes broken up.

Tight end and defensive end Zack Duty caught 11 passes for 128 yards and made 69 tackles with 2.5 sacks and five tackles for losses. He also recovered two fumbles and hurried the quarterback nine times.

DeMarrius Payne was one of the members of a great junior-dominated secondary and made the team to join his brother, with 24 tackles and one interception, but led the team with nine passes broken up for the year. On offense, he caught five passes for 70 yards and a touchdown and returned nine kicks for 138 yards for the season.

The Region 4-3A Most Valuable Player was Deaunte Mason of Pearl-Cohn, also the Mr. Football winner for the classification. Howard Griffin of Pearl-Cohn was the Defensive MVP and Matthew Johnson of Station Camp was the Offensive MVP.