By Kris Freeman
White House Football

Click here for the TSSAA Official Winners release

When Tennessee Titans announcer Mike Keith made the announcement of White House senior tackle Rogers Gaines as a Mr. Football finalist in Class 3-A, the crowd got a big chuckle as the 6-foot-7, 332-pounder shadowed other people on the stage.

Standing next to former Titans receiver Kevin Dyson, Gaines was named as one of three finalists last Monday for the lineman award in Class 3-A. Dyson and former teammate Chris Sanders were on hand with Keith as the Tennessee Titans sponsored this event to honor 45 finalists in seven classes plus three kickers.

Defensive specialist Donta' Hightower of Marshall County, signed to play college football at the University of Alabama, took home the honors, joining Gaines and Dyersburg's Beau Liljenquist on stage. Gaines was the seventh finalist from White House to be honored at the prestigious event, joining linemen Wes Langford and Kevin Harris, and backs Ricky Ladd, Jonathan Finch, Brian Jones and James Taylor. Ladd was the only winner, finishing as a finalist in 2004 and winning the award in 2005.

"I think Rogers epitomizes what you look for in a kid at your school," said White House head coach Jeff Porter. "He is looked at very highly by our administration, faculty and students."

Three 2007 White House opponents won Mr. Football awards, as Pearl-Cohn's Deaunte Mason won the back of the year in Class 3-A and Alcoa's Randall Cobb did the same in Class 2-A. Polk County's Mike Hammons was named the kicker of the year in all classifications. Mason's team lost to Fulton in the semifinals and Alcoa went on to win the state championship Saturday, while Polk County lost to White House in the opening round of the playoffs.

Gaines helped lead the Blue Devils to a 9-4 record and berth in the quarterfinals for the third time in four years. A three-year starter, he played two years as a defensive tackle before concentrating this season on left tackle. He anchored an offensive line which had two 1,000-yard backs (junior DeMarqus Payne and sophomore Bryan Dixon) and a 1,000-yard passer (sophomore Trox Greenwade. It was the first time in school history for three backs to cross the 1,000-yard marks in their respective categories in the same season.

Payne and Dixon combined for 2,244 yards and 29 touchdowns out of the Blue Devils backfield and an average per carry of 6.7 yards. In 166 passes, Gaines did not allow a sack and had over 80 pancake blocks, grading out at 85 percent for the year.

"He's as good as any offensive lineman that has ever played at this school," said offensive coordinator Jim Grantham, who has been there for all eight finalists.

He participated in the preseason Elite Scouting Combine for 60 of the top players in Middle Tennessee, and coaches say Gaines garnered more recruiting attention than any player in the last 25 years. He is currently working on academic qualification for his future. The staff at White House believes when he qualifies academically, "he will be very successful at the next level." His current schools of interest include Middle Tennessee State, Western Kentucky, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech.

"He's a leader in the hallways of our school and he participates and supports other school events," Porter said. "He works on weekends at Kroger to support he and his family. I think the best compliment anyone could pay him is he is just a very humble young man."

Gaines is a two-sport star at White House and now heads to the hardcourt to lead the Blue Devils, where he was an All-State player last season.

The Mr. Football winners were as follows: Alex Matlock, Hollow Rock-Bruceton (Class 1-A Lineman); Marco Dailey, Mt. Pleasant (Class 1-A Back); Dakota Crews, Lewis County (Class 2-A Lineman); Randall Cobb, Alcoa (Class 2-A Back); Donta' Hightower, Marshall County (Class 3-A Lineman); Deaunte Mason, Pearl-Cohn (Class 3-A Back); Aaron Douglas, Maryville (Class 4-A Lineman); Brent Burnette, Maryville (Class 4-A Back); LaDarrius Verge, Riverdale (Class 5-A Lineman); Rodriguez Wilks, Smyrna (Class 5-A Back); Ben Popeck, St. George's Independent School (Division II-A Lineman); Grant Jessen, St. George's Independent School (Division II-A Back); Preston Bailey, MBA (Division II-AA Lineman); Ben Bartholomew, MBA (Division II-AA Back); Mike Hammons, Polk County (All Classes, Kicker).