Taylor, Hunt lead Missouri all-state football

It became increasingly difficult for Maplewood-Richmond Heights opponents to prepare for the presence of Blue Devil defensive lineman Marcus Taylor on the football field on any given Friday last fall.

Taylor began the 2010-11 season on the line on the stop side of the ball. But as teams started to run away from the 6-foot-3-inch senior, Blue Devil coach Brandon Gregory started to move him around in attempt to put him in position to make plays. The switches could come from game to game, or possibly even play to play.

"He's a track kid that plays defensive end," Gregory said of Taylor, "and he has a good awareness of where the ball is going. At this point in his career he doesn't have to react anymore, it's all about following his instincts now. He just knows how to find where the ball is going."

While Gregory's covertness aided Taylor's ability to get to the other team's ball carrier, it ultimately was the heart and athletic ability of the Class 2 first team all-state defender that allowed Taylor to put up huge numbers while leading the Blue Devils to the Class 2 state championship game before falling to Penney, 34-13.



Besides finding his way to 87 total tackles, 66 of which were solo stops, Taylor broke through or ran around opposing offensive lines to put his fingerprint on 28 tackles for losses (for minus-149 yards) and 21 sacks. Because of his ability to force opposing teams into negative plays, Taylor earns Missouri small school defensive MVP honors for the 2010-11 season.

Taylor's counterpart on the offensive side of the ball is Westran quarterback Tyler Hunt. Although the 6-0, 210-pound senior possessed the skills to allow the Hornets to run or throw the ball, Hunt put up huge numbers either way.

While completing nearly 60 percent of his pass attempts, Hunt threw for 1,821 yards and 27 touchdowns and tossed just two interceptions. Running the football, Hunt chalked up 1,790 yards and 35 more scores on 234 carries.

Following is a look at the Missouri small school all-state squad as well as teams selected for Classes 3, 2 and 1.{PAGEBREAK}MISSOURI SMALL SCHOOL ALL-STATE FOOTBALL

ALL-STATE OFFENSE
END – Grant Wallace, John Burroughs, 6-0 180 Sr.
END – Blake Seitz, Wellington-Napoleon, 6-4 190 Sr.
END – Holden Meyers, Centralia, 6-0 170 Sr.
QB – Tyler Hunt, Westran, 6-0 210 Sr.
RB – Trent Davis, Wright City, 5-11 190 Sr.
RB – Trevor Dixon, Penney, 6-2 180 Sr.
RB – Vance Purdun, Princeton, 5-10 185 Sr.
OL – Tj Schieber, Penney, 6-3 230 Jr.
OL – Cameron McGlothlin, Orrick, 6-4 237 Sr.
OL – Colby Bowers, Richmond, 5-11 225 Jr.
OL – Spencer Polen, Carrollton, 6-2 240 Sr.
OL – Tycie Linneman, Westran, 6-4 240 Sr.
OFFENSIVE MVP – Tyler Hunt, Westran

ALL-STATE DEFENSE
DL – Marcus Taylor, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, 6-3 185 Sr.
DL – Josh Pickrell, Penney, 6-4 215 Sr.
DL – Jordyn Butler, Orrick, 6-3 244 Sr.
DL - Joshua Temple, Cardinal Ritter, 6-4 215 Sr.
LB – Trent Tanner, Cassville, 5-6 150 Sr.
LB – Markiki Hicks, Cardinal Ritter, 5-10 210 Sr.
LB – Matt Schieber, Penney, 5-9 165 Jr.
LB – Eric Meyer, Valle Catholic, 5-10 171 Jr.
DB – Keagan Prather, Penney, 6-2 180 Sr.
DB – Tyler Hinshaw, Miller, 5-10 165 Sr.
DB – Ryan Cooper, Owensville, 6-0 185 Sr.
DB – Matt George, Westran, 5-9 170 Sr.
DEFENSIVE MVP – Marcus Taylor, Maplewood-Richmond Heights



ALL-STATE SPECIALISTS
K – Kevin Abts, Valle Catholic, 5-10 165 Jr.
RETURNER – Taylor Paul, Southern Boone, 5-10 160 Sr.
P – Jake Brasfield, Nevada, 6-1 190 Sr.
ATHLETE – Colby Bowles, Richmond, 6-3 200 Sr.

CLASS 3

ALL-STATE OFFENSE
END – Grant Wallace, John Burroughs, 6-0 180 Sr.
END – Morgan Hedrick, Dexter, 6-1 215 Sr.
END – Seth Martinko, Odessa, 5-9 170 Sr.
QB – Sam Van Doren, John Burroughs, 6-2 217 Sr.
RB – Trent Davis, Wright City, 5-11 190 Sr.
RB – Raphael Spencer, O'Hara, 5-9 185 Sr.
RB – Gabe Vandiver, Richmond, 5-9 160 Jr.
OL – Colby Bowers, Richmond, 5-11 225 Jr.
OL – Joe Bratkowski, John Burroughs, 6-3 285 Sr.
OL – Matt Myers, Bowling Green, 6-0 260 Sr.
OL – Tyler Skinner, Cassville, 5-11 225 Sr.
OL – Dylan Bussell, Logan-Rogersville, 6-0 210 Sr.

ALL-STATE DEFENSE
DL – James Barnes, Trinity Catholic, 5-10 255 Sr.
DL – Garrett Mahurin, Cassville, 5-11 255 Sr.
DL – Ty Tweedie, Richmond, 6-2 190 Sr.
DL – Joshua Temple, Cardinal Ritter, 6-4 215 Sr.
LB – Trent Tanner, Cassville, 5-6 150 Sr.
LB – Markiki Hicks, Cardinal Ritter, 5-10 210 Sr.
LB – Devin Linenbrink, Cassville, 6-1 195 Sr.
LB – Devan Cobb, Bowling Green, 5-8 160 Sr.
DB – Ryan Cooper, Owensville, 6-0 185 Sr.
DB – Matt Brown, Bowling Green, 5-10 160 Sr.
DB – Josh Lewright, Cassville, 6-1 190 Sr.
DB – Scott Chesbro, Springfield Catholic, 6-0 165 Sr.

ALL-STATE SPECIALISTS
K – Tony Cribbin, Priory, 5-9 180 Sr.
RETURNER – Taylor Paul, Southern Boone, 5-10 160 Sr.
P – Jake Brasfield, Nevada, 6-1 190 Sr.
ATHLETE – Colby Bowles, Richmond, 6-3 200 Sr.

CLASS 2



ALL-STATE OFFENSE
END – Devante Bausby, Hogan Prep Academy, 6-1 175 Sr.
END – Will Brandt, South Callaway, 6-2 180 Sr.
END – Holden Meyers, Centralia, 6-0 170 Sr.
QB – Kahlid Hagens, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, 6-1 160 So.
RB – Trevor Dixon, Penney, 6-2 180 Sr.
RB – Daniel Porter, Liberty-Mountain View, 5-10 215 Sr.
RB – Taquan Kelly, Macon, 5-5 168 So.
OL – Tj Schieber, Penney, 6-3 230 Jr.
OL – James Schwieter, Macon, 6-2 237 Jr.
OL – Spencer Polen, Carrollton, 6-2 240 Sr.
OL – Patrick Pinnell, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, 5-10 240 Sr.
OL – Johnathan Rozell, Lamar, 6-0 290 Sr.

ALL-STATE DEFENSE
DL – Marcus Taylor, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, 6-3 185 Sr.
DL – Ethan Niehaus, Liberty-Mountain View, 5-10 198 Sr.
DL – Josh Pickrell, Penney, 6-4 215 Sr.
DL – Nathan Hollingsworth, Lexington, 6-5 265 Sr.
LB – Matt Schieber, Penney, 5-9 165 Jr.
LB – DeShaun Thirkield, Higginsville, 6-0 215 Jr.
LB – Coty Martin, Liberty-Mountain View, 6-0 218 Sr.
LB – Colby Hall, Lamar, 5-9 200 Sr.
DB – Johnny Eierman, Warsaw, 6-0 190 Sr.
DB – Keagan Prather, Penney, 6-2 180 Sr.
DB – Nick Coulter, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, 5-8 145 Sr.
DB – Jordan Akers, Lawson, 5-11 160 Sr.

ALL-STATE SPECIALISTS
K – Garrison Green, Lawson, 6-0 160 Jr.
RETURNER – Cody Stringer, Liberty-Mountain View, 6-0 176 Jr.
P – Austin Dawkins, Bishop LeBlond, 5-11 180 So.
ATHLETE – Dylan King, Penney, 5-7 151 Sr.

CLASS 1

ALL-STATE OFFENSE
END – Blake Seitz, Wellington-Napoleon, 6-4 190 Sr.
END – Zach Waler, Valle Catholic, 6-2 170 Sr.
END – Drake Buffington, Westran, 6-3 183 Jr.
QB – Tyler Hunt, Westran, 6-0 210 Sr.
RB – Logan Eubank, Orrick, 6-1 192 Sr.
RB – Vance Purdun, Princeton, 5-10 185 Sr.
RB – Cameron Carey, Thayer, 5-10 180 Sr.
OL – Bryan Tate, Thayer, 6-1 260 Sr.
OL – Jamie Thieman, Concordia, 6-3 230 Jr.
OL – Shane Smith, South Shelby, 6-5 280 Sr.
OL – Cameron McGlothlin, Orrick, 6-4 237 Sr.
OL – Tycie Linneman, Westran, 6-4 240 Sr.

ALL-STATE DEFENSE
DL – Ethan Decker, South Shelby, 6-2 300 Sr.
DL – Jordyn Butler, Orrick, 6-3 244 Sr.
DL – Ryan Herman, Valle Catholic, 6-5 251 Jr.
DL – Josh Kock, Concordia, 5-10 240 Jr.
LB – Bradley Minor, Westran, 6-2 180 Sr.
LB – Eric Meyer, Valle Catholic, 5-10 171 Jr.
LB – Ethan Dodd, South Shelby, 6-4 190 Sr.
LB – Billy Wendt, South Harrison, 6-2 215 Sr.
DB – Matt George, Westran, 5-9 170 Sr.
DB – Michael Loids, Valle Catholic, 6-0 175 Sr.
DB – Dylon Register, Wellington-Napoleon, 6-1 170 Sr.
DB – Tyler Hinshaw, Miller, 5-10 165 Sr.



ALL-STATE SPECIALISTS
K – Kevin Abts, Valle Catholic, 5-10 165 Jr.
RETURNER – Luke Liding, Valle Catholic, 5-11 170 Sr.
P – Codi Fordyce, Milan, 6-5 225 Jr.
ATHLETE – Cameron Backes, Tipton, 5-4 130 Sr.