Gatorade has selected
Stephone Anthony of Anson (Wadesboro) as its North Carolina Football Player of the Year.
While many awards just go for athletic excellence, this award is special in that it includes academic achievement and exemplary character as part of its criteria.
Despite playing on a team that finished 3-8 — a big drop from last year's appearance in the Class 3A semifinals — Anthony excelled on defense, offense and special teams.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior linebacker recorded 123 tackles (16 for loss), four sacks and two interceptions. At running back he rushed for 302 yards and seven touchdowns on 50 carries, and he returned 14 kickoffs for 498 yards.
Anthony also competes in baseball, track and wrestling and carries a 3.57 weighted GPA while volunteering as a youth athletic instructor and mentoring elementary school students.
Anthony has offers from more than a dozen top programs, including many of the top schools in the ACC and SEC, but has yet to make a commitment.
