Ty Dutchess Named MVP: Region 4-4A Football Superlatives Released

Upperman Bees senior standout QB Ty Dutchess was named the Region 4-4A Most Valuable Player for the 2021 high school football season. Coming as no surprise, the dual-threat Dutchess led the Bees to a 12-2 final season record, the team’s fourth consecutive Region football championship, and an appearance in the Class 4A State Semifinals. Dutchess rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in the semifinal, but the Bees fell short at two-time defending Class 4A State Champ, Elizabethton, 23-6.

For the season, Dutchess rushed for nearly 1,100 yards and scored 16 touchdowns as part of Upperman’s three-headed rushing attack with Terrance Dedmon and Jaxson Rollins, while the senior threw for over 1,100 yards and added nine more touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Upperman head coach Adam Caine was named the Region 4-4A Coach of the Year after his team’s outstanding season. Caine’s squads have won the Region Championship every year since he took over the program in 2018, and the Bees are 43-9 overall, with a perfect 20-0 record against Region competition, during his tenure.

Among other Region 4-4A superlatives, versatile DeKalb County senior Isaac Knowles won Offensive Player of the Year honors, while Mason Swindle of Macon County earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. Knowles rushed for 882 yards and 15 touchdowns, caught 72 passes for 1,030 yards and six more scores, threw for an additional 155 yards and two touchdowns, and returned 30 kicks for 644 yards with another score, giving him 2,711 all-purpose yards and 24 total touchdowns.

Here’s the complete list of Region 4-4A Superlatives:

MVP – Ty Dutchess, Upperman
Offensive MVP – Isaac Knowles, DeKalb County
Defensive MVP – Mason Swindle, Macon County
Coach of the Year – Adam Caine, Upperman

Most Outstanding QB – Braydee Brooks, Macon County; Hunter Heavilon, Stone Memorial
Most Outstanding RB – Jackson Rollins, Upperman
Most Outstanding WR – Daniel Metzgar, Upperman; Kaleb Flowers, Stone Memorial; Treven McGhee, Cumberland County
Most Outstanding TE – Dawson Long, Macon County
Most Outstanding OL – Diego Coronado, DeKalb County

Most Outstanding DE – Jyron McClellan, Upperman
Most Outstanding DL – Colby Barnes, DeKalb County
Most Outstanding LB – Isaiah Harrington, DeKalb County
Most Outstanding DB – Cameron Houston, Macon County

Most Outstanding K – Anthony Maccarone, Upperman
Most Outstanding P – Jamie Perez, Stone Memorial; Lucas Roberts, Livingston Academy
Most Outstanding Returner – Jaden Lawrence, Livingston Academy; Bryant Carter, Stone Memorial

Offensive Assistant Coach – Tommy Rewis, Upperman; Chris Escamilla, Macon County
Defensive Assistant Coach – Paul Pierson, Macon County
Special Teams Coach – Dakota Dildine, Cumberland County; Todd Petty, Upperman

All Region

Upperman
1st Team (6) – Terrance Dedmon, Clayton Harris, Eli Randolph, Joseph Boehm, Carter Shanks, Evan Briggs
2nd Team (4) – Jaxson Bush, Elijah Petty, Bo Herrell, Wes Boles

Macon County
1st Team (5) – Colton Tuttle, Landon Colter, Brody Clariday, Nate Green, Hayden Wix
2nd Team (3) – Austin Barton, Brody Frye, Riley Cook

DeKalb County
1st Team (4) – Tyler Estes, Brady Hale, Silas Cross, Wil Farris
2nd Team (2) – Ean Jones, Shadie Rankhorn

Stone Memorial
1st Team (3) – Brady Lane, Deacon Disney, Jake Shada
2nd Team (2) – Gavin Potter, Chris Hannah

Cumberland County
1st Team (2) – Jordan Olson, Ryan Dowlen
2nd Team (2) – Colton Nichols, Braden Tollett

Livingston Academy
1st Team (2) – Xander Cantrell, Nathan Cowgill
2nd Team (1) – Brodey Coffee