South Pointe’s Kendrick named Sophomore All-American by MaxPreps
South Pointe’s Derion Kendrick only played a few snaps in the Stallions’ five-game playoff run to a second straight 3A football state title.
But the 6-foot-1, 180-pound sophomore had done enough by that point to earn second team All-American status from MaxPreps. Kendrick was included in the web site’s sophomore team.
Kendrick had 77 tackles, three interceptions and broke up nine passes while playing safety. He was dangerous on offense too, running the ball 10 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns, catching 10 passes for 202 yards and five more scores, and even throwing a touchdown pass against Vance. And Kendrick returned two punts for touchdowns, the third phase of the game that he impacted this fall for the Stallions.
Kendrick was joined on the sophomore team by several other South Carolinians. State championship-winning quarterback Dakereon Joyner (Fort Dorchester) made first team offense, while Wilson’s Xavier Thomas made first team defense. Another Fort Dorchester player, linebacker Kenneth Brown, joined Kendrick on the second team defense. Joyner was named MaxPreps’ sophomore national player of the year after helping his team to a 4A Division I state title.
Northwestern’s Jamario Holley and Chester’s Pha’Leak Brown were named to MaxPreps’ Freshman All-America team last week.
MaxPreps Sophomore All-Americans
First Team Offense
WR – Marquis Spiker, 6-3, 175, Murrieta Valley (Murrieta, Calif.)
WR – Jalen Hall, 6-4, 180, Hawkins (Los Angeles)
WR – Ke'von Ahmad, 6-1, 185, Heritage (Colleyville, Texas)
TE – Zack Kuntz, 6-7, 215, Camp Hill (Pa.)
OL – Marcus Jenkins, 6-4, 315, Park Crossing (Montgomery, Ala.)
OL – Brey Walker, 6-6, 280, Southmoore (Moore, Okla.)
OL – Jamaree Salyer, 6-3, 265, Pace Academy (Atlanta)
OL – Dawson Jaramillo, 6-6, 270, Lake Oswego (Ore.)
OL – Dare Rosenthal, 6-7, 290, Ferriday (La.)
QB – Trevor Lawrence, 6-5, 188, Cartersville (Ga.)
QB – Matt Corral, 6-3, 190, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.)
RB – Zamir White, 6-1, 205, Scotland (Laurinburg, N.C.)
RB – Ricky Slade, 5-9, 175, Hylton (Woodbridge, Va.)
RB – Dameon Pierce, 5-11, 205, Bainbridge (Ga.)
ATH - Dakereon Joyner, 6-2, 190, Fort Dorchester (N. Charleston, S.C.)
K – Matt Araiza, 6-2, 170, Rancho Bernardo (San Diego)
First Team Defense
DL – Justin Mascoll, 6-4, 215, South Gwinnett (Snellville, Ga.)
DL – Taron Vincent, 6-3, 285, Gilman (Baltimore)
DL – Xavier Thomas, 6-4, 235, Wilson (Florence, S.C.)
DL – Alfred Thomas, 6-3, 260, Lanier (Montgomery, Ala.)
LB – Micah Parsons, 6-3, 230, Central Dauphin (Harrisburg, Pa.)
LB – Nik Bonitto, 6-3, 210, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
LB – Teradja Mitchell, 6-3, 215, Bayside (Virginia Beach, Va.)
LB – Dax Hollifield, 6-2, 205, Shelby (N.C.)
LB – Raymond Scott, 6-1, 215, Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.)
DB – Tyreke Johnson, 6-2, 180, Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.)
DB – Christian Tutt, 5-11, 170, Thomson (Ga.)
DB – Derrik Allen, 6-1, 185, Lassiter (Marietta, Ga.)
DB – Asante Samuel, 5-11, 165, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
P – Jake Camarda, 6-0, 162, Norcross (Ga.)
Second Team Offense
WR – Camron Johnson, 6-0, 185, Brentwood Academy (Tenn.)
WR – L'Christian Smith, 6-6, 215, Wayne (Huber Heights, Ohio)
WR – Brian Hightower, 6-3, 200, Calabasas (Calif.)
WR - Justyn Ross, 6-3, 180, Central (Phenix City, Ala.)
OL – Luke Matthews, 6-4, 310, Fort Bend Elkins (Missouri City, Texas)
OL – Jackson Carman, 6-6, 255, Fairfield (Ohio)
OL – Will Lawrence, 6-3, 280, Harding Academy (Memphis, Tenn.)
OL – Darrell Simpson, 6-7, 320, Northwest (Justin, Texas)
OL – Tommy Brown, 6-7, 300, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
QB – Cameron Rising, 6-2, 180, Newbury Park (Calif.)
QB – Phil Jurkovec, 6-5, 190, Pine-Richland (Gibsonia, Pa.)
RB – Justin Watkins, 6-0, 180, North Marion (Citra, Fla.)
RB – Maurice Washington III, 6-0, 175, King's Academy (Sunnyvale, Calif.)
RB – T.J. Pledger, 5-8, 190, Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.)
ATH - Alontae Taylor, 6-1, 178, Coffee County Central (Manchester, Tenn.)
K – Grant Gonya, 5-6, 135, Hudson (Ohio)
Second Team Defense
DL – Matthew Jones, 6-4, 290, Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
DL – Richard Gouraige, 6-5, 260, Cambridge Christian (Tampa, Fla.)
DL – K.J. Henry, 6-5, 220, West Forsyth (Clemmons, N.C.)
DL – P.J. Mustipher, 6-5, 285, McDonogh (Owings Mills, Md.)
LB – Toa Taua, 5-10, 190, Lompoc (Calif.)
LB – Justin Ademilola, 6-3, 225, St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.)
LB – Quin Williams, 6-1, 217, Morgan County (Madison, Ga.)
LB – Merlin Neenee Robertson, 6-3, 220, Serra (Gardena, Calif.)
LB – Kenneth Brown, 6-3, 240, Fort Dorchester (North Charleston, S.C.)
DB – Kamryn Babb, 6-0, 175, Christian Brothers (St. Louis)
DB – Derion Kendrick, 6-1, 175, South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.)
DB – Verone Mckinley III, 5-10, 170, Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
DB - Jairus Brents, 5-10, 175, Waggener (Louisville, Ky.)
P – Anthony Mosharrafa, 5-10, 195, Chaparral (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
This story was originally published January 4, 2016 at 10:18 AM with the headline "South Pointe’s Kendrick named Sophomore All-American by MaxPreps."