Despite a close loss in the state championship game early this month in Macon, the Gatewood Gators enjoyed a successful season on the gridiron.
The team went 10-3 overall and saw five players named to the All-State Team. Additionally, those five and five others were named to the GIAA 2AA All-Region Team, while four more Gatewood players received Honorable Mention status for All-Region selection.
“I’m proud of all my guys, every one of them, whether named, nominated, or not,” Gators head coach Jeff Ratliff said. “We had a great season together, so it’s nice to see so many of them get recognized for outstanding play throughout the season. Like I said, though, I’m proud of every single one of them.”
Senior linebacker Evan Bennett led the way for the Gators on the GIAA AA All-State team. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Bennett played on both sides of the ball, racking up 93 tackles (22 tackles for loss), one interception and two blocked kicks on defense.
As a running back, Ratliff revealed Bennett has 4.4 speed and called him “our best athlete.”
Despite missing four games after breaking his right thumb in Week 5, Bennett made 52 carries for 453 total yards and scored eight rushing touchdowns this season.
He also made four catches for 36 yards, including one touchdown. Bennett committed early this season to play college football at the University of North Carolina.
Also named to the GIAA AA All-State team is senior tight end and defensive end Lawson Wooten, who also served as punter for the Gators, averaging 33.4 yards on 38 punts.
“Lawson is a solid football player and a great athlete,” said Ratliff, who pointed out Wooten had at least one catch in every game played this season. At 6-2 and 200 pounds, Wooten made 78 tackles this year, including 19 TFLs and four quarterback sacks, plus two blocked kicks. On the offense, he caught 25 passes for 364 yards and six touchdowns.
Quarterback Ames Johnson showed great poise, decision-making skills, and determination all season long to earn his GIAA AA All-State team position.
Though still a junior, Ratliff said Johnson threw for the most yards in his tenure since 2013 as Gatewood’s coach and called the young playmaker “very elusive and thus very explosive.”
Ames Johnson made 135 pass attempts this year, completing 76 of them for 1,331 yards with only four interceptions. He threw for 18 touchdowns and also made 135 carries for 700 yards and 13 touchdowns. Johnson also was a kick returner for the Gators, making 24 returns for 416 yards and one touchdown and accounting for a total of 2,447 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Blake Callaway was a starter for Gatewood at wide receiver and defensive end and excelled at both to be named to the GIAA AA All-State team. The senior led his team in receiving yards at 546 on 25 catches, which included seven touchdowns.
On defense, the 6-2, 175-pounder made 66 tackles, including 17 for loss and four quarterback sacks. He also recorded a blocked kick and one interception.
Ratliff called Callaway “one of the most talented receivers to play for me,” and added he has excellent speed and “an incredible ability to go catch the ball.” Ratliff also credited Callaway’s athletic ability at defensive end for allowing him to employ a variety of defensive schemes.
The fifth and final member of the Gators on the 2023 GIAA AA All-State team is junior cornerback Hunter Johnson, who carried much of the load when Bennett was sidelined.
“He ended up being one of the best running backs in the league,” Ratliff stated. “Hunter has excellent speed and great vision. His ability to play on both sides of the ball at a high level makes him an all-state player.”
Johnson had 105 carries for 584 rushing yards and four touchdowns, with four passes caught for an additional 67 yards. He also made five kick returns for 121 total yards. Defensively, Hunter Johnson made 53 tackles, including one for loss, and one blocked kick.
Senior safety Sean Harvey and sophomore linebacker Mason Sinclair each received Honorable Mention to the GIAA AA All-State team.
In addition to each of the players named above, the GIAA 2AA All-Region Team included junior offensive and nose tackle Blake Daniel, junior defensive tackle and offensive guard Gage Rainey, and senior kicker Jayden Daniel.
Honorable mentions for the All-Region team included junior running back Jackson Hewatt, senior offensive guard Luke McNeill, sophomore cornerback Ben Brannen, and junior center Tyler Middleton.