ECHS’s Freeman, EA’s Welker, Turner and Flavors are first teamers

Four Atmore-area football players are first-team selections on the 2017 Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State Team, which was released today.

Escambia County’s DeAndre Freeman was selected as a defensive lineman on the Class 4A first team; Escambia Academy’s Jamie Welker was selected as a linebacker on the AISA first team; and EA’s Louie Turner and Fred Flavors were selected as first-team athletes.

From the Brewton area, T.R. Miller kicker Matthew Morgan was selected to the Class 3A first-team offense.

Freeman, a junior at 6-foot-1 and 187 pounds, compiled 92 total tackles (61 solo, 31 assists) and had 18 tackles for a loss with 12 sacks for the Blue Devils.

Welker led the Cougars with 67 tackles (50 solo, 17 assists), two sacks and six tackles for a loss.

As athletes, Turner and Flavors were selected for their production in several areas of the game.

Turner rushed for 879 yards on 97 carries and scored 19 touchdowns. He also was the second-leading tackler with 63 behind Welker.

Flavors excelled on both sides of the ball. In kick off returns, he averaged 29 yards a return for a total of 145 yards on five returns.

Defensively, Flavors had 48 tackles, and nabbed four interceptions with a return rate of 102 yards.

In the air, Flavors caught 17 passes for 448 yards and four touchdowns; and rushed for 366 yards on 35 carries and scored six touchdowns on the ground.

Escambia Academy’s Jabe Dawe was selected as an honorable mention quarterback.