Liberty County football players Richard LeCounte and Jacquez Williams received their All-Region trophies from the Georgia High School Coaches Association last week.
LeCounte had been named 2015 Region 3-AAAA All-Region Athlete of the Year. He also received a second trophy from the Panther coaching staff as the 2015 MVP.
Williams received his trophy for being named the All-Region Offensive Player of the Year.
“They did an outstanding job for their team this year and we had a pretty good year in our region,” Panther head coach Kirk Warner said. “They were voted on by our peers … All I did was submit their names and the other coaches pretty much knew who they were and it was unanimous decisions for both awards. I tip my hat off to both of them for working hard.”
Williams played all four years of high school, recording a career 2,200 total rushing yards off 247 carries and scoring 18 rushing touchdowns and 32 total touchdowns. He had 68 career receptions for 1,155 yards and 14 touchdowns. Defensively he had a career 63 in total tackles. Williams has verbally committed to play for Wake Forest and is expected to make that official on National Signing Day Feb. 3.
LeCounte has three football seasons under his belt and is expected to return for his senior year. His defense career includes 299 total tackles and 11 interceptions. Offensively, he has completed 38-of-70 passes for 688 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s rushed for 1,358 yards off 176 carries for 12 TDs, caught 47 passes for 883 yards and six TDs. Recently, the five-star prospect verbally committe to play for the University of Georgia.
Looking toward next season, Warner said he is excited about playing in Region 2-AAA against teams like Appling, Brantley, Pierce Tattnall and Long counties. He said it will be a competitive region, but he thinks they have another good shot for the post season.
“We know what these guys can do,” Warner said about the football players set to return for next season. “The biggest factor for us will be last year’s 10th grader and how they step up their games in their 11th grade year. If those guys come around and improve the way that we think they will, we stand a good chance of having another outstanding year.”