2024 Virginia High School Football Award Winners

Liberty Christian's Gideon Davidson is the Virginia high school football Player of the Year; Dinwidde's Harry Dalton, Maury's CJ Smith, Grayson Count's Mac Goad and Woodberry Forest coach Jackson Matteo also win top honors

Liberty Christian senior running back Gideon Davidson gets the nod as High School on SI's 2024 Virginia High School Football Player of the Year after rushing for 2,349 yards and 41 touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs to a second straight Virginia Class 3 state championships / Gideon Davidson Instagram/Luke Delach

The 2024 high school football season in Virginia was arguably one of the best in the history of the state. 

Maury decisively dominated its opposition, winning a second straight Class 5 title and went wire-to-wire as the state's No. 1 team. Phoebus made it fourth straight state titles while Oscar Smith returned to glory as the 757 region continued being a destination for many of the top Power 4 programs in the country.

There was no shortage of talented teams and players across the Old Dominion State. That said, we’re excited to introduce you to the best of the best: High School on SI’s 2024 Virginia High School Football Award Winners.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR - GIDEON DAVIDSON, RB, LIBERTY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, SR.

Davidson, arguably the state’s top prospect didn’t disappoint in the 2024 season. The now-Clemson University freshman tallied 2,349 rushing yards and scored 41 touchdowns for Liberty Christian, which repeated Class 3 state champions.

The 6-foot, 205-pounder capped his LCA in style, rushing for 153 of his game-high 181 yards with four total scores in the opening half of the Bulldogs’ 42-6 romp of Kettle Run to complete a second straight 14-0 campaign. Davidson finished his high school career with more than 7,700 yards (second-most in Virginia high school history and a staggering 122 touchdowns. 

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - HARRY DALTON, QB, DINWIDDIE, SR.

Dalton was simply dazzling in his prep career at Dinwiddie. The 6-foot, 205-pounder shattered Richmond metro region mark for career yards (11,282) and total touchdowns (160). 

This past season, Dalton completed 152-of-287 passes for 2,243 yards and 24 touchdowns, and rushed for 1,424 yards (on 200 carries and 24 scores, leading Dinwiddie to the Class 

Dalton is now at the University of Southern California where he will be a running back after graduating early from Dinwiddie.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - CJ SMITH, LB, MAURY, SR.

After spending his first three seasons at national powerhouse St. Frances Academy (Md.), Smith returned to his native Virginia and helped Maury to a historic 2024 campaign. 

The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder recorded 100 tackles and 17 sacks for the Commodores, who won a second straight Class 5 championship. Smith also had eight fumble recoveries and three defensive touchdowns as Maury allowed just 88 points.

Smith, the Class 5 Defensive Player of the Year, is now at the University of Maryland after graduating early from Maury.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR - MAC GOAD, DB/WR, GRAYSON COUNTY, SR.

Goad was “The Iron Man” for Grayson County, which reached the Class 1 state final. The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder finished with 59 tackles and three interceptions overcoming a ruptured kidney. 

Goad suffered the injury making a tackle during a win against George Wythe at the start of November. He missed one game before helping the Blue Devils win their next four games before losing to Essex in the state final.

Goad, who played with a broken thumb and leg in a playoff game in his sophomore season, had 42 catches for 921 yards and 12 touchdowns as a receiver and handled kickoffs in 2024.

COACH OF THE YEAR - JACKSON MATTEO, WOODBERRY FOREST SCHOOL

Matteo, in only his third season, guided Woodberry Forest to a historic 2024 campaign. The Tigers went 8-0 and won the Virginia Prep League title. 

Woodberry Forest, which was 5-4 in 2023, defeated eventual Virginia Independent School Athletic Association Division I champ Benedictine College Prep (31-14). The Tigers also defeated then defending Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Metro Division champ St. Mary’s Ryken, which lost in the 2024 final.

Woodberry Forest defeated rival Episcopal (18-14) in “The Game,”completing its first undefeated season since 2000. 

A former football captain at the University of Virginia (played center), Matteo spent three seasons as a graduate assistant and, in 2023, earned a doctorate in Education. Matteo is 19-7 in three seasons at Woodberry Forest.

QUARTERBACK OF THE YEAR - AUTORI NEWKIRK, MAURY, SR.

Newkirk was “QB1” for one of the prolific offenses in recent Virginia high school football history. The 6-foot-3 lefty threw for 3,802 yards and 50 touchdowns for Maury, which scored 785 points en route to a second straight Class 5 state title and No. 1 ranking in SI on High Schools Virginia Top 25. Newkirk recently became the first quarterback commit for new coach Bill Belchick and the University of North Carolina.

RUNNING BACK OF THE YEAR - JEFF OVERTON, HAYFIELD, SR. 

Overton was a bright spot in a shrouded in controversy for Hayfield. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder rushed for 1,561 yards and 36 touchdowns for the Hawks, who were removed from the postseason by school officials stemming from alleged violation of transfer rules (Hayfield was given a two-year postseason ban by the Virginia High School League in October but gained a temporary injunction to participate before the start of the playoffs). 

Overton, who transferred to Hayfield from Freedom, had 42 total touchdowns and intercepted seven passes on defense. He recently enrolled at Virginia Tech after graduating early from Hayfield.

WIDE RECEIVER OF THE YEAR - JAYDEN ANDERSON, GREEN RUN, SR.

Anderson played a major role in Green Run’s charge to the Class 5 state semifinals. The 5-foot-11, 165-pounder finished with 1,684 yards and 22 touchdowns for the Stallions, who gave eventual state champ and No. 1 Maury its biggest scare before falling, 20-14.

Anderson will play for Virginia Tech in the fall. 

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN OF THE YEAR - JAYLEN GILCHRIST, SALEM-VIRGINIA BEACH, SR.

Gilchrist didn’t disappoint during the past fall as the top o-line prospect in Virginia. The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder had 42 pancake blocks and allowed only two sacks. 

Gilchrist anchored a front that helped senior running back Willie Moore finished the 2024 season with 2,214 yards and 32 touchdowns. Salem reached the Class 5 state quarterfinals. 

Gilchrist, a four-star prospect with tremendous size and versatility, is now at the University of Maryland after graduating early from Salem.

ALL-PURPOSE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR - DOMINIC KNICELY, JAMES MADISON, SR.

Knicely nearly carried to James Madison to the Class 6 state championship. The 6-foot, 185-pound speedster rushed for 1,396 yards and 20 touchdowns and caught 46 passes for 1,039 yards and 15 scores. 

In the state final against Oscar Smith, Knicely had six receptions for 161 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown catch on the final play of regulation. He was unable to pull in a two-point conversion pass, giving Oscar Smith a 21-20 victory. 

The Class 6 state Offensive Player of the Year, Knicely also had 331 kick return yards and three scores. He will play for Coastal Carolina in the fall.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN OF THE YEAR - ARI WATFORD, MAURY, SR.

Watford led the way in the trenches in another dominant run by the state’s No. 1 Commodores. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound end had 52 tackles, eight sacks and three forced fumbles before an ankle injury in the Class 5 state semifinals sidelined him for the rest of the postseason.

The Commodores went 29-0 with Watford in the starting lineup and posted 12 shutouts over the last two seasons. He recently enrolled at reigning Atlantic Coast Conference champion Clemson University after graduating early from Maury.

LINEBACKER OF THE YEAR - BRENNAN JOHNSON, HIGHLAND SPRINGS, SR.

Johnson etched his place as one of the most accomplished defenders in Virginia high school history. The 6-foot, 180-pounder became the first three-time Defensive Player of the Year (Class 6).

Johnson recorded 110 tackles, seven sacks, two interceptions, four forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns for the Springers (8-4), who lost to eventual state champions Maury (Class 5) and Phoebus (Class 4) during the regular season and Class 6 champ Oscar Smith in the Region A finals. Highland Springs’ other loss was to Class 3 runner-up and Richmond rival Varina. 

Johnson will play for Virginia Tech where brother Braylon is a sophomore and father Loren, who coached him at Highland Springs, played for the Hokies in the late 1990s.

DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR - KENDALL DANIELS, MAURY, SR.

Daniels was another dynamic performer on Virginia’s top squad. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound safety had 40 tackles and six interceptions, helping Maury to a second consecutive undefeated (15-0) season and Class 5 state title.

Daniels, who added 635 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns, is now at the University of South Carolina.

SPECIAL TEAMS PERFORMER OF THE YEAR - CARTER STIMSON, ST. STEPHEN & ST. AGNES, SR. 

Stimson was one of the top punters in the country, averaging 49.4 yards (long of 60 yards) and 11 touchbacks. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder was a perfect 14-of-14 on extra points.

A three-time Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) first-team pick and first-team All-America by Kohl’s, Stimson is committed to Elon University.

JUNIOR PERFORMER OF THE YEAR - SAVION HITER, RB, LOUISA COUNTY

Hiter solidified his standing as the nation’s top running back in the Class of 2026. The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder rushed for 1,698 yards and scored 29 touchdowns, helping Louisa County to the Class 5 region semifinals. Hiter added 56 tackles and seven sacks as an outside linebacker. 

Newly crowned national champion Ohio State University along with Georgia, Michigan and Tennessee are the final suitors for Hiter’s talents. 

SOPHOMORE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR - LONNIE ANDREWS, QB, OSCAR SMITH

After becoming “QB1” in the middle of the 2023 season, Andrews ascended in 2024. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder completed 172-of-289 passes for 2,740 yards and 29 touchdowns for Oscar Smith (15-0), which won the Class 6 state championship for the first time since 2021.

With the Tigers trailing James Madison, 14-7, in the fourth quarter, Andrews engineered a game-tying 91-yard scoring drive. Oscar Smith scored again late in regulation before surviving a Hail Mary touchdown at the end of regulation and a failed two-point conversion for a 21-20 victory. 

Andrews, the Class 6 all-state quarterback whose late father, Lonnie Andrews II, was a star running back at the Chesapeake, Va. school, has received early offers from Boston College, Marshall, Norfolk State, Syracuse and Virginia Tech.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - DJ ALEXANDER, LB, INDIAN RIVER

Alexander, who recently announced on X his intention to transfer to national powerhouse IMG Academy (Fla.), helped Indian River (8-4) to the Class 5 region semifinals. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder finished with 117 tackles, four sacks and three fumble recoveries. Duke, Syracuse and Virginia Tech have made early offers. 

CLASS 6

Player of the Year - Dominic Knicely, AP, James Madison

Coach of the Year - Chris Scott, Oscar Smith

CLASS 5

Player of the Year - Au’Tori Newkirk, QB, Maury

Coach of the Year -  Dyrri McClain, Maury

CLASS 4

Player of the Year - Harry Dalton, QB, Dinwiddie

Coach of the Year - Jeremy Blunt, Phoebus

CLASS 3

Player of the Year - Gideon Davidson, RB, Liberty Christian Academy

Coach of the Year - Charlie Porterfield, Kettle Run

CLASS 2

Player of the Year - Omarri Hill, DL, Graham

Coach of the Year - Tony Palmer, Graham

CLASS 1

Player of the Year - Landon Love, QB, Rye Cove

Coach of the Year - Todd Jones, Essex

VISAA A

Player of the Year - Roddrey McWilliams, DB/WR, Benedictine College Prep

Coach of the Year - Greg Lilly, Benedictine College Prep 

VISAA B

Player of the Year - D’Myo Hunter, DB, Blue Ridge School

Coach of the Year - Clint Alexander, Blue Ridge School

PREP LEAGUE

Player of the Year - Sheldon Robinson, DB, Woodberry Forest School

Coach of the Year - .Jackson Matteo, Woodberry Forest School