STEPHONE ANTHONY, Ansoncounty, LB, Jr., 6-3, 220 Had 120 Tackles, Four Interceptions And

LINEBACKERS

STEPHONE ANTHONY, AnsonCounty, LB, Jr., 6-3, 220 _ Had 120 tackles, four interceptions and 18 tackles for loss. First-team All Charlotte Observer pick. Has written offers from Florida, LSU, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, N.C.State, Duke, Virginia Tech, Stanford. Carries 3.64 GPA.

JARED BARBER, Davie County, LB, Jr., 6-2, 217 _ Had 148 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception. Fast, physical and plays downhill from sideline to sideline. All-area pick last year. Conference defensive player of the year. Had more than 400 tackles in three-year starting career. Being recruited by Duke, Kentucky, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, N.C.State.

PATRICK BLALOCK, Asheville Reynolds, LB, Sr., 6-0, 185 _ Had 221 tackles and 30 tackles for loss for 4-A champions. All-conference pick. Team had no returning defensive starters to start the season, but held its last three opponents to 31 points.

KYLE BOSTIC, Warsaw Kenan, LB, Sr., 5-9, 170 _ Second-year starter had 159 tackles for an average of 12.2 per game. All-conference pick. One of two returning starters on defense and was a member of 2007 team that won the 1-AA title.

MAJOR BRYANT, Greensboro Dudley, LB, Sr. _ Had 116 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles. High Division I recruit.

JOHN AUSTIN CHAMBERS, Waynesville Tuscola, LB, Sr., 6-0, 223 _ Had 181 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five sacks and four forced fumbles. All-conference pick. Committed to Western Carolina.

ZACH COOK, Mt.Pleasant, LB, Sr., 5-11, 190 _ Had 111 tackles, 16 sacks, and six tackles for loss. Had a fumble return for a touchdown and two caused fumbles. Played OG on offense.

PAUL FORNEY, Newton-Conover, LB, Sr., 5-8, 180 _ Leading tackler for 2-AA finalist with 123½. Had seven tackles for loss, two interceptions and batted down six passes.

KRIS FROST, Matthews Butler, LB, Jr., 6-3, 220 _ Top defensive player for state champion and major college recruit. Had 92 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three pass breakups and team-high four interceptions. First-team all-Charlotte Observer pick.

JACOB HANES, Matthews Butler, LB, Sr., 6-0, 235 _ Team-high 142 tackles for 4-AA champions. Had four sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two interceptions.

COLE HARTLEY, Washington, LB, Sr., 6-0, 190 _ Had 105 tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and four pass deflections.

SEAN HUBBARD, Charlotte Olympic, LB, Sr., 6-1, 205 _ Conference defensive player of the year had 114 tackles, two defensive touchdowns and five fumble recoveries. All-Charlotte Observer pick.

TY LINTON, Charlotte Christian, LB, Sr., 6-2, 210 _ Had 56 tackles, 14 hurries and 10 tackles for loss for NCISAA state finalist. Nationally ranked player was all-conference and private school all-state pick. Committed to North Carolina.

DARIUS LIPFORD, Lenoir Hibriten, LB, Sr., 6-5, 218 _ Anchored defense that allowed an average of 12 points per game and held opponents to fewer than 10 points in eight games. Two-time all-conference pick. Recently switched verbal commitment from Duke to North Carolina. Shrine Bowl pick.

MATT MCGHEE, Eastern Alamance, LB, Sr., 5-10, 183 _ Had 124 tackles, four sacks, four caused fumbles, three fumble recoveries and three pass breakups for 3-A regional champs.

DREW MILES, Eastern Alamance, LB, Sr., 5-10, 194 _ Had 139 tackles, three sacks, two pass breakups, one interception and one fumble recovery for 3-A regional champ.

KENDALL MOORE, Southeast Raleigh, LB, Sr., 6-4, 240 _ Gained national acclaim and eventually accepted a scholarship to Notre Dame.

CODY PATTERSON, South Iredell, LB, Jr., 6-2, 205 _ Led county with 164 tackles. Had 17 tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles and one interception. All-conference pick. Played middle linebacker for a unit that allowed about 250 yards per game.

CHRISTIAN RUSSELL, Fayetteville Westover, RB/LB, Jr., 6-0, 210 _ Ran for 1,728 yards and 23 touchdowns for the third-best rushing total in CumberlandCounty. Finished with 136 tackles to rank seventh in the county.

JON SPAIN, Greensboro Page, LB, Sr. _ Had 160 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception for a touchdown. Two-time all-conference pick. High Division I recruit. Shrine Bowl pick.

VINNIE SUNSERI, MarvinRidge, LB, Jr., 6-0, 205 _ Had 103 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, two sacks, five interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Charlotte Touchdown Club defensive player of the year. Conference defensive player of the year.

LUKE WHEELER, Mt. Airy, LB, Sr., 5-11, 185 _ Had 109 solo tackles, 28 assists, 31 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and one interception heading into state championship game. Two-time all-conference pick. Conference defensive player of the year.

RONNIE WOOLARD, Washington, LB, Sr., 5-9, 155 _ Had 125 tackles, five fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, 4½ sacks and a 55-yard interception return.