By james art 
The 2024 high school football season. in Virginia was one of the best in the state’s history.
Maury decisively dominated its opposition, winning its second straight Class 5 title and going wire-to-wire as the state’s No. 1 team. Phoebus made it a fourth straight state title while Oscar Smith returned to glory as Region 757 continued to be a destination for many of the Top Power 4 programs in the country.
There was no shortage of talented teams and players in the old Dominion country. That said, we’re excited to introduce you to the best of the best: The 2024 High School of Virginia Football Award Winners. of Virginia.
Davidson, arguably the state’s top prospect, did not disappoint in the 2024 season. Now the Clemson University freshman has amassed 2,349 rushing yards and scored 41 touchdowns for Liberty Christian, who repeated as Class 3 state champions.
The 6-foot, 205-pounder closed out his LCA in style, rushing for 153 of his games with a game-high 181 yards with four total scores in the opening half of a 42-6 rout of the Bulldogs 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.
Dalton was nothing short of dazzling in his prep career at Dinwiddie. The 6-foot, 205-pounder broke the Richmond metro area marks for career yards (11,282) and total touchdowns (160).
Last 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 in the
Dalton is now at the University of Southern California, where he will run back after graduating early at Dinwiddie.
After spending his first three seasons at national power St. Francis 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 state 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 at Maury.
Godd 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 lacerated kidney.
God suffered the injury while handling during a win against George White in early 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 broken leg in a playoff game his sophomore year, had 42 catches for 921 yards and 12 touchdowns as a receiver and handled kicks in 2024.
Mateo, in just his third season, guided Woodberry Forest to a historic 2024 campaign. The Tigers went 8-0 and won the Virginia Prep title.
Woodberry Forest, which was 5-4 in 2023, defeated eventual Virginia Independent School Athletic Association Division I Champion Benedictine College Prep (31-14). The Tigers also beat then defending Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champion St. Mary’s Metro, which it 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 (center), Matteo spent three seasons as an assistant and in 2023. earned a doctorate in education. Matteo is 19-7 in three seasons at Woodberry Forest.
Newkirk was the “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, who scored 785 points en route to a second straight Class 5 state title and an SI ranking of No. 1 in the Virginia Top 25 high schools. Newkirk recently became the first Competing Quarterback for new coach Bill Belchik and the University of North Carolina.
Overton was a bright spot in a controversy-shrouded Hayfield. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder rushed for 1,561 yards and 36 touchdowns for the Hawks, who were suspended from the postseason by school officials stemming from an alleged transfer violation (Hayfield received a two-year ban from Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia of Virginia High School League in October, but received a temporary injunction to participate before the start of the playoffs).
Overton, who transferred to Hayfield from Liberty, had 42 total tackles and intercepted seven passes on defense. He recently enrolled at Virginia Tech after graduating early from Hayfield.
Anderson played a major role in Green Run’s charge to the Class 5 semifinals. The 5-foot-11, 165-year-old finished with 1,684 yards and 22 touchdowns for the Stallions, who gave eventual state champion and No. 1 Maury its biggest scare before falling , 20-14.
Anderson will play for Virginia Tech in the fall.
Gilchrist did not disappoint last fall as Virginia’s top O-Line prospect. The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder had 42 pancake blocks and allowed just two sacks.
Gilchrist anchored a front that helped senior running back Willie Moore finish 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.
Knyely nearly carried 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 catch on the final play of regulation. He failed to pull in a two-point conversion pass, giving Oscar Smith a 21-20 victory.
The Class 6 state Offensive Player of the Year also had 331 kick return yards and three scores. He will play for Coastal Carolina in the fall.
Watford led the way in the trenches in another dominant run by the #1 State 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 past two seasons. He recently enrolled at reigning Atlantic Coast Conference champion Clemson after graduating early at Maury.
Johnson carved out his place as one of the most accomplished defensive backs in Virginia high school history. The 6-foot, 180-pounder became the first three-time Defensive Player of the Year (Grade 6).
Johnson recorded 110 tackles, seven sacks, two interceptions, four forced fumbles and two defensive fumbles for the Springers (8-4), who lost to eventual state champions Maury (Class 5) and Phoebus (Class 4) in the regular season and the Class , class 6 Champ Oscar Smith in the Finals region. Highland Springs’ other loss was to Class 3 runner-up and rival Richmond 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.
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 straight undefeated (15-0) season and a Class 5 state title.
Daniels, who added 635 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns, is now at the University of South Carolina.
Stimson was one of the top punters in the country, averaging 49.4 yards (long 60 yards) and 11 touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder was a perfect 14-of-14 on extra points.
A three-time first-team Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) and first-team All-America by Kohl’s, Stimson has committed to Elon University.
Hitter solidified his position as the nation’s best in the class of 2026. The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder rushed for 1,698 yards and scored 29 touchdowns in helping Louisa County to the Class 5 region semifinals. Hitter added 56 tackles and seven sacks as an outside linebacker.
Recently crowned national champion Ohio State University, along with Georgia, Michigan and Tennessee are the latest suitors for Hitter’s talent.
After becoming “QB1” midway through 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 put together a 91-yard game. Oscar Smith scored again late in regulation before surviving a Mary steal at the end of regulation and a missed two-point conversion for a 21-20 win.
Andrews, a Class 6 All-State linebacker whose late father, Lonnie Andrews II, was a star running back at the Chesapeake, Wash., school, has early offers from Boston College, Marshall, Norfolk State, Syracuse and Virginia Tech.
Alexander, who recently announced to X his intention to transfer to national power 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 Knitterly, AP, James Maddison
Coach of the Year – Chris Scott, Oscar Smith
Player of the Year – Au’tori Newkirk, QB, Maury
Coach of the Year – Dyrri McClain, Maury
Player of the Year – Harry Dalton, QB, Dinwiddie
Coach of the Year – Jeremy Blunt, Phoebus
Player of the Year – Gideon Davidson, RB, Liberty Christian Academy
Coach of the Year – Charlie Porterfield, Kettle Run
Player of the Year – Omari Hill, DL, Graham
Coach of the Year – Tony Palmer, Graham
Player of the Year – Landon Love, QB, Rye Cove
Coach of the Year – Todd Jones, Essex
Player of the Year – Rhodri McWilliams, DB/WR, Benedictine College Prep
Coach of the Year – Greg Lilley, Benedictine College Prep
Player of the Year – D’Myo Hunter, DB, Blue Ridge School
Coach of the Year – Clint Alexander, Blue Ridge High School
Player of the Year – Sheldon Robinson, DB, Woodberry Forest School
Coach of the Year – .jackson Matteo, Woodberry Forest School