New Hampstead star wins Finocchiaro Award as top prep football player in Savannah again

New Hampstead’s Ra’Shawn Truell, the record-setting senior quarterback for the Phoenix, has been named the winner of the 44th Michael Finocchiaro Memorial Outstanding Football Player Award as the top high school football player in Savannah.

It’s the second year in a row that Truell was recognized with the honor. Last year, he shared the award with Calvary Day quarterback Jake Merklinger, now a freshman playing at the University of Tennessee.

Head coaches from the public and private school teams in Chatham County vote on the award, along with local media. Truell beat out a stellar field this year as Savannah Christian’s Elijah Griffin, the senior lineman committed to Georgia, finished second with Benedictine senior Third Scroggins, the senior headed to Miami, finishing third.

Truell is known for his gun slinging mentality with his strong, accurate arm and quick release. He completed 189 of 321 pass attempts (59%) for 3,032 yards with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions in nine games, as he missed one with an injury. He also ran for 126 yards and four more scores for the Phoenix, who finished 4-6 and missed the playoffs.

He closed out the regular season leading the GHSA in passing yardage across all classifications, and set a GHSA state record for passing yards in a game when he threw for 635 yards with six touchdown passes in a loss to Perry on Sept. 28.

The award dates back to 1976. Karl DeMasi, the former coach and a strong supporter of local high school athletics with his Prep Sports Report, brought back the tradition after a six-year hiatus from 2010-15.

Truell is the fifth player to win the honor twice joining Savannah Country Day’s Joey Boaen (2001 and 2003), Franklin Green of Jenkins (2006 and 2007), Savannah Christian’s Chris Barnwell (2008 and 2009) and Benedictine’s Justin Thomas, who won in 2020 and 2021….


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/hampstead-star-wins-finocchiaro-award-090107913.html

Author : Savannah Morning News

Publish date : 2024-11-28 09:01:00

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