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Malachi Thomas, left, Cane Berrong, middle, Kaimon Rucker, right.
Postseason accolades continued to pour in for Bulldog football players last week as the Atlanta Journal Constitution released its 2019 All-State team.
Hart County running back Malachi Thomas earned the title of Class AAA Offensive Player of the Year after a monster season in which Thomas rushed for more than 1,900 yards and broke the single-season touchdown record for Hart County High School with 36 trips to the end zone on the season. Thomas, a junior, garnered an additional 638 receiving yards and helped the Bulldogs reach the Elite Eight.
Thomas told The Hartwell Sun he hopes to play football at the collegiate level and currently holds one Division 1 scholarship offer from Cincinnati.
Junior Cane Berrong was named Class AAA’s first-team all-state tight end. The Notre Dame commit reeled in 486 receiving yards this season and led all tight ends in the class with 43 receptions. Berrong hit the end zone four times and was instrumental in run blocking for the Bulldogs.
Senior Kaimon Rucker received an honorable mention nod for his efforts this year. The University of North Carolina signee missed five games due to injury, but still managed to garner 10 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. He returned in the postseason where he aided the Bulldogs in their Elite Eight playoff-run. Rucker will pad up for the Tarheels next season under head coach Mack Brown.