Smyrna's Nolan Henderson heads All-State football team

Smyrna quarterback Nolan Henderson scrambles past Salesianum defenders Josh Patrick (left) and William Vanneman on Sept. 23. Henderson has been named the state’s Offensive Player of the Year.

Smyrna quarterback Nolan Henderson, who guided the Eagles to their second consecutive DIAA Division I championship last Saturday, was named Delaware’s Offensive Player of the Year and heads the All-State football team released Tuesday night.

The All-State team was determined through voting by the Delaware Interscholastic Football Coaches Association. The players of the year were determined by voting of the DIFCA board of directors and the state’s high school football media, and one of the votes was deadlocked. So Concord linebacker Avery Roberts and Woodbridge defensive end Leah Styles were named Co-Defensive Players of the Year.

Middletown senior Caleb Weatherford, a first-team All-State pick at both center and defensive tackle, was named the Lineman of the Year.

Henderson, a repeat first-team selection, had a brilliant senior season for Smyrna (12-0). The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder completed 121 of 196 passes (61.7 percent) for 2,317 yards, 32 touchdowns and only five interceptions. Henderson has verbally committed to the University of Delaware but is awaiting the Blue Hens’ decision on a new head coach before making it official.

Roberts was a dominant linebacker, racking up 135 tackles, eight sacks, 18 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and two defensive touchdowns on a Concord team that went 7-4 and lost in the first round of the Division I playoffs. The 6-2, 215-pound senior has committed to play college football at Nebraska.

Styles (6-0, 170) wasn’t the biggest of defensive ends, but the senior played a giant role for a Woodbridge team that finished 13-0 and won its first DIAA Division II championship. The senior led the Blue Raiders with 84 tackles, including an overwhelming 17½ sacks and 31 tackles for loss. Woodbridge’s other defensive end, senior Shymere Vessels, also made the first team, along with senior running back Terrique Riddick.

STORY: Salesianum’s Blackwell leads All-State soccer team

Smyrna placed six players on the first team, more than any other squad. In addition to Henderson, junior running back Will Knight and senior offensive tackle Jerren Carter repeated as first-team selections. Sophomore wide receiver Emon Roberts, senior linebacker Josh Hutchinson and junior kick returner Leddie Brown also made the first team.

Salesianum had four first-team selections – senior guard Zebulon Wright, senior offensive tackle Randy Sinnott, senior linebacker Josh Patrick and junior kicker Cooper Urban.

William Penn’s four first-teamers all came on defense – senior tackle D’Mir Copeland, senior linebacker Charlie Hope, senior defensive back Zach Burton and junior defensive back Isaiah Gaynor.

In addition to Weatherford, Middletown had two other first-team selections in senior wide receiver Anthony DelPercio and senior defensive back Shane Wilkins.

The other first-team selections were Archmere senior fullback Patrick Udovich, St. Mark’s senior tight end David Balint, Appoquinimink senior guard Jackson Truitt, Glasgow junior defensive back Reggie Grinnell and Sussex Central punter Jordan Dorman.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ

DIFCA ALL-STATE FOOTBALL TEAM

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

QB – Nolan Henderson, sr., Smyrna

FB – Patrick Udovich, sr., Archmere

RB – Terrique Riddick, sr., Woodbridge

RB – Will Knight, jr., Smyrna

WR – Anthony DelPercio, sr., Middletown

WR – Emon Roberts, so., Smyrna

TE – David Balint, sr., St. Mark’s

C – Caleb Weatherford, sr., Middletown

G – Zebulon Wright, sr., Salesianum

G – Jackson Truitt, sr., Appoquinimink

OT – Randy Sinnott, sr., Salesianum

OT – Jerren Carter, sr., Smyrna

DEFENSE

DE – Leah Styles, sr., Woodbridge

DE – Shymere Vessels, sr., Woodbridge

DT – Caleb Weatherford, sr., Middletown

DT – D’Mir Copeland, sr., William Penn

LB – Avery Roberts, sr., Concord

LB – Josh Patrick, sr., Salesianum

LB – Charlie Hope, sr., William Penn

LB – Josh Hutchinson, sr., Smyrna

DB – Zach Burton, sr., William Penn

DB – Shane Wilkins, sr., Middletown

DB – Reggie Grinnell, jr., Glasgow

DB – Isaiah Gaynor, jr., William Penn

SPECIAL TEAMS

K – Cooper Urban, jr., Salesianum

P – Jordan Dorman, sr., Sussex Central

RET – Leddie Brown, jr., Smyrna

Offensive Player of the Year – QB Nolan Henderson, sr., Smyrna

Co-Defensive Players of the Year – DE Leah Styles, sr., Woodbridge and LB Avery Roberts, sr., Concord

Lineman of the Year – C-DT Caleb Weatherford, Middletown

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

QB – Drew Fry, so., Middletown. FB – Jalen Smith, jr., St. Georges. RB – Kedrick Whitehead, jr., Middletown; Grahm Roberts, jr., Concord. WR – Michael Credle, sr., Glasgow; Brion Murray, sr., Milford. TE – Shawn Bowman, jr., Howard. C – Jacob Reed, sr., Caravel. G – Zachery Kuhns, sr., Sussex Central; Tyler Narvell, sr., Concord. OT – Myles Vernet, sr., Sussex Central; Mickey Henry, sr., St. Elizabeth

DEFENSE

DE – Earl Jeter, sr., Concord; Jon Smith, jr., Middletown. DT – William Vanneman, sr., Salesianum; Jhemir Stanley, jr., St. Georges. LB – Bill Stradley, sr., Salesianum; Spencer Harbert, sr., Middletown; Matthew Bowe, sr., Caravel; Patrick Udovich, sr., Archmere. DB – Michael Drake, sr., Salesianum; Antwain Holden, sr., Woodbridge; Malik Banks, sr., Howard; Benjamin Ashby, jr., Cape Henlopen

SPECIAL TEAMS

K – Ahmed Ibrahim, sr., Concord. P – Chris Ludman, sr., St. Mark’s. RET – Antwain Holden, sr., Woodbridge

THIRD TEAM

OFFENSE

QB – Justin Beneck, sr., Wilmington Friends. FB – Andrew Jaworski, sr., Wilmington Friends. RB – Samuel Ragland, sr., Tatnall; Timothy Jones, sr., Sussex Central. WR – Cameron Easton, sr., Tatnall; Korey Kent, sr., Howard. TE – Doug Phillips, sr., St. Georges. C – Darin Matthews, sr., Howard. G – Collins Adu-Gyamfi, sr., William Penn; Isaiah Gatling, jr., St. Georges. OT – Charlie Hope, sr., William Penn; Curtis Linton, sr., Caravel

DEFENSE

DE – Hunter Moyer, jr., Smyrna; David Balint, sr., St. Mark’s. DT – Da’Vontae Copes, sr., Sussex Central; Keith Medley, sr., Caravel. LB – Kedrick Whitehead, jr., Middletown; David Hazelton, sr., St. Elizabeth; Jason Stewart, sr., St. Georges; Dominyc Hovington, sr., Milford. DB – John Rodel Castro, sr., Dover; Oladayo Adeleke, sr., Hodgson; Jared Duncan, jr., Tatnall; Derek Thompson, jr., Appoquinimink

SPECIAL TEAMS

K – Maverick Jackson, sr., Caravel. P – Spencer Read, sr., Mount Pleasant. RET – Terin Cochran, jr., William Penn