Lions named to sports writers state teams
By Sam Waller
The postseason honors keep coming for the Albany Lions football team with six players selected to the Texas Sports Writers Association Class 2A state team for their performances in the 2021 season.
Offensive lineman Zane Waggoner and wide receiver Cooper Fairchild were named to the first team, with running back Jaheim Newton and defensive end Taren Farmer earning spots on the second team. Linebacker Brooks Neece was voted to the third team with quarterback Cole Chapman receiving honorable mention.
All but Chapman, a junior, and Waggoner, a sophomore, were seniors.
Albany went 13-1 last fall, winning the District 8-2A Division I title and reaching the state semifinals in the playoffs.
Lions head coach Denney Faith said the Albany players showed they were deserving of the honors with their play against similar talent. Albany faced off against 20 other all-state players. Stratford had four selections with three from both Muenster and Windthorst and one each from Dublin, Olney and Santo. Coleman and Hawley, the teams Albany scrimmaged in preseason, combined for another seven selections.
“We’re really proud of the honors those guys got,” Faith said. “If you see the people listed on that all-state team and know we’ve got some guys listed alongside of them, it shows the kind of respect people across the state give our athletes. It was well-earned and well-deserved.”
Fairchild was actually selected as a tight end, which he played as a junior. He led the Lions in receptions and receiving yards, catching 46 passes for 664 yards with eight touchdowns.
Waggoner, a tackle, graded out at 96 percent with 38 pancake blocks, helping the Lions average 446.4 total yards and 48.1 points per game.
Newton topped 1,000 yards for the third consecutive season, rushing for 1,628 yards and 21 touchdowns on 156 carries.
Farmer recorded 73 solo tackles, 65 assists, 28 tackles for loss, 8½ sacks, eight quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and an interception.
Neece anchored the Lion defense with 56 solo tackles, 96 assists, 21 tackles for loss, one sack, five QB hurries, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, an interception, and five pass breakups.
Chapman completed 134 of 224 passes for 2,314 yards with 32 TDs. He also rushed for 745 and nine TDs.
