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Sikeston senior Juqualin Wiggins wins football's Carr Trophy
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Juqualin Wiggins almost didn't play football this fall.
The senior from Sikeston hadn't put on a helmet since his sophomore year but a change of heart led to a historic season and an impressive award.
"A lot of people were out trying to get me to play and I had to decide on my own," Wiggins said Wednesday night following the 64th annual Poplar Bluff Letter Club Gridiron Banquet.
"It took awhile to think about it and I thought it would be a good decision if I went out and played."
Wiggins picked up the Carr Trophy as the "best high school football player in Southeast Missouri" in a ceremony that also honored the All-SEMO Conference teams.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Wiggins ran for 1,051 yards, threw for 1,509 more accounting for 31 touchdowns and six two-point conversions. As a safety, Wiggins intercepted six passes, recovered a fumble and was fourth on the defense with 87 tackles, including 52 solo and a pair for a loss.
He is the third Sikeston player to earn the award and first since Raphael 'Tiger' Boyd won it in 1991.
"I know there's a lot of talent on the list," Wiggins said. "Anyone could have won the trophy. I'm just proud and I'm going to accept this for my town."
The Bulldogs, who won the SEMO North title by outscoring opponents 125-26, finished 13-1, reaching the MSHSAA Class 4 semifinals for the first time in the program's history.
It was a big night for the Bulldogs.
Sikeston took home a conference title, Kent Gibbs was named Coach of the Year in the North while Eli Jackson earned the scoring award with 122 points. The Bulldogs, who took up 10 spots on all-conference squad, also picked up the SEMO Conference School Sportsmanship Award presented by the conference officials.
New Madrid County Central, which finished 9-4 by reaching the MSHSAA Class 3 quarterfinals, won the SEMO Central. The Eagles, who had 10 players named to the all-conference team, also had the top lineman of the Central in senior Kony Ealy, G'Darius Stevenson earned the scoring award with 202 points while Arlen Pixley was named Coach of the Year.
East Prairie won the South title as Jason Aycock was named Coach of the Year while Alan Miller shared Lineman of the Year honors with Hayti's Darnell Clay.
Hayti's Byron Norris was the scoring champion with 68 points.
Poplar Bluff senior Ward Watts was the Lineman of the Year in the North.
The Carr Trophy, which has been presented since 1979, is selected by seven-member committee.
ALL-SEMO CONFERENCE TEAMS
Here's the SEMO Conference football teams as selected by the conference coaches, with heights, weights and class if provided:
North
Offense
QB -- Juqualin Wiggins, Sikeston, 6-3, 200, sr.
RB -- Eli Jackson, Sikeston, 6-2, 215, sr.
RB -- Eljie Johnson, Poplar Bluff, 6-1, 220, sr.
RB -- Zach Ferguson, Poplar Bluff, 6-1, 160, sr.
WR -- Niquavious Dixon, Sikeston, 6-2, 170, sr.
WR -- Greg Coble, Poplar Bluff, 6-2, 170, sr.
WR -- Kyle Odle, Farmington, 5-7, 136, sr.
TE -- Zach Boerboom, Cape Central, 6-5, 250, jr.
OT -- Ward Watts, Poplar Bluff, 6-1, 230, sr.
OT -- Ben Burton, Sikeston, 6-0, 180, jr.
OG -- Josh C arlyle, Sikeston, 6-2, 270, sr.
OG -- Jacob Malugen, Farmington, 6-0, 296, sr.
C -- Josh Vaughn, Farmington, 6-3, 295, sr.
K -- Morgan Johnson, Jackson, 5-9, 150, sr.
Defense
DL -- Josh Carlyle, Sikeston, 6-2, 270, sr.
DL -- Dalton Cochran, Jackson, 5-11, 210, sr.
DL -- Henrie Williams, Jackson, 6-5, 265, sr.
DL -- Ward Watts, Poplar Bluff, 6-1, 230, sr.
LB -- Ray Clark, Sikeston, 6-0, 180, jr.
LB -- Gratten Allen, Sikeston, 6-0, 180, sr.
LB -- Michael Penney, Poplar Bluff, 5-11, 190, sr.
LB -- Josh Freeman, Poplar Bluff, 6-0, 160, jr.
DB -- Niquavious Dixon, Sikeston, 6-2, 170, sr.
DB -- Juqualin Wiggins, Sikeston, 6-3, 200, sr.
DB -- Zach Ferguson, Poplar Bluff, 6-1, 160, sr.
DB -- Greg Coble, Poplar Bluff, 6-2, 170, sr.
P -- Andrew Williams, Cape Central, 6-4, 215, jr.
Coach of the year -- Kent Gibbs, Sikeston
Conference champion -- Sikeston (4-0)
Scoring champion -- Eli Jackson, Sikeston (122 points)
Lineman of the year -- Ward Watts, Poplar Bluff
Central
Offense
QB -- Ben Mills, Dexter, 5-9, 175, sr.
RB -- G'Darius Stevenson, New Madrid, 6-0, 190, jr.
RB -- Rodney Anderson, New Madrid, 5-10, 175, sr.
RB -- Vohland Fonda, Cartursville, 5-10, 175, jr.
WR -- Ryan Windham, Dexter, 6-3, 180, sr.
WR -- Peter Lloyd, Caruthersville, 5-10, 160, jr.
TE -- Kony Ealy, New Madrid, 6-5, 230, sr.
C -- Thorne Smith, New Madrid, 5-10, 210, sr.
G -- Kentric Hutson, Caruthersville, 5-11, 240, jr.
G -- Brandon Moore, Dexter, 6-1, 215, so.
T -- Devante Rigney, Charleston, 6-1, 235, jr.
T -- Zach Lacey, Dexter, 6-1, 254, so.
K -- Dylan Acevedo, Dexter, 6-0, 205, sr.
Defense
DL -- Kony Ealy, New Madrid, 6-5, 230, sr.
DL -- Aaron Mace, Dexter, 6-1, 215, jr.
DL -- Lyndon Hunt, Caruthersville, 6-0, 180, sr.
DL -- Devante Rigney, Charleston, 6-1, 235, jr.
LB -- G'Darius Stevenson, New Madrid, 6-0, 190, jr.
LB -- DeAdrian Grissom, New Madrid, 6-0, 210, sr.
LB -- Austin Meese, New Madrid, 5-10, 170, sr.
LB -- Seth Littrel, Caruthersville, 6-1, 240, sr.
LB -- Hunter Bruce, Dexter, 5-10, 180, sr.
DB -- Jamareia Jones, New Madrid, 5-10, 175, jr.
DB -- Lamonte Nelson, New Madrid, 5-9, 160, so.
DB -- Gary Summers, Dexter, 5-11, 165, sr.
DB -- Kevin Hopkins, Caruthersville, 5-8, 145, jr.
DB -- Dustin Starks, Caruthersville, 5-11, 160, sr.
P -- Seth Littrell, Caruthersville, 6-1, 240, sr.
Coach of the year -- Arlen Pixley, New Madrid
Conference champ -- New Mardrid Central (4-0)
Scoring leader -- G'Darius Stevenson, New Madrid (202 points)
Lineman of the year -- Kony Ealy, New Madrid
South
Offense
QB -- Caden Robbins, Portageville, 6-5, 210jr.
RB -- Garrett Schaefer, Scott City, 5-8, 130, jr.
RB -- Aaron Miller, East Prairie, 5-9, 165 jr.
RB -- Keenan Williams, Hayti, sr.
WR -- Byron Norris, Hayti, jr.
WR -- Lee Wallace, Portageville, 6-0, 158, sr.
TE -- Mikey Russell, East Prairie, 5-9, 160, sr.
OL -- Jacob Atkinson, Chaffee, 5-4, 190, sr.
OL -- Darnell Clay, Hayti, jr.
OL -- Cody Samples, Portageville, 6-0, 145, sr.
OL -- Jake Young, Portageville, 6-4, 220, jr.
OL -- Alan Miller, East Prairie, 5-10, 185, jr.
K -- Kaleb Williford, East Prairie, 6-0, 190, sr.
Defense
DL -- Darren Lee, Chaffee, 6-1, 205, sr.
DL -- Darnell Clay, Hayti, jr.
DL -- Dakota Kersey, East Prairie, 5-6, 165, sr.
DL -- Dywhite Jackson, Malden, 5-11, 211, jr.
LB -- Caden Robbins, Portageville, 6-5, 210, jr.
LB -- Kyle Lemarr, Malden, 6-1, 202, sr.
LB -- Alan Miller, East Prairie, 5-10, 185, jr.
LB -- Cortez Borders, Hayti, sr.
DB -- Dorlyon West, Hayti, sr.
DB -- Nathan Cicardi, Chaffee, 5-8, 150, sr.
DB -- Fernando Minnis, Portageville, 6-3, 210, jr.
DB -- Kaleb Williford , East Prairie, 6-0, 190, sr.
P -- Wyatt Martin, Scott City, sr.
Coach of the year -- Jason Aycock, East Prairie
Conference champ -- East Prairie
Scoring champ -- Byron Norris, Hayti (68 points)
Linemen of year -- Alan Miller, East Prairie and Darnell Clay, Hayti