Titans' Greer named MAC's top defender

Whether in the Mountain Athletic Conference or the Northwestern 4A, Player of the Year awards in football have been few and far between for the McDowell Titans.

Now, you can add another name to the short list.

Titans defensive tackle Brett Greer was named the MAC 4A/3A Conference Defensive Player of the Year in coaches voting released this week.

Greer, a 5-foot-10, 210-pound senior, becomes just the third McDowell player in history to win a POY award, and is the first on the defensive side of the ball.

Quarterback Jason Van Dyke (1989) and receiver Markeenus Wilkerson (1992) won Offensive Player of the Year awards in the Northwestern 4A.

Titans head coach Carson Gowan said Greer’s work ethic makes him something special.

“Brett worked really hard and did everything he was supposed to do to improve himself,” said Gowan. “He worked hard in the weight room and ran track to make himself quicker. He’s a likable guy and he’s fun to be around. He has a great work ethic and he has a great motor; he plays hard, and not just on Friday nights.”

After moving from middle linebacker to defensive tackle early in the season, Greer essentially became unblockable. Utilizing his speed and strength to overwhelm opposing linemen, Greer set a new McDowell record for quarterback sacks with 19. He had six sacks in the season finale against North Wilkes to shatter the previous season record of 15 set by Kingsley Agbaeze in 2001. Greer led the Titans in tackles with 89 stops, including 82 solo tackles. He also blocked a kick.

“If you want one word to describe him, I think (Asheville High head coach) Danny Wilkins said it best at the all-conference meeting,” Gowan said. “He’s just relentless. He made plays whether the ball was run at him or away from him, and you’d see him lots of times make a play downfield after a corner missed a tackle. It takes a lot of physical and mental toughness to do that week in and week out. He’s something special and we’re going to miss him.”

Greer wasn’t the only McDowell defender honored.

Outside linebacker John Gowan and defensive end Tyler Radford were also named to the squad. Jared Helms was voted all-conference as an athlete. In addition, wide receiver Noah Dunham and offensive tackle Michael Rich were named honorable mention.

All played critical roles as the Titans, mired in a long losing streak to start the season, turned things around with a 3-8 campaign, winning their final two games. McDowell could have easily reversed that record – the Titans lost five games by a touchdown or less and dropped their first four games by a combined 11 points, their first three by a total of just four points.

Gowan, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior, was second on the team with 63.5 tackles, 56 of them solo. Gowan tied for the team lead with two interceptions.

Radford, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior, had 52 tackles, 47 of them solo, good enough for fourth on the team. He also batted down 14 passes at the line of scrimmage and had two quarterback sacks.

Helms, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound junior receiver/defensive back/kick returner, caught 14 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 28.6 yards on 21 kick returns, and ran a punt back 75 yards for a score against A.C. Reynolds. On defense, Helms recorded 46 tackles and picked off a pass.

Dunham, a senior, led the Titans in receptions (23), receiving yards (354) and receiving touchdowns (6). Rich, a 6-foot, 290-pound senior offensive tackle, returned from a broken leg that sidelined him for nearly his entire junior season and led the way for a much-improved offensive line.

Asheville High, the league’s overall and 3A champion, led the voting with 13 players named to the all-conference and honorable mention squads. T.C. Roberson was next with 11. Erwin had 10 and A.C. Reynolds nine.

Asheville running back Tysean Holloway was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year.

McDowell’s girls golf team also produced the league’s player of the year, senior Madalyn Davis, and the Coach of the Year, Charles Webber.

In golf, all-conference is determined by the player’s finish in the final league standings. Davis placed first in the MAC, while teammate Morgan Hemphill took second. Those two, along with Haley Goforth and Jan Robphotong, earned all-conference finishes. It was the second consecutive all-MAC appearance for Davis, Hemphill and Goforth.

Webber led the Lady Titans to their first ever conference championship. McDowell won all 10 of its regular-season matches.

Four McDowell volleyball players made the all-MAC team. Senior hitter Hannah Lewis earned all-conference honors for a third straight season.

Senior middle hitter Megan Gouge was named to the team after making honorable mention as a junior. Senior Tuccoa Brackett, who was all-conference as a sophomore, earned all-league status again. Senior setter Taylor Proctor made the team for the first time.

McDowell finished 19-5 and won the MAC 4A championship for the second consecutive season.

Enka, the 3A and overall champ, had the league’s top player (Taylor Saver) and coach (Jennifer Kruk).

In soccer, two Titans made all-conference and two more were honorable mention picks.

Senior goalkeeper James Ledbetter and junior defender Alex Huendo were honored by the league.

Senior forward Caleb Westall and senior midfielder Nick Sprinkle were honorable mention.

T.C. Roberson’s Trey Hemphill was the Offensive Player of the Year, while Asheville’s Devin Hanaway was named the top defender and Asheville’s Mike Flowe captured coaching honors.

McDowell’s Sarah Bristol was all-conference in tennis.