Cherokee County's Jacob Cornejo, Fyffe's Tucker Wilks win Player of the Year honors

Maxwell Donaldson, Gadsden Times

Cherokee County's Jacob Cornejo and Fyffe's Tucker Wilks took home player of the year honors in their respective classes on Tuesday during the ASWA Mr. Football Banquet in Montgomery.

Winning the award took Wilks by surprise, but that didn't dampen the excitement at all.

"At first I couldn't believe it, I was shocked but it felt pretty good," Wilks said. "I just give all the glory to god for it."

Cornejo won the Class 4A Back of the Year, while Wilks won the Class 2A Lineman of the Year. Both claimed the award after earning finalist honors the year before. Cornejo ran for more than 3,000 yards as he earned All-state and All-Gadsden Times player of the year honors. When Cornejo won, his coach Jacob Kelley was overjoyed and might've let his excitement slip out.

FULL WINNERS: ASWA 2024 Mr. Football banquet results: Full list of back and lineman of the year winners

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Class 4A back of the year Cherokee County’s Jacob Cornejo poses with Brandon Dean, director of Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association, left, and Alfa Insurance’s Scott Stricklin, right, during the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s players of the year banquet at Renaissance Hotel in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024.

"Jacob's not really an emotional guy and we were sitting so far away that I couldn't see him anyway. I got chill bumps, I couldn't stop smiling. Just to see my guy on the big screen and hear his name called. I don't think you're supposed to make any noise, but out of just excitement I was like 'yes.' It's just a joyous experience that you can't control," Kelley told the Gadsden Times.

Wilks earned All-Gadsden Times first team honors after 79 tackles with eight sacks, along with 15 pancake blocks on offense. Wilks has earned high praise on numerous occasions from his coach Paul Benefield, who once again put him near the top of the list of players he's coached.

"He's very best at everything he does, tries to do everything full speed," Benefield said. "Just a pleasure to coach, it's an honor for me to be able to coach kids like that. Just couldn't be more proud of anybody than I am him, he's the one of the best I ever had."

Class 2A lineman of the year Fyffe’s Tucker Wilks poses with Brandon Dean, director of Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association, left, and Alfa Insurance’s Scott Stricklin, right, during the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s players of the year banquet at Renaissance Hotel in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024.
Class 2A lineman of the year Fyffe’s Tucker Wilks poses with Brandon Dean, director of Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association, left, and Alfa Insurance’s Scott Stricklin, right, during the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s players of the year banquet at Renaissance Hotel in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024.

Other Gadsden area nominees for Back or Lineman of the Year include Coosa Christian's Clete O'Bryant (Class 1A), Fyffe's Logan Anderson (Class 2A), Geraldine's Jaxon Colvin (Class 3A) and Cherokee County's Tae Diamond (Class 4A).

Maxwell Donaldson covers high school sports and Jacksonville State athletics for the Gadsden Times. Find him on Twitter/X @_Max_Donaldson and contact him at MDonaldson@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Cherokee County's Jacob Cornejo, Fyffe's Tucker Wilks take home major awards

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