Jones, Hobeck gain all-state distinction

Players from three local teams attracted all-state football honors after their teams posted memorable football seasons in 2013.

Central senior running back Mikey Jones and Jackson junior defensive lineman Preston Hobeck led the honors with first-team selections after helping their squads capture district titles and rankings in the final state poll by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

Central (9-5), which reached the Class 4 semifinals for the first time since 1978 and finished fifth in the final state poll after getting off to a 1-4 start, also had sophomore record-breaking receiver Al Young selected second-team all-state.

Jackson junior quarterback Dante Vandeven also earned second-team distinction after directing the Indians to the Class 5 quarterfinals.

Chaffee junior defensive lineman Trevor Morehead repeated as a second-team selection after the Red Devils turned in one of their best seasons in school history.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Jones capped his high school career with a record-breaking season for the Tigers. He broke the Tigers' single-game rushing record with a 347-yard performance against Hillboro in the Class 4 District 1 final on his way to a single-season record of 2,076 yards. He tied a school-record with 27 touchdowns. The season came after Jones served primarily in a backup as a junior.

The 5-foot-10, 245-pound Hobeck was a force in the center of a Jackson defense that limited two of the state's top running backs -- Poplar Bluff's Bi Nguyen and Vianney's Markel Smith -- to mortal numbers in winning its first district title since 2007. Thirty-three of Hobeck's 86 tackles were for a loss, and he also had eight sacks.

Vandeven's dual-threat ability at quarterback was a cornerstone of a Jackson fast-paced spread offense that averaged nearly 37 points per game. He passed for 2,240 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for 913 yards and 20 touchdowns. His strong season helped the Indians earn statewide respect. The Indians (8-4) cracked the state poll for the first time all year in the final casting of votes, finishing No. 10 in Class 5.

Young was a prodigy receiver in a ground-oriented Central attack. He shattered the school's receiving mark with 1,227 yards on 40 catches. The yardage not only broke the school record, but it put him atop the school's all-time career list. He averaged a record 30.7 yards per catch, and his 11 receiving touchdowns also were a school record. He finished with 23 touchdowns overall, which ranked fourth on the school's single-season list.

The 6-foot-2, 262 pound Morehead excelled on both sides of the line, but his numbers on defense quantified his value for a Chaffee team that won its first eight games and ultimately finished with a 10-2 mark. He recorded 25 tackles for loss and totaled eight sacks.