Summerville's Green among football's finest on All-State team
No Gaffney players appear on this year's list
By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA (AP) - A.J. Green couldn't have imagined the stellar career he would have when he first came out for the Summerville High School varsity team. Four years later, Green is ready for even greater things in the game he loves.

The Green Wave's star receiver heads up The Associated Press' 2007 all-state team. He has earned the honor in each of his four seasons at Summerville's traditionrich program, and did not coast into selection in his final season.

Green caught 87 passes this season for 1,517 yards and 24 touchdowns. He leaves the state - Green's verbally pledged to Georgia - with nearly 5,400 yards receiving.

''I am ready to take my game to the next level,'' Green said recently, ''and I plan to keep working hard. There is a lot I still have to learn, but I have enjoyed the competition and look forward to the future.

''I love the game,'' he says, ''and hope it takes me a long way.''

Green's coach thinks it will.

Coach John McKissick, 81, has seen untold amounts of talent, including NFLplayers in Keith and Stanford Jennings, since first coaching the Green Wave in 1952.

Green, McKissick says, ''is the best all-around athlete that I have ever coached. He'll be playing on Sunday one day.''

Green may not be the only one from this group.

DaQuan Bowers of Bamberg- Ehrhardt heads up the all-state defense. Bowers, who has committed to Clemson, had 14 tackles for loss and also rushed for more than 1,200 yards this season.

Joining Green as all-state receivers were Blythewood's Maquan Jones and Hartsville's Jordan Lyles. Jones had 71 catches while Lyles had 81 this season.

Jones' Blythewood teammate and quarterback, Richard Mounce, also was named to the team. Mounce won South Carolina's ''Mr. Football'' award in leading his team to a second-straight undefeated season. Blythewood was banned from the state playoffs, however, for violating rules.

The running backs are Andre Ellington of Berkeley and Johnathan Holmes of Carvers Bay. Ellington rushed for 1,820 yards and 24 TDs this season. Holmes had 2,129 yards and 31 touchdowns to lead his school to the Class A championship game.

Abbeville's Toquavius Gilchrist is the team's all-purpose player, rushing for 882 yards and making 38 tackles.

The offensive line is made up of five all-stars: Pelion's Dalton Freeman, A.C. Flora's Kenneth Page, Aynor's T.J. Johnson; Dutch Fork's Blake Dowd and Marlboro County's Jaquan Ridges.

Ridges took part in the North-South all-star game while his linemates played in the Shrine Bowl.

The team's place-kicker is Eastside's Ryan Fowler, who plans to sign with Vanderbilt in February.

Alongside Bowers on the defensive line are Byrnes' Everette Dawkins, Calhoun County's Donte Rumph and Greenwood's Jordan Gray. All were Shrine Bowl players.

The linebackers were led by Myrtle Beach standout Bruce Taylor. Taylor, who expects to sign with Virginia Tech, made 188 stops, including 29 behind the line of scrimmage.

The other linebackers were Dela Johnson of Marlboro County and Devin Taylor of Beaufort.

The secondary was made up of Wilson's Derek Belin, Chester's Charles Whitlock, Byrnes' Cartier Rice and Fort Dorchester's Tony Mack.

Ryan Quigley of North Myrtle Beach was the team's punter after averaging better than 46 yards a kick.