GATLINBURG, TN – Three high school football players from Fairfield County were selected to play in the Gatlinburg All American Gatlinburg Bowl in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Presented by Rocky Top Sports, the Gatlinburg Bowl is a premier post-season opportunity for private and home school football players from across the nation to showcase their skills. Fairfield County residents Drew Spires, Allen Thomas and Caleb Carter competed in the 8-man All-American bowl on Saturday, Dec. 16.
Spires is a senior from Richard Winn Academy. Thomas, a senior who attends the virtual charter school Connections Academy, and Carter, a junior at Midlands STEM Charter School, played their 2023 8-man season for Providence Athletic Club (PAC) Panthers.
Students are eligible to play for the PAC Panthers if they are home-schooled or attend a private or public charter school that does not offer a particular sport.
Spires, a multi-sport athlete, lettered for four years in football at Richard Winn. Over this career as an Eagle, Spires tallied 3,345 yards and 57 receiving touchdowns on 188 receptions; he rushed 97 times for 1,013 yards and 14 touchdowns. In his senior season, Spires had 2,613 all-purpose yards for 41 touchdowns. Defensively, Spires had 137 career tackles, 11 interceptions and three touchdowns. On special teams he had seven punt returns for 247 yards and a touchdown in his senior season. Spires was named 2023 SCISA Region Player of the Year and was selected to play in the SCISA North-South All-Star Game.
Thomas lettered for three seasons with PAC football and had 78 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and two interceptions including a pick six as well as a rushing touchdown in his senior year.
Carter played his first year of high school football this year for the PAC Panthers, quickly earning the starting guard position. He anchored the right side of the three-man offensive line. As a blocker, Carter graded out at 91% with 16 pancake blocks, two tackles, two assisted tackles, one fumble recovery, and kicked an extra point. Caleb was selected to the SIFA All-Conference Team and was named the Most Improved Player on PAC Varsity football.
Spires and Thomas competed in the senior 8-man bowl game; Carter played in the junior 8-man game.
PAC finished the 2023 football season 14-2, 5-0 in conference, winning the SIFA Conference Championship. They finished as the NHST National Champion Runners-Up.
Richard Winn finished the year 10-2, 5-0 in the region and were region champions. They ended their season in the SCISA 8-Man semifinal.