DECATUR - Maroa-Forsyth's Dalton Coventry and Mount Zion's Krys Gray were among nine area players named to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State Team.

Coventry, a running back and linebacker, has been the leader of a Trojans team that will play Marshall on Saturday in the Class 2A semifinals. The 5-foot-11, 220-pounder has rushed for 793 yards and 14 touchdowns. Defensively, he has 126 tackles, including 15 tackles for loss.

"This means a lot to me," Coventry said. "It's something I've wanted for a long time. I started playing football in seventh grade and I've dedicated my life to it since then. I'm glad my hard work has paid off. My whole life I've had people who have wanted to see me fail. But since I've moved here, the community has embraced me, my teammates have had faith in me and my coaches have taken me in and taught me the game. I have to give a lot of credit to all of them."

Also honored from Macon County was Gray, a 6-0, 180-pound running back/linebacker. Gray rushed for 1,399 yards and 16 touchdowns to lead the Braves to a second straight undefeated Apollo Conference title. Gray was the lone area Class 4A player to be honored.

Honored in Class 1A was Arthur-Lovington senior Justin Schuring. He was named to the team at defensive back, where he totaled 91 tackles, six interceptions - including two he returned for touchdowns - and a blocked kick. Offensively, Schuring - at running back - rushed for 631 yards and seven touchdowns. He also had three receiving TDs.

"I was a little shocked," said Schuring, whose Knights went 5-4 this season but didn't qualify for the playoffs. "I didn't know I was nominated. I'm honored, but I have to thank my teammates and coaches, too. I wouldn't have gotten this without them."

Other area players to receive all-state honors were, in Class 1A, Tuscola's Gunnar Edwards and Cumberland's Silas Gabel. Edwards, whose Warriors will play in the Class 1A semifinals against Jacksonville Routt on Saturday, was named as a wide receiver/running back after posting 650 yards receiving and nine touchdowns so far this season. Gabel, who was honored at defensive back, was one of the area's top offensive players, rushing for 1,266 yards and 19 touchdowns.

In Class 2A, Central A&M senior defensive back Conner Bridgman and Casey-Westfield senior center Dalton Brooke were honored. Bridgman had 70 tackles and three interceptions this season. Brooke, a 290-pounder, was a four-year starter for Casey.

In Class 3A, Monticello quarterback/defensive back Ben Palla and Robinson offensive lineman Max Hutchison were named to the team. Palla surpassed the Sages' single-season and career passing marks, throwing for 2,731 yards and 32 touchdowns. Hutchison helped lead Robinson to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Class 1A

Jason Byro (OL/DL) LeRoy; Chris Cox (OL/DL) East Dubuque; Joe Cross (FB/LB) Brown County; Evan Domink (LB/RB) Dakota; Gunnar Edwards (WR/DB) Tuscola; Jacob Fricke (DE) Concord-Triopia; Silas Gabel (DB) Cumberland; Nathan Goudschaaf (OL/DL) Mount Sterling Brown County; Michael Heitz (OL) Astoria South Fulton; Alex Holcomb (TE/DE) Lena-Winslow; Jesse Kemp (FB/LB) Lexington; Nathaniel Marshall (OL/DL) Bushnell-Prairie City; Adam Olin (RB/DE) Alexis United; Carter Pruitt (LB) Jacksonville Routt; Justin Schuring (DB) Arthur-Lovington; TJ Stinde (RB) Lexington; AJ Woodworth (LB) Villa Grove; Trey Yocum (RB/LB) Bushnell-Prairie City.

Class 2A

Conner Bridgman (DB) Central A&M; Dalton Brooke (C) Casey-Westfield; Dalton Coventry (FB/LB) Maroa-Forsyth; Angelo Cross (LB) Alton Marquette; Taylor Duncan (QB) Stark County; Tanner Ewing (QB/DB) Stark County; Josh Gentile (QB) Williamsville; Nathan Hodges (OL) Flora; Jake Hoffman (QB) Red Bud; James Matson (QB) Orion; Cody Mundy (QB) Petersburg PORTA; David Payne (RB/LB) Clifton Central; Cody Richardson (RB) Amboy; Michael Romshek (RB) Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley; Luke Thomsbrough (OL) Bismarck-Henning; Josh Vos (RB/LB) Morrison; Sean Walker (QB) Annawan-Wethersfield; Michael Weidner (RB/LB) Manlius Bureau Valley.

Class 3A

Jeremy Bailey (RB/DE) Wilmington; Jimmy Benson (LB) Reed Custer; Jake Bock (RB) St. Joseph-Ogden; Alec Clayton (DE) Auburn; Brian Doll (RB) Greenville; Carl Hartweg (OL/DL) Carthage Illini West; Max Hutchinson (OL) Robinson; Devon Johnson (WR) Griggsville-Perry; Dustin Krause (OL/DE) Tolono Uniy; Michael Lafferty (QB) Carthage Illini West; Johnny Magee (RB) Aurora Christian; Ben Palla (QB/DB) Monticello; David Rose (WR) Du Quoin; Cort Scheel (RB/DB) Wilmington; James Stratton (OL/LB) Sherrard; Dylan Sturgeon (QB) Tolono Unity; Josh Tidwell (OL/DL) Camp Point Central; JR Woodward (QB) Anna-Jonesboro.

Class 4A

Matt Bane (WR) Rochester; Tanner Crum (DL) Mount Carmel; Tyler Detmer (QB) Breese Mater Dei; CJ Fiedorowicz (TE) Johnsburg; Thomas Foley (OL/DL) Chillicothe IVC; Matt Frazier (OL/DL) Bishop McNamara; Alex Fricke (QB/LB) Freeburg; Vince Gabrys (RB) Harvard; Krys Gray (RB/LB) Mount Zion; Kevin Henry (DL) Morris; Kurtis Knapp (RB) Mendota; Aaron Kotecki (LB) Geneseo; Matt Milton (WR/RB) Mascoutah; Aaron Peters (RB) Metamora; Sean Robinson (QB) Rochester; Daniel Weiman (RB) Quincy Notre Dame; Chaz Wesolowski (OL) Peotone; Kyle Wismer (TE/DE) Richmond.

Class 5A

Michael Davis (QB) Peoria Richwoods; Dan Foreman (OL) Joliet Catholic; John Hagemann (RB) Chatham Glenwood; Marckie Hayes (RB) Sycamore; Demetrius Hill (DE) Kankakee; Jimmy Hunt (WR/DB) Cahokia; Logan Kunzie (QB) Woodstock; EJ Lannan (LB) Vernon Hills; Tyler Loos (OL) Sterling; Brandon Pechloff (QB) Lombard Montini; Nick Slezak (LB/WR) Glenbard South; Jake Stockman (LB) Joliet Catholic; Colton Underwood (DE)Washington; Tony Vargyas (DB) Wheaton St. Francis; Trace Wanless (QB) Glenbard South; Greg Whalen (DE) Marian Central; Eric Williamson (QB) Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin; Tim Wold (C/DL) LaSalle-Peru.