BILL STEWART AWARD
The Bill Stewart Award is presented annually as a memorial to Bill Stewart of McComb, an outstanding athlete who was killed in action as a U.S. Marine Corps officer in the Korean Conflict. It is presented "... to the All-Star football player whose attitude, character, and conduct on and off the field best exemplify the life and endeavors of Bill Stewart, athlete, gentleman, and sacrificial patriot."
The Bill Stewart Award was initiated in 1955 by Arthur (Slick) Morton of Greenwood, former head coach at Mississippi State University. J. E (Squatty) Hall of Jackson served as chairman of the award committee from its beginning until his death in 1981.
FORMER WINNERS
1955 Pete Whitehead, Winona
1956 Cowboy Woodruff, Batesville
1957 Jerry Daniels, Long Beach
1958 Charles Furlow, Mendenhall
1959 Ted Miller, Gulfport
1960 Perry Lee Dunn, Natchez
1961 Pat Wilson, Meridian
1962 Mike Dennis, Murrah
1963 Leslie Newton, Cooper (Vicksburg)
1964 Duaine Moore, Morton
1965 Carol Carpenter, Corinth
1966 Eddie Ray, St. Aloysius
1967 Archie Manning, Drew
1968 Ted Gullett, Meridian
Jimmy Patridge, Leflore County
1969 George Palazzo, Gulfport
1970 Bill Buckley, Starkville
1971 Larry Kramer, Yazoo City
1972 Jimmy Joiner, North Panola
1973 Rob Parkes, St. Joseph (Jackson)
1974 Keith Wright, Warren Central
1975 Charlie Singletori, Greenwood
1976 Larry Gomila, St. Martin
1977 Breck Tyler, Starkville
1978 Ricky Rozzell, Pascagoula
1979 Reggie Collier, d'Iberville
1980 Joe Carter, Starkville
1981 Phillip Gunn, Clinton
1982 Arthur "Bobo" Harris, Vicksburg
1983 Clarence Trotter, Greenwood
1984 Ben Steele, George County
1985 Wesley Walls, Pontotoc
1986 Albert Williams, Wingfield
1987 Michael Honorable, Rosedale
1988 Chris Firle, South Leake
1989 Gary Abide, St. Joseph (Greenville)
1990 Marty McWilliams, Magee
1991 Derrick Cagins, East Marion
1992 Dexter Thomas, Murrah
1993 Milo Collins, Forest
1994 Jacco Cooper, Pascagoula
1995 Rob Morgan, Warren Central
1996 Reggie Smith, Amory
1997 Cleo Lemon Jr., Greenwood
1998 Ross Barkley, W.P. Daniel
1999 Denoah Thompson, Velma Jackson
2000 Jordan Lesley, Itawamba AHS
2001 Dewon Hart, Lumberton
2002 Brodie Jones, Wayne County
2003 Craig Agee, Taylorsville
2004 Isaac Bryant, Pearl
2005 Baylor Dampeer, Saltillo
2006 Judd Godwin, West Lauderdale
2007 Travis Walker, West Point
2008 Javarius Conner, Noxubee County
2009 Donovan Hill, McComb
2009 LaVadius Lyles, Forest
2010 North: Mykail Miller, Itawamba AHS; South: Treyshawn Mitchell, Forest
2011 North: Demarrion Haynes, West Bolivar; South: Randall Boyd, Forest
2012 North: Clifton Smith, Oxford; South: Antron Watts, East Marion
2013 North: James Gilleylen, Tupelo; South: Kirk McCarty, Oak Grove
2014 North: Bailey Walker, Lake Cormorant; South: Jonnas Spivey, Bay Springs
2015 North: Dalton Bradfield, Germantown; South: Juwan Adams, North Pike
2016 North: Brandon Smith, Lake Cormorant; South: Detric Carter, Pearl
2017 North: Marquez Pam, Simmons; South: Brad Cumbest, East Central
2018 North: Omar Pew, Horn Lake; South: T.Q. Newsome, Gulfport
2019 North: Trevor Randle, Greenwood; South: Anthony Pettey, Stone
2020 North: Creek Robertson, Madison Central; South: Ruben Lee, Moss Point
2021 North: Jordan Allen, Clarksdale; South: Cartize Booth, Bay Springs
2022 North: Anthony Little, Noxubee Co.; South: Tucker Smith, Poplarville
2023 North: Johnathan Faulkner, Senatobia; South: Damion Miller, Port Gibson
North: E.Jai Mason, Clinton South: Rhyen Brisco, Hattiesburg
C-Spire Most Valuable Defensive Players
North: Shia Moore, Nanih Waiya South: Jaquan Copeland, Hazlehurst