Who will be named 2011's Offensive Player of the Year?

It's often said that defense wins championships, but it's offense that puts points on the board and fans in the stands.

The Aiken Standard coverage area saw some great offensive performances this season, as major points were put up on the scoreboard, and individual records fell faster than first-time ice skaters.

After much debate, the list of candidates for the Aiken Standard Offensive Player of the Year has been narrowed down to five players. Here's a look at the final group.

Montez McGuire

Wide Receiver

North Augusta

The area's top receiving threat, McGuire showed the ability to beat defenders deep, go up and get anything in the red zone and turn a short pass into a long gain with his agility and speed. He finished his career as North Augusta High School's all-time leading receiver. He caught 75 passes for 1,148 yards and 10 touchdowns this season and also made the most of his nine carries, gaining 90 yards and finding the end zone on four more occasions. NAHS advanced to the Class AAAA, Division II semifinal round.

Vinny Miller

Running Back

North Augusta

Miller was a big reason why North Augusta exceeded almost everybody's expectations this season. A linebacker in 2010, Miller took over as the Yellow Jackets' full-time running back this year and made the most of it. He carried the ball 353 times for 2,704 yards and 36 touchdowns, averaging 7.7 yards per carry. He also caught 19 passes for 208 yards and three more scores. NAHS advanced to the Class AAAA, Division II semifinal round.

Kendric Salley

Running Back

Williston-Elko

Despite missing a significant portion of the season with a knee injury, Salley still put up the numbers that originally drew major attention toward the South Carolina commitment. He carried the ball 139 times for 1,198 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 19 yards and showed toughness at the end of the year, playing through an ACL injury to help his team advance to the Class A, Division II semifinals.

Marty Williams

Quarterback

Fox Creek

The Predator quarterback, a Clemson commitment and the 2010 Aiken Standard Offensive Player of the Year, had a huge senior season. He rushed for 1,851 yards and 28 touchdowns and threw for 1,230 yards and 11 more scores. Williams' efforts led FCHS to the best season in its school's history, a nine-win season that ended with a loss to Christ Church in the second round of the playoffs.

Raleigh Yeldell

Quarterback

Strom Thurmond

The unquestioned team leader, the senior signal caller helped the Rebels to a perfect 10-0 regular season and then got the team to the Class AA, Division I semifinals before falling just short against Woodruff. Yeldell finished the year completing 104 of 154 passes for 1,693 yards and 20 touchdowns. He tossed only five interceptions in the process. He was also a threat with his feet, rushing for 879 yards and 13 touchdowns on 96 carries.

The Aiken Standard Offensive Player of the Year will be revealed in the Dec. 26 edition of the Aiken Standard. The Aiken Standard football staff - sports editor Cam Huffman, sports writer Jeremy Timmerman, sports writer Noah Feit, ASTV play-by-play voice Ed Girardeau and ASTV color commentator Ken Brace - will each rank the players 1 to 5, with a first-place vote earning five points, a second-place vote four points, etc. You, the readers of the Aiken Standard, will also get a vote. Visit www.aikenstandard.com/onthefield/ between now and Monday to cast your vote for the Aiken Standard Offensive Player of the Year. Those votes will be included in the final tally to determine this year's winner.