Dec. 21—The Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State football teams are reserved for the best of the best.
Of the vast number of high school football players that see the field each year in the state of Alabama, only a select few are chosen for the All-State honor. Landing on the list means a player had an exceptional season.
This year 17 players from The Decatur Daily’s coverage area made it onto the All-State team, with another nine being honorable mention.
Hartselle and West Morgan led the pack with four each, while the latter also had Class 4A’s coach of the year in Drew Phillips.
Here’s a look at the players for each school:
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Class 7A
Austin’s Jaxon Potter was named a first-team All-State receiver. The Murray State signee closed his career with the Black Bears by hauling in 57 catches for 1,041 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Austin’s Hayden Wynn and Kenneth Joshua were named honorable mention at kicker and athlete, respectively.
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Class 6A
Athens’ Spencer Dowland landed on the first team as an offensive lineman. The Mississippi State signee, who started four years for the Golden Eagles, graded at 90% for the season.
Hartselle landed four players on the second team with three coming from a defense that allowed just 13 points per game this year.
Senior defensive lineman Porter Simmons totaled 80 tackles with 24 tackles for loss and nine sacks, while senior linebacker Jamison Falciani had 134 tackles and two interceptions. Junior defensive back Cole Miles had 77 tackles with 10 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions.
Senior Harrison Tapscott was a second-team offensive lineman.
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Class 5A
Lawrence County senior Caden Lee was chosen as a second-team kicker. Lee finished the year 38-for-38 on extra points and 10-of-13 on field goals with a long of 44 yards.
Senior quarterback Parker Frost was an honorable-mention choice.
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Class 4A
West Morgan junior MaCarri Johnson landed on the first team as a running back. Johnson rushed for 1,438 yards and 27 touchdowns and also had 198 yards receiving and a touchdown.
Senior Melvin Carrillo was also named to the first team as an offensive lineman. Carillo graded at 95% for the season with 70 pancake blocks.
Ty Jones was a second-team linebacker, while Jackson Webster was a second-team defensive lineman. Jones had 120 tackles with 15 for loss, including five sacks, and three interceptions as well as 17 touchdowns on offense. Webster had 69 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.
West Morgan head coach Drew Phillips was named the coach of the year for leading the Rebels to a school-record 13-1 season and to the semifinals for the first time.
East Lawrence sophomore Cayne McClure was named a second-team defensive back. McClure had 94 tackles with four interceptions and also rushed for 1,351 yards and 19 total touchdowns.
West Morgan sophomore Titan Partlow and senior Daniel Davis were honorable mentions at quarterback and offensive line, respectively.
West Limestone senior Preston Moore was an honorable-mention linebacker and Hatton junior Tasean Love was an honorable-mention punter.
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Class 2A
Falkville senior Bryant Owens and junior Eli Harris were named first-team offensive line and defensive back.
Owens was credited with 113 pancake blocks for the Blue Devils this season, while Harris had 86 tackles, 11 pass breakups and eight interceptions.
Decatur Heritage senior Paxton Tarver was first-team punter after averaging 42 yards per punt with four downed inside the 20.
Decatur Heritage sophomores Jonathan Bowling and Daniel “Budda” Taylor were second-team choices at offensive line and defensive back. Bowling graded 92% with 17 pancake blocks and Taylor had 112 tackles and 17 tackles for loss. Taylor also rushed for 842 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Decatur Heritage sophomore running back Savarius Evans and senior kicker Ezra Burney and Falkville junior defensive lineman Houston Jackson were honorable mentions.
— caleb.suggs@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2395. Twitter @CalebSuggs2
