Best of 2011

A - 3A All-Prep 2011
FIRST TEAM
QB - Cole Claunch (Colbert Heights), Will Bishop (SCA)
LB - Vic Gilbert (LCHS), Raleigh Killen (Rogers), Josh Ricks (Sheffield)
RB - Austin Kerr (Rogers), Chandler Russ (SCA), CJ Jackson (LCHS)
WR - Cody Stephens (Rogers), Devan Traglia (SCA), Bryson Smith (Colbert Heights
OL - Reid Newton (LCHS), Chase Fuller (Colbert Heights), Blake Harris (Rogers)
DL - Bradley Patterson (Red Bay), Briar Allen (Rogers), Brian Puckett (LCHS), Austin Belue (Red Bay)
Special Teams - Luke Gasque (Sheffield), Colby Spann (Colbert Heights), Tyler Grigsby (Rogers)


SECOND TEAM
QB - Samuel Grisham (LCHS), Hunter Danley (Sheffield)
LB - Daniel Wood (SCA), Hunter Childers (Red Bay), Zane Taylor (Rogers), DJ Simmons (LCHS)
RB - Charles Jackson (Sheffield), Matt Belue (Red Bay), Jake Newton (LCHS)
WR/DB - Edgar Bahena (Tharptown), DJ Sanders (Sheffield)
OL/DL - Tyler Smith (LCHS), Jamie Hartley (SCA), Ben Laster (Hatton)

Best Rushing Attack - Lauderdale County
Best Passing Attack - Colbert Heights
Most Balanced Offense - Shoals Christian
Stingiest Defense - Lauderdale County
Most Impressive Stretch of Games - Rogers Playoff Run; LCHS Week 3-10
Most Improved - Sheffield
Most Exciting Games: Sheffield/Rogers; Rogers/Piedmont, LCHS/Glencoe
Red Bay/Colbert Heights, Sheffield/Cordova

Players of the Week - Week 4

GOLD - Hunter Childers (Red Bay) - rushed for 198 yards on 8 carries, ran 2 TD's and threw for 1 more in 35-14 win over Lamar County

SILVER - Austin Kerr (Rogers) - 177 yards on 20 carries and 3 TD's in a 36-29 win.

Bronze - Chandler Russ (Shoals Christian) - 4 TD's on 241 yards on 14 carries as the Flame win 59-37

Honorable Mention
Tyler Grigsby (Rogers) - 7 of 10 passing for 157 yards and 2 TD's leading a come from behind victory
Skylar Beck (Brooks) - 9 of 12 passing for 152 yards and a TD in a win over Central
Kelby Hallmark (Tharptown) - Threw for 231 yards and 2 TD's in a loss
Devan Sullivan (Muscle Shoals) - 109 yards rushing on 6 carries and 3 TD's
Vic Gilbert (LCHS) - 10 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception in a region win
Edgar Bahena (Tharptown) - 7 receptions for 171 yards in a loss to Shoals Christian
Samuel Grisham (LCHS) 154 yards on 24 attempts in a win
Tyler Boyd (Russellville) - 115 yards on 17 carries in a loss to East Limestone
Bryson Smith (Colbert Heights) - rushed for 60 yds and a TD and caught for 97 yds and TD in a win 28-21
Justin Cantrell (Deshler) - QB throws for 142 yards on 6 of 7 passing and 3 TD's in 2nd quarter
Kendrick Doss (Florence) - completed 22 of 33 passes wiht 2 TD's and 216 yards in a loss
Cody Stevens (Rogers) - 6 receptions for 149 yards and a TD in a win
Peyton Davis (Lexington) - 108 yds rushing with three TD's in a region win
Murphy Harrison (Central) - 108 yds on 8 carries in a loss to Brooks
Cole Claunch (Colbert Heights) - led team from behind to win with 13 of 16 passing for 160 yds
CJ Jackson (LCHS) - sparked a come from behind win with 141 yards on 9 carries
Chris Roulette (Muscle Shoals) - 6 tackles, 1 blocked punt, and a fumble recovery inside the 1
Reagan Carpenter (Hatton) - 109 rushing yds and 136 passing yds in a win over Phil Campbell

The Running Game

Running the football requires more than just a good running back.  Good blocking is a must.  A total team effort is required to be successful on the ground.  Although we realize that statistics don't always tell the whole story they do help recognize trends.  Below are both the leaders after Week 1 in running the ball on offense as well as the teams whose defense stopped the run the best.   

Offense                      Yards per Carry
1. Brooks Lions                      8.77
2. Lauderdale County             8.20
3. Central Wildcats                 8.06
4. Cherokee Indians               7.89

5. Muscle Shoals                    7.80

6. Russellville Tigers               6.67

7. Red Bay Tigers                  6.41
8. Florence Falcons                5.98
9. Deshler Tigers                    5.62
10. Tharptown                       5.29

Defense                       Yards/Carry Allowed
1. Lauderdale County                3.05

2. Red Bay Tigers                     3.07

3. Brooks Lions                        3.20

4. Florence Falcons                  3.27

5. Central Wildcats                   3.35

6. Phil Campbell                       3.55

7. Muscle Shoals                      4.35

8. RA Hubbard                        4.97

9. Hatton Hornets                     5.06

10. Cherokee Indians               5.46

Players of the Week

Gold - Cole Claunch (Colbert Heights) - Jr QB throws for 252 yds and 3 TD on 15 of 17 in 38 - 6 win over Danville

Silver - Will Minor (Deshler) 21 carries for 160 yds and 4 TDs in 41-21 win over Russellville
Bronze - Skyler Beck - (Brooks) - Int on Rogers opening drive to set up first score for BHS, 80 yd TD run for 2nd score, 35 yd TD pass for 3rd score in 1st half

Honorable Mention-
Clint Prestage -(Brooks) - 144 yds on 15 carries
O - Line (Brooks) Racked up 349 rushing yards from a variety of players against a stout Rogers team
Bryson Smith (Colbert Heights) 5 catches 155 yds 2 TD
Matt Belue (Red Bay) 113 yds on 15 carries 2 TD in 27 - 10 win over Sheffield
Zachary Anthony (Central) 142 yds rushing 2 TD in 39 - 21 win over Lexington
David Alfaro (Cherokee) 146 yds rushing, 3 TD including late TD to comeback and beat Vina 30-28
Dee Liner - (Muscle Shoals) - 3 sacks in 1 half of play and anchored a starting DLine that allowed only 5 plays of positive yards
Floyd Jones - (RAHubbard) -  113 yds on 12 carries with TD in OT for a 6-0 win over Hatton
JuJu Donley (Deshler) 2 interceptions as the Tigers beat Russellville
Falcons Seconday getting 3 ints by three different players in 13 - 7 road win at Vestavia Hills
Darien Fountain (Cherokee) late INT w/ 52 yd return to set up winning TD
Devan Sullivan - (Muscle Shoals) - returns opening kickoff 87 yrds in season opener vs CCHS
Colby Spann (Colbert Heights) 75 yard kickoff return for TD to open 2nd half
Jamie Dorroh (Phil Campbell) 8 catches for 205 yards, 2 TD's
Timothy Bryant (Tharptown) Int, fumble recovery for a score, caught a TD passin 26 - 21 loss to Meek

Teams with the most/least familiar faces

Some coaches always complain of being young and inexperienced...some teams actually ARE.  Other teams have a wealth of returning talent.  Although the measure of talent is not necessarily in whether one starts or not - it is a good indicator of how much experience one might have.  Below are some of the teams that have the most as well as the teams with the least returning players/starters or upperclassmen.

Interesting comparisions
Brooks returns 9 starters on offense  /   Deshler returns 4 starters in all
Muscle Shoals returns 9 offensive starters  /   Russellville lost 10 defensive starters
Lauderdale County returns 15 starters  /  Tharptown only has 18 players in all
Rogers returns 18 starters  /  Lexington and Wilson combine for 14 returning starters
RA Hubbard has 8 returning starters on defense /  Colbert County only has 10 upperclassmen
                                                                        /  Waterloo has 3 seniors, 25 players 7 - 12