2021 All-State Football Teams Led By Coach Of The Year Chad McGehee Of James Clemens
MADISON- A bevy of underclassmen from the four local schools highlight the Alabama Sportswriters Association 2021 All-State Football Teams.
James Clemens led the local programs with five players to make the elite listing in Class 7-A and having head coach Chad McGehee named Coach of the Year. Bob Jones had four players tabbed as All-State with Madison Academy earning three sports on the Class 4-A listing and Sparkman with two Senators earning post-season honors.
For James Clemens (10-1), the Jets under first-year head coach Chad McGehee roared to a 10-0 undefeated regular season only to fall in the first round of the state playoffs. On the way, the Jets posted 40 points per game while allowing just half that many per outing. Leading the explosive offense was junior quarterback Giovanni Lopez (6-1, 215) who was chosen First Team All-State as Athlete. He hit on 62-percent of his passes for 2,387 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also scored seven touchdowns via running where he had 380 yards on the season.
Second Team selections for James Clemens included RB Dante Snodgrass (5-8, 180, Sr.) who had over 1,000 yards rushing with 22 total touchdowns, WR Keymari Pittman (5-5, 140, Jr.), who did not play his entire sophomore season due to an injury, scored nine touchdowns and had 18.5 yards per catch and DB Jamal Mayers (5-11, 160, Jr.) who repeats as All-State after a similar stellar season as a sophomore.
Honorable Mention selections for the Jets featured OL Edgerrin Watson (6-3, 290, Sr.) who was also a repeat from 2020. The offensive lineman recently signed with North Alabama.
For McGehee, earning the honor as Coach of the Year came as a complete surprise. “Shocked and humbled,” said McGehee. “When you look at all the great coaches in 7-A and their accomplishments this really means a lot to me and I’m thankful for this honor.”
McGehee saw his first squad at James Clemens show resilience of having an almost completely new coaching staff and new systems of play. The players bought in to the new coaches and really wanted to succeed. McGehee added, “Good players make good coaches and I had a great staff who did most of the work throughout our season and I could have not succeeded without their help. The combination of a core staff who worked well with these kids and the players who kept fighting and did not flinch is what made our success in 2021.”
Bob Jones (6-6), which lost in round one of the playoffs, had four players chosen to the season-ending list including two among the First Team, OL Maddox Sunderman (6-4, 306, Jr.) who concentrated on his play at center, but the talented junior can play every position on the line. He has strength and speed and has been named All-American as a heavyweight wrestler. Patriots’ quarterback Rayshawn Hardy (6-2, 205, Jr.) was named First Team All-State as Athlete and should be a force of talent in his senior season a year from now.
The Patriots also saw its players named to the Second Team All-State with linebacker Rowan Jones (5-10, 190, Jr.) and Honorable Mention selection running back Terrance Salter (5-9, 200, Sr.).
Sparkman (4-7) also eliminated in a first round playoff game got into the list in Class 7-A with two players selected. Second Team included offensive lineman Terrant Young (6-2, 285, Sr.) and Honorable Mention selection wide receiver Matthew Rozier (5-10, 170, Jr.).
In Class 4-A, the No. 1 ranked Madison Academy Mustangs heading into the post-season lost in the semi-finals ending the season at 12-2. Along the incredible ride were three seniors who were named First Team All-State. Offensive Lineman Kaden Young (6-5, 300, Sr.), linebacker Deuce Spurlock (6-2, 220, Sr.) and Athlete Will Stokes (5-10, 170, Sr.) all assisted in the Mustangs putting up some impressive numbers in the 2021 campaign. Madison Academy scored 39 points per game while allowing just 14 to each opponent.
Stokes carried the ball 257 times for 2,691 yards, which came to 10.47 per attempt. He scored 46 touchdowns on the ground and added two touchdowns as a receiver and scored one as a kick returner. Spurlock, a recent signee with the Michigan Wolverines, had 144 total tackles including 81 solo stops at linebacker.
