A look behind the obscure scenes of high school football players

MADISON – Within every high school football team there are behind the scenes obscure points of interest that make up the personalities of the squads and most certainly the individual players. Many of the hidden treasures or personal details of players who make up team rosters bring to light the inner thoughts and makings of a high school athlete.

The 2025 season of football is set for kickoff with an assemblage of the behind-the-scenes tidbits of the players, many of which are inspiring.

MASON ROSE (CB/RB, 5-6, 178, Sr.) James Clemens defensive back and running back carries a 3.5 grade point average and wants to study cyber security in college. The threeyear starter is intelligent on the field, fast and very physical against his opponents, but his real competition is his dealing with asthma that has affected him most of his life. He carries a special inhaler wherever he goes and has a member of the athletic staff standing by on the sidelines with his inhaler in both practices and games. He’s learned to deal with his chronic lung disease that can trigger instantaneous shortness of breath and coughing.

ALEX LIVELY (WR, 5-8, 170, Sr.) James Clemens wide receiver was tied for the best receiving statistics a season ago with 16 receptions for 253 yards and two touchdowns for an offense which tallied a mere 25 points per outing in 2024. For the leader of the wide receivers, Lively is looking to assist in the offense to score more and the new look of the offense the Jets will put on the field with firstyear head coach Juan Johnson who has promised for a fast, high intensity offense is right up the senior’s alley.

For Lively, who wears jersey No. 6 and goes by the nickname of “A-Live”, practice makes perfect and he has an unusual way to perfecting his catching ability away from the field. “My dad actually from my young age never let me practice with a kid’s ball as he always made me use a full-size ball and throw it full speed no matter how old I was,” said Lively. “I credit my dad for helping me get good hands. He would throw tennis balls to me where I had to turn around quickly and react to where ever he would throw the tennis balls. He started doing this when I was about 12 years old, right before middle school started he got me ready to catch some footballs. He continues to do it. He’s been great. He throws at me anytime I need some help as he’ll go to the field with me whenever I need to put in extra work, he’ll be there to throw me passes.”

BLAKE BATTLE (LB, 6-0, 200, Sr.) is a leader of the Sparkman Senators at outside linebacker and is one of 33 seniors on the experienced high school roster. His weight lifting talents have also put him just pounds away from what the team calls the “1,000-Pound Club,” an elite group of players through the years who total that amount adding up their weights lifted in several lifts.

For Battle, whose is already looking at attending college to play football and earn his education, he knows football won’t carry him for a lifetime, so he’s looking at earning a degree in Forestry as he would like to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“I want to start off as a Forest Ranger as that’s what my dad did coming out of Alabama A&M as I’ve always been outside since I was a little kid learning about trees and the animals that live in the trees and the birds in the sky, so being outside every day I’ve grown to fall in love with forestry and that’s what I want to major in once I get to college,” said Battle, who said his current first choice of college is here in the Tennessee Valley at Alabama A&M. “My dad works for the government in forestry as he talks a lot about projects that are more forest fires oriented. I don’t hunt, but I do like to fish a lot with my stepdad so that’s definitely a fun thing I like to do on weekends. Sure, I want to be like Smokey Bear to help prevent forest fires. That’s my goal to be a Forest Ranger.”

AJAY SEATON (OL/DL, 6-0, 275, Sr.) is a two-way starter on the line for Madison Academy and he heads into the 2025 season 30-pounds lighter than this time a year ago.

“I really tried to get in better shape so I can play both sides of the ball better than I did last season,” said Seaton. “I shed my 30 pounds by working out physically more than I have and eating better. I’ve given up a lot of fried foods and I eat more lean foods to help. I eat a salad on every occasion I can and I drink a lot more water. If anybody out there wants to lose some weight, those are some tips in doing so.”

DANNY MCCAULEY (RB/LB, 5-10, 185, Sr.) is also a two-way star player for the Mustangs of Madison Academy being physical at both running back and linebacker. “Not doing well in the playoffs last year losing in the second round is really driven us this year to better than we were last year,” said Mc-Cauley, who wants to play college football, but looking at something in a trade for his working career.

“I think God has given me great ability with my body and it’s God’s will to use my body for good things and use it as it was intended,” added McCauley. “I want to get into HVAC business as I see myself as being a hard worker as I thought I would like to pursue that to see what it’s about.”

JAIDYN JOHNSON (OL, 6-1,270, Sr.) of Sparkman worked hard during the off-season with his fellow offensive linemen, “moving mountains,” to be better this season. “Our defense has saved us the last couple of years, so it’s time the offense to be much better,” said Johnson, who goes by the nickname “Cherokee.”

“One of my goals this year before my senior year is over is to hit a backflip without assistance as I can do so on a trampoline I have in my backyard, but I want to do this backflip away from the trampoline,” said Johnson. “My friends come over and we have flipping contests. It’s fun.”

Believe it or not, there’s more to the senior Johnson who wants to study computer technology in college. He said, “I can play drums. I used to play drums at my church in Cherokee, so I feel I’m pretty good at drumming.”

BRAYSON ALBIN (TE/ LS, 6-2, 225, Jr.) may just be the most valuable player to Kelvis White, head coach of the Bob Jones squad. Any coach would love to have the secure feeling of having a good long snapper within their team’s roster. For White, he not only has a good one in Albin, he has the best in Alabama.

Albin is a Kohl’s All-American Honorable Mention and 4.5 star rated ranking by Rubio’s Long Snapper. The talented junior who also plays tight end is rated the No. 1 long snapper in Alabama and No. 9 nationally in the Class of 2027.

The Bob Jones Patriots as a team have tried utilizing an inspiring acronym to assist in prepping the squad to ready for the 2025 season. FEET- stands for Family-Energy-Effort- Toughness. Patriots’ senior defensive leader ROMEO WASHINGTON (LB/DB, 6-0, 210, Sr.) explained the acronym each player has agreed to follow this season.

“Family is bigger than just one person; Energy is being aware what we are displaying with our words and actions; Effort is where a coach should never have to beg for their players to give; Toughness is a choice and something you’re not born with as it’s all in the decision you make.”

The 2025 Patriots are also following a lead of former NFL great J.J. Watt who said, “Success is not owned, it’s earned, and rent is due every day.”