High School Football Academic All-Americans- Players From Sparkman And Bob Jones Selected

HARVEST- High School Football America has selected 118 student-athletes from Alabama for its fourth annual Academic All-America Team. All the honorees attained a grade point average of 3.7 or higher while being a contributor to the varsity team in 2023.

Both Bob Jones and Sparkman Highs each had three players selected among the squad representing Alabama for the elite team.

From Bob Jones, Jackson Dean (6-1, 170, 2024, WR), Kaleb Christopher (5-6, 160, 2026, RB) and Colt Dixon (5-10, 170, 2025, WR) were chosen as the trio of Patriots were big blocks of the solid program in 2023 as Bob Jones was 5-6 on the season losing in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs. In the 11 games, the Pats scored 300 points while allowing 352.

“I feel I was very versatile on the field making the correct calls and able to adjust,” said James Cangelosi, one of three players from Sparkman to make the Academic All-America list. “I’m a super hard worker on the field and very attentive in the classroom.”

The rising senior (6-2, 194, 2025, LB) played mostly defensive line in 2023 where he started seven varsity games and played in each of the 10 games the Senators played a season ago. He has a 3.7 grade point average and has been working part-time jobs over the several months at Four Leaves Asian Restaurant and Alumni Hall at Bridge Street Town Centre to help save money for what he hopes will be a great college education. He will most likely move to middle linebacker in the upcoming campaign.

Also on the academic list is fellow Senator Zayden Bodner (6-0, 190, 2026, WR) who played in all 10 games for the 5-5 Senators while starting five at wide receiver. Overall, he had 10 receptions for 113 yards and one touchdown for the offense that posted 321 points on the season.

“I feel I’m a student-athlete who takes seriously the balance needed to excel at both an athlete and a student as I value my academics,” said Bodner, who goes into his junior year with a 4.0 grade point average as one of nine children to his parents Joe Bodner and Valerie Williams. “I keep my body in as good of shape as my mind. I hope to have a super season in 2024. We have something to prove as we lost our last five games after a 5-0 start,” added Bodner, who is also the team’s kick holder.

The youngest of five children of Jacob and Dawn Cangelosi, the young Cangelosi recently received an offer to Faulkner University.

The third player from Sparkman who made the specially selected list was Jayden “Drip” Thomas (6-0, 170, 2024, RB/WR), a graduate of the 2024 class.

The 2023 HSFA Academic All-America team is made up of over 4,000 student-athletes. Over the first four years, the organization has honored more than 14-thousand student-athletes from across America.

“I feel I have placed myself into the leadership role on our team and I’m ready for the upcoming 2024 season here at Sparkman,” added Cangelosi.