By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

BIRMINGHAM – The ASWA met in mid December to select the 2015 All-State teams for classes 1-7A and the AISA. Each classification has a First Team, a Second Team, and Honorable Mentions. There was one quarterback, three running backs, five linemen and a kicker selected for both the First and Second Team offenses of each classifications as well as four defensive linemen, linebackers, defensive backs and a punter for the First and Second Team defenses. Also included on the First and Second Team lists for each class were four athlete slots. There were two Honorable Mention selections at each position as well.

This year, 12 players from Shelby County made either the First Team, Second Team or were selected as an Honorable Mention and there was also a Coach of the Year selected from Shelby County. Five players were First Team selections while three were Second Teamers and four were Honorable Mentions.

Of the five First Team selections, four came from 7A. Offensive lineman Justice Hammond of Oak Mountain, who was a First Team All-State selection last season as well, along with Spain Park offensive lineman Grey Best, were the offensive selections from the county while Perry Young made the 7A First Team as a defensive lineman while teammate Tyler Sumpter was the First Team punter.

TJ Rayam, a senior defensive lineman for Thompson, was selected to the Second Team defense while junior running back Larry Wooden was selected as an Honorable Mention running back.

There were three 5A and three 4A players represented on the All-State lists as well. Mackennan Thompson, a junior offensive lineman from Calera, was named to the Second Team 5A offense while teammate Kyle Harrell was named an Honorable Mention athlete. Shelby County Player of the Year running back Jamarius Mayfield, from Shelby County High School, was also selected as an Honorable Mention running back as well.

Montevallo, the only 4A school in the county, had one player selected to each team. Junior defensive back TreShawn Brown was named to the First Team defense; sophomore wide receiver Ahmad Edwards was named to the Second Team offense and quarterback Zac Oden was an Honorable Mention quarterback as well.

Andrew Zow, the Montevallo head coach, was also named the 4A Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to the second round of the 4A playoffs. The Bulldogs’ went 9-3 this year under Zow, which was a higher win total than the program had cumulatively over the previous three seasons.

Of the 12 players included on the list, four will return in 2015 while eight will graduate.