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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

Another absolutely unforgettable football season has ended, and what a year it was.

From Thompson reclaiming its place atop Class 7A to Spain Park securing an undefeated regular season to incredible turnarounds at Calera, Chelsea, Oak Mountain and Shelby County to returns to the postseason from Helena and Vincent, area teams gave us some incredible stories.

They also gave us some incredible players who delivered standout performances each week. It may seem like a cliché at this point, but it truly felt like the closest All-County race ever.

After hours upon hours of deliberation, here are your 2024 All-County football teams recognizing the best of the best from Shelby County’s 11-man football programs.

 

First Team Offense

Quarterback: Brock Bradley, junior, Spain Park. Bradley was the county’s most consistently excellent quarterback with his ability to connect with his receivers from Week 1 and make plays at all levels. The Clemson commit guided his team to the quarterfinals with 2,667 yards and 32 touchdowns against five interceptions while completing 66 percent of his passes and scoring six rushing touchdowns as well.

Running Back: Anthony Palmieri, senior, Shelby County. Palmieri sparked an offensive revival in Columbiana, using a strong offensive line to carry the Wildcats into the playoffs. He finished with a county-high 1,846 yards and 22 touchdowns off a heavy load of 230 carries and also earned three receiving touchdowns.

Running Back: Chase Stracener, junior, Chelsea. Stracener was never hard to find on the field as multiple bodies were often draped over him in vain attempt to bring the big back down. He powered his way to 1,601 rushing yards, a good chunk of which came after contact, and 17 touchdowns off a county-high 261 carries and also had 232 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Offensive Line: AJ Williams, senior, Thompson. Williams was a matchup nightmare in his first season with the Warriors, immediately earning his place along the line with his elite hand skills and sheer physical presence. The 6-foot-1, 272-pound senior will now head to Austin Peay after playing a key role in Thompson’s championship offense.

Offensive Line: Carter Fountain, junior, Briarwood Christian. Fountain made crucial pancake blocks to help the Lions offense create opportunities, and the 6-foot-2, 265-pound junior’s strong technique and fighting spirit got even more chances to shine once Luke Reynolds returned from injury.

Offensive Line: Ethan Burnette, senior, Shelby County. The Wildcats’ success on the ground would have been nothing without a great offensive line, and Burnette led the way as a veteran leader. The 6-foot, 275-pounder earned 28 pancake blocks while opening up holes for Anthony Palmieri and the rushing attack.

Offensive Line: Adam Brooks, junior, Chelsea. The 6-foot-1, 245-pound Brooks was a steady presence at the center spot, making life easier for first-year starting quarterback Miller Bauman by offering up zero bad snaps all season and allowing no sacks in 2024 to grade out at 91 percent.

Offensive Line: Brayden Abbott, senior, Vincent. Abbott was a bully in the run block for the Jackets, setting up their trio of talented rushers with his imposing 5-foot-11, 305-pound frame. He graded out at 95 percent, made 440 key blocks and earned 44 pancake blocks.

Receiver: Corey Barber, junior, Spain Park. Barber exploded out of nowhere to become the best receiver in Shelby County, often hauling in Bradley’s deep bombs to make a big impact on games. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound junior went for 18 total touchdowns and a county-high 1,429 receiving yards off 74 receptions.

Receiver: Darion Moseley, sophomore, Thompson. Moseley stepped up down the stretch as the Warriors’ top target, scoring 13 touchdowns off 53 receptions and racking up 757 receiving yards. However, no performance was as impactful as his two touchdowns in the state championship game which secured him the Most Outstanding Player award.

Receiver: Zack Fitzgerald, senior, Oak Mountain. Fitzgerald evolved into a strong receiver who became Will O’Dell’s most trusted target, overcoming 7A secondaries to go for 904 receiving yards off 51 receptions. He also scored six total touchdowns, including five in the air.

Athlete: AJ Johnson, senior, Calera. It’s rare to find as pure of an arm talent as Johnson, and he lived up to his potential in the shift to Reid Rials’ offense. His ability to make challenging throws on a dime led to 2,805 passing yards and 19 touchdowns even though he threw 12 interceptions, and his talents on the ground led to 420 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. As a result, he led the state in all-purpose yards at the end of the regular season with 3,224 yards.

Athlete: Dakarai Shanks, senior, Spain Park. Shanks stepped up as the No. 1 back this season and powered his way to 1,292 yards and 11 touchdowns off 203 yards, and the Troy signee also scored a pair of receiving touchdowns in the Jags’ diverse and balanced offense that reached new heights.

Athlete: Jeremy Spratling, senior, Helena. While he was limited to just eight games in 2024, Spratling made the most of them, going for 895 yards and 12 touchdowns off 171 carries to help the Huskies make their way back to the playoffs as the lead back.

Kicker: Austin Lewis, senior, Helena. Lewis represented Helena in the North-South All-Star Game, an achievement that capped off an incredible football career. He was a perfect 6-for-6 on field goals this year with a long of 53 yards and went 38-for-39 on extra points, and he also averaged 40.6 yards per punt to showcase his combo skillset.

 

First Team Defense

Defensive Line: Jared Smith, senior, Thompson. One of the biggest game-wreckers anywhere in Alabama, Smith demanded respect in any matchup and made big plays throughout the season, especially on third downs. The Auburn signee finished with 87 tackles, a county-high 8.5 sacks and five tackles for loss along with 23 quarterback hurries, four pass breakups and an interception.

Defensive Line: Cam Pritchett, sophomore, Thompson. Watch Pritchett and you’ll soon find why nearly every Power 4 program has its eyes on him. He finished the year with 77 tackles, including 41 solo tackles, 14 tackles for loss and four sacks, and also forced a fumble as a member of the Warriors’ championship-winning front.

Defensive Line: Romello Cooper, senior, Chelsea. Cooper capped off his Chelsea career with an impactful year along the edge, earning 7.5 sacks to go with 56 total tackles, 32 solo tackles and 11 tackles for loss to take the Hornets to the playoffs and allow him to continue his playing career at Samford next year. Not bad for someone who didn’t start playing football until his freshman year.

Linebacker: Grayson Gulde, senior, Vincent. 202 tackles. That’s what the reigning All-State selection finished with in 12 games in 2024, anchoring the Jackets defense as a one-man wrecking crew with 118 solo tackles, 21 tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception and two blocked field goals on special teams.

Linebacker: Vini Pires, senior, Thompson. While his year was cut short due to injury, Pires made a big impact in the middle of the Warriors defense with 84 tackles, including 63 solo tackles and five tackles for loss along with a forced fumble.

Linebacker: Cooper Pennington, junior, Shelby County. Pennington continues to be one of the most impressive linebacker talents in the county, adding another All-County First Team selection to his resume after earning 96 tackles, including 83 solo tackles and 14 tackles for loss. He also used his 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame on offense to secure 43 pancake blocks as a tight end.

Linebacker: EJ Kerley, junior, Spain Park. Kerley finished with the second most tackles in the county with 140, and that was just one way he led the way for the Jags defense. He earned six quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery in addition to his 89 solo tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks.

Linebacker: Briston Hardy, sophomore, Chelsea. Hardy broke out in a big way for the Hornets this season, securing 128 total tackles, including 74 solo tackles, 14 tackles for loss and five sacks as well as five pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles, all as an underclassman.

Defensive Back: Anquon Fegans, senior, Thompson. The 2024 Shelby County Player of the Year was a no-fly zone for the best quarterbacks in Class 7A for the way he locked up receivers and secured a county-high six interceptions. The Auburn signee and reigning MaxPreps All-American also finished with 80 tackles, seven pass deflections, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries as well as three defensive touchdowns.

Defensive Back: Joe Cross, junior, Spain Park. Cross terrorized opposing quarterbacks and ended the year with five interceptions and four pass breakups, and he also played a key role as a tackler from the back side with 28 of his 37 tackles being solo tackles.

Defensive Back: Sam Parrish, junior, Chelsea. Parrish led the Hornets secondary with four interceptions and four pass breakups in 2024 and finished out with 53 tackles, including 33 solo tackles, to set the stage for what is likely to be an even better senior season.

Defensive Back: Damontae Tabb, junior, Thompson. One of the biggest breakout stars of the Warriors defense, Tabb came up with three interceptions while becoming a mainstay in the Thompson secondary. He ended the year with 44 tackles, 25 solo tackles, six tackles for loss and three pass deflections.

Punter: John Alan McGuire, senior, Thompson. McGuire continued to solidify himself as one of the best punters in the nation, averaging 44.2 yards per punt and placing 16 of his 45 punts inside the 20-yard line. The Auburn signee ended the year with 1,988 yards, including a long of 63 yards, and was 8-for-12 on field goals with a long of 50 yards against Hoover.

 

Second Team Offense

Quarterback: Trent Seaborn, sophomore, Thompson. Seaborn had to battle through adversity this season with a brand-new receiving corps that took time to gel with. However, by the end of the year, he was back to making the same pinpoint throws that made him an All-American and ended with a 64.2 percent completion rate, 2,672 yards and 26 passing touchdowns against seven interceptions on the way to his second state championship.

Running Back: Mike Dujon, senior, Thompson. One of the big reasons why the Warriors took home the Class 7A state championship was an improved run game, and Mike Dujon played the biggest part in making that happen. He stepped up in the biggest moments, taking over contests against Lipscomb Academy, Tuscaloosa County and Auburn and going for over 100 yards in the state title game. Even while splitting carries with RJ Evans, Dujon went for 1,090 yards and 16 touchdowns off 160 carries.

Running Back: Luke Reynolds, senior, Briarwood Christian. No single player impacted their team more than Reynolds. The only games that the Lions won this season were the five he played the entire game in, and it was easy to see why as he fought hard while he was on the field for 766 yards and 16 touchdowns off 106 carries in just seven games.

Offensive Line: Keller Finn, senior, Vincent. Another key part of the Jackets frontline, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Finn finished with a 92 percent grade and earned 472 key blocks and 28 pancake blocks.

Offensive Line: Hudson Reed, junior, Spain Park. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound Reed was one of the key fixtures on a Jags offensive line that helped clear the way for a successful run game and set up Brock Bradley to make big throws. The junior already has multiple Power 4 offers from West Virginia and Kentucky and will likely have more on the way after another great season where he graded out at 84 percent, secured 13 pancake blocks and gave up just one sack.

Offensive Line: Braydon Saylor, senior, Thompson. The 6-foot-2, 257-pound senior excelled in both aspects of his offensive role along the edge as he sealed off run blocks while providing crucial pass protection from edge rushers.

Offensive Line: K’Erius Cockrum, senior, Thompson. Cockrum made an immediate impact with the Warriors in 2024, playing a key role in the run block and pass protection to help Thompson win a state title. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound senior will now go on to play college ball at Chattanooga.

Offensive Line: Bradley Hazlip, junior, Oak Mountain. Hazlip was the Eagles’ top offensive lineman, evidenced by his team-leading pancake block total, and used his 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame to set up Will O’Dell and Marty Myricks for success.

Receiver: Dedrick Kimbrough, freshman, Thompson. The freshman may have only seen action in six games, but he quickly made a name for himself as one of Trent Seaborn’s most trusted targets in the road to the title game. He finished with 390 receiving yards and three touchdowns off 22 receptions, setting himself up for big things to come.

Receiver: CJ Durbin, senior, Chelsea. One of the speediest options on the Hornets, Durbin played a key role not only in the pass game but as an option off the jet sweep. As for his work downfield though, he capped his career with 576 receiving yards and six touchdowns off 53 receptions as a senior.

Receiver: Landon Archer, sophomore, Vincent. Despite just being a sophomore, Archer has become one of the most dynamic playmakers for the Jackets. His work as a receiver shined brightest with 483 receiving yards and six touchdowns off just 22 receptions, but he earned three interceptions and 47 tackles on defense and averaged 37.2 yards per punt, making him a unique talent in Class 2A.

Athlete: Will O’Dell, senior, Oak Mountain. O’Dell left little doubt about his ability to lead the Eagles offense as he made big plays happen both in the air and on the ground with one of the best all-purpose years in the state. He earned 1,993 passing yards with nine touchdowns against seven interceptions and was the Eagles’ leading rusher with 1,096 yards and eight touchdowns off 163 carries.

Athlete: Jayden Roberts, junior, Vincent. Roberts led the Jackets’ three-headed rushing attack and went for over 1,000 yards in the process, taking 192 carries for 1,083 yards and 10 touchdowns to help Vincent reach the second round of the playoffs as he continues to improve as a runner.

Athlete: Aidan Gasaway, senior, Vincent. Gasaway capped numerous Vincent drives with a trip to the end zone as he scored 11 rushing touchdowns off 130 carries, going for 661 yards in the process. He also continued to impact games on defense with 93 tackles, including 51 tackles and seven tackles for loss.

Kicker: Josh Renfro, sophomore, Oak Mountain. Stepping into the kicker role as an underclassman this season, Renfroe went 5-for-8 on field goals and 27-for-30 on extra points. His last kick of the season was his breakout moment though, kicking a season-long 43-yarder with just 14 seconds left to defeat rival Chelsea.

 

Second Team Defense

Defensive Line: Garrett Witherington, junior, Briarwood Christian. Witherington remains one of the top frontline presences in the entire state even in his move to the interior this season. He ended the year with 55 tackles, including 30 solo tackles, 13 tackles for loss and four sacks along with 19 quarterback pressures. Witherington also played a key offensive role as a blocking tight end on heavy packages, making him even more versatile for the Power 4 programs vying for his services.

Defensive Line: Ethan Walton, junior, Oak Mountain. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Walton led all county defensive linemen in tackles for loss with 16, which accounted for a significant part of his 58 tackles. He also finished his junior season with seven sacks.

Defensive Line: Eli Carlisle, junior, Shelby County. Carlisle played a key role in the front for the Wildcats front, with 28 of his 44 tackles being solo tackles and finishing with 10 tackles for loss and eight sacks, the latter of which was second-most in the county behind only Jared Smith.

Linebacker: Colton Moore, junior, Oak Mountain. Moore racked up 96 tackles over the course of the season and had one of the highest tackles-for-loss totals in the county with 19. He also ended the year with 36 solo tackles and two sacks.

Linebacker: Trenton Cheatom, senior, Thompson. Cheatom capped off his Warriors career with a triple-digit tackle total, earning 114 tackles, including 83 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss and three sacks.

Linebacker: Porter Schott, junior, Chelsea. Schott terrorized opposing offenses with 118 tackles, including 65 solo tackles, 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He also came up with a pair of forced fumbles to flip the field for the Hornets.

Linebacker: Payton Lewis, senior, Thompson. If there was a game-changing turnover for the Warriors, chances are Lewis was part of it. He ended the year with three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, an interception and even a pair of blocked field goals on special teams. He also added in 71 tackles, including 47 solo tackles.

Linebacker: Jonathan Roberto, sophomore, Helena. Still just an underclassman, Roberto continued building his reputation as one of the defensive names to watch in the county with his 102 tackles in 2024, including 68 solo tackles and eight tackles for loss for the playoff Huskies.

Defensive Back: Wes Burgess, senior, Briarwood Christian. Burgess was the leader in the secondary making sure the defense ran smoothly, but he did more than just facilitate. He contributed in a big way with 66 tackles, 38 solo tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and an interception.

Defensive Back: Sam Canale, sophomore, Briarwood Christian. Tasked with starting each game as a sophomore, Canale rose to the challenge, coming up with three interceptions, four pass breakups and a forced fumble during the season. He also finished with 41 tackles.

Defensive Back: Dee Cutts, senior, Montevallo. A consistent bright spot for the Bulldogs, Cutts was a one-man wrecking crew, making solo tackles on 45 of his 53 total tackles and earning one interception. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound senior also served as the top target on offense for first-year quarterback Jordan Ward.

Defensive Back: Deontaye Robertson, senior, Vincent. Robertson was a ball hawk in the secondary, securing four interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. The senior also had 45 tackles, including 33 solo tackles and three tackles for loss while playing both ways.

Punter: Jake Garner, senior, Pelham. Garner capped his career with another successful year as a combo punter and kicker. He averaged 41.6 yards per attempt on his 37 punts with 1,539 total yards while putting 15 of them inside the 20. He also went a perfect 20-for-20 on extra points, made five of his nine field goals with a long of 43 yards, was 29-of-32 on touchbacks and even went 3-of-4 on his onside kick attempts.

 

Honorable Mention: Rylan Hamm, Briarwood Christian. Garrett Heinemann, Briarwood Christian. Brayden Robertson, Briarwood Christian. Dane Whitehead, Briarwood Christian. LeShond Boone, Calera. Braxton Brooks, Calera. Demetrius Davis, Calera. Cameron Hagler, Calera. William Harris, Calera. Kade Mitchell, Calera. KD Young, Calera. Camarien Yow, Calera. Jackson Kalnoske, Chelsea. Will Pohlmann, Chelsea. Ethan Prickett, Chelsea. Nate Ferguson, Helena. Torrey Ward, Helena. DJ Williams, Helena. Razareo Conwell, Montevallo. AJ Guizar, Montevallo. Kelston Hodges, Montevallo. Caleb Merriweather, Montevallo. Kyler Mitchell, Montevallo. Buck Ross, Montevallo. Jayden Aparicio-Bailey, Oak Mountain. Luke Kelly, Oak Mountain. Marty Myricks, Oak Mountain. Marcus Arnold, Pelham. Hunter Drawhorn, Pelham. Jacob Gibbs, Pelham. Joe Hampton, Pelham. Kalib Porter, Pelham. Eli Holliman, Shelby County. CJ Cowley, Spain Park. Jackson Bell, Spain Park. Nik Alston, Thompson. Kevin Davis, Thompson. RJ Evans, Thompson. Micah Fleming, Thompson. Pryce Lewis, Thompson. Dylan Marquess, Thompson. Hayden McDonald, Thompson. KJ Chapman, Vincent. Casen Fields, Vincent. Zahmir McMillian, Vincent.