Local stars up for Mr. Football

Tue. December 20, 2011 at 11:55 p.m. | By Alex Scarborough

Pickens County's Demarko Hall was much more than just a running back this season. He set a school record for touchdowns with 43, scoring five different ways. (Photo by Jason Harless)

Several local athletes were selected as finalists for the Alabama Sports Writers Association Mr. Football award Tuesday.

The same candidates will also serve as finalists for the Back and Lineman of the Year, an awarded handed out by the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association for each classification.

Running back C.J. Cutts of Bibb County High School and defensive lineman Darren Lake of Sumter Central will compete in Class 4A. Two American Christian Academy players will compete in Class 2A: quarterback Austin Grammer and defensive lineman Kyle Sappington. Class 1A will be a logjam, with Pickens County running back Demarko Hall, Berry running back Terrance Hollingsworth and Linden quarterback Anthony Robinson as the three finalists for Back of the Year. Linden linebacker Terris Lewis is a finalist for Lineman of the Year.

Cutts missed one game this season, yet still ran for more than 1.800 yards and scored 22 touchdowns. Lake, a University of Alabama commitment, had 69 tackles for Sumter Central.

Grammer, who committed to the University of Houston before the start of his senior year, broke the 3,000-yard passing mark for the second consecutive season, throwing for more than 30 touchdowns. Grammer’s teammate, Sappington, racked up an astounding 16 sacks during the regular season, to go along with 103 tackles.

Things will get sticky in the competition for Class 1A Back of the Year. Robinson led Linden all the way to the Super 6, running for eight touchdowns and passing for 17 more during the regular season. Hollingsworth continued his stellar career at Berry, which began when he was a starter in the eighth grade, by running for more than 1.800 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also caught six touchdowns for the Wildcats. But Hall will be tough to beat out after putting together the best season in Pickens County history, setting a single-season touchdown mark for the school. Hall broke the 1,000-yard mark in rushing and receiving, racking up 21 touchdown catches and another 14 scores on the ground. In addition, Hall had three kickoff returns for touchdowns, another two scores by way of punt returns and returned three of his eight interceptions for touchdowns. He set a Tornadoes record with 43 touchdowns on the season.

Lewis was a standout for a Linden defense that allowed the fewest points of any team to advance to the Super 6, giving up fewer than eight per game. Lewis had 106 tackles, nine tackles for loss and five interceptions during the regular season for the Patriots.

The nominees were chosen by the ASWA prep committee at its all-state meeting, from a list provided by sports writers, as well as from the state’s head coaches.

Three backs and three linemen in each of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s six classes as well as one for the Alabama Independent Schools Association were selected as finalists in their categories, which will be announced at the annual Player of the Year/ Mr. Football banquet at the Alabama Activity Center in Montgomery on Jan. 18.

Reach Alex Scarborough at alex.scarborough@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0193.