Rashun McCary

SCHEDULE

Aug. 19: vs. Thorsby (Thursday night) Aug. 26: vs. CCHS (Thursday night) Sept. 3: Bye Sept. 10: vs. Marbury Sept. 17: vs. Sipsey Valley Sept. 23: @ Maplesville Oct. 1: @ Selma Oct. 8: vs. Demopolis Oct. 15: @ Central Tuscaloosa Oct. 22: @ Shelby County High School Oct. 29: vs. Elmore County (Senior night)

CONTRIBUTED Mary Gillespie (Captain), Tori Adams (CoCaptain), Kelsey Scott, Bella Ruth Gilliland, Olivia Childress, Morgan Lowery, Janie Popwell, Brooke Tuma, Ashley Young, Kylie Smart, Ava Claire Millard, Jadyn Smith, Ashlynn Newsom, Bella Knowles, Zoie Young.

CONTRIBUTED

THE LINEUP

1 Tyriq Archie 2 Tucker Bradford 3 Matt Brasher 4 Luke Gann 5 Skylar Reeves 6 Coden Cummings 7 Hayden Robinson 8 Juan Carlos Sanchez 9 Camden Cummings 11 Mason Roy 12 Hayden Oliver 13 Ares Santago 14 Josh Glass 15 AJ Ford 16 Anthony Simmons 18 Josh Reeves 19 Cooper Branch 20 Tyler Stallings 21 Chaz Melton 22 Evan Shurum 23 Davion Slaughter 24 Jesse Prado 25 Kintre Jackson 26 Efrain Villeda 27 Dalten Moore 30 Elijah Allen 31 Andrea Martinez-Villegas 32 Lane Pate 36 Nick Wright 37 Michael Nance 43 Chavez Melton 50 Michael Lindsey 51 Caydence Compton 52 Sammy Delgado 55 Kaiden Flowers 63 Clayton Lucas 64 Heith Bice 67 Kenneth Sammons 69 Tyler Singleterry 70 Brody Mozingo 71 Elijah Goodwin 73 Amari Austin 75 Colton Drinkard 76 Thaddeus Martin Jr. 77 Garrett Wyatt

DOPSON TAKES ON LEADERSHIP ROLE FOR YOUNG VERBENA TEAM

Written by ZACHARY SEIFTER Photos by BRANDON SUMRALL

In the last few years, Verbena High School’s football team has seen its fair share of struggles. Outside of wins that came from forfeits in 2020 due to opponents being unable to play because of COVID-19, Verbena has won just two games in the last four seasons.

In 2021, the school has made efforts to turn the page and begin a new era of success at VHS.

The Red Devils have a new head coach in Allen Brothers. They have more players on the team than in years past. They also have some new leaders.

One of those leaders is middle linebacker and fullback Ethan Dopson.

Dopson, a junior, has started on the varsity team since he was in the seventh grade.

He has been with the Red Devils through their lowest points, and is now excited to be a part of the possible rebirth of Verbena football.

“I’ve been playing for Verbena since I could start playing football,” Dopson said. “I’ve always seen them winning … I want to bring that back to Verbena for once before I graduate.”

Bringing that winning culture back to Verbena will not be achieved overnight. There is talent on the roster, but also a lot of youth.

A large number of the players on the VHS roster are in the seventh, eighth and ninth grade. These players will be playing a lot of snaps, as they will play on the junior varsity team in the middle of the week before playing for the varsity team on Friday nights.

With as many young players on the roster as there are, there may be some growing pains for the team, a feeling that Dopson knows all too well.

Having played for Verbena since the seventh grade, Dopson will be a good person for the younger players to turn to, as he has gone through much of what they will go through in the next few years. He has embraced the leader/mentor role in the locker room, and is happy to lend a helping hand to his teammates and help them grow as players.

“I’m definitely putting everybody through it, helping everybody out,” Dopson said. “(I’ve been) pushing them.”

Dopson’s ability to embrace such a role may be what has impressed his coaches the most. Not only does Dopson lead Verbena on the field, but he is eager to lead them off it, and the new head coach has taken notice.

“He (Brothers) told me that he’s seen me stepping up,” Dopson said. “Because if someone isn’t running something right, I go tell them and help them do it right, give them a chance before they get blown out by somebody else.”

Dopson is hopeful that his tutelage to the younger guys will pay dividends this season. While some may look at this team and think they have no chance at winning many games this season because the program is in the middle of a rebuild, Dopson believes there is a chance for immediate success.

“I think we’ll win a decent amount of games this year,” Dopson said. “I mean, we may not go all the way, but it’s a start.”

A start for this Verbena program may be all it needs in the early stages of the rebuild. Before long, there may be glory days returning to the program, and Dopson would be a big reason why.

Verbena’s Ethan Dopson, a junior, is one of the leaders of the football team going into the 2021 season. The team has a lot of very young players in the seventh, eighth and ninth grade that Dopson will try to lead. KICKOFF 2021 37

ZACHARY SEIFTER/ THE CLANTON ADVERTISER

THE LINEUP

1 Triston Wilhite 2 Nathaniel Ellison 3 Drew Waters 4 Lance Edwards 5 Jarod Quinn 6 Jacob Morris 7 Ethan Dopson 8 Aiden Johnson 9 Isaac Stoudemire 10 Caleb Short 11 Cole Blanchard 14 Hayden Wilson 16 Johnathan Marino 20 Chris Guzman 22 DJ Jackson 24 Ethan Hand 33 Terry’un Dennis 50 Dustin Davis 51 Jason Barber 52 Owen Dennis 54 Tomas Cabrera 55 Grantley Childress 58 Michael Conatser 60 Trae Roberts 62 Phillip Mance 65 Ryan Gray 68 Dawson Hayes 70 Blake Hicks 75 Jeremy Hughes 76 Dallas Mims 77 Zachary Barber 85 Tyler Kozak

SCHEDULE

Aug. 20: vs. Central Coosa Aug. 27: @ Thorsby Sept. 3: vs. A. L. Johnson Sept. 10: vs. Autaugaville Sept. 17: @ Barbour County Sept. 24: vs. Calhoun (Homecoming) Oct. 1: vs. Billingsley Oct. 8: @ Loachapoka Oct. 15: vs. Maplesville (Senior Night) Oct. 22: @ Notasulga Oct. 29: Bye

ZACHARY SEIFTER / THE CLANTON ADVERTISER Laliah B.- Captain, Lacey D.- Co-captain, Nyla B.- Co-captain, Paris B., Jatahja W., Emily W., Mariah B., Keringon D.

ZACHARY SEIFTER | THE CLANTON ADVERTISER Juan Flores, Jerica Wells, Caileen Grandy, Ethan Miller, Zeke Sewell, Joe Joe Wells, John Cubbison, Micah Walker, Versain Guzman, Hazel Montoya, Natalia Cortes, Gabe Montoya, Hayden Price, Alexiah Benjamin, Braden Driver, Dakota Lindsey, Tiffany Schoener, Kayden Smith, Luis Luna, Alyssa Smith, Olivia Smith

ARINGTON POISED TO HELP BILLINGSLEY TAKE NEXT STEP

Written by ZACHARY SEIFTER Photo by BRANDON SUMRALL

Anyone who has watched Billingsley High School’s football team the last few years has seen a lot of the same thing. They have watched the team finish with an even record and lose in the first round of the playoffs.

The Bears have a combined 17-18 record in the last three years, including playoff games. They have been what many would call an average team.

This year, however, they are ready to put a stop to that.

At the front of the charge to end the team’s pattern of average seasons and early playoff exits is Billingsley quarterback Levi Arington.

Arington, who is going into his senior year, has been the starting quarterback at Billingsley for the last three years.

He has seen and experienced much of the same thing in his time behind center. However, this year he believes the Bears are ready to take a step forward.

“Last year, we had a lot of young guys,” Arington said. “We only had three or four seniors. This year, we have like seven seniors, and a bunch of 11th and 10th graders. We’re a lot stronger, so I think we’ll be a lot better.”

As the starting quarterback, Arington knows that much of the team’s success will depend on his individual performance in 2021. With that being the case, he will be stepping up his game this season.

“Last year, I think I had 2,500 yards (passing), so maybe 3,000 this season,” Arington said.

Arington also reducing turnovers is something that he hopes to achieve in 2021.

“I had like three interceptions last year … and had one fumble,” Arington said. “(I need to) cut down on those.”

Should Arington be able to reach those individual goals this season, he expects the team to reach its goal too.

“I want to get at least six wins this season,” Arington said. “We’ve been at five for the last three years in a row. So, I want to get at least six or seven wins because I know we can. Some of those losses that we normally get are ones we shouldn’t lose. We should win, but dumb stuff happens, turnovers or whatever. But we should be able to overcome that I think.”

Not only does Arington believe that the team will win more games in the regular season, but he also believes a deep playoff run is possible.

Much will depend on the first round. If the Bears are able to get over the hump and advance past the first round this year, Arington believes more could be in store for this team.

“I feel like if we win that first game we’ll be able to go at least two more rounds,” Arington said.

If there is any year for Billingsley to take that next step, it is this year. They have the players and the experience to make it happen.

It is something Arington is very aware of, and it is all that is on his mind as this is his last chance to leave his mark at Billingsley.

THE LINEUP

1 Jackson Manning 2 Andre Lee 4 Devin Blackmon 6 Javaris Livingston 7 Derrit Moore 8 Lejoun Lasiter 9 Nelson Rebolledo 10 Christopher Atwell 11 Joseph Arington 13 Nathan Gilmore 21 Kylan Thomas 22 Caiden Wilkins 24 Shamarion Massey 24 Colby Green 28 Randriquis McCary 28 Turner Motley 30 Dwy’veon Deramus 33 Jeremy Carroll 45 Cameron Cook 51 Demetrious Sneed 53 Jontavies Todd 55 Christian Green 60 Ashtyn Stange 62 Matthew Shanholtzer 70 Josh Stromberg 82 Zlondre Tyus 88 Yohance Whitlow

ZACHARY SEIFTER / THE CLANTON ADVERTISER

SCHEDULE

Aug. 20: @ Prattville Christian Aug. 27: vs. Vincent Sept. 3: vs. Loachapoka Sept. 10: @ Maplesville Sept. 17: vs. Notasulga Sept. 24: @ Isabella Oct. 1: @ Verbena Oct. 8: vs. Autaugaville Oct. 15: vs. Barbour County (Homecoming/Senior Night) Oct. 22: Bye Oct. 29: @ Thorsby

ZACHARY SEIFTER/ THE CLANTON ADVERTISER Hannah Emfinger, Haley Selfridge, Amber Johnson, Ada Willis, Kylie Coggins, Caydin Green

Thorsby running back and outside linebacker AJ Smith will be a senior this upcoming season. He has been a starter with Thorsby since the ninth grade and is hoping to lead Thorsby on a 42 KICKOFF 2021 deep playoff run in 2021.

SMITH HOPES TO LEAVE THORSBY ON HIGH NOTE

Written by ZACHARY SEIFTER Photos by BRANDON SUMRALL

One last chance.

That is what senior year represents for many high school football players.

One last chance to make the playoffs, win a championship, get recruited to play college football or leave a lasting impact on their school.

It is no different for AJ Smith.

Smith, going into his senior year at Thorsby High School, is the starting running back and outside linebacker for the Rebels. He has started for the team since he was in the ninth grade.

Now going into his final year with the team, he wants to be part of a special team before he goes, and he believes this team could be one so long as they play with more determination than they did in the 2020 season.

“(We have to) be a lot more aggressive,” Smith said. “We weren’t aggressive last year. We have a lot more heart this year, so we just have to be aggressive.”

In offseason practices, it has been common for Smith, as well as some of the other seniors on the team, to lead by example and play with a sense of urgency and determination.

“It all starts in practice,” Smith said. “Just trying to lead everybody and do our job.”

Part of that determination for Smith and the rest of the Thorsby squad comes from the team’s underwhelming season in 2020 that ended with a blowout loss to Abbeville High School. They finished in fourth place in their region.

They know that kind of performance is not good enough, and Smith is ready to do his part to make sure the team has far more success in 2021.

“I’ve got to get the ball more,” Smith said. “I’ve got to the put the team on my back and keep carrying the ball and do what I’ve got to do.

In order to do that, Smith has some goals in mind for what he wants to accomplish this upcoming season.

“Probably about 1,000 rushing yards,” Smith said. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”

Reaching those individual goals should go a long way towards helping Thorsby improve its total in the win column this season, which in the end is Smith’s biggest goal.

He is a team-first player, and believes that the guys in the Thorsby locker room have the same mentality. He believes that with everyone working to do what is best for the team, they can make this a season that has never been seen before in the history of Thorsby football.

“I really hope we can win every single game we have, but I’m really just looking to go first in regions,” Smith said. “Our goal this season is making the third round (of the playoffs). It’s never been done before, so that’s our goal this year.”

Should this Thorsby team be able to accomplish that goal, this 2021 team will go down as one of the greatest Thorsby teams ever. It will imprint Smith in the THS history books, allowing him to leave his mark on the school in his last season.

Now it’s up to him to take advantage of his last chance, and make those goals a reality.