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return every starter to the linebacker position this season as well. All four are back and did a solid job last year, while they’ve also improved heading into this season. Michael BanksMason, Mason Green and CJ Richardson are three of the four back, and all had big seasons last year. BanksMason led the team with 112 solo tackles, 45 assisted tackles, 20 tackles for loss and two sacks and could be one of the best linebackers in the state. Green and Richardson both totaled more than 70 tackles last year and combined for 10 tackles for loss. Outside of those three, Dekendrick Bennett is also back for his senior season and should take a step forward, while younger guys are taking advantage of the experience ahead of them, knowing they’re next in line, which is creating nice depth at the position.

SECONDARY

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Defensively, the secondary will take the biggest hit with the departure of Wesley Head. He led the team with five interceptions last year and also totaled more than 50 tackles. The hit, however, will be softened by the return of Michael Benson. Benson totaled 50 tackles and two interceptions last year and will be the leader of the unit at safety after moving from corner. Zymeer Jemison will also return as a starter at corner this season, which is a position he will lead. Hamlin said he not only can be the ring leader of the secondary, but that he helps everybody enjoy it and have fun. Jaylen Mitchell is a senior who will play at corner as a starter, while Ahmari Collins will also fill in at the position as a junior. Other safeties will include junior Ayden Slaten and senior Crayton Carlee.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker TJ Hernandez will return for his junior season as the team’s placekicker and has gotten more accurate and powerful with his leg. Punter is still up in the air with Matthew Windham now gone, but Hamlin said there are a few options they are trying to decide on ahead of fall practice.

KEY NUMBERS

1,231

Kobe Prentice was one of the most exciting players to watch in the county over the last several years. He left his mark at Calera not only as a downfield threat that could blow by every defender, but as someone who could catch the ball in the backfield and then make several defenders look foolish in tackling attempts before reeling off lengthy touchdowns. That is tough to replace, but don’t doubt this year’s receiving corps. It may be collectively stronger when things are all said and done. Prentice may have set the tone for a bright future at the postilion.

2,259

Yes, having Prentice helped Preston Stokes last year, but even with him, I’m not sure how many expected Stokes to step in and throw for more than 2,000 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. His 2,259 yards gave him one of the best marks in the county, and now, he has a year of experience in the offense. In the offseason, he has gained more trust in progressing through his reads, which gives the team even more potential for big plays this year.

EDITOR’S 2022 PREDICTION (6-4)

Let me start by saying Calera has the potential to be much better than 6-4 this season. The schedule, however, is slightly more challenging this season, which makes it tough to look into a crystal ball and see where they’ll fall when it’s all said and done. The offense won’t take a step back and the defense should be even better. Last year, six of the team’s 11 games were decided by 10 points or less, and I expect more one or two possession games this season. The defense making a late stand or Stokes and the offense making a game-winning drive could be the difference in whether this team wins six, seven, eight or more this season. Regardless, they are a playoff team again in 2022.

HORNETS CLASSIFICATION AHSAA Class 7A, Region 3 2021 RECORD 4-7 (3-3)

It has been since 2016 that the Chelsea Hornets last finished a season with a winning record. Now, they face possibly their toughest test in school history.

A new head coach, a new classification, a new schedule, a new playing surface and several new players are among a handful of changes that will make the upcoming season challenging, but they’re challenges new head coach Todd Cassity and his players are hungry for.

Cassity took over for Dustin Goodwin in the offseason and is hoping to help Chelsea feel a sense of rejuvenation with a jump from Class 6A to Class 7A for the first time in school history.

Cassity’s top goals for the team to compete against a difficult schedule are to get his team playing fast and physical, while an emphasis will have to be placed on the offensive and defensive line. If those two units come along, Chelsea will have success.

HEAD COACH

Todd Cassity

RECORD First year

ASSISTANT COACHES

Ted Darby, Heath Butler, Cole Corkren, Dylan Seabolt, Colby Harris, Stuart Morrison, Matt Stockton, Payton Holmes, Matt Norris, Lee Hibbs Jr.

LAST REGION TITLE

2006

LAST PLAYOFF GAME

2021

MEET THE TEAM

QUARTERBACK

The biggest question mark heading into the season aside from both sides of the line will come at quarterback. With Hayden Garrison transferring after two years as a starter and more than 2,00 yards passing last year, sophomore Carter Dotson will jump into the starting role. A 6-foot-3, 175-pound sophomore, Dotson has the ideal frame for the position, but he’s still learning each day.

RUNNING BACK

Helping take pressure off the sophomore quarterback this year will be running back Emerson Russell. A junior this year, Russell spent a lot of time in the backfield a season ago and will be leaned upon as a leader at the position this year. Joining him will be senior Leighton Garrard. A 5-foot-10, 195-pound running back, Garrard can be a back that runs between the tackles, but he is also an explosive addition.

RECEIVER

Possibly the most exciting unit offensively will come at receiver. If Dotson has time to get it to his wide outs, they will be there as several talented players return. Seniors EJ Hudnall, JyDarian McKinney and MJ Conrad all return to the position this season. Each

Emerson Russell

JyDarian McKinney

made their impact felt a season ago and will now be leaned on to make an impact this season. The tallest receiver, however, will be junior Jaxon Shuttlesworth, who is exciting the coaching staff.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Perhaps the most important position, the offensive line will have several question marks this year with the majority of the unit featuring a new face. Senior Cesar Madrid and junior Zach Hair will be two of the leaders at the unit. Both stand around 6-foot-3, while Hair weighs 275 pounds and Madrid 240 pounds. Hair is the only returning starter back this season. Sophomore Will Pohlman, who holds a frame of 6-foot, 245 pound, is also going to play a big role at guard as one of the strongest guys on the team. Center will come down to a battle between juniors Jacob Glidewell and Logan Sanders.

2022 SCHEDULE

Aug. 18: Helena (Cramton Bowl Montgomery)# Aug. 26: @ Calera

Sept. 2: Tuscaloosa County* Sept. 9: @ Oak Mountain* Sept. 16: Thompson* Sept. 23: Pelham

Sept. 30: @ Vestavia Hills* Oct. 7: Spain Park* Oct. 14: @ Hoover* Oct. 21: @ Hewitt-Trussville* Oct. 28: Bye

*Region game #Thursday night game

DEFENSIVE LINE

The defense has potential this year as a tight-knit group with more returning, but the defensive line will be the unit

Emerson Russell, RB

The leading returnee on the offensive side of the football, Russell plays with a lot of heart and will set the tone for this year’s offense.

EJ Hudnall, WR

A leader at the senior-laden receiver position this season, Hudnall will be one of several who is key to the offense and bringing up a young quarterback.

Jackson Laughlin, DL

With a size of 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Laughlin will is back as a defensive end this season and has shown a lot of promise throughout the offseason.

Brady Clements, LB

One of the top players back on the team regardless of position, Clements finished last year with 91 tackles. He will be a key leader on the defense as a senior.

KEY DEPARTURES

Cooper Griffin

A player willing to do anything the team needed of him, Griffin totaled 640 receiving yards and four touchdowns to lead the Hornets last season.

Thomas Simpson

A tall and athletic presence, Simpson always gained the respect of defenses as a downfield threat and will be missed.

Will Fant

One of the team’s top defenders and overall athletes, Fant’s presence as a leader will be missed.

Hayden Garrison

Garrison departed for Thompson as a transfer along with former head coach Dustin Goodwin. He would have been a big returner with two years of experience under his belt.

300 Jade Park, Suite 301 Chelsea www.chelseabraces.com 205-678-2770

2022 Chelsea Roster

NO. NAME POSITION YEAR

1 Emerson Russell RB 11 2 Nathan Smith OLB 12 3 Cody Fortenberry OLB 12 4 Brady Clements ILB 12 5 Owen Key S 11 5 Reece Bittner WR 10 6 MJ Conrad QB/WR 12 7 Chris McNeill CB 12 8 JyDarian McKinney WR/CB 12 8 Anthony Lanzi QB 9 9 Anderson Brooks ILB 11 10 Jack Seymour K/P 12 11 EJ Hudnall WR 12 12 Raigin Tribell RB 12 13 Nick Sulenski WR 11 14 Carter Dotson QB 10 15 Miller Topazi WR 11 16 Drew Cheslock S 11 16 Leighton Garrard RB 12 17 Jaxon Shuttlesworth WR 11 18 Owen Carlson QB 11 19 Raymond Bridgeman WR 11 20 Taylor Armbrester RB 11 21 Carter Parrish OLB 11 22 Javion Holyfield OLB 11 23 Adam Cornwell OLB 11 24 Sloan DeWeese FB/ILB 11 25 Will Decker ILB 9 26 Thomas Brakefield OLB 12 27 Quentin Holyfield CB 11 28 Tristen O’Berry CB 11 29 Morgan Barnes RB 9 29 Kenny Wesley RB/CB 9 30 CJ Durbin RB 10

NO. NAME

POSITION YEAR

31 Sam Trout OLB 10 32 Branson Hogan QB 9 32 Porter Schott OLB 9 32 Grant Evans CB 9 33 Austin Slay WR/CB 10 34 Isaiah Ziegert RB/LB 11 35 Sam Parrish S 9 36 Brandon Sims CB 11 37 Qassim Harbor P 11 38 Cole Hodgens RB/LB 10 39 Connor Burley S 11 40 John Jackson WR 10 41 Luis Pineda DE 11 42 Ian Osbourn DE 12 43 Luke Beavers LB 9 43 Luke Carbonie LB 9 44 Jackson Laughlin DE 12 45 Parker Yates S 46 Gabe Pendley WR/S 10 47 Caden Summers RB 9 47 Brayden Epperson WR 9 48 Jackson Kalnoske LS 10 49 Luke Miller PK 9 50 Jaeden Bennett NG 12 51 Adam Brooks OL 9 52 Cesar Madrid OL 12 53 Zach Gray (Bubba) LB 11 54 Kobe Thomason NG 11 55 Zach Hair OL 11 56 Jacob Glidewell C 11 57 Nehemiah Cummings LB 11 58 Logan Sanders G 11 59 Carson Vickers DE 11 60 Eli Williams T 10

NO. NAME POSITION YEAR

61 Hunter Gulledge OL 11 62 Connor Beane G 12 63 Walker Williams T 12 64 Tyler Kirkland LS 9 65 Kolbe Hess OL/DE 11 66 Gavin Hailstock OL/NG 10 67 Kyler Cowart G 11 68 Hunter Miller NG 10 70 Micah McNutt OL 10 71 Will Pohlmann OL 10 72 Jackson Reynolds OL/DE 10 73 Joey Blackburn NG 9 73 Jose Barajas DE 9 74 Will McConnel DE 9 75 Zachary Childers OL 10 76 Lawson Williamson OL/DE 9 77 Ivan Phillips OL 10 78 Brooks Dixon OL 9 79 Noah McCrary NG 11 80 Miller Bauman WR 10 81 Carter Bedsole WR 11 82 Branden Bailey WR 10 83 Ethan Prickett DE 10 84 Jack Flowers WR 9 84 Shamar Gramby WR 9 85 Le’Mel Martinear LB 9 86 Turner Simpson WR 9 86 Gamble Lester WR 9 87 Ty Handley WR 9 87 John Leith DB 9 88 Jack Whiddon WR 11 89 Ayden Young WR 9 89 James Johnson DB 9 95 Romello Cooper DE 10

2021 RESULTS

Oak Mountain L 19-46 @ Helena L 14-27 @ Briarwood L 35-42 Homewood L 35-37 Bye Pelham W 31-28 @ Woodlawn W 42-7 @ Huffman W 41-34 Shades Valley W 17-6 Mountain Brook L 0-25 @ Calera L 21-31 @ Oxford* L 20-30

*Playoff game that could make the difference with new faces needing to make a quick impact and depth a concern heading into the season. The Hornets do have good size in the three projected starters. Jackson Laughlin is a senior defensive end returning with a size of 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, while junior Ian Osbourn is almost an identical build and will handle the opposite end. Those two can be difficult to handle, while senior Jaeden Bennett, who stands at 6-foot, 250 pounds, will handle the nose guard position as an explosive player with good hands. LINEBACKERS

The linebackers will battle the receivers for the strongest position unit on the team this year. Chelsea will lose leading tackler Kyler Simmons at the position, but second-leading tackler Brady Clements is back for his senior season. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound linebacker totaled 91 tackles, one sack and one interception last year and will be the leader of the defense this year. Cody Fortenberry also returns for his senior season and is expected to blossom into one of the best players on the team. Standing at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, he is a physical presence that makes a difference.

Photo by Iron City Studios

Those two will be joined by juniors Carter Perrish and Anderson Brooks. Perrish will join Fortenberry as an outside backer, while Brooks will handle an inside spot alongside Clements.

SECONDARY

Only one starter returns to the secondary this season, but he’s a good one to have back. Chris McNeill was one of the leaders of the defense last year and is back to lead the secondary as a corner for his senior season. Three others are still battling for the other cornerback spot, which will help with depth once that player emerges. At safety, two promising juniors are projected as starters. Owen Key and Drew Cheslock will both be leaned on with Key knowing coverages well and both speedy to keep up with defenders and chase down plays. SPECIAL TEAMS

The kicking game should be a strong suit for the Hornets with the return of two kickers. Senior Jack Seymour returns as a place kicker and punter with a strong leg, while freshman Luke Miller also got some time as an eighth grader last year and is extremely accurate while he is still building leg strength. Freshman Tyler Kirkland should also emerge as the lead long snapper.

EDITOR’S 2022 PREDICTION (3-7)

Looking through the schedule, it is tough to find a lot of wins this season. The Hornets open with two 6A teams that they lost to last year before jumping into the challenging 7A schedule with only one other 6A opponent on the schedule coming on Sept. 23 against Pelham who they beat by three last year. Beyond that, there are a few of 7A games they should compete in, but it is tough to predict several wins in their first year against this schedule. That, however, could change if the offensive and defensive lines prove they can handle their jobs. Those two position units will make or break this year’s team, and they’ll have to be ready to go early. The first four games will be very telling with that stretch marking the easiest of the season.

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205-618-9496 16618 Hwy 280 • Chelsea 205-618-9496 16618 Hwy 280 • Chelsea

Go Hornets!

Representative Corley Ellis

Alabama House District 41

GOOD LUCK Hornets!

New coach, new classification, no problem

Cassity ready to lead Chelsea into the 7A classification in 2022

IIt will be a season unlike any other for the Chelsea Hornets, and a new coach will be leading them into uncharted territory.

Todd Cassity was approved as the team’s new head coach back in April following the departure of Dustin Goodwin. With his arrival comes one of many new

Written by ALEC ETHEREDGE | Photos by CARI DEAN AND CONTRIBUTED challenges, which include a new classification, new players and a new playing surface. The new head coach, however, looks at it all as an opportunity. Cassity comes to Chelsea from J.B. Pennington where he spent the previous seven years leading the Tigers.

“It’s very exciting for myself and my family,” Cassity said. “My wife is employed with Shelby County Schools. This is the perfect marriage for us because it allows us to get in that community together. We’ve been driving opposite directions for the last seven years, so now we can be in one community whole heartedly. We are so excited about it. I can’t wait to meet the kids and start being a part of their lives.”

Before taking over at J.B. Pennington, the team had won 11 games in a six-year span.

That, however, quickly changed under Cassity, as the the Class 3A team went a combined 48-42 in his time with playoff appearances in each of his last six seasons at the helm.

He led J.B. Pennington to back-to-back 8-4 seasons the last two years and an appearance in the second round of the playoffs each year as well. The Tigers won at least eight games in four of Cassity’s seven years there, while they won a playoff game in four of their six seasons advancing to the playoffs.

Before taking over at J.B. Pennington, Cassity was an offensive coordinator at Pleasant Grove for seven years after spending two years as the head coach at Gordo where he combined for a record of 19-11. He led the Green Wave to playoff wins in both seasons, going 9-5 in year one and 10-6 with a trip to the third round of the playoffs a year later in 2006. Cassity’s combined coaching record between the two stops is 67-53, and he has led all but one of his nine teams to the playoffs. The new head coach of the Hornets has known about his new role for the last three weeks, which made it difficult at times, but in that time, he saw what it’s like when a community comes together.

“I love J.B. Pennington,” he said. “It is such a special place. I actually met with the kids last week and sent a message out to parents to let them know what was going on because I wanted to help in that transition. Nobody had any ill feelings or bad words or put anything bad on social media. They all wished me well. It was such a great place.”

And that community culture is something that excites Cassity about Chelsea.

He said that for that reason, the challenge of jumping into Class 7A, Region 3, which features three-time defending state champion Thompson, as well as Hoover, Hewitt-Trussville, Spain Park, Vestavia Hills and others.

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