16 minute read
Calera
NEW CHALLENGES AHEAD
Briarwood has finished as one of the top two teams in the region each of the last six seasons, while the Lions have made the second round of the playoffs every year since 2015. This year, however, new challenges await on their schedule. Not only does the out-of-region schedule feature three teams from the 7A classification, but they also get the pleasure of opening the season against the defending Class 6A State Champion on the road. If that wasn’t enough, the region features four playoff teams from last season out of six teams, including Helena and Pelham.
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STILL A LION Christopher Vizzina isn’t a Tiger yet. Before the quarterback trades in his mane for stripes, the quarterback has one final season to impress. The Clemson commit has more than 5,000 yards of offense the last three years and is coming off a remarkable junior season in which he threw for 2,247 yards and ran for an additional 649 yards with a total of 34 touchdowns.
WHO WILL BE THE GUY? In order for Vizzina to reach his full potential this season, and that’s a high ceiling, a receiver is going to have to step up. That is the position the Lions have lacked the most in his tenure as the quarterback. Last year looked to be promising, but the losses of Nic Dicen and Jay Butler for good chunks of the season really hurt.
DYNAMIC DEFENSE If it hasn’t become obvious at this point, the defense is typically what makes Briarwood tic. The Lions rely heavily on the defensive side of the football every year and like to play a physical style that wears down opponents. This season, there will be several new faces on that side of the ball, but it is a group, once again, that won’t lack discipline or physicality, especially with one of the state’s all-time best linebackers as the team’s head coach.
2022 Briarwood Roster
NO. NAME POSITION YEAR
1 Andrew Kassouf DL 11 1 Ben McNulty WR 10 2 Caleb Keller DB 11 2 Jack Rath WR 10 3 Will Clark QB 10 4 Robert Beason WR 12 5 Brady Waugh WR 12 6 Brooks Travis DB 11 7 Will Werchanowskyj DB 10 7 Sawyer Russell WR 12 8 Grant Dickinson LB 12 8 Garrett Cooper QB 10 9 Josh Thompson QB 11 9 Max Luster DL 11 10 Harrison Self DB 12 11 Colton Williams RB 12 12 Drew Mathe WR 11 13 Cooper Higgins LB 11 14 Peyton Steed DB 12 15 Beau Barnes DB 12 16 Luke Livingston RB 11 17 John Paul Harbor WR 10 17 Christopher Vizzina QB 12 18 Andrew Gill DL 11 19 Caleb Ward TE 11 20 Luke Taylor LB 11 21 Jake Scott DB 12 22 Gabe Margene WR 11 23 Grey Reebals LB 11 24 Louis Hoff WR 11 25 Jack Cornish LB 11 26 Evan Robson RB 10 27 Ethan Carr DB 11 28 Patrick Wilson DB 10 29 Cameron Harrington LB 10 30 Luke Dickinson DL 11 31 Asa Harris LB 10 32 Walker Chambless TE 12 33 Vaughn Wilson DL 10
NO. NAME POSITION YEAR
33 Sawyer Click WR 11 34 Wes Burgess DB 10 35 Wells Connell LB 12 36 Luke Reynolds DB 10 37 Cace Reynolds DL 11 38 Adyn Barbour RB 11 39 Tyler Lindsay DB 10 40 Rylan Hamm DB 10 42 Gavin Gurtis RB 10 43 Aidan Punch K 12 44 Preston King DL 12 45 Griffin Albright LB 10 47 Parrish Prickett DB 10 48 Jon Jobes DB 10 49 Eli Stubbs LB 10 50 Caedmon Ervin DB 10 52 Garrett Witherington DL 9 53 Brogan Summers DL 10 54 Knox Jones OL 10 55 Harrison Clemmer OL 12 57 Tanner Hutson OL 10 60 Lude Solomon OL 11 64 Trey Saunders OL 11 67 Andrew McAdams OL 12 68 Cole Carter OL 11 70 Jason Bess OL 12 71 Luke Schutlz OL 11 72 Brandon Frank OL 10 73 Griffin Clark OL 12 75 Barnabas Karanja OL 10 76 John Taylor OL 12 78 Charlie Thompson OL 11 79 Reid Hollis K 11 82 Jackson Barnes WR 11 83 Sam Morris WR 10 84 Chance Freeman TE 10 88 Sully Wright DL 12 99 Garrett Heinnemann K 10
heading into the season, but it is a position that rarely seems to be a concern. Yearafter-year, seniors fill in important roles, and that will be no different in 2022. Returning starters include senior Harrison Clemmer and junior Luke Schultz. Shcultz has a tall frame at 6-foot-7, 250 pounds, while Clemmer stands at 6-foot-2, 265 pounds. Jason Bess will also return some experience for his senior year as a 6-foot-2,
EDITOR’S 2022 PREDICTION (7-3)
This season will be a challenging one for the Lions, and is probably their toughest since rejoining the 6A classification ahead of the 2020 season. Their region isn’t what concerns me the most. I think they can easily earn a playoff spot despite its challenges, but the out-of-region schedule is brutal with three games against 7A opponents and another against the defending 6A State Champion. All four of those could be losses if they aren’t careful, which already puts them at 6-4 assuming they sweep through the region. That said, this team has been so well coached the last several years and is always up for the physical test that awaits. If a receiver or two emerges, they could be really dangerous with the threat of Vizzina, but the defense alone always keeps them in games. It will be a difficult ride, but it’s hard to predict a Briarwood team to struggle.
Photo by Keith McCoy
265-pound lineman. Beyond those three, Griffin Clark, John Taylor and Andres McAdams are three seniors ready to fill important roles on the line.
DEFENSIVE LINE
The defensive line will have the most turnover on the defense, but several did earn playing time a year ago, which will pay off this season. Junior Andrew Kassouf and senior Preston King return the most experience as starters at times last year. Kassouf will return to an inside position, while King is expected to be the vocal leader at the position. Other inside linemen include juniors Luke Dickinson and Max Luster, while edge rushers will include senior Sully Wright and junior Case Reynolds.
LINEBACKERS
Typically one of the strongest position units on the team each year, linebacker should once again be a bright spot for Briarwood in 2022. The Lions will get back Grant Dickinson for his senior season, while Grey Reebals will move over from defensive back as a returning starter. Wells Connell and Luke Taylor are two juniors expected to have big seasons.
SECONDARY
The strongest unit on the team, at least on defense, this season could very well be the secondary. Peyton Steed will be the leader of the unit as he slides from corner to safety this year. Jake Scott, another senior, will join him at safety, while junior Caleb Keller could also have a big season there. Seniors Harrison Self and Bo Barnes will be the two starters at cornerback with an athletic upside, while junior Ethan Carr will also be in the rotation.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Briarwood lost its punter, long snapper and holder from last year’s team, but senior Aidan Punch will return to handle all placekicking duties in 2022.
GOOD LUCK LIONS!
Madison Academy W 41-17 @ Spain Park W 42-8 Chelsea W 42-35 @ Woodlawn W 42-21 @ Huffman W 42-14 Mortimer Jordan W 38-22 @ Mountain Brook L 0-14 Bye Homewood W 21-18 @ Corner W 40-15 Fort Payne* W 35-12 @ Clay-Chalkville L 21-56
*Playoff game
2021 STATS
Offense Total points: 392 Per game: 32.7 County rank: 3
Defense Points allowed: 239 Per game: 19.9 County rank: 3
5-YEAR WIN TREND
10
8 12
9 14
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
CALERA
EAGLES
It really is hard to fathom what happened with the Calera Eagles under first-year head coach Jason Hamlin in 2021.
A team that hadn’t won but one head-to-head game the previous three years, Calera won seven last year, finished third in the region and came close to pulling off an upset in the first round of the playoffs.
Now, expectations have risen heading into 2022 with Hamlin back for his second year and a load of talent to work with.
The offense will take a hit with the loss of Alabama signee Kobe Prentice at receiver and a few new faces up front, but there is still plenty back, while the defense should be one of the strongest in the county with nine of 11 starters back.
For the success to be duplicated in a difficult region, the offense will have to have success, but don’t look for the Eagles to take a step back.
MEET THE TEAM
QUARTERBACK
In his first year as a starter last year, Preston Stokes totaled 2,259 yards and 26 touchdowns. Now, there is a lot of excitement surrounding the senior quarterback with a year under his belt. Hamlin said he is more confident, especially with some of the changes implemented in the offense heading into the season. A season ago, he relied heavily on dumping the ball off to Prentice when he needed to, but now, he has gotten more comfortable in the pocket and is trusting the process by making reads to find the right guy. He’s also an athlete who isn’t afraid to tuck the ball and run when needed.
RUNNING BACK
The Eagles will lose starting running back Chris Cotton this season, and he was a physical presence that will be missed after totaling 517 yards and six touchdowns, but Daniel Carmona split a lot of time with him a year ago and returns for his senior season. Hamlin said he is key, as the offense will rely more on building the offense around the run to help open up the passing game and take pressure off the quarterback and receivers. Carmona will be joined by junior Amari Brundidge, who also got to play last year and has great vision for the position. Both are around 200 pounds and want to run downhill to tire out defenses. They have worked
Preston Stokes
CLASSIFICATION
AHSAA Class 6A, Region 3
2021 RECORD
7-4 (4-2)
HEAD COACH
Jason Hamlin
RECORD
7-4 (Second year)
ASSISTANT COACHES
Jerad Holder, James Knowles, Matt Scoggins, AJ Ward, Drew Barnett, Austin Barnhill, Paul Hovey
LAST REGION TITLE
2008
LAST PLAYOFF GAME
2021
Braylyn
Farrington
hard in the weight room, and Hamlin said they have become a two-headed monster.
RECEIVER
There is no replacement for Prentice as an All-State receiver last year. The Alabama signee was one of the fastest players in the state and totaled 1,231 yards and 18 touchdowns, while making jaws drop with some of his moves on the field. That said, senior receiver Braylyn Farrington may be just as fast and returns 624 yards and five touchdowns on 43 receptions. Hamlin said he is special, and as long as he doesn’t try to be Prentice and remains true to his own talent, he can have a big season. He will also attract a lot of attention from defenders, which will provide opportunities for several others. Dalton Ash is a sophomore who the coaches are excited about as a sure-handed receiver, while senior Tra’mun Gaines is also expected to make a difference. DJ Goodman and Skyler Strong are two other seniors ready to make plays as well, while junior CJ Tolbert and sophomore KD Young will also fill important roles as possible starters.
2022 SCHEDULE
Aug. 19: @ Spain Park Aug. 26: Chelsea Sept. 2: @ Benjamin Russell* Sept. 9: @ Homewood* Sept. 16: Chilton County* Sept. 23: Bye Sept. 30: Pelham* Oct. 7: @ Briarwood* Oct. 14: Helena* Oct. 21: Gadsden City Oct. 28: @ McAdory
*Region game
Preston Stokes, QB
Stokes impressed in his first year as a starter thanks to 2,259 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. Now, he’ll lead the offense as one of the area’s best quarterbacks.
Braylyn Farrington, WR
Looking to fill a big hole at receiver this year, Farrington will be key. He totaled 624 yards and five touchdowns on 43 receptions last year and is one of the state’s fastest playres.
Michael Banks-Mason, LB
One of several leaders back at linebacker, Banks-Mason finished last season with more than 130 tackles, including 20 for loss and two sacks.
CJ Richardson, LB
Richardson also had a big season at linebacker last year with more than 70 tackles, including six tackles for loss.
Michael Benson, DB
A leader in the secondary, Benson will bring back 50 tackles and two interceptions to be a key at the positionagain.
KEY DEPARTURES
Kobe Prentice
Probably the biggest loss for any team in the county, Prentice is now at Alabama after finishing last year with 1,231 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Wesley Head
The team’s leader in interceptions with five last season, Head also totaled close to 60 tackles from the secondary.
Chris Cotton
Calera will be in decent shape at running back this season, but they’ll still miss Cotton’s strong presence and 517 yards at the position.
Mathew Tucker The leader of the offensive line last year, Tucker will be missed among an otherwise exciting group heading into this season.
Everything your bank can do. Just better.
WATCH HIM SOAR Replacing Kobe Prentice’s 1,231 yards and 18 touchdowns is a tall task. It’s not something any one person needs to set as an expectation. But replacing his athleticism and speed may be easier than you think. That is thanks to Braylyn Farrington. Last season, Farrington totaled 624 yards and five touchdowns on 43 receptions. Most importantly, he flashed speed every time he touched the ball and is a track star as well. He could be a shade faster than Prentice, which says a lot. If he can refrain from trying to do too much to replace Prentice, he’ll have a chance to naturally make a major impact on this year’s offense, even if it’s drawing attention for others to make big plays.
PROTECTING THE EAGLES’
NEST As exciting as the offense was last year and will be again this year, the defense has the potential to be one of the best in the county if not the state this season. The Eagles return just about every starter to the defense, including everyone at linebacker. Michael Banks-Mason, CJ Richardson and Mason Green were already scary enough last year, and now they have a year under their belts in Jason Hamlin’s system.
WHICH WAY WILL THE OF-
FENSE GO? It will be interesting to watch early in the season to see just which way this year’s offense is going to go. The Eagles could have a powerful run game with the return of Daniel Carmona and junior Amari Brundidge, but Stokes showed he could command the offense through the air last year and now has even more confidence. So, which way will it go? Either way, expect this year’s team to be very balanced.
2022 Calera Roster
NO. NAME POSITION YEAR
1 Braylyn Farrington WR 12 2 Michael Benson DB 12 3 Grayton Carlee DB 12 4 Dekendrick Bennett LB 12 5 Daniel Carmona RB 12 6 Tyler Dixon WR 11 7 Jaylen Mitchell DB 12 8 KD Young WR 10 9 Preston Stokes QB 11 10 Zymeer Jemison DB 11 11 Tramun Gaines WR 12 12 Ahmari Collins DB 11 13 Skyler Strawn LB 12 14 LeShond Boone DB 10 15 Joshua Jones LB 11 16 Hayden Callahan RB 10 17 AJ Johnson QB 10 18 DJ Goodman WR 12 19 Amari Dunn WR 11 20 Nick Holland LB 11 21 Michael Banks-Mason LB 12 22 T.J. Hernandez DB/K 11 23 CJ Tolbert WR 11 25 Caleb Hunter DB 11 26 Mason Green LB 12 27 CJ Richardson LB 12 28 Troy Burks DB 11 29 Dalton Ash WR 10 30 D’ivan Carmona LB 11 31 Orlandras Norwood RB 12 32 Ayden Slaten DB 11 33 Amari Brundidge RB 11 34 Jeremiah Henderson DL 12 35 Semaj Kimbrough LB 10 36 Taylor Alford RB 11 38 Austin Shamburger LB 10 39 Samuel Lewis DB 10 40 Jayden Wallace WR 10
NO. NAME
POSITION YEAR
41 Jalon Griffin DB 12 42 Amorea Higgins-Ashford DB 10 43 Kam’Ryan Moultrie LB 10 44 Brandon Ngatia DB 11 45 Jason Cummings DB 10 46 Antwone Byrd DL 11 47 Carson Hubner DB 10 48 Nevin Ming DB 12 50 Jamichael Vines DL 12 51 Curtis Oliver-Avery DL 11 53 Brodie Odom OL 12 54 Jake McDonnell DL 11 55 Arlin Seay OL 10 56 Christian Dexter DL 11 57 Julius Marsh DL 12 60 Kharlis Cooper OL 11 61 Walker Harris OL 12 62 Robert Slagle OL 11 63 Dean Hartkopf OL 11 64 William Harris OL 10 65 Jason Gitau OL 12 66 Cameron Rutherford DL 12 67 Chris Tate DL 10 68 Demetrius James DL 10 70 Jaquon Barron OL 11 71 KJ Brooks OL 10 72 Mason Colmer OL 12 73 Kade Mitchell OL 10 74 Johnson Noble OL 10 75 Alex Moody OL 12 76 Stuart Goldman OL 11 77 Austin Akins OL 10 80 Cameron Hagler WR 10 83 Braxton Brooks WR 10 85 JaMariun Ford WR 11 90 Da’shun Seay DL 11 99 Solomon Moore DL 11
Photo by Keith McCoy
OFFENSIVE LINE
A benefit for the offense will be up front. The offensive line will set the tone, especially with the team building off the run, and they’ll benefit from three returning starters. The center and left tackle have departed, but the Eagles will get back junior guards Jaquon Barron and Kharlis Cooper. Both are experienced, while Cooper will be the leader of the unit as someone who can hold everyone accountable. Senior Walker Harris also returns as a starter to the right tackle position. Even more promising is the return of several players from injury who were expected to make an impact last year. Mason Colmar and Brody Odum are both coming back and should play important roles this season. Odum is another player who could lead the unit as a “Bulldog” according to Hamlin. Stewart Goldman is a junior who will also either rotate or start this season.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Kicking off a strong cast of returning defensive starters is a defensive line that will return all three starters from last year. Curtis Oliver-Avery is a returning junior defensive end, while Solomon Moore will return as a junior nose guard and Julius Marsh will return for his senior season as a defensive tackle. Calera will also get help from Jermiah Henderson, who will rotate in at nose guard, while Jamichael Vines and Cam Rutherford are both experienced seniors who can play at different positions on the line creating for a deep and veteran group.
LINEBACKERS
Just like the line, Calera will
2021 RESULTS
Demopolis W 26-22 @ Jackson-Olin L 13-38 @ Pelham L 30-34 Chilton County W 21-0 Bye Pell City W 56-21 @ Stanhope Elmore W 20-3 @ Helena L 21-31 Wetumpka W 34-29 Benjamin Russell W 41-17 Chelsea W 31-21 Spanish Fort* L 31-41
*Playoff game
5-YEAR WIN TREND
7 7
3 1 1
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
