ALABAMA ALL-STARS: Pike Road's Blocton named participant for Alabama-Mississippi Classic

Pike Road’s Malik Blocton (far left) has been chosen to participate in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Classic. (File Photo)

By TIM GAYLE

PIKE ROAD -- Malik Blocton remembers going to the Alabama-Mississippi All Star Football Classic and watching Henry Ruggs set an all-star record by returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown when the game was played at Cramton Bowl.

“I was at that game when I was a little kid,” Blocton said. “It was the first kickoff in the game. I’m sitting on the opposite side of where he was. He was blazing.”

Now, Blocton can make more memories after he was named to the 2023 roster, which was released on Saturday morning by the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association.

Blocton, who plans to enroll at Auburn University in January, was asked about the game before the announcement to confirm he would participate in the December game if selected.

“It would really be an honor, just because of some of the people that have played in that game,” he said. “People that played in that game have been to the (National Football) League, have played at big colleges and have really made an impact in colleges. That would be really good for me, to get that type of exposure.”

The Pike Road senior leads the Patriots with 53 tackles, including eight for loss and three sacks, along with two fumble recoveries.

“My D-line coach (Chris Boykin) does a really good job of moving me around, trying to get me one-on-ones because most of the time I’m getting doubled or tripled,” Blocton said. “He just tries to make it really hard for them to single me out.”

Pike Road coach Granger Shook considers Blocton one of the top linemen in the state and credits Boykin and defensive coordinator Cory Lee with innovative schemes to keep opponents from taking Blocton out of the game.

“I think Coach Lee and Coach Boykin do a great job of changing up where he lines up,” Shook said. “We try to create matchups on defense that are conducive to us being successful. So having different fronts to where the offense may not know where No. 1 is, I think, is invaluable. Trying to create one-on-one matchups for him, even two-on-one, is conducive for us. I’m glad he’s a Patriot.”

Blocton is the third Pike Road player selected for the game, joining running back Quinshon Judkins (2021) and offensive lineman Vysen Lang (2022). Blocton and Wetumpka offensive lineman Clark Barker are the only selections for the game from the River Region, marking only the second time in the last eight years that fewer than four River Region athletes were chosen for the contest.

The selections for the team were made by head coach Ben Blackmon of Enterprise, along with assistant coaches Jeff Kelly of Saraland, Trent Taylor of Andalusia, Ronnie Jackson of Ramsay, Deric Scott of Foley, Erik Speakman of Opelika, Matt Geohagan of Bibb County and Smitty Grider of Benjamin Russell.

The 40-man roster requires at least one player from each of the seven classifications in the state. Thirty-two of the players are from 6A and 7A programs, but only eight are from the lower five classifications, leaving off several high-profile players such as Troy commitment Caleb McCreary of Catholic and Arkansas commitment KJ Jackson of St. James.  

Blocton, reflecting on the impact Ruggs and other area players have made in the all-star game, didn’t have to think long when asked about his goals for the 37th annual all-star game, which will be played on Dec. 16 at Southern Mississippi’s Carlisle H.H. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Miss.

 “Ten tackles, two sacks,” he said. “That’s a normal game.”