NORTH-SOUTH GAME: Local players gear up for all-star showing

Trinity’s Granger Shook will be on the sidelines as an assistant for the South squad in Friday’s North-South All-Star Game in Mobile. (File Photo)

By TIM GAYLE

Six area players, including Trinity’s Seawell McKee, will compete in Friday’s North-South all-star football game at South Alabama’s Hancock-Whitney Stadium.

McKee was joined by his head coach Granger Shook, who will coach the linebackers for the South squad.

“It’s been awesome,” Shook said. “These kids are very smart and they’re great athletes. They all love playing. The practices have been organized. It’s a great defensive staff led by Deric Scott from Foley and Matt Geohagan from Bibb County. Offensively, Erik Speakman, Ben Blackmon, Jerrel Jernigan and Chase Smith, those guys are doing a great job and it’s fun competing (in practice) against those guys.”

McKee and Jeff Davis running back Donald Harris are the only players from Montgomery County participating in the event. Catholic defensive back LJ Green was also included among the all-stars but was elevated to the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game to fill a vacancy on the Alabama squad.

Green joined teammate Jeremiah Cobb, Pike Road tackle Vysen Lang, Prattville defensive lineman Tyce Khatri and Lions’ receiver Kam Shanks on the Alabama squad, but the South squad contained few players from the area.

In addition to McKee and Harris, the South squad included Prattville defensive tackle Carmello Smith, Stanhope Elmore tight end Colton Walls, Wetumpka kicker Logan Weighall and Wetumpka defensive back Dorian Jackson.

“The AHSAA sends every head coach and athletic director emails throughout the summer saying here’s the deadline to nominate for Alabama vs. Mississippi, here’s the deadline for this all-star game,” Shook said. “If you do it, you do it; if you don’t, you hose your kids.”

McKee alternated between safety and outside linebacker for the Wildcats this fall, depending on the defensive alignment.   

“He’s going to be playing more of a linebacker role here, based off of what we’re doing schematically,” Shook said, “and on special teams. We’ll utilize him there. He’s done a good job. I’m proud of him.”

 McKee is one of only five players on the 37-player roster from programs in the state’s three smallest (1A-2A-3A) classifications and is grouped with a pair of 7A linebackers, Opelika’s Tae Gay and Auburn’s Coleman Granberry, but Shook said his senior has performed well in practice this week.

“Seawell’s holding his own, giving great effort,” Shook said. “He’s picked up this defense, because it isn’t the defense he ran during the season. A lot of it does carry over, but it’s not the same. But he’s picked up on it and making the most of his opportunities.”

Kickoff for the game is at 7 p.m.