RRS ALL 6A-7A TEAM: Rogers, Shook lead top players in River Region
RRS Player of the Year Nate Rogers eludes Pike Road’s Malik Blocton in the meeting between the Patriots and Indians on Sept. 8, 2023. (Tim Gayle)
By GRAHAM DUNN
Wetumpka High School quarterback Nate Rogers wasn’t able to lead the Indians to a region title or a long run in the playoffs during his three years as the starting quarterback.
But he was skilled at making opposing head coaches spend a few sleepless nights trying to figure out how to stop him.
Thanks in part to a record-breaking season, Rogers was named the 2023 River Region Sports Player of the Year by coaches from Class 6A and 7A in the River Region.
Granger Shook was named Coach of the Year after leading the Patriots to the Class 6A semifinals in his first year as the school’s head coach.
“(The award) means a lot,” Rogers said. “I’ve put in so much hard work. This acknowledges the work I’ve done over the past few years.
“I had a couple of bumps and bruises but I allowed other coaches to work with me, especially coach (Jonathan) Chandler and let me grow. They gave me the instruction I needed to improve.”
“Nate brought consistency, accountability and dynamic play-making ability to our football team,” added Wetumpka coach Bear Woods. “There is a good chance I never coach another player as gifted as Nate Rogers for the next 20 years.”
Rogers enjoyed his best game against rival Stanhope Elmore when he threw for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns and added 128 yards rushing with two touchdowns.
He finished the season with 1,630 yards and 21 touchdowns rushing the football. He had 1,343 yards passing with eight TDs. Woods added that Rogers finished as “a school career record holder in a couple of categories.”
That was a marked improvement from his ninth and 10th-grade seasons.
“I wasn’t as effective throwing in those years,” he said. “I learned better and got better when Coach Chandler arrived. The game sort of slowed down for me, particularly this season. I don’t feel like I made as many mistakes. I think I progressed and let (the game) just come to me.”
Woods saw another part of Rogers’ game grow - leadership.
“As special as he is on the field he is just as special off the field and he sets a great example for what it means to be a student-athlete,” Woods said. “As a three-year starter he has left his mark on this program, leading us to three post season appearances, and he has set the standard for those to follow him on what it means to ‘win the moment.’”
Shook took over Pike Road after spending three years at Trinity. After dropping the first two games of the season to Marist, Ga. and HIllcrest-Tuscaloosa, the Patriots reeled off 11 straight wins before falling to Saraland in the 6A semis. They won the 6A, Region 2 title, their first in the classification.
“It was better than I expected, coming in,” Shook said. “My administration was very intentional in letting me bring in a good staff and I think that was evident in how our boys played. I couldn’t be more proud of our staff and our players for buying in and coming together. Our team got better as the year progressed. Our seniors, I’m their third head coach in four years, and our seniors didn’t have to buy in, but they did and I’m grateful for that and proud of their hard work.”
As for his future options, Rogers will have a choice to play football or basketball at the next level. He says he currently has offers in both sports. But he’s not in any hurry to decide what he will do next.
“I’ve loved basketball since I was 4 or 5-years old,” he said. “I’m considering both. I know the good thing is I don’t get hit as much playing basketball.”
Granger Shook led the Pike Road Patriots to the Class 6A semifinals in his first season at the helm. (File photo)
Meanwhile Shook says the precedent has been set thanks to his senior class of ’23.
“We’ll return a decent amount of players, but if our senior class doesn’t buy in, you don’t have the leadership you need. Our leadership council, out of our initial seven, six were seniors and those six seniors did a tremendous job of rallying the troops when I was hired and really took the bull by the horns and led by example.”
The team was selected by coaches in the River Region in Class 6A and 7A. Six players each were chosen from G.W. Carver, Sidney Lanier and Pike Road. Ties were not broken.
2023 ALL-RIVER REGION 6A-7A TEAM
OFFENSE
WR -- Jamarcus Howard, 5-10, 175, Sr., Sidney Lanier
WR -- Tristan Norman, 6-1, 170, Jr., G.W. Carver
WR -- LeQuenton Underwood, 5-7, 170, Sr., G.W. Carver
WR -- KJ Blue, 5-9, 167, Jr., Prattville
TE -- Keondre Grant, 6-3, 200, Sr., Sidney Lanier
QB -- Nate Rogers, 5-11, 195, Sr., Wetumpka
RB -- Trey Berry, 5-10, 205, Jr., Sidney Lanier
RB -- JaMichael Jones, 6-0, 210, So., Pike Road
RB -- Arthur McQueen, 5-11, 200, Jr., Stanhope Elmore
OL -- Clark Barker, 6-2, 275, Sr., Wetumpka
OL -- Kalari Gorman, 6-3, 330, Sr., G.W. Carver
OL -- Christopher Johnson, 6-3, 260, Jr., Percy Julian
OL -- Zion Stevens, 6-2, 300, Jr., Pike Road
OL -- Andrew Woods, 6-3, 301, Sr., Prattville
PK -- Hunter Ikerman, 5-11, 160, Sr., Pike Road
ATH -- Solomon Beebe, 5-11, 190, Sr., Park Crossing
DEFENSE
DL -- Donnie Arnold, 6-1, 232, Sr., Stanhope Elmore
DL -- Malik Blocton, 6-4, 285, Sr., Pike Road
DL -- Jamaris Harris, 6-2, 220, So., Sidney Lanier
DL -- Jamarion McKinnon, 6-2, 230, Sr., G.W. Carver
LB -- Donjavian Brown, 6-2, 235, Jr., G.W. Carver
LB -- Jimmy King, 5-9, 215, So., Sidney Lanier
LB -- Keshun Marbury, 6-0, 230, Jr., Percy Julian
LB -- Kendarous Reynolds, 6-3, 190, Sidney Lanier
DB -- Jamyran Bell, 6-0, 180, Sr., G.W. Carver
DB -- Trey Caver, 6-0, 175, Sr., Pike Road
DB -- Orenthal Martin, 5-10, 178, Sr., Stanhope Elmore
DB -- Josh Whiting, 5-11, 200, Jr., Percy Julian
P -- Reid Montgomery, 6-2, 167, Sr., Prattville
ATH -- Jordan King, Jr., 5-7, 170, Jr., Pike Road
RS -- Zay Parrish, 5-9, 165, Sr., Prattville
RRS Player of the Year: Nate Rogers, Wetumpka
RRS Coach of the Year: Granger Shook, Pike Road
Honorable mention: Donavan Arrington, RB, 6-1, 221, Sr., Prattville; Ethan Bailey, DL, 6-4, 235, Jr., Wetumpka; Terrione Bell, OL, 6-2, 300, Jr., Pike Road; Colby Beyer, PK, 5-11, 145, Jr., Stanhope Elmore; Clayton Boerigter, TE, 6-3, 224, Sr., Prattville; Jordan Caple, OL, 6-3, 305, Sr., Sidney Lanier; Jaiden Cleveland, DL, 6-1, 290, Sr., Park Crossing; Johnnie Darby, WR, 5-11, 170, Jr., Percy Julian; Jordan Holmes, DB, 5-11, 165, So., Pike Road; Brendarion Hooks, DB, 6-1, 180, Jr., Percy Julian; Melvin Jackson, OL, 6-4, 250, Sr., Percy Julian; Macin James, OL, 6-1, 322, So., Stanhope Elmore; Jimmy King, RB, 5-9, 215, So., Sidney Lanier; Fred Lawson, DL, 6-2, 210, DE, Sidney Lanier; Jamarius Levystein, OL, 6-2, 280, Sr., JAG; Noah Maye, LB, 6-1, 220, Jr., G.W. Carver; Conor McPherson, LB, 6-2, 200, Sr., G.W. Carver; Cason Myers, QB, 6-2, 180, Fr., Pike Road; Braylon Outlaw, LB, 6-1, 210, So., Pike Road; Quantavious Rogers, DB, 6-1, 185, Sr., JAG; Terrell Russell, QB, 6-0, 175, Jr., G.W. Carver; Jayden Scott, DB, 5-9, 165, Sr., Park Crossing; Darien Smoke, HB, 5-11, 182, Jr., Stanhope Elmore; Eljah Tarver, LB, 5-11, 180, Fr., Park Crossing; Jamarion Thrasher, RS, 5-9, 175, Sr., Wetumpka; Andrew Voyles, P, 6-0, 180, So., Wetumpka.