All-South Metro Football: Cole Gamble named Offensive Player of Year

The 2023 high school football season featured plenty of expected greatness, but also more than a few surprises.

The annual Starnes Media All-South Metro team has familiar faces along with some new ones.

Clay-Chalkville quarterback Jaylen Mbakwe capped off an incredible season by leading the Cougars to a state championship and is one of this year’s Players of the Year.

Hewitt-Trussville quarterback Peyton Floyd shares this year’s Player of the Year honor with Mbakwe after leading the Huskies to the state semifinals and combining for 45 touchdowns in a standout senior season.

Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble repeats as the Offensive Player of the Year, as he backed up his electric junior season with a senior campaign of 2,000 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns.

Clay-Chalkville linebacker and Auburn commit DJ Barber is the Defensive Player of the Year, as he helped lead the Cougars to the state championship game and accumulated nearly 150 tackles on the year.

John Carroll head coach Will Mara is this year’s Coach of the Year. The Cavaliers made the playoffs for the first time since 2009 and reset many long streaks in an incredible campaign.

Players of the Year: Peyton Floyd, Hewitt-Trussville, and Jaylen Mbakwe, Clay-Chalkville

Offensive Player of the Year: Cole Gamble, Mountain Brook

Defensive Player of the Year: DJ Barber, Clay-Chalkville

Coach of the Year: Will Mara, John Carroll

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1ST TEAM

Offense

QB: Peyton Floyd, Hewitt-Trussville; piled up 930 rushing yards and 2,613 passing yards with 45 combined touchdowns.

QB: John Paul Head, Vestavia Hills; another stellar season, going over 1,000 passing and rushing yards, with 38 touchdowns.

RB: Cole Gamble, Mountain Brook; unstoppable yet again, eclipsing 2,000 rushing yards with 29 touchdowns.

RB: Emerson Russell, Chelsea; rushed for 1,037 yards with 10 touchdowns in only seven games.

WR: Jonathan Bibbs, Spain Park; one of the top receivers in the area, going for 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns.

WR: Jadon Loving, Hewitt-Trussville; the top target for the Huskies, catching 68 balls for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns. 

WR: Mario Craver, Clay-Chalkville; finished a fantastic career with over 1,000 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

WR: Clark Sanderson, Mountain Brook; played 10 games before injury, nearly reaching 1,000 yards.

TE: Donovan Price, Hewitt-Trussville; a top receiving and blocking tight end in the area.

OL: Jac’Qawn McRoy, Clay-Chalkville; made a highlight reel catch against Thompson, but finished with over 42 knockdowns as well.

OL: Brady Phillips, Clay-Chalkville; graded out at 92% with 17 pancake blocks.

OL: Watts Alexander, Mountain Brook; allowed just one sack all season.

OL: Luke Schultz, Briarwood; finished a stellar career as a three-year starter.

OL: Jaxon Brooks, Homewood; the Patriots’ left tackle graded at 92% with 56 pancakes.

ATH: Jaylen Mbakwe, Clay-Chalkville; moved to quarterback and had a great year, with over 3,000 total yards.

ATH: Carson McFadden, John Carroll; led the Cavs to a great season, going over 1,300 passing and rushing yards, with 34 touchdowns.

K: Owen Simpson, Vestavia Hills; connected on 33-of-34 extra points and 10-of-11 field goals.

Defense

DL: Jordan Ross, Vestavia Hills; a game wrecker, finishing with 63 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.

DL: Avion Pickett, Clay-Chalkville; lived in the backfield, piling up 22 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.

DL: Luke Dickinson, Briarwood; had 28 quarterback hurries as the top lineman on the team.

DL: Tyrell Averhart, Hewitt-Trussville; had 14 tackles for loss and eight quarterback hurries, despite playing just eight games.

LB: William Grier McDuffie, Mountain Brook; averaged over 10 tackles per game.

LB: DJ Barber, Clay-Chalkville; led the Cougars defense in every way on the path to the title game.

LB: Jack Cornish, Briarwood; a stellar 133 tackles on the year.

LB: Anderson Brooks, Chelsea; had over 100 tackles, eight TFLs and six pass breakups.

DB: JJ Moultrie, Hoover; picked off four passes and blocked four kicks.

DB: Riggs Dunn, Hewitt-Trussville; had 66 tackles and four interceptions, as well as being the returner.

DB: Grey Reebals, Briarwood; had 65 tackles and a pair of defensive touchdowns.

DB: Spence Hanna, Vestavia Hills; had 90 tackles from the secondary.

P: James Whatley, Oak Mountain; averaged over 40 yards per punt.

ATH: Bradley Shaw, Hoover; piled up 90 tackles and scored several touchdowns in a variety of ways.

ATH: Luke Reynolds, Briarwood; had a great season on both sides, rushing for over 500 yards and totaling 69 tackles.

ATH: Zach Archer, John Carroll; came on strong this year, totaling over 1,000 offensive yards and intercepting five passes.

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2ND TEAM

Offense

QB: Will Myers, Homewood; only played nine games but put forth 22 total touchdowns.

QB: Brock Bradley, Spain Park; emerged as a sophomore, throwing for 22 touchdowns.

RB: Mitchell Nutter, John Carroll; rushed for 1,232 yards for the upstart Cavs.

RB: William Tonsmeire, Vestavia Hills; rushed for 842 yards.

WR: Keown Richardson, Vestavia Hills; caught 51 passes for 760 yards and five scores.

WR: Jacob Serena, Hewitt-Trussville; a solid option, finishing with 549 yards and six touchdowns.

WR: Kylen Newell, Homewood; caught 43 passes for 567 yards.

WR: Reggie Jackson, Spain Park; scored six touchdowns through the air.

TE: Ryan Redmond, John Carroll; a big play target, finishing with 409 yards and four scores.

OL: JD Livingston, Vestavia Hills; graded at 86% with 40 pancakes.

OL: Kade Martin, Hewitt-Trussville; the Huskies offense took off once he returned from injury.

OL: William Courtenay, Mountain Brook; before injury, he allowed no sacks in his third year starting.

OL: Connor Langston, Spain Park; a strong lineman for the Jags.

OL: Braden Valdez, Hewitt-Trussville; a physical, consistent blocker for the Huskies.

ATH: Jonah Winston, Hoover; played all over the field on offense, scoring 11 total touchdowns.

ATH: Jaxon Shuttlesworth, Chelsea; was an imposing target who caught 45 passes.

K: Charles Farr, John Carroll; hit 35-of-37 extra points and all seven field goal attempts.

Defense

DL: Nik Alston, Spain Park; had seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

DL: CJ Wyatt, John Carroll; led the Cavs defense, piling up 11 TFLs and 3.5 sacks.

DL: Rickey Whitworth, Mountain Brook; had 42 tackles, including 15 TFLs on the year.

DL: Garrett Witherington, Briarwood; racked up seven sacks and blocked two kicks.

LB: Carlos Ivy, Clay-Chalkville; a disruptive force, going well over 100 tackles on the year.

LB: Jacob Watson, Vestavia Hills; had 84 tackles and 16 TFLs on the year.

LB: Jacob Porco, Oak Mountain; one of the top players for the Eagles, picking up 72 tackles.

LB: Talton Thomas, Homewood; had another stellar season for the Patriots, finishing with 88 tackles and 10 TFLs.

DB: Owen Key, Chelsea; had eight pass breakups and 79 tackles.

DB: Tucker Crawford, Mountain Brook; intercepted a pair of passes.

DB: Clyde Beavers, Mountain Brook; racked up 64 tackles and five interceptions.

DB: Michael Igbinoghene, Hewitt-Trussville; led the Huskies with five picks.

P: RC Gartman, Homewood; averaged 32.5 yards per punt.

ATH: Drew Ollis, Hewitt-Trussville; played on the defensive line and punted for the Huskies.

ATH: Max Plaia, John Carroll; played both ways and accumulated 61 tackles.

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HONORABLE MENTION

QB: Will O’Dell, Oak Mountain; Josh Thompson, Briarwood.

RB: Derick Shanks, Spain Park; Dakarai Shanks, Spain Park; Marty Myricks, Oak Mountain; Le’Kamren Meadows, Oak Mountain.

WR: Sawyer Smith, Oak Mountain; Nick Sulenski, Chelsea; Sawyer Click, Briarwood.

OL: Logan Sanders, Chelsea; Luke Kelly, Oak Mountain; Jack Chandler, John Carroll; Carter Fountain, Briarwood; Landon Page, Vestavia Hills.

DL: Ayden Moore, Hewitt-Trussville; Caleb Jaworski, Oak Mountain.

LB: Nakarius Allen, Clay-Chalkville; Rod Ivy, Clay-Chalkville; Drew Widener, Mountain Brook; Parker Floyd, Hewitt-Trussville; Adam Cornwell, Chelsea; Colton Moore, Oak Mountain; Trust Darnell, Homewood; Luke Eldridge, Homewood.

DB: Maleik Smiley, Homewood; John Griffin, Homewood; Cole Kelly, Oak Mountain; Jayden Aparicio-Bailey, Oak Mountain; Drowdy Hackbarth, Oak Mountain; Ethan Carr, Briarwood.

Starnes Media's publications cover several communities throughout the Birmingham metro area. Schools included for consideration on this team were Briarwood, Chelsea, Oak Mountain, Hoover, Spain Park, Homewood, John Carroll, Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, Hewitt-Trussville and Clay-Chalkville. The team was selected by Starnes Media’s sports department, in collaboration with the coaches.