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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

MONTGOMERY – Shelby County will be represented at the 2024 North-South All-Star Football Classic by four of its biggest stars on the gridiron.

Helena kicker and punter Austin Lewis along with Thompson defensive mainstays Nik Alston, Hayden McDonald and Trent Cheatom were selected for the North All-Star team in an announcement by the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association on Friday, Oct. 25.

All four will play in the annual showcase for the state’s top seniors on Friday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile.

The game will air on the AHSAA TV Network and the NFHS Network. It will be followed by the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic the next day on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the same stadium.

Three players from Shelby County will play for the Alabama All-Stars that next day as Thompson’s Anquon Fegans and Jared Smith and Helena’s Torrey Ward were selected on Thursday, Oct. 24.

Lewis has been one of the most consistent kickers in the state during the 2024 season. According to MaxPreps, in his first eight games of the season, he was a perfect 6-for-6 on field goals with a long of 53 yards and was 31-for-32 on extra points. He also got a touchback on 28 of his 50 kickoffs.

As a punter, Lewis averaged 36.9 yards per punt with a long of 63 yards and got inside the 20-yard line on 13 of his 26 punts. He racked up a total of 960 yards in the process.

Lewis remains uncommitted at press time but will hope to showcase his skills in front of college scouts at the North-South Classic.

In addition to Lewis’ selection for Helena, the county will have multiple players from Thompson as it earned three selections to the North All-Star team after another top-10 season in Class 7A.

Cheatom is Thompson’s leading tackler this season with 91 tackles, including 68 solo tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks, along with four pass breakups.

The 6-foot-1, 202-pound linebacker has announced an offer from Millsaps College but is still uncommitted as of press time.

Alston has been a key part of the Warriors defensive line in his first season with the team as a 6-foot-3, 278-pound defensive tackle and edge rusher hybrid. He has 50 total tackles on the season, including 26 solo tackles and six tackles for loss.

The three-star Alston flipped his commitment from Liberty to Tulane in June and will play college football for the Green Wave when he graduates.

Another member of the Thompson defensive front will join him in the form of Hayden McDonald.

McDonald earned 41 total tackles during the 2024 regular season, with 24 of those being solo tackles and six being tackles for loss.

The 6-foot, 265-pound defensive lineman is uncommitted at press time but has announced one Division I offer from Jackson State.

Oxford’s Sam Adams will coach the North roster and Daphne’s Kenny King will be the South head coach.