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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

The 2021 AISA and ACSC football seasons had their share of highlights with Evangel winning a fourth consecutive 8-man national championship, Coosa Valley snapping a lengthy losing streak and eventually making the playoffs in the first year of Vince DiLorenzo’s return and Cornerstone showing improvements and scoring the most points of the three teams in a single game with 67 points.

It was a big bounce-back year after an inconsistent year the season before due to COVID-19.

It also led to some of the most talented players in the two leagues that we’ve seen in recent years. Below, we honor those athletes on the 2021 AISA/ACSC All-County team.

Quarterback: Eli Whitfield, junior, Evangel. Whitfield helped lead Evangel to a fourth consecutive national championship thanks to 2,551 yards and 35 touchdowns passing to just three interceptions. He also added 103 yards and seven touchdowns on 36 carries running the football. 

Running back: Hunter Atkins, sophomore, Evangel. Atkins finished his sophomore season with 1,223 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground, while he also added 170 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air.

Receiver: Judah Thompson, junior, Evangel. The second-leading receiver for the Lightning, Thompson totaled 745 receiving yards and nine touchdowns during a special season.

Receiver: Hayden Dooley, senior, Coosa Valley. One of the top targets for a team that struggled at times offensively, Dooley was able to make a difference in multiple facets of the game.

Offensive line: Caleb Lumpkin, senior, Evangel. Lumpkin paved the way for Evangel’s offense, totaling 37 pancake blocks, which led the team this season.

Offensive line: Carson Donovan, sophomore, Evangel. Donovan had a special sophomore season, totaling 18 pancake blocks in 11 games for the Lightning.

Offensive line: Jackson Tuell, junior, Evangel. Tuell helped shore up the offensive line for Evangel, finishing the season with 17 pancake blocks, which was third on the team and one of the county’s highest marks. 

Offensive line: Landon Alexander, freshman, Cornerstone. Behind Justus Adams, who was a star defensively as well, Alexander was a leader on the offensive line with four pancake blocks this season for the Chargers. 

Offensive line: Carter Gunnels, junior, Coosa Valley. Gunnels was a physical presence up front for the Rebels and one of the top young linemen on the team.

Athlete: Zeke Adams, freshman, Cornerstone. Adams was all over the field for Cornerstone this season, totaling 779 yards passing and 136 yards rushing with a combined eight touchdowns. He also totaled three interceptions to lead the secondary defensively.

Athlete: Christian Chapman, senior, Evangel. A star on the offensive end with 1,091 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns, Chapman also totaled six interceptions. 

Defense

Defensive line: Zach Chandler, senior, Evangel. With 25.5 tackles for loss, Chandler was a leader up front for Evangel’s defense. He finished with 51 total tackles, impressive 15.5 sacks this season and one interception.

Defensive line: Justus Adams, senior, Cornerstone. Adams totaled 70 solo tackles and 47 assisted tackles this season for 90.5 total tackles, including 28 for a loss to lead the county. He also had nine sacks as a force for the Cornerstone defense and was the leader of the offensive line with 15 pancake blocks.

Defensive line: Thomas Koch, senior, Evangel. Koch totaled 15 solo and 26 assisted tackles this season, including 18.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks to finish second on the team.

Defensive line: Everson Jones, senior, Evangel. Jones was big at getting in the backfield as well with 13.5 tackles for loss, 12 solo tackles and 35 assisted tackles. He also finished with 5.5 sacks 

Linebacker: Kaden Jones, junior, Evangel. Jones was one of Evangel’s leading tacklers this season with 16 solo tackles, 61 assisted tackles and 16 tackles for loss, while he finished with three sacks.

Linebacker: Warren Goodwin, senior, Cornerstone. Goodwin finished the season with 40 solo tackles, 15 assisted tackles and six tackles for loss at linebacker. He also totaled four sacks and one interception. 

Linebacker: Hunter Hill, senior, Coosa Valley. Hill led the Rebels’ talented defense this season with 86 solo tackles, 13 assisted tackles and six sacks.

Linebacker: Dylan Weathers, senior, Evangel. Weathers played a huge role for the Lightning this season with 16 tackles for loss and three sacks as part of a dominant defense.

Linebacker: Cannan Johnson, senior, Coosa Valley. Johnson finished the season with 74 solo tackles, 15 assisted tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception for a touchdown.

Linebacker: Ray Albright, sophomore, Coosa Valley. A young playmaker for the Rebels, Albright finished the season with 77 tackles to finish second on Coosa Valley’s team, while he added 12 assisted tackles and four sacks.

Secondary: Weston Dooley, senior, Coosa Valley. Dooley finished the season with 40 solo tackles, 13 assisted tackles and totaled nine interceptions to lead the county. He also totaled two defensive touchdowns. 

Secondary: Hayden Black, sophomore, Evangel. Black finished the season with 24 solo tackles, 35 assisted tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack and six interceptions to tie for the team lead.