- Maddox Sunderman, No. 78, was one of four local athletes chosen among the First-Team All-State Football selections for the 2022 season. The Bob Jones offensive lineman is regarded one of the top players in his position in the Southeast. Photo contributed
All-State Football Teams Include Local Talents
Published 11:30 am Friday, December 23, 2022
MADISON- The All-State Football team selections have been released and there is a bevy of local talents among the elite players chosen for the All-State Teams by the Alabama Sports Writers Association annual list, including four on the First-Team selections.
In Class 7A, both Maddox Sunderman of Bob Jones and Gio Lopez of James Clemens made the First-Team while in Class 3A, Madison Academy’s Ken Cherry and Reese Baker were selected among the notables for First-Team choices.
Sunderman (OL, 6-4, 290, Sr.) made his third consecutive appearance on the All-State teams after being chosen as both a sophomore and junior. The All-American heavyweight wrestler for Bob Jones is rated as the No. 8 player in Alabama and has chosen to sign with Jacksonville State. Most recently, the senior offensive lineman played in the 36th annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Classic held in Mobile at the University of South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium.
The Patriots finished the 2022 season at 5-6 losing in the first round of the AHSAA state playoffs. Sunderman’s leadership on the offensive line helped lead the Pats to score 30-points per game.
For Lopez (QB, 6-0, 220, Sr.), he was chosen as Athlete for the First-Team in Class 7A making his second appearance on the elite list. As quarterback for the Jets, the dual threat signal caller helped the offense score 31 points per game in a disappointing 4-6 season where the Jets missed the playoffs. He recently signed with South Alabama and saw action in the just completed 65th annual AHSAA North-South All-Star Football Classic also held at South Alabama’s home field in Mobile.
The remainder of selections in Class 7A- Second Team: WR, Matt Rozier, Sparkman, 6-0, 185, Sr., LB, Malachi Jones, Sparkman, 5-11, 205, Sr., DB, Jamal Mayers, James Clemens, 5-10, 170, Sr., Athlete, Ty Doughty, James Clemens, 5-9, 170, So., Athlete, Rayshawn Hardy, Bob Jones, 6-2, 200, Sr.; Honorable Mention: LB, Jonathan Monroe, Bob Jones, 6-2, 190, Sr. Class 3A- First Team: RB, Ken Cherry, Madison Academy, 6-0, 185, Jr., OL, Reese Baker, Madison Academy, 6-5, 265, Jr.: Honorable Mention: QB, Carson Creehan, Madison Academy, 6-4, 205, Sr.
Sparkman completed its 2022 campaign with a 5-5 record while Madison Academy was 9-3 falling in the second round of the AHSAA playoffs. The Mustangs put up 47 points a game on the scoreboard while allowing just 18 points per outing.
