Lamar County High School football coach Ken Adams didn”t have to look at game film of all of the candidates to know three of the linebackers he wanted to play for the North in the 14th annual Alabama All-Star Sports Week game.
Adams, the linebackers coach for the North, selected three linebackers he knows quite well — Lance Bobbitt and Jimmy Lann of Lamar County and Sulligent High”s Ahmad Walker — to play in the game, which will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Louis Crews Stadium on the campus of Alabama A&M in Huntsville, Ala.
“Those three proved to me they”re as good as anybody in the state,” Adams said. “I was given 30-something names of linebackers and had film of each of them, and we had to go back and look at the film to see what we think and pick the best ones. I got to pick seven linebackers, and those three were at the top of the list.”
Adams, Bobbitt, and Lann helped Lamar County (13-1) go undefeated until a loss to Clay County in the semifinals of the Class 2A state playoffs.
Bob Godsey of Hartselle is the head coach for the North. Adams is an assistant along with Clay County coach Kris Herron.
“It”s an honor to be selected to coach in this game,” Adams said. “It”s something where you”re selected by the other coaches. It kind of tells you where your program is, so it”s an honor.”
Bobbitt and Lann were honored to be selected by Adams.
“That was nice,” Bobbitt said. “He told me he thought I was going to get it but he wasn”t sure. I was excited, and I”m ready to play.”
Said Lann, “It means a lot to me. It shows (Adams) has a lot of respect for me.”
Walker also was delighted to be selected by the coach of his school”s biggest rival.
“It”s an honor,” Walker said. “It was surprising.”
Bobbitt and Lann were the leading tacklers for Lamar County last season. Bobbitt had 29 unassisted tackles and 63 assisted tackles (92 total), while Lann had 54 unassisted and 35 assisted (89).
Bobbitt had a season-high 13 tackles against Winston County, while Lann saved his best for last, recording 11 tackles against Tanner and Ider in the state playoffs.
Walker had 20 solo and 48 assisted tackles (68) for Sulligent (7-4).
Bobbitt, Lann, and Walker hope to play well in the game to attract the attention of college coaches. Lann has signed with Iowa Wesleyan, but he would like to make an impression on coaches at bigger schools closer to home.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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