Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Clay-Chalkville wide receiver Mario Craver (4) carries the ball during a Class 6A state semifinal game against Parker at Cougar Stadium in Clay on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. The Cougars defeated Parker 38-13 to advance to the Class 6A state championship game against Saraland at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Dec. 8. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
If Clay-Chalkville vs. Saraland 2.0 is anything like the first matchup, high school football fans are in for a treat.
The Cougars and Spartans will square off for the Class 6A state championship Friday at 7 p.m. at Bryant-Denny Stadium, the second matchup between the two schools. The first game, also for the Class 6A state title in 2014, was a classic that the Cougars won 36-31.
That game had stars, but the players in the 2023 edition may shine a little brighter.
No. 1 Saraland (14-0) is led by quarterback K.J. Lacey, a Texas commit, who has passed for 3,081 yards and 40 touchdowns against eight interceptions this season. Alabama commit Ryan Williams, a wide receiver and reigning Mr. Football winner, has caught 61 passes for 1,069 yards and 17 scores.
“He’s a heck of a football player,” Clay-Chalkville head coach Drew Gilmer said of Williams. “They do a good job with him. They play him everywhere. They line him up all over the place. He can do anything. He’s one of those rare, special, elite talents.”
Running back Santae McWilliams, who holds multiple Power 5 scholarship offers, has rushed for 1,001 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Spartans average 51.8 points per game.
“They’ve definitely got some team speed, probably overall the fastest team we’ve seen,” Gilmer said. “But we’re pretty fast, too. I think it’s a pretty even matchup when it comes to speed. It’s going to come back to who executes the best.”
Defensive lineman Antonio Coleman, another Alabama commit, is the anchor for Saraland. He has contributed 70 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and six sacks in 2023.
No. 2 Clay-Chalkville (13-0) obviously has elite talent, too. The Cougars are scoring 40 points per game. Quarterback Jaylen Mbakwe has been superb taking over as signal-caller for his senior season, completing 69 percent of his passes this season for 1,855 yards and 21 touchdowns against seven interceptions. The Alabama commit has rushed for 905 yards and 20 scores.
“He’s just an elite athlete,” Gilmer said. “Every time he touches the ball, he has a chance to take it to the house. He’s really throwing the ball well. He’s really become a complete quarterback for us.”
Running backs Aaron Osley and Taurus Chambers have excelled behind a quality offensive line, rushing for 852 yards and 594 yards, respectively. Each have found the end zone for nine rushing touchdowns.
“We believe everything starts with the run,” Gilmer said. “Our offensive line has been phenomenal this year. They’ve done a great job. They’ve jelled together. They’ve really kind of gone above and beyond.”
Mario Craver is the leading receiver for the Cougars, hauling in 52 catches for 934 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.
Defensively, the Cougars are top-notch. The unit has allowed just 10.6 points per game and is led by Auburn commit D.J. Barber, a linebacker who has racked up 139 tackles this season. Fellow linebacker Carlos Ivy has made 121 tackles.
“It’s been the side of the ball that’s really kind of set the tone and carried us,” Gilmer said. “Everybody’s contributed. They play hard, they run to the football, and they tackle pretty well.”
If Clay-Chalkville wins, it’ll be the fourth state title in program history (1999, 2014, 2021). If Saraland wins, it’ll be back-to-back state titles.
“We’ll have our work cut out for us, for sure, but we’ll be ready,” Gilmer said.
Jeff Allison contributed to this story.
