Beauregard High School’s La’Damian Webb was named the 35th recipient of the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Mr. Football Award on Wed-nesday (Jan. 18) at the ASWA’s annual Player of the Year Awards luncheon presented by the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association in Montgomery.
A 5-foot-8, 184-pound junior running back, Webb added his name to the AHSAA record books this season in setting a single-season touchdown record with 47 and rushing for the second-highest season total in AHSAA history with 3,242 yards. In two years, Webb rushed for 74 touchdowns and rushed for 5,017 yards. In the Class 5A state championship game against Wenonah, Webb set Super 7 records in all classifications with 51 carries for 359 yards and five touchdowns in his team’s 33-13 win. Since Webb began varsity play, the Hornets are 24-2.
Webb finished with 147 points and three first-place votes in the vote by the ASWA’s prep committee, while Park Crossing’s wide receiver Malik Cunningham had 132 points and one first place vote. Spanish Fort linebacker Thomas Johnston was third with 116 points, while Blount athlete Kadarius Toney and James Clemens defensive end LaBryan Ray tied for fourth with 113 and Maplesville running back Terence Dunlap was sixth with 109. In all, a record eight finalists received first-place votes from the prep committee.
Webb was named the ASWA Class 5A Back of the Year and chosen to the group’s Super 12 team. He is also the first junior to win the Mr. Football award in its history.
In winning the Mr. Football, Webb becomes the third running back to win the award in the last four years and fourth in the last six, joining T.J. Yeldon of Daphne in 2011, Roc Thomas of Oxford in 2013 and Kerryon Johnson of Madison Academy in 2015.
Back/Lineman voting lists top three vote getters only; Super 12/Mr Football voting is top 12 only; 29 players received votes on the ASWA Super 12. Vote totals for the AISA were not available.
Class 1A Back
Terence Dunlap, Maplesville, 30; Jacob Free, Brantley, 23; Dax Benton, Hubbertville, 9.
Class 1A Lineman
Brandon Bates, Linden, 27; Devonta Poole, Linden, 17; Devin March, Houston County, 9.
Class 2A Back
JaTarvious Whitlow, LaFayette, 68; Chadarius Townsend, Tanner, 66; Dilan Kilpatrick, Fyffe, 47.
Class 2A Lineman
Tyler Wilhelm, Fyffe, 77; Lee Davis, Samson, 45; Travon Mathis, Lanett, 43.
Class 3A Back
Taylor Hayes, Piedmont, 93; Austin Tucker, Ohatchee, 62; Troy Young, Mobile Christian, 53.
Class 3A Lineman
Mason Langley, Piedmont, 53; Logan Beadles, Piedmont, 39; Tyler Olds, Montevallo, 34.
Class 4A Back
Reed Blankenship, West Limestone, 77; Brady Sherrill, Haleyville, 73; Michael Matthews, UMS-Wright, 71.
Class 4A Lineman
Sterling Jones, St. James, 59; Riley Russell, Che-rokee County, 42; Brian Anderson, Montgomery Ca-tholic, 34.
Class 5A Back
La’Damian Webb, Beauregard, 80; DeKarlos Billingsley, Scottsboro, 55; Bo Nix, Scottsboro, 47.
Class 5A Lineman
Ryan Johnson, St. Paul’s, 53; Giovanni Williams, Wenonah, 48; D.J. Smith, Beauregard, 45.
Class 6A Back
Kadarius Toney, Blount, 63; Malik Cunningham, Park Crossing, 60; Baniko Harley, Ramsay, 44.
Class 6A Lineman
Thomas Johnston, Spanish Fort, 69; Marcus Jenkins, Park Crossing, 50; K.J. Britt, Oxford, 47.
Class 7A Back
Henry Ruggs III, Lee-Montgomery, 32; Bubba Thompson, McGill-Toolen, 31; Garrett Morris, Auburn, 10
Class 7A Lineman
LaBryan Ray, James Clemens, 35; Christon Taylor, Hoover, 22; Kendall Randolph, Bob Jones.
Super 12
La’Damian Webb, Beauregard, 147 (3); Malik Cunningham, Park Crossing, 132 (1); Thomas Johnston, Spanish Fort, 116 (2); Kadarius Toney, Blount, 113 (1); LaBryan Ray, James Clemens, 113 (3); Terence Dunlap, Maplesville, 109 (2); Taylor Hayes, Piedmont, 85 (3); Henry Ruggs III, Lee-Montgomery, 37; Baniko Harley, Ramsay, 68; JaTarvious Whitlow, LaFayette, 49 (1); Jaylond Adams, Minor, 44; Bubba Thompson, McGill-Toolen, 38.
ASWA names Mr. Football; Back, Lineman of the Year
