Photo: The Etowah Blue Devils U10 football team celebrates after winning the 2023 National Turkey Bowl championship in Gatlinburg, Tenn. See page 1B for article. (Courtesy of Seth Howard) )
A pair of local youth football teams performed well on the national stage over the Thanksgiving break.
Competing in the 2023 National Turkey Bowl at the Rocky Top Sports Complex in Gatlinburg, Tenn., the Etowah Blue Devils U10 won the championship and the Etowah Blue Devils U7 finished runner-up.
The 10U Blue Devils securing the top seed in bracket play with a 33-0 win against the West Carolina Ducks. Etowah then defeated Delaware Ducks, 26-0, to qualify for the championship, where the Blue Devils edged Powerhouse Pride of North Carolina, 13-12.
The 10U group has also won the past five North Alabama Youth Football Super Bowls from 2019-2023.
The 10U team traveled to Gatlinburg with most of the regular season team while adding three players from the 9U group and picking up a player from Alexandria to fill a role for two of the 10U offensive linemen from the regular season team who were too old to make the trip.
“I couldn’t be prouder of this team and this group of coaches,” said head coach Tommy Davis. “What we have with this team is a system that works with a knowledgeable coaching staff, talented players and good parents who allow their kids to be coached hard and taught the right way. That’s why this group is successful and that’s why I believe they’ll continue to be successful.”
The 2002 Blue Devil team won the Chattanooga Choo Choo Bowl in Chattanooga, Tenn. This season, Davis said that the team wished to compete in a bigger and more competitive environment in order to gain national exposure.
The 10U roster included Jaxon Mathis, Blue Houston, Tyson Davis, Andre Caldwell, T.J.
Marbury, Billy Brooks, Judd Armstrong, Jett Harris, Ty Brown, Britton Farmer, Tucker Harbour, Cooper Smith, C.J. Watson, Dejuan Hall, Carson Howard, Dewayne Hall, Clay Owen, Travis Gibbs, Colt Crawford, Cannon Crane, Kyle Hicks, Levi Hill, Lucas Reeves, Ethan Harp, C.J. Lovell and Hunter Hicks.
Joining Tommy Davis on the coaching staff were Darryl Green, Scotty Hill, Cody Howard, Caleb Crane, Greg Patterson, William Caldwell, Xavier Caldwell, Jim Harris and Trent Davis.
Submitted by April Davis