GDW Analysis:
Like other organizations, Gameday Weekly is composing a list of greatness from the AHSAA 2024 football season.
It was an honor for GDW and WKUL FM (92.1) to be involved in the sport for 12 weeks with 10 regular season assignments and two rounds of the playoffs.
The football package was very good and possibly better than what was expected.
GDW now presents its football academy award winners.
Best QB:
Tyler Cone of Good Hope
Best RB:
Jake Harper of Fairview
Best WR:
Carter Rutherford of Good Hope
Blake Rickard of Fairview
Best OL
Jathan Smith of Good Hope
Best DL:
Eli Akin of Hanceville
Best LB:
Landon Bagwell of Good Hope
Best DB:
Carson Jones of Fairview
Best K:
Robert Rodriguez of Good Hope
Best P:
Colt Redding of Good Hope
Best KR:
Marquis Leeth of Hanceville
Best pass play:
Tyler Cone to Carter Rutherford, 86 yards, TD, Good Hope vs. Addison
Best run:
Jake Harper 69 yards, TD, Fairview vs. Good Hope
Best run by a QB:
Tyler Cone 57 yards, TD, Good Hope vs. Hatton
Best catch by a WR:
Jace Stephens, 59 yards, TD, Fairview vs. Good Hope
Best effort by an offensive line:
Holly Pond Broncos, 10 TDs over 600 yards, 74 points vs. Hanceville
Best night of extra point scoring:
Colt Redding of Fairview 6 extra points vs. Good Hope.
Best defensive TD:
Landon Bagwell 70 yards fumble return, Good Hope vs. Dora
Best team defensive performance:
Good Hope 27 to 0 shutout win vs. Addison.
Best special teams play:
Eli Akin of Hanceville, blocked punt. 20 yard TD return vs. Vinemont.
Best kick return play:
Marquis Leeth of Hanceville, 86 yards, TD vs. Vinemont.
Best single game performance:
Tyler Cone, 4 TD passes, 1 rushing TD, Good Hope vs. Dora
Jake Harper 4 rushing TDs, Fairview vs. Good Hope
Best comeback by a team:
Vinemont, overcoming 17 to 8 deficit and defeating Hanceville 56 to 30.
Best 1st half by a team:
Good Hope, 28 points in 1st half vs. Dora
Best 2nd half by a team:
Vinemont, 4 TDs, 4 2 point conversions in win vs. Hanceville.
Best game of the year:
Good Hope 17 to 3 over West Point on August 23 at West Point Stadium
Best game of the year by hype:
8 & 0 Fairview at 9 & 0 Good Hope, November 1.
Best atmosphere in a regular season game:
Southeastern at Cold Springs October 20. SE won 20 to 14 to clinch the 2A, Region 6 title.
Best game by Cullman Bearcats on 98.3 FM:
Cullman 42 to 14 victory at Decatur October 18 to clinch a playoff berth in 6A, Region 7.
Best game on hollypondbroncos.com:
Holly Pond 74 to 35 over Hanceville August 30. The most points the Broncos had scored in a single game in school history.
Best game on WKUL.com:
Vinemont 22 to 8 at Southeastern with Matt Glover and Christian Ballard. Eagles defeat the eventual 2A, Region 6 winner and start the 2024 season 2 & 0.
The great facts:
WKUL FM had 9 games of matchups between a Cullman County team and a school from outside the county.
The locals took victory in 7 of the 9 broadcasts with Rich Jesse and Pete Kirby as the Game of the Week tandem on Friday nights. A winning percentage of .777.
Photo of Fairview's Jake Harper (14) against the Good Hope Raiders November 1 at James Shabel Stadium.
Photo courtesy of Martha Needham
