St. Michael’s Rivers, Bayside Academy’s Neill up for Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Player of the Year awards

Cardinal sophomore vying for 4A Back of the Year, Admiral junior in running for 3A Lineman of the Year

BY COLE McNANNA
Sports Editor
cole@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 1/21/25

A pair of first-team all-state standout football players from the Eastern Shore were recently announced as finalists for Player of the Year awards by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. The …

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St. Michael’s Rivers, Bayside Academy’s Neill up for Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Player of the Year awards

Cardinal sophomore vying for 4A Back of the Year, Admiral junior in running for 3A Lineman of the Year

Posted

A pair of first-team all-state standout football players from the Eastern Shore were recently announced as finalists for Player of the Year awards by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. The winners are set to be announced at the Jan. 28 banquet in Montgomery when Mr. Football is also crowned.

St. Michael sophomore quarterback Gunner Rivers is in the running for Back of the Year in Class 4A after he helped lead the Cardinals’ winningest season in program history including the team’s first-ever home playoff victory. Rivers is up against a pair of Jackson Aggies, sophomore running back EJ Crowell and junior quarterback Landon Duckworth, who went on to win the state championship.

Bayside Academy junior linebacker Billy Neill is vying for Lineman of the Year in Class 3A following the Admirals’ first home playoff appearance since 2015 and first nine-win season since 2021. Also announced as finalists were T.R. Miller senior linebacker Myles Johnson and the reigning winner, Fyffe senior defensive lineman Tucker Wilks.

Tale of the tape

At the end of the regular season, both Rivers and Neill were in the state’s top five of their categories according to MaxPreps stats. The St. Michael quarterback was third in passing yards with 2,802 on 191 completions with 27 touchdowns and the Bayside Academy linebacker was fifth in tackles with 162 total between 93 solos and 69 assists.

Rivers helped the Cardinals use their best regular season in team history (9-1) and the highest state ranking in the ASWA poll (No. 5) to secure their first-ever home playoff game where they took down Handley 63-40. They also secured postseason wins over Pleasant Grove (38-24) and Fairfield (42-25) to set a playoff points record at 171.

St. Michael went on to set a program record with 538 total points before finding the end of the road in the state semifinals. Rivers finished his sophomore campaign ranked second in Alabama with 3,947 yards on 267-of-424 passing with 36 touchdowns against 6 interceptions over 14 games.

Neill was deployed on both sides of the ball for the Admirals who went on a seven-game win streak and ultimately allowed the fewest points to region opponents since 2004 to secure a first-round home playoff game for the first time in nine years. The standout linebacker was also put behind the center on offense and took the direct snap from the heavy formation and registered 317 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.

At his main position, Neill finished as the state’s leading tackler alongside classmate Monroe Partin and closed his junior year with 208 total tackles between 125 solos and 83 assists including 8 tackles for loss and 4 sacks over 13 games.

More on ASWA’s yearly awards

The ASWA selected three finalists for both a Back and Lineman of the Year from all seven Alabama High School Athletic Association classifications as well as one for the Alabama Independent School Association. Each finalist was a first-team all-state honoree voted on by the ASWA prep committee.

Candidates vying for Backs of the Year include quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and defensive backs while offensive and defensive linemen and linebackers are represented in the Linemen of the Year contenders.

The Super All-State team, which recognizes athletes regardless of classification, will be announced at the banquet when the state’s Mr. Football is also awarded.