Top 25 Gadsden-area high school football players heading into AHSAA playoffs
The Alabama high school football playoffs get started this week with the first round and Gadsden area players are ready to standout. Fifteen Gadsden-area teams made the playoffs, headlined by five from Etowah County. Westbrook Christian led the way for region champs, joined by Boaz, Fyffe, Piedmont and Plainview. Those four will host first-round games joined by two-seeds that include Etowah, Cherokee County, Collinsville and Geraldine. The new AHSAA football championship format starts with flag football title games on Tuesday, Dec. 1. The private school games are on Dec. 2 followed by the 1A and 4A games on Thursday. Friday will see the 2A and 5A games with the 3A and 6A wrapping the new five-day event on Saturday. Here are 25 Gadsden-area players to watch heading into the playoffs. Cole Austin, Piedmont Austin has thrown for 1,650 yards and 17 touchdowns, while running for 474 yards and eight touchdowns. Ben Baker, Spring Garden Baker has ran for 1,070 yards and has 60 tackles on defense. Read Barber, Westbrook Christian Barber has hit 11 field goals this year, with a long of 55 yards. He is 37-of-38 on extra points and averages 37 yards a punt. He has 50 touchbacks
