Nine members of the PLAS Patriots football and cheerleading team will represent Pike County at the annual AISA All-Star game at the Crampton Bowl in Montgomery on Dec. 2.

Representing the football team on the West squad will be Kevin Thompson, Josh Graham, Sawyer McKenzie, Brayden Herrera, Tyler Hussey and JT Ball.

They will be joined by cheerleaders Mia Smith, Anna Laura Cobb and Lexi Motes. All three were named all stars during cheer camp in the summer.

“It’s always good,” said Patriots head coach Gene Allen. “It’s a tribute to them. We didn’t accomplish our team goals, but they had some great years and I am excited to see them play another week against some really good players.”

Ball led the Patriots in rushing in 2016 with a total of 994 yards on 88 carries. He averaged 11.3 yards a carry and had 11 rushing touchdowns and 14 overall. Fellow ball carrier Herrera finished the season with 625 yards on 90 carries and had six rushing touchdowns.

Hussey finished the season as the team’s leading tackler with 106 total tackles including eight tackles for loss. McKenzie and Thompson finished with 30 and 16 tackles respectively.

Allen said the players were leaders on and off the field.

“Most of them were leaders,” Allen said. “If they didn’t lead verbally, they led by example. It really is a good group of kids that made the all-star team. All of them did well in their own special way.

“I have never had this many (students from Pike play in the all star game),” Allen said. “I think the most we have sent was two. It’s pretty exciting to have so many in there.”

The players will have the opportunity to become teammates with many of the players they competed against during the season.

“I think they will enjoy it because all six enjoy the game,” Allen said. “It’s going to be fun playing with the kids that they had to compete against. We are always going out there and playing against Autauga and Monroe, now they have the chance to be teammates with them. They get to see each other in a different light.”

Kickoff at the Crampton Bowl is scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 2 in Montgomery.