By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

COMING WEDNESDAY: All-Cherokee County Defensive Player of the Year

GAYLESVILLE – The Gaylesville Trojans have featured some impressive running backs throughout their history, including Cherokee County Sports Hall of Famers Johnny Mack Dupree, Steve Ray and Carl Sanford.

After the season senior running back Alex Baty turned in for the Trojans in 2024, his name can be mentioned alongside those Gaylesville greats.

In just nine games, Baty led the Cherokee County area with 1,828 rushing yards on 190 carries with 26 touchdowns. He set a new Alabama High School Athletic Association state rushing record in a game with 535 yards on 43 carries and six touchdowns in the Trojans’ season-ending 62-28 Class 1A Region 8 victory over visiting Woodville back on Oct. 25.

Baty eclipsed the old mark set by Parrish’s Tony Dixon against Hubbertville back in 2003 (21 carries for 531 yards).

Baty also eclipsed another Gaylesville great Jerry Stancil’s rushing mark in a game, which is now fourth on the state’s all-time list. Stancil ran for 470 yards on 23 carries against Spring Garden in a 48-28 Trojan win back in 2004.

“When people write storybooks or write a script, I don’t know if you can write one better than that to end your high school football career,” Gaylesville coach Brian Knapp said. “Our kids were pumped to be a part of helping him accomplish that, which speaks volumes toward Alex. Our kids responded to him. They followed him. How Alex was going was how we would go. Our kids wanted to help him accomplish that goal.”

The Trojans finished the season at 4-5, their best mark since 2021. Although Gaylesville finished just short of another goal, a Class 1A state playoff berth, the Trojans can say they’re one of the few high school football teams across the state who won their final game.

And now, Baty and the Trojans can also lay claim to something else: the 2024 Cherokee County Offensive Player of the Year.

“I’m very proud,” Baty said. “I’m also proud to get Gaylesville’s name out there. I feel like Gaylesville deserves this. Everybody looks down on little old Gaylesville, but Gaylesville has that fight in them.”

Knapp is impressed with the fight Baty has in him.

“He averaged over 200 yards a game. That alone is impressive,” Knapp said. “He touched it so many times throughout the year. His durability was the thing that impressed me the most. He had the ability to get better as each game went on. That was so impressive to me about him.

“We have lack of depth. We always do, but Alex allowed us to be in every football game. We could manage the clock, which gave us built-in rest for other sides of the ball. Having a piece like him allowed us to do that. He had the best seat in the house being the tailback. He was a special player to get to coach. It was a matter of getting him the football in different ways and let him do his thing.”

Baty went out doing his thing against Woodville. The Panthers jumped out to a 22-8 first-quarter lead before Baty got his motor revved up. By halftime, Baty was within reach of a state record performance.

“I was sitting up on the table. Coach Clay (Joseph) and Coach Knapp unwrapped my foot to look at it, and about that time Corey Colbert walked in. He told me I had 300 yards in the first half,” Baty recalled. “I was like ‘Really?’ He was like ‘Let’s try and get some records,’ and I was like ‘All right. Let’s do it.’”

The Trojans kept feeding Baty the ball, and he kept churning out the yards. By the end of the game, Baty had the record within reach.

“We were backed up at our own 40-yard line, and Coach Knapp told me to make it to the 10-yard line and fall,” Baty said. “The first run I got stuffed. The second run I got stuffed, but then I broke one for about 15 or 20 yards. We were on about the 25-yard line, about to score, and I had another 10- or 15-yard run. There was nobody between me and the end zone. I could’ve scored on that last run, but I (intentionally) fell.

“It really wasn’t tempting (to score again). There was no need to beat them down by scoring again. I feel like I did the right thing by falling down.”

“By no means were we trying to rub it in against Woodville, but that was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Knapp said “He knew how many yards he had to get. He and I were both on the same page. Once he got it, he got down. He always did what I asked him to do. He understood why we did that. That’s the type of player he is.”

Baty is the type player Knapp hopes current and future Trojans will look up to.

“He did it the right way,” Knapp added. “He did it in the weight room. He’s done it in the classroom. He always did it at practice. He did it in games. His toughness and unselfishness is probably what I’m proud of the most. He’ll be the first one to give credit to other people along the way. That’s a great characteristic, someone who is willing to do that. It wasn’t all about him. He gives credit to the people that helped him get to this point. I’m probably prouder of that than I am his actual record.

“The things he learned through football will carry throughout his life. I don’t have any doubt he’ll be a successful young man.”

“I feel like that night brought people back to breaking records in Gaylesville,” Baty said. “Now, next year, people are going to strive to break it again.”

Joining Baty from Gaylesville on the 2024 All-Cherokee County Football Team is Karrson Ray, Collin Hendon, Jack Sentell, Hunter Allmond, Daylen Dobbins, Caden Angle and Tanner Hughes.

Trojan honorable mention players are Aydn Heinrich and Timmy Dawson.

Class 4A state runner-up Cherokee County (13-2) is represented by Tae Diamond, Tristan Brown, Cooper Allen, Carson Chesnut, Ben Moseley, Jaquan Diamond, Keshawn Thomas, Keyshawn Woods, Tyson Wood, Ben Frampton, Luke Young, Tripp Davis, Caleb Harbour, Dylan Duncan, Landon Ransum, Asa Holbert and James Hunter.

Warrior honorable mention players are Adam Griffith, Javierre Henderson, Ethan Glass, Case Hill, Gavin Brown, Jackson Doeg and Dawson Bartlett.

Chosen from Spring Garden is Noah Barber, Connor Bates, John Welsh, Jacob Welsh, Grey Simpson, Tanner Ruark, Hayes Garmon, Colton Driskell, Clayton Sadler, Carson Bostick, Johnny Baker, Mason Woods, Zack Scogin and Zane Edwards.

Representing Sand Rock (5-6) is Kane Robison, Gatlin Cox, Gavynn Cunningham, Seth Holland, Caiden Bullard, Morgan Tucker, Brenden Lindsey, Grayson Lane, Ty Traffanstedt and Alec Ashley.

Wildcat honorable mention players are Ryker Woodall and Alex Stone.

Representing Cedar Bluff (3-7) is Hunter Jenkins, Caleb Edmondson, Kadien Tracy, Hunter Stallings, Isaac Roberts, Bryson Teague, Jacob Chambers, Jayden Flynt and Dylan McDaniel.

Tiger honorable mention players are Sam Payne, Hayden Tucker, Saw Jordan, Cayden Garrett, Hudson Smith and Michael Johnson.