Three from county nominated for Mizeman

By Staff
Mike Self FCT Sports Editor
Three senior football players from Franklin County have been nominated for the ninth annual American Benefits Corporation-Mizeman Trophy Award.
Red Bay's Kurt Kennedy, Vina's Kerry Lawler and Russellville's Maurice McCulloch are up for the award, which is designed to honor athletes of smaller physical stature who have made large contributions both on the football field and in the classroom.
In order to be nominated for the Mizeman Trophy, a player must stand under six feet tall and weigh less than 175 pounds. The nominees' demonstrated qualities include determination, work ethic, character, athletic ability and leadership.
The northwest Alabama counties eligible for nominations are Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, Marion, Morgan, Winston and Lawrence counties. More than 30 schools are represented.
Players are nominated by their coaches, and broadcasters and sports writers in northwest Alabama vote for their top three choices to narrow the field down to three finalists.
The general public can also vote for the nominees by logging on to www.mizemantrophy.com. The public's vote will be tabulated as the vote of one sports writer or broadcaster.
A player receives three points for a first-place vote, two for a second, and one for a third.
The top three vote-getters will attend an award ceremony to be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, December 16, at Comcast Cable on Pine Street in Florence. The winner will be announced there.
Kennedy, a 5-foot-9, 165-pound quarterback/defensive back, was a Mizeman finalist last year. This season, he totaled more than 3,000 all-purpose yards and 28 touchdowns in leading Red Bay to a 12-1 record.
Kennedy had 1,428 passing yards, 777 rushing yards, 659 kickoff return yards and 383 punt return yards. He also had 86 tackles, four interceptions and two sacks on defense.
Lawler, a 5-foot-6, 160-pound linebacker/fullback, was the area's leading tackler with 143 total stops. He also had five sacks, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries as Vina enjoyed its best season in several years.
Lawler also rushed for 300 yards on 55 attempts.
McCulloch, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound running back, is still building his Mizeman resume as he helps the Golden Tigers continue their quest for a 5A state championship.
McCulloch rushed for 261 yards and three touchdowns in Friday's semifinal victory over Athens, giving him nearly 1,000 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns on the season. He also has caught more than 40 passes and is averaging better than 30 yards per kick return.
This year's Mizeman winner will receive a $500 scholarship and a certificate.
Previous winners of the award include Randal Martin of Rogers, D.J. Minor of Bradshaw, Nathaniel Knight of Phillips, Zach Woodford of Brooks, Daniel Luffman of Lexington, DeWayne Gunn of Deshler, and Kiah Brown of Haleyville.