Area players make Blackwell Classic roster

Saturday in Gulfport, the 75th annual Bernard Blackwell Classic will kick off with several local players getting set to compete in the All-Star game.

West Point quarterback/ running back Que TillmanEvans is currently on an official visit to Mississippi State with a preferred walk-on offer from the Bulldogs, but he was selected to the All-Star game roster. Tillman-Evans was just shy of 1,000 yards this year as he shared carries with superstar running back Kahnen Daniels and finished the year with 118 carries, 988 yards and 16 scores. He caught nine passes for the year with 141 yards and six touchdowns and was 7-of-15 passing for 135 yards and another three touchdowns.

Defensive lineman Zay Lowery was also chosen the to the All-Star game after making 52 tackles this season with 16 tackles for loss and three sacks. Lowery and TillmanEvans just finished off a 10-3 record with the school’s 12th state championship as the Green Wave are in the middle of eight-straight trips to the state title game.

Starkville running back Jay Stevenson is taking part in the game and is fresh off of a Class 7A All-State selection. The first-team running back had a fantastic senior season with the Yellow Jackets after rushing for over 1,000 yards with Eupora as a sophomore and doing it again with the Heritage Academy Patriots. Stevenson had his best season this year as he helped Starkville to a state championship appearance with 172 carries, 1,351 yards and 16 touchdowns to lead the way

for the Jackets in their rushing efforts.

Another first-team AllState member was right tackle SI Thomas. He also earned a selection on the roster as one of the offensive linemen.*

The North team will be coached by former Starkville offensive coordinator Randall Montgomery, who just took the head coaching position with Southaven after coaching the last several years at North Panola.

The game takes place at Joseph Milner Stadium on the campus of Gulfport High

School at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and tickets will be $10 for those in attendance.

Fans can tune into the game on fnutl.com with a live stream or on the MAC Network on mscoaches.com/ mac-network/livestream. The Mississippi Public Broadcasting Network will also carry the game on the radio.