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The T.R. Miller Tigers might not be the name of the team in a battle of the North and South, but there are two Tigers who will help the south to rise later this month.

The 63^rd annual Alabama High School Athletic Association’s North-South All-Start Football game is set for Dec. 17 and will kick off inside the Hanock Whitney Stadium in Mobile at 7 p.m.

T.R. Miller Head Coach Brent Hubbard and Tiger Gage Mims will be representing their school and their community in the annual match up of graduating seniors from across the state.

The two 37-member teams comprised of 2021-2022 graduating seniors were announced by Brandon Dean, Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA), Wednesday, October 20. It will be televised live over the AHSAA TV Network and live-streamed over the NFHS Network. Vince Earley of WOTM TV is the executive producer.
“We are grateful for the City (and County) of Mobile, the Mobile Sports Authority and the University of South Alabama for their continued interest and support of this all-star event,” said Dean. “Moving the game to December has re-energized this all-star classic and we look forward to another great week in Mobile with some of the best student-athletes in this state. We also thank our member schools for their unwavering support of this game.”
The 2020 annual AHSAA North-South All-Star Game won by the South 28-20 last December, was the first played at Mobile’s new Hancock Whitney Stadium at the University of South Alabama. From 2010-2019 the game was played at Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl as part of the AHSAA and AHSADCA All-Star Sports Week. The game was cancelled due to the COVID Pandemic in 2020 with the 2020-21 school year moved from the summer to December last year and enjoyed its first trip to Mobile.
The North-South Classic, the AHSAA’s oldest all-star event, was first played in 1948 at Tuscaloosa on the campus of the University of Alabama and remained at Bryant-Denny Stadium in the summer through 1984. A small-school all-star game was also held at Auburn in 1984. The game was discontinued from 1985-1996 but reinstated in 1997 when the AHSAA instituted All-Star Sports Week with the Summer Conference. It was played at Cramton Bowl from 1997-2004 and then moved to Troy University for two years and Huntsville’s Alabama A&M University from 2007-2010. It returned to Montgomery in 2011.
After last year’s win, the South holds a 32-27-2 lead in the series.
The AHSADCA, which operates under the auspices of the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) still plays its other All-Star Games in boys’ and girls’ basketball, baseball, softball, boys’ and girls’ soccer, volleyball, boys’ and girls’ cross country, tennis and golf during All-Star Week held each July.
Head coach for the North All-Stars is Helena High School’s Richie Busby. His unbeaten Huskies (9-0) clinched the Class 6A, Region 3 title last week. He is currently in his fourth season at Helena. He is 29-13 overall with the Huskies and was 40-17 in five seasons from 2013-17 at Fultondale for a combined career record of 69-30.
South head coach is Jim Bob Striplin of Geneva County High School. His Bulldogs are 4-4 this season and are 32-30 overall during his tenure. He has been the head coach at the Hartford school since 2016 and spent six seasons as New Brockton head coach from 2008-2013. His overall coaching record is 63-63.
The North coaching staff also includes: Phil Phillips, Oneonta; Kelvis White, Bob Jones; Wade Waldrop, James Clemens; John Ritter, Russellville; Ryan Lock, Etowah; Bruce Breland, Victory Christian; and administrative coaches Ben Johnson, Scottsboro and Randy White, Athens (retired).
The South coaching staff includes: Jason Massey, Leroy; Brent Hubbert, T.R. Miller; Marcus Gardner, Carver-Montgomery; Brad Abbott, Maplesville; Jason Franklin, Holtville; Juan Williams, LaFayette; and administrative coaches Mark Heaton, Baldwin County and Lev Holly, Mobile County Schools.
Quarterbacks selected for the North are Tanner Bailey of Gordo and Zach Pyron of Pinson Valley. Both led their teams to state championship games last season. Gordo lost to Handley in the 4A state finals 35-20 while Pinson Valley beat Spanish Fort 23-13 in the 6A finals. Pyron also quarterback Fyffe to the 2A state title in 2019.
South quarterbacks selected are Walter Taylor of Jackson (7-2) and Iverson Hooks of Pike Road (8-0).  Both are having banner seasons for the Aggies and Patriots, respectively.

South team coaches are: Jim Bob Striplin – Geneva County (HEAD COACH); Jason Massey – Leroy; Brent Hubbert – T.R. Miller; Marcus Gardner – Carver-Montgomery; Brad Abbott – Maplesville; Jason Franklin – Holtville; Juan Williams – Lafayette; Mark Heaton p Baldwin County – Admin; and Lev Holly – Administrator.

South team members include:

Tiaquelin Mims – Baldwin County; Jaylen Novles – Slocom; Landry Huddleston – Alma Bryant; Nasir Pogue – Auburn; Laquan Robinson – Greenville; Jaden Lawson – Mobile Christian; Willie Butler Jr. – Saraland; Chrystyile Caldwell – Elba; Jacobn Foster – Greenville; Mikey Forney – Holtville; Vinay Singh – Lafayette; Javen Augustus – Montgomery Catholic; Gage Mims, T.R. Miller; Michael Courtney – UMS-Wright; James Quinnelly – Daphne; ronnie Mageo – Fairhope; To’Mari Vinson – Prattville; Javon Harris – Prattville; Keaton Law – Saraland; Joseph Frazier Jr. – Auburn; Bo Burks – Bibb County; Derrick Ingram – Central-Hayneville; Taylor Hicks – Daphne; Curtis Peagler – Demopolis; Logan Lanicek – Fairhope; Ryan Gorum – Spanish Fort; Luke Freer – Fairhope; Waltor Taylor – Jackson; Iverson Hooks – Pike road; BJ Baker – Lafayette; Dquez Madden – Lanett High; Quinshon Judkins – Pike Road; Jaylyn Daniels – Tallassee; Camden Etheredge – Auburn; Cam’ron Wright – Demopolis; Nikki Taylor – Luverne; and Shawn Jones  – Opelika.