Nix, Simmons participating in North-South Classic All-Star Game on Friday

MOBILE - Winston County High School’s Head Coach Caleb Simmons and offensive lineman Landen Nix have both been selected to participate in the 65th AHSAA North-South Classic All-Star Game to be held on Friday, Dec. 15, in Hancock Whitney Stadium at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.

The AHSAA's Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association (AHSADCA) administers the game each year with players chosen from senior players across the state. Once the coaching staffs are chosen, they choose players for their teams from nominations submitted by AHSAA-member school coaches.

Simmons said he was invited to join the coaching staff of the North team by this year’s head coach, Lee Izmint, who is head coach at Arab High School.

“I think it’s a good experience,” Simmons said. “(I) get to be around a bunch of really great coaches. You know, they’re from all over the state—Muscle Shoals, Moody, Spain Park, Arab—a bunch of really great minds. I’m hoping to learn a lot from them.”

Simmons met with the rest of the North’s coaching staff at the AHSAA offices in Montgomery to select the players, he noted. “We had a list of kids that we thought were potential candidates to be on the team, and then we narrowed that list down from there,” he said.

Simmons pointed out that Nix is one of only three players from 1A-3A schools to be chosen for the team. The other members of the 37-member team are from schools 4A or larger.

Nix did not know he had been nominated until he was selected, he said, noting, "It kind of surprised me.”

“I thought it was pretty cool," he added. “I hadn’t never heard of anything like it before.”

Simmons said that he and Nix would travel to Mobile on Dec. 11 or 12 to prepare for the game. “We’ll practice that week down at the University of South Alabama, and then the game will be that Friday,” he explained.

Kick-off is at 2 p.m.

“I’m just hoping to get along with my fellow teammates and maybe come out with a win,” Nix said.

The game will be televised live on the AHSAA TV Network and live-streamed on the NFHS Network.

“We have an abundance of talent in our state each year, and both teams selected reflect that talent,” said AHSADCA Director Brandon Dean in a press release. “We are looking forward to another exciting game this December.”

The South defeated the North last year 42-7 and has won 34 of the 64 games played since 1948. The North has won 28; two games ended in ties.