Escambia Academy’s Reid Bell, Bo Bishop and head coach Hugh Fountain all had a chance to go to Prattville to participate in the AISA All Star game.

Bell wound up being recognized for his efforts in the game. AISA named him the most outstanding running back for his team, the West All Stars. Bell had a familiar block in Cougar teammate Bo Bishop.

“I was excited for Reid because Reid actually went as a linebacker,” Fountain said. “Then, he got up there and they let him play running back. He did a great job, ended up being the leading rusher in the game. Bo did a great job. Bo started at offensive tackle in the game and he played well in the game and I thought that he did an outstanding job, too.”

The honor came as quite a surprise to Bell.

“I didn’t even hear it at first,” he said. “I was just talking to my mom after the game until somebody yelled and got my attention and said ‘you got the offensive back.’ I was kind of shocked. It was pretty cool.”

While the West All Stars lost the game to the East All Stars by a final score of 30-13, Bell scored a touchdown and all three of Escambia Academy’s representatives had a good time.

“It was good going up there,” Fountain said. “It was fun to kind of see how it all operates and I enjoyed watching Bo and Reid practice their last week of high school football. That was a lot of fun. I hate that Tehron [Stallworth] was hurt where he couldn’t go, but he was chosen. It was a lot of fun. It was a new experience for me. I’m glad I got a chance to go.”

Bell said meeting all the other players, having fun and playing football made the experience memorable. He saw a few familiar faces outside of Escambia Academy in Monroe Academy’s Craig Bryan and Hooper Academy’s Darius Bennett. Bell said the level of competition was greater.

“They were a lot bigger and a lot faster because everybody’s an all-star,” Bell said. “It kind of felt like playing a college game because everybody is so much bigger and so much faster.”

Fountain’s official title was administrative coach.

“I squirted a lot of water,” he joked. “It was probably process of elimination. Nobody else wanted to go, so they let me go,” he said, trying to deflect credit.

Fountain did find it to be a valuable experience in getting to be around other top AISA coaches.

“It was a chance to go up there and have a couple of days spending time with some of those guys who have been coaching in the AISA for a long time,” he said. “I enjoyed meeting a lot of new guys, guys who I knew, had met during the season. I really didn’t have a chance to get to know them very well, but I’m glad I got a chance to spend some time with them.”

For Bell, the weekend was most memorable because it gave him one last chance to play high school football. He said he misses it already.

“But it was really good to get another one in after the season,” he said. “I wish Tehron could have been out there with us, and Michael [Thompson], too.”