Maplesville’s Anthony Johnson will have something to prove in Saturday’s 26th Annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star football game.

Johnson, a senior, is the only player from a Class 1A school on the Alabama roster. So, Johnson is out to prove that someone from a smaller program can compete with the state’s best—and that he is good enough to play at the college level.

“It’s a challenge for him to get out there to show that he can play and not back down from anybody,” said Maplesville coach Brent Hubbert, who nominated Johnson for the game.

After the nominations are received, the coaches for the Alabama squad pick who they want to fill out their roster.

The game annually pits Alabama’s best high school football players against those from Mississippi. The contest will be played at noon Saturday at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. It will be aired on television in some areas.

More important than the fans watching on TV, though, are the college coaches scouting players at practice this past week.

Hubbert said Johnson has drawn interest from several Division I and Division II programs.

“I told him this whole week is an interview for you,” Hubbert said.

Hubbert said Johnson practiced on both offense and defense. He played both ways at MHS as the Red Devils went 11-2 this past season and advanced to the third round of the state playoffs.

Hubbert said practicing and playing against top-notch competition will benefit Johnson.

“Anthony is that caliber of player,” the coach said. “Those guys are all Division I-type players, and I think that’s what Anthony is.”