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For the second straight year, Lanett quarterback Kristian Story has a chance to be the first football player from Chambers County to bring home the Mr. Football Award.

“That’s any football player’s goal in the state of Alabama,” Story said. “For me to actually win, it would be big for us small school kids, because people thought that a small school kid will never win it because the competition or their level of play isn’t as good as the big school kids. It’ll prove a lot of people wrong.”

Kristian completed his high school career on the plains at Jordan-Hare Stadium, claiming a state championship for the second time in three years.

The senior was on a mission in his last playoffs. He totaled 1,509 yards of offense and scored 23 touchdowns while completing 65.6 percent of his passes. In the five-game stretch, he set two state records. He is the first player in state history to score 175 touchdowns and gain more than 13,000 yards.

The Alabama signee finished with 9,070 passing yards, which is eighth all-time and 119 passing touchdowns, which is third in state history.

For the season, Kristian scored 52 touchdowns (35 passing and 17 rushing) while gaining 4,058 total yards. He averaged just under 10 yards a carry and 16.6 yards a completion.

In six of the Panthers’ 14 games, the Alabama commit didn’t play in the second half. He sat out the fourth quarter in another six games.

Story was named one of the 13 offensive players in the country to be named a Sports Illustrated All-American and one of 50 football players in the country to be named a Gatorade Player of the Year.

But there’s only one Mr. Football.

“That’s [the Mr. Football award] the Heisman Trophy in the state of Alabama. You can’t get any bigger than Mr. football,” Lanett head coach and Story’s father Clifford Story said. “We’re excited for him to be in position with an opportunity to win. Like I always say, you can’t win if you’re not in, so he’s done what he’s supposed to do.”

In 2018, Kristian was nominated as one of the three best backs (quarter or running) in 1A. As a junior, he rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and threw for 2,434 yards with a torn labrum in his shoulder.