The Alabama Sports Writers Association released its Back and Linemen of the Year finalists late Saturday night.

The Class 5A contenders for Back of the Year were Guntersville’s Jordan Bentley, St. Paul’s Ostin McPherson and Jackson’s Demarcus Williams.

Notice anyone missing?

West Point coach Don Farley does.

Kobe Smith.

The Warriors’ superstar running back was snubbed by the ASWA — which dubbed the senior an All-State first-team athlete last week — despite rushing for 26 touchdowns and a county-record 2,233 yards on 268 carries scattered over 11 games. Smith sported one of the state’s highest rushing averages per game at 203 yards, tallied 8.3 yards a tote, and added a touchdown apiece in the receiving and return departments. His one and only fumble came in West Point’s opener.

The Warriors were 6-5 and earned their second straight playoff berth after region-mate J.O. Johnson forfeited four games.

Bentley turned 278 carries into 2,096 yards and 38 touchdowns for quarterfinalist Guntersville (12-1). He averaged 174.7 yards per game and 7.5 per attempt.

McPherson ended the fall for state-champion St. Paul’s (13-2) with 2,088 yards and 20 touchdowns on 281 carries, as well as a TD reception. He averaged 139.2 yards per game and 7.4 per rush.

Williams finished with 3,330 total yards and 41 touchdowns between the air and ground as the quarterback for semifinalist Jackson (13-1), which spent most of the season at No. 1.

“5A Back of the Year is tough because there are some great quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers,” Farley said. “Kobe’s definitely one of the top running backs. He’s proven that on the field. He got his yards by being a single back and the focal point of every defense we played. If it was pass protection, blocking for wide receivers in the screen game, special teams or defense, he was always full speed.”

Hanceville’s Diamond Simmons was the last local football player to win one of the ASWA’s top awards. The speedster, who recently wrapped up his junior season at UNA, was the 3A Back of the Year in 2011 after running for 2,106 yards and 28 touchdowns on only 132 carries.

See below for the Back and Linemen of the Year finalists for each of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s seven classes, as well as the Alabama Independent Schools Association:

2015 ASWA Back/Linemen of the Year Finalists

CLASS 7A

BACK

Kyriq McDonald, James Clemens

La’Mical Perine, Theodore

Henry Ruggs III, Lee-Montgomery

LINEMAN

Carlton Martial, McGill-Toolen

Walter Pritchett, Central-Phenix City

Labryan Ray, James Clemens

CLASS 6A

BACK

Tyler Johnston, Spanish Fort

Ty Pigrome, Clay-Chalkville

T.J. Simmons, Clay-Chalkville

LINEMAN

Deonte Brown, Austin

Thomas Johnston, Spanish Fort

Lyndell Wilson, Carver-Montgomery

CLASS 5A

BACK

Jordan Bentley, Guntersville

Ostin McPherson, St. Paul’s

Demarcus Williams, Jackson

LINEMAN

Marlon Davidson, Greenville

Darius Whitfield, St. Paul’s

Quinnen Williams, Wenonah

CLASS 4A

BACK

Noah Ard, Cordova

Kaleb Barker, Priceville

Tre’ Nation, Leeds 

LINEMAN

Sterling Jones, St. James

Dee Nalls, Fayette Co.

Josephus Smith, Leeds

CLASS 3A

BACK

Taylor Hayes, Piedmont

Pace Ozmint, Glencoe

Kearvae Qualls, Colbert Co.

LINEMAN

Neonta Alexander, Piedmont

Ben Davis, Gordo

Austin Troxell, Madison Acad.

CLASS 2A

BACK

Peyton Gilliland, Cleveland

Dilan Kilpatrick, Fyffe

Chadarius Townsend, Tanner

LINEMAN

Blaine Hudson, Elba

Ethan Jones, Fyffe

Austin Lewter, Tanner

CLASS 1A

BACK

Terrance Dunlap, Maplesville

Tommy Spivey, Brantley

Grayson Wakefield, Decatur Heritage

LINEMAN

Cameron Longmire, Georgiana

Tanner Swinney, Hackleburg

Devan Wallace, Maplesville 

AISA

BACK

Kris Brown, Escambia Acad.

Nathan Rourke, Edgewood Acad.

Jackson Tate, Edgewood Acad.

LINEMAN

Trey Carter, Monroe Acad.

Steven Stuntz, Springwood School

Mike Williams, Bessemer Acad.