In & around SEC basketball
SEC Tournament Recap
Ole Miss defeated Florida 66-63 on Sunday (Mar. 17) to capture its first SEC championship in over 30 years. Rebel sharpshooter Marshall Henderson, who scored 21 points against the Gators, was named tournament MVP. Forward Murphy Holloway posted a double-double against Florida with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
The Rebels opened the tournament by defeating Missouri, 64-62, on a
ASWA Baseball, Softball Rankings
Released March 21
Baseball
CLASS 6A
1. Smiths Station
2. Thompson
3. Hoover
4. Huntsville
5. Fairhope
6. McGill-Toolen
7. Hewitt-Trussville
8. Baker
9. Hazel Green
10. Spain Park
CLASS 5A
1. Spanish Fort
2. Faith Academy
3. Southside
4. Cullman
5. Russell County
6. Hartselle
7. Homewood
8. Demopolis
9. Chilton County
10. Etowah
CLASS 4A
1. Charles Henderson
2. Central-Florence
3. Beauregard
4. Thomasville
5. Alexandria
6. UMS-Wright
Morris returns as Gaston coach
By Gene Stanley/Sports Correspondent
There will be a familiar face roaming the sidelines of the Gaston High football field this autumn.
Swane Morris, who went 70-37 while coaching the Bulldogs from 2001-09, was hired this week to once again coach at his alma mater.
“I want to introduce the new Gaston football coach,” said Etowah County Board of Education Superintendent Dr. Alan Cosby
Hokes Bluff coach Mike Estes named to AHSAA Hall of Fame
By Gene Stanley/Sports Correspondent
Never one to bask in the limelight, Mike Estes was quick to deflect some of the glory to others concerning his recent induction into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame.
“It’s a great honor,” the former Hokes Bluff baseball coach said. “But that’s not something you shoot for. You just go about your business and if
Southside solid across the board
By Gene Stanley/Sports Correspondent
In Angie Sanders’ second term as Southside High softball coach, things have been up and down.
Last year, the Panthers were defeated in the Class 5A, Area 13 Tournament and missed regionals for the first time in years.
This season, Southside currently is ranked second n the state with a 14-3-1 record and is hopefully poised for a
Lady Jackets armed and ready
By Gene Stanley/Sports Correspondent
Following a season that saw Glencoe High lose in the second round of the North Central Regional Tournament, the softball Yellow Jackets are really swatting the ball and hope to make more noise this year.
So far, so good, as Glencoe is winning more than 80 percent of its games and currently is ranked No. 2 behind 2012
Westbrook skipper downplays current state baseball ranking
By Gene Stanley/Correspondent
Matt Kennedy is slightly confused over the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s baseball rankings.
In the ASWA poll released yesterday (Mar. 21), his Westbrook Christian team was ranked No. 7 with a 5-8 record.
“I know the records aren’t as important early,” he said. “But I think we’re a long way from being a contender.”
Westbrook certainly was a contender last season,
An ugly bill passed in an ugly way
It is amazing to read what some legislators have written in the weeks since the state legislature passed the so-called Alabama Accountability Act.
The Republicans in the Alabama legislature who concocted this bill and the deceitful (not to mention illegal) tactics to pass it, are now trying to tell us that they followed the rules and thoroughly debated this bill, which
Then and now
This week the Vagabond and the Etowah Historical Society is sponsoring several Then & Now photos from yesterday and today.
Our representative, Gary Holloway, will go and match the old photos as to where and what they now look like.
If you have an old unusual photo you want to submit, or you want to comment on our photo, please e-mail