Sports

Photo: Hokes Bluff’s Caleb McGinnis (left) attempts a jump shot as Sardis’ Jacob Hopper defends during the Lions’ 45-32 win in the Etowah County Schools Tournament semifinals last Thursday (Jan. 16) at Southside. (Courtesy of Gary Wells) ardis rallied from a three-point halftime deficit to post a 45-32 win over Hokes Bluff in the Etowah

Photo: Southside’s Ziniah Hardy (13) drives to the basket as Hokes Bluff’s Jayden Presley (33) and Madi Wolfe defend during the Lady Panthers’ 43-39 victory in the Etowah County Schools Girls basketball tournament semifinals last Thursday (Jan. 16) at Southside. (Courtesy of Gary Wells)  Maci Williams finished with a double-double of 19 points and 12

Southside High senior Bliss Brown was recognized as the MVP of the 2019 All-Etowah County Schools volleyball team during the Etowah County Schools Basketball Tournament last Wednesday (Jan. 15) at Southside High School. Brown (pictured above) finished the year with 1,266 assists, 115 kills, 114 digs, 49 aces and five blocks while helping Southside post

By Cole Frederick/Sports Correspondent Alabama Week 2 Review Nate Oats earned the first marquee win during his tenure at Alabama as his team handed Auburn its first loss of the season on Jan. 15. The Crimson Tide pulled away for an 83-64 victory over the Tigers, who were 15-0 entering the matchup. Kira Lewis scored

GIRLS Class 7A 1. Hoover 2. Spain Park 3. Foley 4. McGill-Toolen Catholic 5. Theodore 6. Austin 7. Gadsden City 8. Vestavia Hills 9. Hewitt-Trussville 10. Auburn Class 6A 1. Hazel Green 2. Athens 3. Lee-Huntsville 4. Carver-Birmingham 5. Opelika 6. Dothan 7. Eufaula 8. McAdory 9. Mae Jemison 10. Homewood Class 5A 1. Charles

Photo: Southside’s Chris Lengyel (left) drives the lane as West End’s Jeremiah Roberson defends during the Panthers’ 71-34 victory over West End in the Etowah County Schools Basketball Tournament semifinals on Jan. 15 at Southside. (Courtesy of Gary Wells)  By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor When Southside’s sharpshooters are on target, the Panthers are tough to beat, particularly

Photo: Glencoe High’s Abby Viice goes in for a layup during the Lady Yellow Jackets’ 67-27 victory over West End in the Etowah County Schools Basketball Tournament semifinals last Wednesday (Jan. 15) at Southside. (Courtesy of Gary Wells)  By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor Glencoe breezed into the girls finals of the Etowah County Schools Basketball Tournament, posting

Photo: Southside High School senior Bliss Brown signed a volleyball scholarship with Gadsden State on Jan 8. Pictured, sitting, from left: Bliss’ mom Claudette, Bliss, Bliss’ dad Veryl, Gadsden State volleyball coach Connie Clark. Standing, from left: SHS principal Julie Tucker, SHS assistant volleyball coach Michael Jaggers, SHS head volleyball coach Courtney Brothers, SHS athletic

Messenger file photo by Gary Wells The 2019 All-Etowah County Schools cross country team was announced at the Etowah County Schools Basketball Tournament on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at Southside High School. Selected to the girls’ team were Camryn Davis (pictured above), Lanora Hill, Alexis Valentine, Zoie Menk, Peyton Abernathy and Anna Parker from Southside; Katie

Photo courtesy of Alex Chaney Hokes Bluff defeated Gaston, 55-47, in the opening round of the Etowah County Schools boys basketball tournament last Tuesday (Jan. 14) at Southside. Jordan Presley led the Eagles with 23 points, followed by Ashton Gulledge with 12. Will Bagley scored 19 points for the Bulldogs, while Nick Lewis (pictured above)

Photo: Hokes Bluff’s Jayden Presley (33) drives past Gaston’s Alexis Underwood during the Lady Eagles’ 59-29 win in the opening round of the Etowah County Schools girls basketball tournament last Tuesday (Jan. 14) at Southside. (Courtesy of Alex Chaney) Four Hokes Bluff players scored in double figures in the Lady Eagles’ 59-29 win over Gaston

Photo by Alex Chaney West End edged Glencoe, 56-55, in the opening round of the Etowah County Schools Tournament in boys basketball on Monday, Jan. 13, at Southside. Jeremiah Roberson (pictured above) led the Patriots with 16 points, followed by Gavin Knue with 12 points, Eli Pearce with nine and Isaiah Roberson with eight. Daniel

Photo by Alex Chaney Madison Parker’s free throw after the end of regulation gave West End a 45-44 victory over Sardis in the opening round of the Etowah County Schools Tournament in girls basketball on Monday, Jan. 13, at Southside. Parker (Pictured above) led the Lady Patriots with 17 points, while Kayley Dobbins added 14.

Photo: Westbrook Christian’s Grayson Wright (23) looks to move past Coosa Christian’s Eli Cameron during the Warriors’ 60-39 victory in boys basketball last Monday (Jan. 13) in Rainbow City. (Chris McCarthy/Messenger)  By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor The Westbrook Christian boys basketball team learned the risk of shifting into cruise control earlier this week. Leading Coosa Christian

Photo: Westbrook Christian’s McKayla Bean (32) droves to the basket as Coosa Christian’s Kailah East. (34) defends during Coosa’s 71-40 victory in girls basketball on Monday, Jan. 13, in Rainbow City. (Chris McCarthy/Messenger)  By Chris McCarthy, Publsiher/Editor Senior center India Brown finished with a triple doubled to help Coosa Christian post a 71-40 victory over

By Cole Frederick/Sports Correspondent Nine teams from the Southeastern Conference made it to the postseason, and seven of those teams won its bowl games. Additionally, LSU advanced to the national title game and will take on Clemson this Monday (Jan. 13). A team from the SEC has played for the national championship in every season

By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor For the fourth straight year, the bell cow of the Hokes Bluff offense led the Eagles to fertile pastures. Senior halfback Darrian Meads, who in 11 games this past season rushed for 1540 yards and 17 touchdowns, is the 2019 All-Messenger football team’s Player of the Year. It was the fourth season

Photo: Southside High’s Jordan Grantland (3) drives to the basket as Etowah High’s Ollie Finch defends during the Blue Devils’ 73-49 victory in boys basketball last Tuesday (Jan. 7). (Courtesy of Gary Wells) By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor There is now officially a logjam in Class 5A, Area 12 boys basketball. Sparked by a standout effort from

Photo: Southside High’s Savannah Nunn (2) drives to the basket as Etowah’s Amayah Ash (11) and Abbi Martin (10) defends during the Lady Panthers’ 51-43 win in girls basketball on Jan. 7 at SHS. (Courtesy of Gary Wells) By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor Just prior to the start of the 2019-20 season, Southside High girls basketball coach

Photo: Glencoe High girls basketball coach Jamie Barkley (left) presents senior forward Ashley Morgan with the game ball after Morgan scored her 1,000th career point in the Lady Yellow Jackets’ 59-46 win over Hanceville on Jan. 3. (Courtesy of Gary Wells)  Glencoe High’s Ashley Morgan recently joined an elite club in high school basketball. Prior

By Cole Frederick/Sports Correspondent Tuesday, Dec. 31 Belk Bowl Virginia Tech vs. Kentucky (+2.5). The Wildcats fo-llowed up last year’s 10-win season with a 7sevenwin campaign in 2019, doing so with a wide receiver playing quarterback. Lynn Bowden, Jr., took over after injuries to two different quarterbacks, and Kentucky essentially changed its offense midway through

Photo: Gadsden City’s Quinton Densmore (13) and Etowah’s Ollie Finch (23) battles for a rebound during the Titans’ 77-65 victory in the Gadsden Area Christmas Classic championship game last Monday (Dec. 30). (Gary Wells)  By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor For the second year in a row, the Gadsden City High boys basketball team defending its home court

Photo: Gadsden City’s Trey Woods goes in for a layup as Southside’s Chris Lengyel (left) looks on during the Titans’ 52-38 victory in the Greater Gadsden Area Christmas Tournament semifinals on Dec. 27 at GCHS. (Chris McCarthy/Messenger) By Madison Cannon/Sports Correspondent Gadsden City defeated Southside, 52-28, in the semifinals of the Greater Gadsden Area Christmas

Photo: Etowah High’s Brady Troup goes in for a layup during the Blue Devils’ 52-45 victory over Westbrook Christian in the Greater Gadsden Area Christmas Tournament semifinals on Dec. 27 at GCHS. (Chris McCarthy/Messenger) By Madison Cannon/Sports Correspondent Respective fast-break layups by Ollie Finch and Ethan Foster late in the fourth quarter secured Etowah’s 52-45

Photo by Chris McCarthy By Madison Cannon/Sports Correspondent In a clash of defensive-minded teams, No. 3 seed Etowah emerged with a 54-42 win over No. 6 Hokes Bluff in the semifinals of the Greater Gadsden Area Christmas Classic on Dec. 26 at GCHS. Hokes Bluff claimed the game early on with a 10-7 lead at

By Cole Frederick/Sports Correspondent Friday, Dec. 27 Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman  North Carolina vs. Temple (+5). Expectations were low for Mack Brown’s first season back in Chapel Hill, but his Tar Heels exceeded them and finished 6-6. Brown had a very successful tenure during his first stint at North Carolina and parlayed that

By Chris McCarthyPublisher/Editor Sixteen area student-athletes recently received statewide recognition for their standout production during the 2019 high school football season. The Alabama Sports Writers Association’s All-State football team featured four local players on the first team, five on the second team and six on the honorable mention list. Making the cut at first team

Photo: Gadsden City High School seniors DeRickey Wright and Allen Merrick signed college football scholarships on Dec. 18 at the GCHS library. Pictured, sitting, from left: Christina Henderson, Wright, Merrick, Joame Cooper, Catrina Merrick, Iriall Merrick. Standing, from left: GCHS athletic director Todd Lamberth, GCHS head football coach Ali Smith. By Chris McCarthyPublisher/Editor A pair

Photo: Sardis High School senior Jacob Hopper signed a football scholarship with the University of South Alabama on Dec. 19 at the SHS gym. Pictured, sitting, from left: Jacob’s dad Jody, Jacob, Jacob’s mom Tabatha. Standing, from left: SHS assistant football coach Clay Wright, SHS assistant football coach Ty Harris, SHS assistant football coach Matt

By Cole Frederick/Sports Correspondent Friday, Dec. 20  Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl Buffalo vs. Charlotte (+6.5). Charlotte is making its first trip to a bowl game in school history, and the 49ers have had their best season since joining the FBS. Buffalo is back in a bowl game despite losing quarterback Tyree Jackson to the NFL, but