Sports

By Cole Frederick/Sports Correspondent Auburn Week 2 Review The Tigers improved to 2-0 after a sluggish 24-6 win over Tulane. Auburn was stagnant offensively for most of the game and struggled to run the ball against the Green Wave. The Auburn defense was predictably stout, and Tulane was never really a threat on offense as

Photo: Etowah High’s Trent Davis avoids a pair of Crossville defenders during the Blue Devils’ 49-7 victory in high school football on Sept. 6 in Attalla. (Travis Greene) By Madison Cannon/Sports Correspondent Class 5A No. 5 Etowah took on Region 7 rival Crossville on Sept. 6 at Jim Glover Field in Attalla and the Blue

Photo: Gadsden State’s Zoe Busbee (14) blocks a kill attempt by Snead State’s Jadia Gary during the Lady Cardinals’ 25-15, 27-25, 25-21 victory in Alabama Community College Conference volleyball action on Sept. 9 in Gadsden. (Chris McCarthy/Messenger) By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor The Gadsden State volleyball teams made short work of its region neighbor and Alabama Community

Class 7A Rank Record Points 1. Thompson 3-0 285 2. McGill-Toolen 2-0 249 3. Central-Phenix City 2-1 205 4. Hoover 2-1 180 5. Hewitt-Trussville 3-0 169 6. Mountain Brook 3-0 118 7. Theodore 3-0 97 8. Lee-Montgomery 3-0 81 9. Austin 3-0 45 10. Auburn 2-1 36 Others receiving votes: Prattville (2-0) 9, Vestavia Hills

Messenger file photo by Travis Greene Several area football players were recognized for the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Prep Spotlight of the Week. Sardis senior running back Luke Morris rushed 21 times for 223 yards and a score and caught a pass for a touchdown in the Lions’ 33-31 win over Southside-Gadsden. Sardis receiver

Photo by Alex Chaney Several local runners competed in the Pleasant Valley Invitational cross country meet last Saturday (Sept. 7). Glencoe’s Katie Giles (pictured above) was the area’s lone top 10 finisher with a sixth place time of 22:47.82. Hokes Bluff had four runners finish in the top 25 – Sam Green (12th, 20:09.36), Jackson

Photo: Sardis High’s Temon Wilson (2) stiff-arms Southside’s Broady Johnson during the Lions’ 33-31 victory in high school football last Friday (Sept. 6). (Gary Wells) By Cole Frederick, Sports Correspondent After last week’s season-opening loss to Sylvania, Sardis coach Gene Hill challenged his team to respond quickly and improve entering Friday night’s region contest at Southside’s

By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor Photo: Westbrook Christian’s Ryan Scott follows the blocking of John Harvey (right) and Brandon Morgan (42) during the Warriors’ 35-0 victory over Vinemont last Friday (Sept. 6) in Rainbow City. (Colin Edwards) It’s so far, so good for the 2019 Westbrook Christian football team. After a scoreless first quarter, the Warriors scored

Photo: Hokes Bluff’s Tristan Billingsley (right) catches a touchdown pass in back of a White Plains defender during the Eagles’ 45-21 victory in high school last Friday (Sept. 6). (Alex Chaney) Darrian Meads ran for 245 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Hokes Bluff opened Class 4A, Region 6 play with a 45-21 victory

Photo: Gadsden City’s Trey Blount tries to break free from Sparkman’s Kahlil Griffin during the Titans’ 51-27 loss last Friday (Sept. 6) in Harvest. (Ragan White) Courtesy of al.com Gadsden City fell to 0-3 on the season and 0-1 in Class 7A, Region 7 play after a 51-27 loss to Sparkman last Friday (Sept. 6)

West End opened its Class 2A, Region 7 schedule last Friday (Sept. 6) with a 65-44 loss to Cleveland in Walnut Grove. After the Patriots (0-3, 0-1) took a 14-0 lead on touchdown runs of 80 and 4 yards by quarterback Eli Pearce (pictured above), the Panthers scored 30 straight points. The Patriots took an

By Gary Hanner/St. Clair Times Ashville fell to 1-2 on the season and 0-1 in Class 4A, Region 6 play as the Bulldogs lost to the Jacksonville, 54-17 last Friday (Sept. 6). The Bulldogs scored first on a three-yard run by Luke Harris. The extra point was no good but with 2:36 remaining in the

R.A Hubbard, 29, Coosa Christian 20 Coosa Christian came up short to R.A Hubbard, 29-20, in the Conquerors’ Class 1A, Region 7 opener last Friday (Sept. 6) in Gadsden. For Coosa, Evan Delp caught three passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns. Trevor Horne was 2 for 3 in passing for 110 yards and two

By Cole Frederick/Sports Correspondent Auburn Week 1 Review Bo Nix could not have asked for a more memorable start to his collegiate football career. With Auburn trailing 21-20 with no timeouts and only 16 seconds remaining, the true freshman quarterback hurled a 26-yard strike to Seth Williams for the game-winning touchdown to propel the Tigers

Photo by Alex Chaney Several area football players were recognized for the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Prep Spotlight of the Week. Hokes Bluff senior running back Darrian Meads (pictured above) rushed for 212 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries in the Eagles’ 21-0 win over Southside. Etowah junior quarterback Brady Troup completed 10

Class 7A Rank Record Points 1. Hoover 2-0 309 2. McGill-Toolen 2-0 227 3. Central-Phenix City 1-1 206 4. Thompson 2-0 188 5. Hewitt-Trussville 2-0 161 6. Mountain Brook 2-0 119 7. Theodore 2-0 98 8. Lee-Montgomery 2-0 81 9. Austin 2-0 44 10. Auburn 1-1 33 Others receiving votes: Prattville (2-0) 13, Vestavia Hills

Photo: The Southside High boys cross country team gathers for a photo after winning the Yellow Jacket Invitational 5K last Saturday (Aug. 31) at Choccolocco Park in Oxford. Pictured, kneeling, from left: Bo Parker, Drew Simmons, Will Anglea, Luke Holcomb, Mason Williamson. Standing, from left: Sam Kilgo, Parker Cunningham, Hayden Tucker, Ryan Maudsley, Garrett McWhorter, River

Etowah 43, Moody 13 Brady Troup completed 10 of 12 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score – all in the first half – in the Blue Devils’ 43-13 victory over Moody on Aug. 30. The junior quarterback threw touchdown passes to Trent Davis, NyNy Davis and Andrew Pierce while

Photo: Gaston’s Malikah Warren (8) attempts to avoid Sand Rock’s Howie Holland as Josh Campbell (11) looks on during the Bulldogs’ 19-6 loss in high school football last Friday (Aug. 30). (Travis Greene) By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor Gaston hung tough against Sand Rock on Friday (Aug. 30), but self-inflicted wounds doomed the Bulldogs in a 19-6

Photo: Hokes Bluff’s Darrian Meads (left) stretches the ball across the goal line before Southside’s Chance Moon can bring him down during the Eagles’ 21-0 victory in high school football on Thursday, Aug. 30, at HBHS. (Alex Chaney) By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor It’s not often that a high school football team turns the ball over three

By Cole Frederick/Sports Correspondent SEC Football Standings 1. Georgia 2. Alabama 3. LSU 4. Texas A&M 5. Auburn 6. Missouri 7. Mississippi State 8. Florida (1-0) 9. Kentucky 10. South Carolina 11. Tennessee 12. Ole Miss 13. Vanderbilt 14. Arkansas Week 1 Previews and Predictions Auburn vs. Oregon (+3.5). For the second straight season, the

Photo: The Ashville High boys and girls cross country teams both took first place out of 13 schools at the St. Clair County Invitational last Saturday (Aug. 24) in Odenville. Pictured, kneeling, from left: coach Michele Rogers, Callie Stewart, Emma Drinkard, Meghan McCarthy, Molly Northam, Grace Staples, Kathleen McCarthy. Standing, from left: Bruce Pantoja, Walker

Released Aug. 28 CLASS 7A Team (first-place); W-L; Pts 1. Hoover (25); 1-0; 309 2. McGill-Toolen (1); 1-0; 222 3. Central-Phenix City; 0-1; 208 4. Thompson; 1-0; 187 5. Hewitt-Trussville; 1-0; 166 6. Auburn; 1-0; 117 7. Mountain Brook; 1-0; 98 8. Theodore; 1-0; 81 9. Lee-Montgomery; 1-0; 64 10. Austin; 1-0; 15 Others receiving

Photo: Etowah’s Ny Ny Davis (left) looks to get past Gadsden City’s Quinton Densmore during the Blue Devils’ 31-23 victory in high school football on Aug. 23 at GCHS. (Gary Wells) By Chris McCarthy/Publisher/Editor John Holladay’s inaugural halftime speech at Etowah seemed to have struck the right chord on Aug. 23 in Gadsden. After watching

Messenger file photo by Chris McCarthy By Cole Frederick/Sports Correspondent A pair of untimely penalties, a busted play and a second quarter miscue ultimately doomed Southside in a 26-20 overtime loss to Lincoln in the Panthers’ season opener on Friday (Aug. 23) at Barney-Hood Stadium. The Panthers trailed 20-7 at halftime but battled back to

Photo: Ashville’s Luke Harris (5) is tackled by Ragland’s Montana Campbell (2), Brody Bice (10) and Elijah Ball (12) during the Bulldogs’ 35-0 win in high school football on Aug. 23 at AHS. (Gary Hanner/St. Clair Times) By Gary Hanner/St. Clair Times Things did not go well for the Ragland Purple Devils in their season

Photo: Westbrook Christian’s Will Noles (left) runs for a first down as Joe Tucker (8) blocks Coosa Christian’s Cadden Moore during the Warriors’ 50-24 victory in high school football on Aug. 22 in Rainbow City. (Gary Wells)  By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor The Drew Noles Era at Westbrook Christian started off with a bang on August 22. After turning

Photo: West End quarterback Eli Pearce prepares to pitch the ball during the Patriots’ 56-14 loss to Susan Moore on Aug. 22 in Blountsville. (Shannon J. Allen/Sand Mountain Reporter) By Shannon J. Allen/Sand Mountain Reporter A sign on the fence along the Susan Moore High School sideline featured the message “The Bite is Back.” The

GADSDEN CITY SENIORS. Pictured, first row, from left: Kenneth Mabry, Arlando Jennings, Sam Day, Martavious Baker, Eric Heard, Trey Blount. Second row, from left: Korey Isom, Khalil Marshall, Quinton Densmore, Jovan Sumpter, Jackson Veasy, Jalen Robinson, Jakari Embry. Third row, from left: Allen Merrick, Phillip Hunter, Paden New, Daniel Sparks, DeRickey Wright, Levi Adams. (Courtesy of

SOUTHSIDE SENIORS. Pictured, kneeling, from left: Mahmood Abbassi, Zeke Hefner, Coleman Scales, Darryance Wofford, Jance Vaughn, Gage Lowman. Standing, from left: Austin Schatz, Colton Morrison, Bailey Sparks, Nolan Johnson, Malachi Leath, Chance Moon. (Chris McCarthy/Messenger)  By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor Answer: 4,613 yards and 51 touchdowns. Question: What did Southside’s recently graduated standout halfback produce over the