Basketball
Southside, Glencoe girls ranked in Jan. 17 ASWA basketball poll
Lady Panthers dispatch Hokes Bluff in semifinals
Late surge pushes Eagles past Sardis
West End promotes Brannon to varsity boys basketball coach
By Shannon J. Allen/Sand Mountain Reporter
West End High School is a special place to Clint Brannon, and he hopes to enjoy a long tenure as varsity boys basketball coach for his alma mater.
Brannon, a 2001 West End graduate, has moved up from the junior varsity coaching ranks to take over the Patriots’ varsity program.
He succeeds Keith Thr ash er, who
Gaston's Beaird chooses science over sports
By Joshua Price/Sports Editor
Gaston High School basketball star Morgan Beaird was the most highly decorated female high school athlete during the 2011-12 school year.
Beaird led the Lady Bulldogs to the Northeast Regional Tournament at Jacksonville State University. Beaird earned All-Area and All-County during her senior season, and was selected as The Messenger’s Little-7 Player of the Year.
Beaird led
Westbrook Christian's Catanzaro nets scholarship
Titans top Big 3 boys team
By Joshua Price/Sports Editor
Gadsden City High School head coach Reginald Huff was named Coach of the Year and Titan point guard Jalen Strong was named Player of the Year on the Big 3 varsity boys basketball team, which was comprised of players from Gadsden City, Southside and Etowah high schools.
Gadsden City finished 26-5 this season under Huff’s leadership and won…
Aaron, Fore top Big 3 girls team
By Joshua Price
Sports Editor
Etowah point guard Bri Aaron and head coach Ryan Fore top the Big 3 All-Messenger girls basketball team
The squad comprised of players from Etowah High School, Gadsden City High School and Southside High School. Aaron was named girls Big 3 Player of the Year and Fore was named girls Big 3 Coach of the Year.
Aaron…
Beaird, Shields top All-Messenger Little 7 Girls Team
Barkley, Edwards head All-Messenger Little 7 boys team
By Joshua Price/Sports Editor
The All-Messenger Little 7 boys basketball team is composed of the cream of the crop of the smaller high school in Etowah County - Coosa Christian, Gaston, Glencoe, Hokes Bluff, Sardis, Westbrook Christian and West End.
Westbrook Christian sophomore guard Colin Edwards was selected the 2011-12 All-Messenger Player of the Year and Glencoe head coach Ryan Barkley was…
Bluff girls fall to Pisgah in overtime
By Joshua Price/Sports Editor
It took an overtime session to decide the winner of a match of Class 3A powerhouses in Northeast Regional semifinal girls basketball on Feb. 22.
Second-ranked Pisgah defeated tenth-ranked Hokes Bluff, 78-73. The Lady Eagles finished the season 28-5, while Pisgah improved to 29-3.
Hokes Bluff trailed, 48-38, at the end of the third quarter.
Carlie Shields connected on a…
Sylvania dumps Glencoe in semifinals
Gaston girls whip Woodville
By Joshua Price/Sports Editor
Gaston weathered a sluggish third quarter to defeat Woodville, 47-31, in Northeast Regional semi-final basketball action on Feb. 21 at Jacksonville State University.
The potent Gaston offense fell flat in the third quarter, scoring only five points.
“They went to a man defense in the second half,” Gaston head coach Tonya Bogle said. “We were still getting off good…
Lady Blue Devils drop heartbreaker to Centerpoint
By Joshua Price/Sports Editor
Etowah High School played inspired basketball against Centerpoint in the semi-final Northeast Regional basketball tournament at Jacksonville State University on Feb. 21, but the Lady Blue Devils fell short to the defending Class 5A state champions, 49-39. Etowah finished the season at 19-12.
Etowah fought the Lady Eagles tooth-and-nail for three quarters before Centerpoint caught fire.
Keonna Farmer’s free…
Gaston boys fall to Cedar Bluff
By Shannon Fagan/Cherokee County Herald
It didn't take long for Cedar Bluff head coach Joe Carpenter to have a little deja vu Tuesday.
Last Friday, the Tigers fell behind by 12 points at Skyline early in the sub-regional round before his team turned up the intensity. Things started that way again against Gaston on Tuesday in the Class 1A Northeast Regional semifinals…
Cassidy, Tinker lead Glencoe to Regionals
By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
Chance Cassidy scored 25 points to lead Glencoe over White Plains in Northeast Sub-regional boys basketball action on Feb. 17, 71-61.
Cassidy and White Plains’ Jaylen Hill engaged in a fourth quarter shootout, with each netting 12 and ten points, respectively.
When White Plains was forced to foul, it was Cassidy who stepped up for the Yellow Jackets. The…
Lady Titans whip Clay-Chalkville
By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
Five Titans scored in double figures as Gadsden City smacked Clay-Chalkville, 70-50, in Class 5A Northeast Sub-Regional action on Feb. 16.
Portia Sims scored 17 points to lead all Titan scorers. Genesis McCants scored 13, while Brooke Burns netted 12 and Dajia Williams added 11. Takara Blount chipped in 10.
Gadsden City started the game sluggish offensively. Clay-Chalkville hit…
Westbrook falls in Sub-Regionals
By Deunte Marshall/Sports Correspondent
North Sand Mountain defeated Westbrook Christian on Feb. 16, 69-36, in Class 2A Northeast Sub-Regional tournament action.
The fifth-ranked Bisons dominated the post and checked the Warriors' guards in the second half.
“We missed a lot of foul shots," Westbrook head coach Barry Ryan said. "We also lost Chloe Saunders to a knee injury. They just out played us…
Lady Eagles down Piedmont, Jacksonville bound
Gaston's Beaird a rare gem
Lady Eagles fly past Ashville in area title game
By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
Carlie Shields came out shooting in the Lady Eagle’s game against Ashville on Saturday, helping the hosts build an insurmountable lead on the way to a 49-31 victory in the Class 3A, Area 10 girls basketball tournament championship.
Hokes Bluff (27-4) will play either Piedmont or Saks in Thursday’s subregional round.
Shields scored 16 first-quarter points as the No.…
Gaston falls to Ragland in area title game
By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
The Ragland Lady Devils defeated Gaston, 55-42, in the Class 1A, Area 11 girls basketball tournament finals on Saturday.
The Lady Bulldogs travel to Donoho for Thursday’s subregional round.
Gaston head coach Tonya Bogle was both happy and somewhat disappointed with her team’s effort.
“We had some mental breakdowns. We got the shots we get every game, they were just…
Late clutch shooting propels Etowah to area title
By Deunte Marshall/Sports Correspondent
With the Class 5A, Area 12 championship on the line last Saturday, Shuntara Howard hit two free throws with eight seconds left to give the Lady Blue Devils a win 45-43 win over Boaz and a home subregional game against Fort Payne on Feb. 16.
Bri Aaron led Etowah with 25 points and won Tournament MVP honors.
“Winning the…
Late rally gives Lady Warriors area title
By Shannon Fagan/Cherokee County Herald
It should have come as no surprise the Class 2A, Area 13 girls basketball championship game between Sand Rock and Westbrook Christian would come down to the wire.
Sand Rock swept the Lady Warriors in area play this season, winning both regular-season games by a total of three points, including a 60-58 win in double overtime at…
Etowah tops Southside in area tourney
Sparked by Bri Aaron's 21 points, Etowah defeated Southside, 54-49, last Thursday in the Class 5A, Area 12 girls basketball tournament in Attalla.
The Lady Blue Devils (17-11) advanced to Saturday's championship game against Boaz.
Brooke Perry added 16 points for Etowah, while Savannah Thomas paced the Lady Panthers with 11.
Beaird reaches milestone in Gaston win
Ashville downs Glencoe, will face Hokes Bluff
Bluff gals whip Susan Moore, advance to finals
High School basketball rankings
ASWA Final Prep Basketball Rankings
BOYS
CLASS 6A
1. Carver-Montgomery (22-3)
2. Bob Jones (27-1)
3. Gadsden City (24-4)
4. Baker (26-4)
5. Hoover (26-4)
6. Austin (19-7)
7. McGill-Toolen (21-6)
8. Sparkman (20-10)
9. Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (21-6)
10. Jeff Davis (23-6)
Others nominated: Baldwin County (19-11), Benjamin Russell (17-8), Central-Phenix City (21-9), Enterprise (20-6), Florence (21-7), Huntsville (20-10), Murphy (21-5), Sidney Lanier (19-7), Smiths Station (23-5), Spain Park (21-9), Thompson (19-9).
CLASS 5A
1. Wenonah…