Local Sports
AMONG NATION’S BEST
Staff ReportsHANCEVILLE — The success of Wallace State’s softball team on the field the last two years has resulted in individual awards for the Lions off the field.
After coming within one win of a second consecutive National Junior College Athletic Association championship this season, coach Jayne Clem’s team had three players named NJCAA First Team All-Americans.
Sophomore Sallie Van Kirk along with freshmen Kelsey Dennis and Stephanie Needham received the honors last month.
Van Kirk, Dennis and Needham were also named to the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association All-South Region First Team, while sophomore Sallie Beth Burch was selected to the second team.
Dennis was also named the NJCAA Region XXII Player of the Year for her strong season on the mound. The Pelham High graduate finished the year with a 34-4 record and a 0.84 ERA. She struck out 340 batters in 249 1-3 innings and tossed 24 complete games.
Skinner complemented Dennis with a 19-2 record and a 1.38 ERA in 24 starts.
Needham served as Wallace’s biggest power threat. The Hewitt-Trussville graduate hit .457 with 15 homers and 71 RBIs. Needham was also the Alabama Community College Conference Tournament MVP after going 4-for-4 with six RBIs against Jeff State in the championship game.
Van Kirk, who battled through an ACL injury all season, recorded a .391 average and .447 on-base percentage. She finished with 29 steals and 39 RBIs.
Burch, a Lawrence County product, hit .346 with six homers and 41 RBIs.
Van Kirk and Burch were part of a sophomore class that will be remembered for bringing a national title to Hanceville as freshmen.
“To see those girls mature as players and accomplish what they did is amazing,” said Clem. “It was their goal to get back to the national tournament after they won it as freshmen. To get back and be one inning away from winning two in a row says a lot about their character and hard work.”
Dennis, Needham and Skinner highlight a solid core returning next season. They’ll be joined by a strong freshman class led West Morgan High’s Lauren Seibert, who recently was named as the Class 3A MVP and Pitcher of the Year after leading the school to its first state championship.
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PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Eagles hold on, defeat Holly Pond in nailbiter
Late in the fourth quarter Friday night, just before a couple of big free throws, Cold Springs High girls basketball coach Tammy West pulled aside Georgia Myrex for a quick pep talk.
Except for one thing: When West placed both hands on top of her star player’s head, it looked a little more like some kind of crunch-time benediction.
Or something like that. -
PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Eagles hold on, defeat Holly Pond in nailbiter
Late in the fourth quarter Friday night, just before a couple of big free throws, Cold Springs High girls basketball coach Tammy West pulled aside Georgia Myrex for a quick pep talk.
Except for one thing: When West placed both hands on top of her star player’s head, it looked a little more like some kind of crunch-time benediction.
Or something like that. - PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Holly Pond stays unbeaten, sets up showdown with defending champs
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CULLMAN FOOTBALL: Top-ranked Bearcats return to Russellville looking for revenge — one year later
Behold the power of three.
Heading into its Class 5A quarterfinal tonight at Russellville, Cullman High’s football team has already avenged two of its three losses from the 2008 season.
In week six, the Bearcats beat Erwin 42-16 to avenge a 25-20 loss from last season. And in week eight, Cullman downed Mountain Brook 28-13 to get revenge for last year’s 49-34 defeat.
Guess who the third target is. -
TALKIN' PREPS: Looks like more basketball parity this season
No juggernauts. No clear-cut favorites. Just a bunch of basketball teams that could beat every other team in the area.
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AUBURN FOOTBALL: Washington may be playing himself into job as kick returner
The road to success has been long for Demond Washington.
Just about as long as his big return last weekend against Georgia.
With his Auburn Tigers trailing 24-17 in the fourth quarter this past Saturday, Washington took a Bulldogs kickoff at his own 1-yard line, weaved in and out of traffic and sped all the way to the end zone for a 99-yard touchdown. -
CULLMAN FOOTBALL: Versatile Adams fills multiple roles in Cats’ offense
Connor Adams has worn several labels over the past 15 months.
Starting running back, injured reserve, H-back, Wildcat quarterback, fill-in running back — those all fit the bill.
But here’s another one Adams can claim, and it’s something a little different:
Blessed. -
PREP BASKETBALL: Raiders give Hulsey family bragging rights
Tristan Hulsey didn’t hear a congratulatory yell from his father when he made a layup to give West Point High a one-point advantage heading into halftime.
His dad had a look of disgust on his face, instead. -
PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Aggies hold on, defeat Douglas
airview High’s basketball team stayed unbeaten with a nailbiting win Tuesday night, beating Douglas 52-20.
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PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Eagles hold on, defeat Holly Pond in nailbiter
