By Gary Lloyd BIRMINGHAM – Lions are exceptional hunters, but these Lions, well, they prefer fishing. The Briarwood Christian School bass team is being featured on a show called “Winning … Continue reading ‘Winning Edges’ focuses on God, country, fishing
MONTGOMERY – The stars will descend on the capital Dec. 17.
Senior quarterbacks Taulia Tagovailoa of Thompson High School and Bo Nix of Pinson Valley headline the 2018 40-player All-Star roster for Alabama for the upcoming 32th annual Alabama-Mississippi Classic set to be played at Cramton Bowl on Monday, Dec. 17 at 6:30 p.m.
The squad was announced by Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association Director Jamie Lee. The AHSADCA, in conjunction with the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC), administers the all-star game each year. Raycom Media will be televising the game live.
Alabama holds a 22-9 edge in the series, which began in 1988 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mississippi won last year’s game at Hattiesburg 42-7 – the largest margin of defeat for Alabama in the series history.
“We thank the selection committee for doing an outstanding job selecting this year’s team,” Lee said. “We are excited about all the players chosen, but these two quarterbacks are special.”
Both quarterbacks have had already committed to Southeastern Conference Schools. Tagovailoa has committed to the University of Alabama, where his brother Tua is currently the starting quarterback. And Nix has committed to Auburn, where his dad and head coach Patrick Nix was a quarterback from 1992-95.
The team is comprised of 40 seniors selected by the AHSADCA All-Star Selection Committee, which has been meeting and studying players nominated for several months. The team must have at least one player chosen from each of the AHSAA’s eight districts and at least one player from each of the seven AHSAA classifications. Three players may be chosen from two AHSAA member schools, but no more than two players may be selected from any other member schools. Head coach is Josh Niblett of Hoover.
Tagovailoa has compiled an 18-1 record at Thompson High School since moving to Alabaster prior to the 2017 season. He led the state in passing last season completing 287-of-435 passes attempted for 3,820 yards and 36 touchdowns. He is off to an even faster start this season with 1,991 yards passing and was ranked second in the nation heading into last week. He is 144-of-225 with 20 touchdowns and just two interceptions while leading the Warriors to a 5-0 record thus far this season. He has passed for a career-high 507 yards in one game and has thrown for more than 400 yards in two other games.
Nix is 32-2 as a starter since his sophomore season. He led Scottsboro to a 12-1 record in 2016 and guided Pinson Valley to a 15-0 season and the school’s first ever Class 6A state title last year as a junior which completing 196-of-307 passes for 2,872 yards and 35 TDs. He was named Super 7 Class 6A MVP in the finals. This season he is 82-of-156 for 1,194 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Indians (5-1). Nix has passed for 409 yards in one game.
Niblett, 197-50 overall with seven state titles to his credit, will be making his second head-coaching appearance in the All-Star Classic. He coached the Alabama team to a 21-13 win in 2009. The rest of his coaching staff includes Patrick Nix, Pinson Valley; Sam Adams, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa; Shawn Rainey, Spain Park; Pat Thompson, Sweet Water; Clifford Story, Lanett; Clinton Smith, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa; Steve Mask, St. Paul’s Episcopal; and Jason Kervin, Hoover High School, who will serve as the scout coach.
Alabama’s All-Star team is loaded with players already committed to play in the SEC next season. One of the highest profile players, Oxford offensive lineman and AHSAA defending Class 6A heavyweight wrestling champion Clay Webb is still uncommitted – considering offers from virtually every major college in the U.S., including Alabama and Georgia – rumored to be his top choices at this time.
Other current Auburn commitments selected include Hoover receiver George Pickens, and Hewitt-Trussville receiver JA’Varrius Woolen-Johnson. Alabama commitments include defensive back Christian Williams of Daphne; defensive lineman D.J. Dale of Clay-Chalkville; offensive linemen Pierce Quick of Hewitt-Trussville and Amari Kight of Thompson; and Hoover place-kicker Will Reichard.
Other major-college commitments are defensive back Ray Thornton of Central-Phenix City and linebacker LaVonta Bentley of Jackson-Olin (Clemson); linebacker Kendall McCallum of Oxford (LSU); linebacker Brandon Mack of Jeff Davis (Pittsburgh); defensive back Desmond James of Spanish Fort (Mississippi State); defensive lineman Daevion Davis of James Clemens (Vanderbilt); defensive lineman LaDarrius Cox of McGill-Toolen Catholic (Tennessee); defensive lineman Checardo Person of Montgomery Catholic (Indiana); defensive lineman Patrick Lucas of Wetumpka (Ole Miss); running back Amontae Faison of Central-Phenix City (Arkansas); and receiver Trikweze Bridges of Lanett (Oregon).
I had never been to Hartselle before last night, and the city feels like a step back in time. I pulled into the parking lot – on a tennis court, … Continue reading Scenes from Briarwood Christian at Hartselle
Here are some high school football stories I’ve written so far this season for the Starnes Publishing imprint: Igniting the spark Spain Park opens with win over Hillcrest Hoover washed … Continue reading Recent high school football stories
Here are some iPhone shots — don’t judge my lack of photography skills — from the 2018 high school football season so far.
DAPHNE, Ala. – Bayside Academy rising senior Sam Koby doesn’t consider himself a “superior volunteer,” but a look at his extracurricular activities calendar shows otherwise. The president of the Daphne … Continue reading Alabama student-athlete uses lessons learned to help community
When you’re a kid in Alabama, playing Little League baseball at dusty fields, you pray that the team that selects you for the spring season will be the Braves. You … Continue reading Braves team reminds of days gone by
Some views from the 2018 SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, Alabama.
By Gary Lloyd
Pierce Quick is living up to his last name.
The Hewitt-Trussville (Alabama) offensive lineman was the quickest Class of 2019 player to commit to the University of Alabama, making his pledge in April 2017. He remained the only Class of 2019 player committed to the Crimson Tide until December 2017.
Now, the floodgates are open, and the Tide is rolling in.
Quick, from Trussville, Alabama, is leading the charge for the 2019 recruiting class for the Crimson Tide. As of this post, Alabama holds thirteen commitments and the No. 1 class in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite.
“With this 2019 class, I want to build the most well-rounded class Coach (Nick) Saban has ever had,” Quick said. “And I feel like we are on the right track to do it.”
Quick, an avid baseball fan, knows how to build a roster. He has been actively recruiting high school prospects from across Alabama and the country to take their talents to Tuscaloosa. It’s working. Of the thirteen Crimson Tide commitments, three are offensive linemen, two are defensive ends, two are quarterbacks, two are linebackers, two are defensive tackles, one is a cornerback, and one is an athlete. Six of the thirteen hail from Alabama, while the remaining seven commitments come from New Jersey, Maryland, Georgia, Mississippi, and Kentucky.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Alabama’s average rating for the 2019 class is 0.9437, better than any other class in Saban’s tenure. Alabama finished first in the 247Sports Composite rankings every year from 2011 through 2017. The Crimson Tide finished sixth in 2018.
“I think in the great classes in the past the reason they were great is because they did have someone recruiting like I am,” Quick said.
Quick is Tweeting at fellow recruits and texting the ones he knows. He may be pestering them as much as college coaches and recruiting reporters, who hound prospects about official visits and commitment timelines.
“I never really had a problem with any reporters through the whole process,” said Quick, who shut down his recruitment in March 2018 to focus on building the 2019 class for Alabama. “I understand it’s their job to try and break stories before anyone else.”
Quick has also mastered the art of the news tease. He recently responded to a recruiting reporter’s Tweet asking for Alabama recruiting questions by posting, “Will Bama fans be as excited as I am about this next commit?”
Quick earned twenty-four scholarship offers during his recruitment. At one point, he was receiving an “unreal” amount of at least twenty letters per day from universities. That is an overflowing mailbox.
“I have a huge box just filled with most of them right now,” he said. “And the phone calls were unreal, too. Some of my friends would always get mad at me because no matter what everywhere we went I was always having to call a coach.”
Despite all those offers, Quick knew that if an offer came from Alabama, he was headed to Tuscaloosa.
“I knew it was Bama just because of the fact that it’s always been a childhood dream of mine to play there,” he said.
Through the recruiting whirlwind, Quick said focusing on his Hewitt-Trussville High School team was easy because of his love for the game. Focusing on school proved difficult, as it does for most teenagers. Quick keeps his priorities straight, though.
“The most important thing to me is my faith and my family because that is what got me where I am,” he said.
Now, he has a senior season to play, on one of likely to be the best Hewitt-Trussville High School teams in school history. This year’s team includes seven players with scholarship offers from Southeastern Conference schools. Three – Quick, quarterback Paul Tyson, and wide receiver Dazalin Worsham – are committed to the Crimson Tide.
It’s hard to go against the Tide.
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves Foundation and FOX Sports South have announced the return of Community Heroes Week, the inspiring, weeklong community recognition initiative.
The third annual Community Heroes Week will take place Aug. 13-17, when the Braves host the Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies. Nominations are now being accepted and can be submitted on http://www.Braves.com/inspire.
The Braves are seeking nominations for individuals who have made a lasting and positive impact on their community in Braves Country. A panel of Braves and FOX Sports South staff will select five individuals to be named the 2018 Community Heroes Week Honorees. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, June 15.
“We have been inspired and grateful by these wonderful people in our community over the last few years,” said Atlanta Braves Director of Community Affairs Ericka Newsome. “We are delighted to continue to recognize people in Braves Country who go above and beyond to help others and make our community a better place.”
On each day of Community Heroes Week, the Braves will recognize a different Honoree by surprising them with a day of VIP treatment. From the surprise of meeting Braves players and FOX Sports South on-air talent to a game at SunTrust Park that evening, every Honoree’s day will be filled with unforgettable elements. Each Honoree’s story will also be shared during the game and in the FOX Sports South telecast, to celebrate the individual and bring awareness to their cause or organization.
“We look forward to again showcasing Honorees from Community Heroes Week during our Braves telecasts on FOX Sports South and FOX Sports Southeast,” said Rolanda Gaines, Director of Marketing and Communications for FOX Sports South. “This is fun and compelling initiative that allows us to shine a light on everyday people.”
For more information, visit http://www.Braves.com/inspire.
Gary Lloyd Books 