PlayAction Sports

by Tim Lambert

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Local sports have, in effect, gone into an early summer vacation since the state’s stay-at-home order took effect April 2. We’re now under a new safer-at-home decree, but we’re still faced with bringing you the “news between the news.” West Limestone coach Justin Taylor will be a coach of the North boys' team for the North-South All-Star game scheduled for July 14 in Montgom ery. East Limestone's Jirah Rogers is also a member of the North girls' team along with her Class 5A second team All-State honor. The In dians’ Xavier Griffith was named to the first team of the 5A boys’ AllState basketball team with teammate Austin Harvell on the second team. West Limestone's River Helms was named 4A honorable mention. Tanner's J.J. Jones was on the 2A second team; teammate Malik Atkins made the third team. Lindsay Lane's Tommy Murr was a 1A first team selection; Athens High's Caroline Bachus was on the 6A girls’ second team. Alabama defeat ed Mississippi 118-97 in their annual All-Star basketball game. East Limestone's Austin Har vell scored 12 points. Athens High boys' bas ketball coach Stace Tedford stepped down from his position, but will re main with the system. Tedford has been the Golden Eagles' coach since 2009. The Alabama High School Athletic Asso ciation Central Board ratified a record eleven proposals at their spring meeting. Among them were legislative propos al #6, which allows all transfer students com peting below varsity level to be immediately eligible if all other eli gibility requirements are met, and proposal #19 al lows dependent children of full-time classroom teachers or administra tors who accept a position in another school attendance zone to transfer to the new school and be eligible to participate in athletics at the new school if all other eligi bility requirements are met. Other recommenda tions approved included three regular season wrestling tournaments specifically for girls and the basketball mercy rule had an addition of stop ping the clock for free throws during the fourth quarter except during state semifinals and fi nals. Fall sports will now have the option of having a spring evalu ation period or starting official practice a week early. Area basketball tournaments with five or three teams would play the first round games at the site of the fourth and second seeds respective ly with the remaining games played at the top seed schools. The annual Alabama North-South Football game featuring seniors from the Class of 2021 will be moved to December starting this versity. Athens High's Josh Simmons and Park er Willoughby signed their baseball scholar ships with the schools to which they had previ ously committed; Simmons inked with Martin Methodist while Wil loughby will be going to UAH. James Clemens' Cory Hagood also made it official to play with the Chargers. Tanner's Richard Rosas and Luis Garcia received soc cer offers recently from Carl Sandburg College. West Limestone's River Helms also got football offers from Coastal Car olina, Georgia Tech, and UAB. The West Limestone fall. It will be played the week following the yearly AlabamaMississippi All-Star game. This year's game scheduled for July with 2020 se niors is still on the calendar. The National Feder ation of State High School Associa tions made changes to wrestling rules. One addressed the weigh-in protocol. Rule 4-5-7 was re written to require that a legal uniform be worn during weigh-in. Female wrestlers will be permitted to wear a form-fitted compression shirt in addition to a onepiece singlet and a suit able undergarment. Also, no additional weight al lowance will be granted, including prohibiting shoes and ear guards during weigh-in. The hair-length requirement was also removed. James Clemens grad and former Kentucky offen sive guard Logan Stenberg was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Former Athens and Southern Missis sippi wide receiver Quez Watkins was picked in the sixth round by the Philadelphia Eagles. Congratulations to East Limestone's James Oli ver for signing a soccer scholarship with Bryan College. East Lime stone's Alex Robinson accepted a track schol arship from Troy UniWildcat Diamond Club has scheduled their first annual bass tournament for June 6 at First Creek Boat Ramp at Joe Wheeler State Park. Proceeds will go toward their new baseball/softball indoor practice facility. Social distancing protocols will be in place. For more information, call 256-874- 4480 Calhoun will be host ing a variety of summer sports camps including youth baseball, softball, and golf; a high school softball prospect camp; and a baseball uncommitted showcase. For a list of camps, go online to calhoun.edu/overview/summer-camps.

West Limestone's Justin Taylor will be a coach of the North boys' team in the annual North-South All-Star basketball game (Picture credit: Dean Baucom)