Area Breaking News

  Staff Report BIRMINGHAM — Sydney Steward scored 17 points and No. 1-ranked Hazel Green’s defense throttled the No. 4 McGill-Toolen girls in a 49-22 victory in the Class 6A state semifinals Wednesday at Legacy Arena. The Trojans (35-1), who had their state-record 87-game winning streak end late in the regular season, will go for…

    By JIMMY WIGFIELD Hall of Fame coach Steve Mask, who led St. Paul’s to four state football championships, has agreed to take the head coach’s job at Theodore, multiple sources told the Call News. Mask, 66, will leave Pell City after going 1-9 in his only season there and will succeed Eric Collier,…

  Staff Report BIRMINGHAM — Unranked Priceville held the No. 7-ranked UMS-Wright girls to 26% shooting and led wire to wire in a 56-36 victory in the Class 4A state semifinals Tuesday at Legacy Arena. The Bulldogs were outscored 25-4 off their 22 turnovers in only the fourth game this season they were held under…

    Staff Report BIRMINGHAM — St. Luke’s scored its final 10 points on free throws to stave off a 13-0 Mars Hill run and held on for a 63-56 victory in the Class 2A state semifinals Monday at Legacy Arena. The Wildcats (16-11) will try to win their first state title in Friday’s 10:45…

  Staff Report MONTGOMERY — Elizabeth Meador’s fast-break three-pointer with 2:31 to go gave UMS-Wright the lead for good and the No. 7 Bulldogs held on to edge No. 4 Jackson 48-46 in the 4A South Regional girls final Wednesday. The Aggies (29-5) rallied from seven points back in the fourth period and led 44-42…

  Staff Report MONTGOMERY — Lindsey Cox scored both of McGill-Toolen’s baskets in overtime to lead the No. 4 Yellow Jackets past Theodore 38-34 in the 6A South Regional girls finals Wednesday. Cox finished with 13 points to lead McGill (29-5), which reached the state final four for the ninth time, tying Carver-Montgomery for the…

  Staff Report MONTGOMERY — Tournament MVP Devin McCaine scored 23 points to lead No. 3-ranked McGill-Toolen back to the state final four with a 65-46 romp over Blount in the 6A South Regional finals Wednesday. The Yellow Jackets (28-6) led for all but the first 43 seconds of the game and rolled to their…

    By JIMMY WIGFIELD MONTGOMERY — When Cottage Hill Christian Academy’s crestfallen players left locker room 7 in the dank catacombs of Garrett Coliseum late Tuesday night, they were told morning would still come. But the mourning will linger for a while. The No. 1-ranked Warriors saw a 15-point lead evaporate and had their…

    By JIMMY WIGFIELD MONTGOMERY — After star guard Brandon Cooks broke his collarbone in the first week of preseason practice, St. Luke’s coach Garreth Trawick still had faith his team could somehow slash through the weeds and assert itself in the playoffs if Cooks healed in time. Cooks returned six games ago with…

    By JIMMY WIGFIELD MONTGOMERY — Just about everybody but Dothan’s bus driver took turns harassing Baker star Labaron Philon Tuesday and when it was all over the Wolves cleared a path to the state tournament’s final four. Dothan’s impervious man-to-man defense held Philon to 24 points — only the ninth time this season…