Area Sports
K.J. Lacey, Santae McWilliams lead No. 1 Saraland to third straight Super 7 with 47-12 romp over Pike Road
By JIMMY WIGFIELD PIKE ROAD — No. 1-ranked Saraland was leading Pike Road 26-0 early in the second half Friday night with a third straight trip to the Super 7 all but assured, yet as far as Spartans coach Jeff Kelly was concerned, it was 0-0. “I felt like we…
Read MoreToilet paper flies, hopes soar that Auburn has turned the (Toomer’s) Corner
AUBURN — For the first time in a long time Saturday night into early Sunday morning, Auburn fans finally got to use toilet paper the way nature intended. They rolled the trees, power lines, manhole covers, parking meters and each other at Toomer’s Corner after 88,000 of them and their…
Read MoreVigor, Jackson roll into semifinals
By ARTHUR L. MACK PRICHARD — Carlos Benjamin ran for 116 yards on 14 carries and had touchdown runs of 31 yards and 1 yard and Jamarion Osborne threw a 62-yard touchdown pass on a trick play to Dylan Jackson as No. 5 Vigor routed UMS-Wright 41-10 in the Class 5A quarterfinals Friday…
Read MoreNo. 1-ranked Saraland unloads on Spain Park, 45-19, to reach 6A semifinals
By JIMMY WIGFIELD SARALAND — Maybe it was the new cleats K.J. Lacey was wearing. Or the fact Spain Park was playing its safeties all the way back to Europe. Or how Saraland’s offensive linemen folded up the people in front of them like church chairs at a tent revival.…
Read MoreChance decision turned out right for Saraland’s Jeff Kelly, who learned how to coach football on the job and became one of the state’s best
By JIMMY WIGFIELD SARALAND — If not for a chance visit by a UPS driver 20 years ago, Jeff Kelly might be running the worldwide shipping giant instead of coaching football. Like UPS, Kelly knows how to deliver the goods. UPS says its on-time delivery rate is 97.5%. Kelly is practically as good…
Read MoreSaraland QB K.J. Lacey jumps into history book but he cares more about winning than stats
__________________ “If you look at how quarterbacks are judged, at the collegiate level and at the NFL level, they talk about the greatest ever is a guy like Tom Brady. It’s about winning games. There may be other guys that throw for more yards. Those guys are really kind of an afterthought to the ones…
Read MoreUMS-Wright stays alive; Saraland, Jackson, Millry advance in playoffs
By JOEY WARNER MOBILE — Defensive back David Lott blocked an extra point and intercepted a pass to secure UMS-Wright’s 7-6 win over Andalusia in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs Friday night at Cooper Stadium. The Bulldogs used a 76-yard, 12-play drive that burned up 6½ minutes to score all…
Read MoreWIGFIELD: ‘We ran into a buzzsaw,’ MGM’s Zach Golson says, but future remains bright
Mary G. Montgomery coach Zach Golson is 21-3 in the last two seasons with two straight 7A Region 1 titles, making him a highly attractive prospect for coaching vacancies at top programs statewide, including Prattville. But he indicated he is happy at MGM. “We’re in the middle of building something we think is special and…
Read MoreBaker edges Hewitt-Trussville in 2 OTs; Vigor, Williamson, Jackson, UMS-Wright, St. Paul’s among other first-round winners
By ROBERT LADNIER MOBILE — Blayne Munson overcame two missed field goals by nailing a 22-yard attempt in the second overtime to lift Baker to a 17-14 win over Hewitt-Trussville in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs Friday night. After the Hornets took the lead in overtime, Zack Williams and Kaden…
Read MoreMobile Christian shows it belongs in 21-14 playoff loss to Tallassee
By JIMMY WIGFIELD TALLASSEE — Mobile Christian was uncertain it would be in the playoffs after finishing the regular season 3-6. In fact, first-year coach Charles Lawson gave anybody on his already depleted roster who didn’t want to stick around an open door to leave. “We went in with the doubts of being…
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