South Alabama Sports

      By JIMMY WIGFIELD Jason Massey, who led Leroy to the Class 1A state championship in 2022, has been hired as Clarke County High’s new head football coach and Superintendent Ashlie Flowers said she is looking forward to the influence he will have on and off the field. “He has a proven record and we are excited about what all he brings to the table,” said Flowers, who oversaw a special-called meeting Monday when the Clarke County Board…

    By JIMMY WIGFIELD Hall of Famer Stu Fuller, who has 816 career victories and developed more than 100 college players, has been named Mobile Christian’s new baseball coach, Head of School Clint Mitchell said Tuesday. Fuller, 60, who left Fairhope as its head coach in 2022 and served as an assistant at Saraland in 2023 and 2024, succeeds Talley Haines, who won five state championships with the Leopards and resigned last week. “I have truly missed it,” said…

      By JIMMY WIGFIELD Coal Battle did precisely what he was supposed to do until absorbing an unexpected jolt from heavily favored Journalism in the backstretch of Saturday’s 151st Kentucky Derby but the colt with Clarke County ties may race in the Preakness. Coal Battle surged cleanly out of the starting gate from the 16th post and jockey Juan Vargas promptly nudged him into the middle of the muddy track, stalked the leaders and even had the thoroughbred…

    By JIMMY WIGFIELD Coal Battle did precisely what he was supposed to do in Saturday’s 151st Kentucky Derby. He surged cleanly out of the starting gate from the 16th post and jockey Juan Vargas promptly nudged him into the middle of the muddy track, stalked the leaders and even had the colt ahead of heavily favored Journalism halfway through the race. But on the backstretch, once Journalism and Coal Battle drew eye to eye, the two thoroughbreds bumped…

    By JIMMY WIGFIELD Thomasville grocery store owner Robbie Norman never envisioned he’d be as interested in thoroughbred horses as he is in making sure there are enough heads of lettuce, bunches of bananas and ground chuck at Super Foods. “I’m just an accounting nerd,” he said, “so I sit up here and look at grocery prices all day.” When he was 11, he regretted ever putting his feet in the stirrups after getting thrown off his brother’s horse…

    By JIMMY WIGFIELD Talley Haines, who coached Mobile Christian to five baseball state championships between 2015 and 2022, has resigned to return to Missouri. “Some situations came up and it just seemed like a good time to get back with family back home,” Haines said Monday. “My wife’s mom lives back that way, so getting a chance to get back there has been something that we’ve decided to do.” Haines — who won Blue Maps in 2015, 2016,…

  Staff Report Here are the local pairings for the first round of the Alabama High School Athletic Association baseball playoffs. Each is a best-of-three series with a doubleheader on Friday and a deciding game Saturday if needed: CLASS 6A Wetumpka at Saraland Friday 4:30 p.m., Saturday 1 p.m. if needed     CLASS 5A Charles Henderson at St. Paul’s Friday 4 p.m., Saturday 11:30 a.m. if needed UMS-Wright at Headland Friday 4 p.m., Saturday 1 p.m. if needed  …

    By JIMMY WIGFIELD TUSCALOOSA — Ty Simpson would be Alabama’s starting quarterback if the Crimson Tide played Florida State this week, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said Monday. But Alabama doesn’t play the Seminoles in the season opener until Aug. 30 and Tide coach Kalen DeBoer pointedly declared he is not satisfied with the quarterback play coming out of the spring. “No questions on the quarterbacks today,” Grubb joked with reporters before issuing the dispatch Alabama fans have been…

  A long line of fans waits to get Ryan Williams’ autograph during A-Day Saturday in Tuscaloosa. (Jimmy Wigfield/Call News)     TUSCALOOSA — Jalen Mbakwe could see it coming before it happened, perhaps a trait that has allowed him to compete head up with Ryan Williams better than most the last few years in high school and at Alabama. But not on Saturday. As the Crimson Tide’s A-Day practice concluded on Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Mbakwe was told…