South Alabama Sports

By JIMMY WIGFIELD Theodore all-state running back Brayden Jenkins is having a tougher time finding openings with Division I programs than he did while prying opposing defenses apart for 2,000 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns as a senior. Jenkins (5-10, 180), who is a member of the National Honor Society and has a 3.9 GPA, said he has received offers from Huntingdon and Millsaps but no Division I programs have shown him serious interest, even after he ran for 2,043…

By JIMMY WIGFIELD After learning he was Gatorade’s Alabama Player of the Year, Saraland wide receiver Ryan Williams thought more about what is ahead of him than what was behind him — and with Williams, those things are usually far behind. “As soon as we let Ryan know he won the Gatorade award, he was excited about it and his comment was, ‘Now, we’ve got to go have a great workout today,’” Spartans coach Jeff Kelly said. “That kind of…

This is an opinion piece By JIMMY WIGFIELD AUBURN — After winning its first football state championship with only four senior starters, Saraland’s immediate prospects for adding more Blue Maps will depend more on how it reacts than what the Spartans’ opponents will do. After securing the trophy every team wants — it was fitting for star wide receiver Ryan Williams to carry it off the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium after a 38-17 win over Mountain Brook Friday night —…

    By JIMMY WIGFIELD AUBURN — There is decent speed, great speed, greased lightning and hypersonic speed, then there is Ryan Williams speed, which comes with the added shock of having your insides unzipped if you’re not wearing a Saraland jersey. Williams relishes being the fastest kid on the playground and he’ll smilingly snatch your lunch money, fidget spinners and ice cream cone — he’ll gulp it down without getting brain freeze — and you’ll try to catch him…