“My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging.” ___Hank Aaron
PAGE 9 May 2022
Harrison Named Ledger Leader
Wildcats Quarterback Sports 4.5 GPA
loss to Briarwood Christian. During the 2021 season Barns earned multiple player of the week honors, as well as All-Region Honorable Mention. He will have a chance to add to his honors as a senior this fall. The Wildcats kick off the 2022 season at Scottsboro on August 19. Barnes' commitment to excellence carried over from the classroom to the field house. He noted that he has had perfect attendance at football workouts and practice. In addition to football, Barns competes in both baseball and basketball. Outside of athletics he has been active in the community helping with the Kiwanis Pancake Day, Freedom Fest, Bread of Life and Peer Helpers.
Fort Payne quarterback Jake Barnes is a leader not only on the gridiron, but also in the classroom. The three sport Wildcat standout has a 4.5 academic GPA and is one of the 2022 Ledger Leader award recipients. Barns is ranked 13th out of 228 students in the Fort Payne junior class and he is a member of the National Honor Society. He also participates in FCA, Mu Alpha Theta, and the Key Club. During his junior season this past fall, Barns helped guide the Fort Payne football program to a 6-5 record and an appearance in the first round of the AHSAA Class 6A State Playoffs. The Wildcats closed out the season with a 35-12
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger One of the 2022 Ledger Leader award winners is a four sport student athlete at Valley Head High School. Emma Harrison, who is a junior this year at Valley Head, is one of the Lady Tigers' leading basketball players. For her efforts on the court she has earned All-County and All- Area honors. She is also an All-Area Tournament Basketball team member. In addition to playing basketball, Emma is an All- American and All-County Cheerleader. She also plays softball and is a member of the school's track team. Managing four different sports can be a difficult task for some, but Emma
Emma Harrison
has been successful on the playing field and in the classroom. Emma has a 4.12 academic GPA. She is a member of the Valley Head Beta Club, SGA, FCA, and FBLA. She is also active in her church.
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Fort Payne's Jake Barnes
Fort Payne's Lily Jackson Named Ledger Leader
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger Fort Payne's Lily Jackson joins classmate Jake Barns as a 2022 Ledger Leader award recipient. Lily is a two sport student athlete at Fort Payne, playing both volleyball and softball. Her efforts helped her win the Iron Cat Award. She also helped the Wildcats' Volleyball Team win the Area Championship. Jans Named MSU Men's Head Coach Chris was recently chosen to lead the Mississippi State men’s basketball program. Jans has 12 years of Jans, experience as a head coach at the Division I and JUCO levels and he has won 20 or more games in all but one season. Over the past five seasons, Jans ushered in an unprecedented run of success at New Mexico State where “The Man” guided the Aggies to a 122- 32 record fueled by three NCAA Tournament trips. Most recently, New Mexico State pulled a patented 12-5 upset over Connecticut during the 2022 Big Dance in Buffalo, NY. Jans led the Aggies to the program’s first win in the NCAA Tournament since 1993. In the Round of 32, the Aggies held No. 4 seed Arkansas to season lows in both points (53) and field-goal percentage (.275). Jans owns an impressive .765 winning percentage (143-44) through his six seasons as an NCAA Division I head men’s basketball coach. The .765 clip is fourth nationally among active head coaches only behind Gonzaga’s Mark Few (.837), Kansas’ Bill Self (.768) and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski (.766). Jans’ 143 career wins is one of the highest totals for a head coach over his first six seasons in NCAA history. Katie Abrahamson- Henderson was recently named the third full-time head coach in Georgia women’s basketball history. She is a former UGA Lady Bulldog who has experienced outstanding success as a head coach over the last two decades, including her recent stint at UCF. Georgia Hires New Coach
Outside of athletics, Lily is one of the top students in her class at Fort Payne High School with a 4.44 academic GPA. She is also involved in numerous activities including the National Honor Society, Key Club, FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), and Mu Alpha Theta, which is the Math Honor Society.
Fort Payne's Lily Jackson
West End Duo Selected For 2022 Ledger Leader Award
Opening Round of State Baseball Playoffs Valley Head's Noah Hulgan delivers a pitch during the opening round of the 2022 AHSAA Baseball State Playoffs. The Tigers fell in the opening round to Ragland dropping game one 14-2 and game two of the series 10-0. Several other Northeast Alabama teams fell in the first round of the playoffs. Sylvania lost to Piedmont, Cherokee County fell to Brooks, and Scottsboro was defeated by Mountain Brook. In Marshall County, Arab fell to Chelsea; Guntersville was defeated by St. Clair County; and Boaz lost to Hayden. Teams advancing to the second round were: Section, Ider, Plainview, Collinsville, North Jackson and Etowah. Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger West End High School Student Athletes Conner Barnard and Avari Patterson both have 4.0 academic GPA's and both have been selected as 2022 Ledger Leader Award recipients. Conner is a baseball star at West End, where he has led the team in strikeouts. He was named Pitcher of the Year and he was a member of the East vs. West All-Star Team. Outside of sports, he is a volunteer at Rainbow Church of Christ events and he is a member of FCCLA. Avari is a cheerleader and volleyball player at West End. She helped lead the Patriots to the Volleyball Area Championship and to the Regionals. At West End she is involved in SGA, FBLA, FCA, Beta Club, and Mu Alpha Theta. Outside of school, she is a volunteer at Bethlehem Baptist events and a peer helper.
West End's Conner Barnard
West End's Avari Patterson
Ider Baseball Falls in Third Round of Playoffs Matthew Norman (#10) and his Ider teammates buzzed past Southeastern in the second round of the 2022 Class 2A State Baseball Playoffs. The Hornets won game one 5-3 and game two 13-1 to advance to round three. However, in round three the Hornets fell to Mars Hill Bible. The Etowah Blue Devils also advanced to the third round in the Class 4A Division with a victory over Westminster Christian. The Blue Devils advanced to the State Semifinals with a third round win over Jacksonville. Four baseball teams from Northeast Alabama concluded the 2022 season with a loss in the second round. Section fell to Decatur Heritage. Collinsville fell to Lauderdale County. Phil Campbell defeated Plainview and North Jackson fell to Brooks. Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
The Plainview Bears celebrate during the 2022 DeKalb County Baseball Tournament. In the semi-finals, Plainview defeated Geraldine 1-0 in 8 innings. The Bears went on to defeat Ider 8-1 in the Championship game to earn this year's county crown. Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Plainview DeKalb County Baseball Championship
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