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PAGE 6A October 2023 PAGE 10 January 2024
Plainview's 8th Straight Sand Mountain Tournament Title Makes AHSAA Spotlight
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger
Coker has sparked the Fort Payne program this season and he guided the Wildcats to 17 straight wins before suffering a 70-58 loss to Scottsboro on December 28. At press time the Wildcats were at 21-2 overall this season. Fort Payne's Luke Stephens had 25 points and seven rebounds in a 54-43 win over South Atlanta in the Wills Valley Shootout over the Christmas break. The Wildcats also beat Orange Beach 65-31 and Smyrna (GA) 68-33. Stephens had 20 points and six assists versus Smyrna and 12 points in the Orange Beach win. Luke Scott also had 17 points versus South Atlanta, 16 points against Orange Beach and 18 points in the win over Smyrna. Plainview’s record-setting Sand Mountain Tournament title edged out Fort Payne’s blazing start and Huntsville’s first Huntsville City Classic title in more than 30 years for the AHSSA spotlight. VARSITY GIRLS TOURNAMENT The Plainview varsity girls won the Sand Mountain Tournament Crown for the second consecutive season. Plainview, led by a 22 point performance by MVP Sawyer Kate Hulgan, defeated Pisgah 74-38 in the finals. It makes the second straight year that Hulgan has earned the tournament's MVP Honor. Plainview teammates Lauren Jimmerson and Kami Sanders both reached double digits in he win. Sanders scored 14 points and Jimmerson had 12 points. All three players, along with teammate Ali Price, were named to the All-Tournament Team. Campbell Barron paced Pisgah with 14 points. Paisley Patalas had 12 points and Piper Anderson chipped in six points. Aston Childress recorded 4 points and Madeline Flammia continued two points. Barron, Anderson, and Childress all represented Pisgah on the 2023 All-Tournament Team. Others players named to the 2023 All-Tournament team include: Ider’s Kennzie Smith and Brynley Traylor; Sylvania’s Meredith Jackson and Molly Weaver; and North Sand Mountain’s Kayden Reyes.
This past December, the Plainview Bears varsity boys basketball program defeated DeKalb County rival Geraldine 70-57 to win the program's eighth consecutive Sand Mountain Tournament Title. The winning streak set a Sand Mountain tournament record and it earned Plainview statewide recognition in a recent weekly AHSAA Boys’ Basketball Spotlight. According to the AHSAA Spotlight, Plainview's 6-foot-6 senior Landon White scored 18 points in the finals to lead the defending Class 3A state champion Bears to the Sand Mountain Tournament title. White's performance also helped him earned MVP honors. Plainview teammates Cy Traylor scored 14 points, Owen Wilborn had 13 points and Sawyer Wilborn added 12 points for the Bears. Plainview defeated North Sand Mountain 69-30 and Crossville 94-28 in the first two rounds of the tournament. The Bears are under direction Cale Black, who is back in his coaching role at Plainview. Black served as the Bears coach from 2002-2004, before leaving the position to take over as the head coach at Geraldine High School. During his tenure at Geraldine Black guided the Bulldogs to the 2015-16 Sand Mountain Tournament Title. His teams also won Area Titles in 2006 and 2014. Black also served as head coach at Boaz High School from 2019 through the 2022-2023, when he decided to return to Plainview. Before his coaching career, Black set a number of shooting records while in high school at Crossville, and he was an amazing 3-point shooter back in the day. Black appears to be a perfect fit at Plainview, as the Bear's led the nation in 3-point goals twice in recent years under former head coach Robi Coker. Coker moved to Class 6A Fort Payne following a 31-6 season last year at Plainview. Overall, Coker compiled a 257-75 record over 10 seasons with the Bears He also won state crowns in 2018 and 2019 at Plainview.
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Fort Payne's Luke Stephens
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Plainview's Sawyer Kate Hulgan
Pisgah's Alex Wright (#22) and Sylvania's Meredith Jackson (#2) battle for the basketball during the semifinals of the 2023 Sand Mountain Tournament on Thursday, December 21 in Fyffe. Pisgah defeated Sylvania 52-39 to advance to the girls' tournament finals against Plainview. The Plainview Lady Bears defeated the Ider Hornets 58-24 and Pisgah 74-38 in the tournament championship game. Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Plainview's Kami Sanders in action against Ider. The Lady Bears defeated Ider 72-31 to win the 2024 DeKalb County Tournament.
Sand Rock Coach Lisa Bates congratulates Katelyn St. Clair for scoring her 2,000th career point. St. Clair had 36 points, six rebounds, five steals and five assists in the Wildcats’ 76-31 Class 2A victory over Fyffe.
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Geraldine's Kaley Brock (#10) in action against Crossville earlier this season.
Vols Five-Star Signee Mike Matthews Named Polynesian Bowl Offensive MVP
For second straight year, a University of Tennessee football the signee has claimed the Offensive MVP award of the Polynesian Bowl, as five-star wide receiver Mike Matthews earned the honor in leading Team Makai to a 28-17 win over Team Mauka on January 19, 2024. First played in 2017, the Polynesian Bowl is one of the top high school all- star games in the country featuring top 100 prep players. A year prior to earning Citrus Bowl MVP honors, Tennessee true freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava was the 2023 Polynesian Bowl MVP with 249 yards of total offense and a touchdown in leading Team Makai.
Matthews, a native of Lilburn, Georgia, hauled in two passes for 44 yards highlighted by a big catch- and-run touchdown. Matthews signed with the Volunteers last month and participated in Citrus Bowl practices. He was considered the No. 22 overall player in the country by Rivals. Additionally he is ranked
No. 25 by 247Sports and No. 46 by On3. Matthews was one of five Tennessee players playing in the Polynesian Bowl. In addition, edge rusher Jordan Ross, offensive lineman Bennett Warren, linebacker Edwin Spillman and quarterback Jake Merklinger excelled during practices in Honolulu, HI.
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Albertville's Keandre Yancy (#0) takes it to the basket during the Aggies game against the Sardis Lions earlier this season. Both teams have won their respective games in the Marshall County and Etowah County Tournaments. Albertville defeated Douglas 48-43 on Saturday, January 20, 2024 to advance in the tournament. The remaining Marshall County Tournament games were played after press time for the January edition of The Sports Ledger. Sardis won the 2024 Boys' Etowah County Tournament. The Lions defeated Glencoe 71-51 in the championship game. The Sardis Varsity girls fell to Southside in the championship game of the 2024 Girls' Etowah County Tournament.
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