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PAGE 8 E-Edition February 2026
Miami Falls To Indiana in National Championship JAX STATE ADDS GOLFER - Jax State Director of Golf SIDELINE SPORTS
Robbie Fields has signed Sophia Blake to join the team for the 2026-27 season. Blake comes to Jax State from Redlands Community College where she is currently the No. 1 player in her region and is 35th nationally. Earlier this fall, she was the medalist at the Fall Aggie Women's Invitational and has two other top 10 finishes. During her freshman season, the native of Jiutepec, Mexico had a pair of wins, highlighted by the NJCAA Central District Championship where she finished six under for 36 holes. Blake posted five top five finishes and was ranked 20th nationally. FOOTBALL AT JOE DAVIS STADIUM - Huntsville's Joe Davis Stadium will host Division I football for the first time in the stadium’s new era as North Alabama takes on Samford to open the 2026 season on Wicks Family Field. The game will be played on August 29, 2026 at 6 p.m. SARDIS TRIO HEADED TO COLLEGE - A Trio of student athletes at Sardis High School recently committed to taking their talents to the next level. Grace Edwards has signed a softball scholarship with Covenant College. Vada Willmore signed a volleyball scholarship with Gadsden State Community College. Jaylee Voss signed a softball scholarship with Snead State Community College. CBS SPORTS CLASSIC - The CBS Sports Classic has added Kansas to its annual college basketball showcase featuring four of the nation's top programs, joining Kentucky, North Carolina and Ohio State. The signature doubleheader, which began in 2014 and is broadcast each year on The CBS Television Network and streamed live on Paramount+, has been extended through 2029 with all four schools. The 2026 CBS Sports Classic will be held on Saturday, Dec. 19 and will return to Madison Square Garden in New York City. The doubleheader matchups for this year's event will include Kansas facing Ohio State and North Carolina taking on Kentucky. The matchups - which will rotate each year - and dates for the CBS Sports Classic in 2027, 2028 and 2029 have also been set. Kentucky will take on Ohio State on Dec. 18, 2027, Kansas on Dec. 16, 2028 and North Carolina again on Dec. 15, 2029. Sites for the additional three future dates have not been determined. FLORIDA FOOTBALL - The University of Florida's 2026 football game against instate rival Florida State in Tallahassee has been moved from Saturday, Nov. 28 to Friday, Nov. 27. Time and TV designation for the game will be announced at a later date. The game will mark the first regular-season, Friday contest for the Gators since they played the Seminoles on the day after Thanksgiving in 2022. Also, the Florida Gators will play this year's Orange & Blue Game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, April 11, at 12 p.m. UF's annual spring game will give fans the opportunity to experience a Gators gameday at The Swamp for the first time under new head coach Jon Sumrall. Additional details about the game, including streaming and broadcast information and fan initiatives, will be announced at a later date. NASCAR AGREEMENT - NASCAR has announced that Miller Industries Inc. (NYSE: MLR), the world’s leading manufacturer of towing and recovery equipment, has agreed to a long-term deal to serve as the Official Towing and Recovery Equipment Provider. Under the agreement, Miller Industries will provide NASCAR with a complete fleet of towing and recovery equipment to utilize at national series events across the country, building upon a long-standing relationship and expanding its support across the sport.
The Miami Hurricanes’ best football season in 23 years ended when the top-ranked Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Canes 27-21 in the College Football Playoff Championship Game at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami’s season ended at 13-3 while the Hoosiers finished 16-0 to claim their first national title. After trailing 10-0 at halftime the Canes closed within three points three times but could never catch the Hoosiers, who clinched the victory with an interception at their six-yard line with 44 seconds remaining. Running back Mark Fletcher, Jr., capped a remarkable postseason with 112 yards on 17 carries with two touchdowns. Quarterback Carson Beck completed 19 of 32 passes for 232 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Wunderkind wide receiver Malachi Toney paced Miami with 10 catches for 122 yards and one score. Defensive end Rueben Bain racked up eight tackles, one sack and 2.5 tackles for loss. Linebacker Mohamed Toure had 10 stops and linebacker Wesley Bissainthe added eight tackles. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza completed 16 of 27 passes for 186 yards, adding a rushing touchdown. Running backs Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby combined to rush for 139 yards. Wide receiver Omar Cooper caught five passes for 71 yards, while Charlie Becker had four receptions for 65 yards. The Hoosiers went 4 of 4 in the red zone. Indiana forced punts on Miami’s first two possessions and then Mendoza threw a 25-yard dart to Cooper for a first down to jumpstart a drive that got all the way to the Canes 16. But Mendoza’s third down pass to the end zone was broken up by OJ Frederique and the Hoosiers settled for a 34-yard field goal by Nicolas Radicic to take a 3-0 lead. In the second quarter an offsides penalty on Bain gave Indiana second life and third down and Black burst up the middle for 20 yards to move the chains. Two plays later Mendoza connected with Becker for 15 yards to set up first and goal at the five-yard line. Tight end Riley Nowakowski later bulled into the end zone from a yard out and IU had a double-digit lead with 6:13 left in the first half. On the next drive Fletcher moved the chains on a fourth down run and on the next play Beck found wide Gadsden State Community College Athletic Director Blake Lewis announced that 97 student-athletes and seven athletic teams were honored by being named to the Alabama Community College Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the 2025 Fall Semester. This recognition highlights the excellence and dedication of the college’s student-athletes. The ACCC Commissioner’s Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes who maintained at least a 3.0 GPA during the fall semester, which highlights their ability to balance academics with the demands of collegiate athletics. “We are immensely proud of our student-athletes and their accomplishments,” Lewis said. “This achievement highlights their ability to balance academic excellence with athletic commitment through hard work, focus and determination.” The Gadsden State Student-athletes named to the Honor Roll include: Baseball – Andrew Au of Vinemont; Camden Barnett of Northport; Atticus Barton of Hoover; Aiden Bee of Clanton; Eli Bozeman of Oxford; Bryan Burgess of Birmingham; Ian Campbell of Hoover; Damon DeVine of Attalla; Jaxson Dunlap of Corner; Jaden Eason of Eclectic; John Hays of Athens; Samuel Hill of Dora; Jonah Jackson of Springville; Cooper Jarvis of Gardendale; Jackson Jones of Muscle Shoals; Matthew Lackey and Nicholas McCord, both of Birmingham; Zachary Miller of Hiram, Ga.; Nolan Moore of Leeds; Daniel Munoz of Tampa, Fla.; Kole Nicholson of Northport; Peyton Parkinson of Birmingham; Ryder Porter of Douglasville, GA; Colten Shields of Hokes Bluff; Evan Snow of Alexandria; Jacob Steed of Bremen, GA; Raeden Sumner of Summerville, GA; Jacques Walker of Braselton, GA; Mckade Watson of Wetumpka; James White of Villa Rica, GA; and Clayton Whitfield of Vandiver. Men’s Basketball – Christopher Crawford of Gardendale; James Dickens III of Tallahassee, Fla.; Kade Slaton of Auburn; Tobias Stoutermire of Montevallo; Ke’Shawn Watkins of Huntsville; and Julius Winston of Harvest. Men’s Cross Country – Caleb Gay of Alexandria; Angel Hernandez-Martinez of Guntersville; Ethan Patterson of Gadsden; William Spruill of Roanoke; and Tyler Worley of Lincoln.
receiver CJ Daniels for 25 yards to the Indiana 40. But the drive stalled, and Carter Davis missed a 50-yard field goal attempt. The Hoosiers took a 10-0 lead into the locker room after holding Miami to just 69 total yards. Bain sacked Mendoza to thwart IU’s opening possession of the second half and Miami took over at its 38. Two plays later Fletcher burst through a hole in the right side of the line and raced 57 yards for a touchdown. The Canes were on the board, and it was a three-point game again. But later in the third quarter, defensive lineman Mikail Kamara blocked Dylan Joyce’s punt deep in Miami territory and linebacker Isaiah Jones pounced on the loose ball in the end zone. The Hoosiers extended their lead to 17-7. On the ensuing drive, Beck scrambled and found Daniels for 24 yards to convert a key third down. Two plays later he hit Toney on a 22-yard catch-and-run to move the ball to the 12-yard line. Fletcher covered the remaining dozen yards on three carries and cut Indiana's lead back to three points three seconds into the fourth quarter. The Hoosiers crossed midfield before facing a 4th and 5 at the Canes 37. Mendoza hit Becker down the right sideline for 19 yards to move the chains. Miami’s defense forced another fourth down try and this time Mendoza ran it himself for a 12-yard touchdown. IU’s lead was back up to 24-14. Beck responded, connecting with tight end Alex Bauman for 22 yards before hitting Toney for a 41-yard gain to the Indiana 22. Two plays later Toney took a shovel pass from Beck and danced his way through the secondary and into the end zone. The Canes drove 91 yards in just 2:34 and It was a 24-21 game with 6:37 left on the clock. Indiana marched all the way down to the Miami 17 and Radicic kicked a 33-yard field goal to increase the Hoosiers’ lead to six points. The Canes used all three of their timeouts and there was 1:42 on the clock. Indiana was flagged for roughing the passer, which gave Miami some breathing room. Beck then drove the Canes down to the Indiana 41 but was picked off by Jamari Sharpe near the end zone with 44 seconds left to seal the win. Men’s Tennis – Bryson Martin of Boaz; Tristen Rogers of Fort Payne; Luke Russo of Springville; Jackson Stanford and Braxton Strickland, both of Gardendale; Lucas Tanner of Rome, GA; and Dennis Tucker of Rainbow City. Softball – Leighton Arnold of White Plains; Patelyn Battles of Hayden; Gracie Beach of Huntsville; Addison Draiss of Helena; Peyton Earp of Northport; Elizabeth Falkner of Altoona; Lauren Farmer of Attalla; Tennley Johnson of Oneonta; Rachel McCown of Gurley; Lacey Nichols of Moody; Abigail Payne of Hokes Bluff; Chloe Phillips of Moody; Ava Ramsey of Southside; Sydney Simpson of Attalla; Pressley Slaton of Alexandria; Julia Snead of Sardis; Evelyn Splawn of Vestavia Hills; Molly Weaver of Sylvania; Kirby Wisner of Henegar; and Laura Wood of Attalla. Volleyball – Alli Amos of Gadsden; Allie Bryant of Wellington; Ellie Carden of Ohatchee; Makasia Crawford of Harpersville; Ally Folsom of Oxford; Savannah Hall of Valley Head; Lily Henry of Piedmont; Alexis Phillips of Jacksonville; Kaden Pritchett of Anniston; Lacie Roer of Centre; Rylin St. Clair of Leesburg; Camryn Stone of Boaz; Brianna Williams of Fort Payne; and Aiby Wyatt of Helena. Women’s Basketball – Alyssa Freeman of Remlap; Kamoriah Gaines of Pinson; Princessa Hernandez of Oneonta; Kayley Kirk of Piedmont; Jordyn LeGrier of Atlanta, GA; Katelyn St. Clair of Cedar Bluff; and Lillac Stanton of Boaz. Women’s Cross Country – Kylie Davis of Anniston; Abbie Dickeson of Piedmont; Ashlie Easterwood of Ohatchee; Madeline Holt of Jacksonville; Pricila Lopez Garcia of Boaz; Trinity Pope of Anniston; and Alexis Renn of Prattville. The Cardinal teams named to the 2025 Fall Commissioner’s Academic Team Honor Roll include Baseball, Men’s Cross Country, Men’s Tennis, Softball, Volleyball, Women’s Basketball, and Women’s Cross Country. “Watching student-athletes achieve something truly significant is a powerful reminder of what dedication looks like,” said Lewis. “Balancing the demands of academics and athletics takes discipline, resilience, and heart—and their success makes us incredibly proud, not just of what they’ve accomplished, but of who they are becoming.” For more info visit gocardinals.gadsdenstate.edu.
GSCC Athletes named to ACCC Honor Roll
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Guntersville standout Westin Hammond (#0) attempts a basket during the recent 2026 Marshall County Tournament Championship game against the Albertville Aggies.
The Arab Junior Varsity boys recently earned the runner-up spot in the 2026 Marshall County Basketball Tournament. The Albertville Aggies defeated Arab 67-43. Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
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