SPORTS LEDGER Established 2006 The PAGE 4 August E-edition 2025
Albertville's Lani Smallwood Earns North MVP All-Star Honors
The AHSAA South team finally snapped the streak. Combining a swarming defense with some incredible 3-point shooting and tenacious play in the paint at the Cramton Bowl Multiplex Arena, the South defeated the North 85-75 to claim its first win since 2016. The last previous victory in 2016 was a low-scoring 57-53 matchup. The 2025 victory was a 10-point win, the largest in the series for the South. Igniting the defense All-Star girls’ was South MVP Maliyah Meeks of defending Class 6A state champion Park Crossing. She finished the contest with a double- double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Also contributing for the South was Hannah Smith of Montgomery Catholic. She added 18 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two blocks, with her final one coming in the waning seconds of the third period when she rejected a strong move in the post by Hoover’s 6-foot-2 center Khloe Ford. Ford had a strong first half with nine points and five rebounds for the North. She finished with 11 points and a North team high eight rebounds. A total of five different players sank treys for the South, as the team finished the game 11-of-19 from beyond the 3-point arc. Alma Bryant’s Madi- Marie Grayson made five
Annual Father-Son Baseball Camp The Gadsden State Community College Baseball Program is excited to announce its 3rd Annual Father-Son Baseball Camp, scheduled for August 24-26, 2025. This unique and highly anticipated camp is free of charge for kids ages 5-14 and will run each evening from 6-8 p.m. at the Gadsden State baseball facilities. The camp will be capped at 100 dads to ensure a personal and impactful experience for every family in attendance. Unlike traditional camps, the fathers will participate in every drill, skill session, and activity alongside their sons, learning the game together while strengthening their bond. “Our goal with this camp is simple,” said Blake Lewis, Gadsden State Head Baseball Coach and Athletic Director. “We want to teach the fundamentals of baseball, but more importantly, we want to create memories that last a lifetime. There’s nothing like seeing a dad and his son learning, competing, and laughing together on our field”. The Father-Son Baseball Camp is part of Gadsden State Athletics’ commitment to fostering a family atmosphere and creating opportunities that connect the college with the community it serves. Families are encouraged to register early to secure their spot in this year’s camp. The registration link is: https://forms.office.com/r/6CVmpHyD1V Camp and Registration details can be found on the Gadsden State Athletics website or by contacting the Cardinal Baseball office directly. For additional information, please contact: Blake Lewis at blewis@gadsdenstate.edu. Jacksonville State University will welcome two new stations to the Gamecock Radio Network this year. The new radio affiliates feature Kool 96.9 FM, serving the Chelsea, 280 and Inverness area, and 93.3 FM The River, serving the Pelham, Helena, Alabaster and Hoover areas. This brings the Gamecock Radio Network lineup for live sporting events to a new high with 13 affiliates ranging from Arab down to Montgomery and Winfield over to Oxford. "Both new stations will significantly improve our footprint in the Birmingham and Shelby County areas and we are excited to be partnering with them," said Jax State Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Broadcasting Bill "Bubba" Bussey. "As our school grows and our athletics continue to grow this is a natural next step for us." The reigning Conference USA champions return to the gridiron on Thursday, August 28 at UCF in Orlando, FL for the 2025 season opener. Coverage across Gamecock Radio Network affiliates will once again be anchored by longtime broadcaster and Jax State Hall of Famer, Mike Parris, alongside color analyst Ray Hammett. For a complete lineup of network affiliates, visit the Gamecock Radio Network homepage. Jax State Expands Radio Coverage New Boaz High School Head Football Coach Luke Pruitt discusses the Pirates' program during the 2025 Marshall County Media Day on July 29 in Guntersville. Pruitt comes to Boaz after leading the Pisgah Eagles for the past seven seasons. Last year, he guided Pisgah to the Class 2A Region 7 Championship and to the AHSAA State Semifinals. In 2023, his program set a team record scoring 652 points. Pruitts' first game at Boaz will be on August 22 at Madison County. In week two, he will guide the Pirates into their annual rivalry game against the Albertville Aggies. The first home game of the 2025 season for Boaz will be against Scottsboro on September 5. Pruitt Takes Over Boaz Pirate Program Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Photo by David Holtsford, AHSAA
3-pointers. Her twin sister Mari-Margaret Grayson sank one, but it was a big one. Her shot from the center circle at midcourt gave the South a 39-38 lead at halftime. Madi-Marie finished with 25 points, and Mari-Margaret had the one trey for three points. The North took a quick 10-0 lead in the first period, but the South stormed back to tie the game at 12-12 with three minutes left in the quarter. The South took an 18-17 on a 3-point shot by Tariah Magee of Park Crossing with three seconds in the period.
The North kept pace for most of the game thanks in big part to Albertville High School guard Lani Smallwood. She led all scorers with 22 points including 16 points in the second half. Smallwood, (shown in action above) nailed 6-of- 9 treys, had five steals and five assists to earn North MVP honors. Aaliyah Blanchard, also from Hoover High School, contributed 11 points and five rebounds. Hannah Smith of Montgomery Catholic scored 11 points for the South.
The South out-rebounded the North 41-27, had 13 steals to nine for the North, and shot 52.5% from the field. The North shot 50% from the field as well. KeLeigh Mullens of Prattville handed out a game-high six assists and scored seven points, and Tariah Magee, from Park Crossing, had nine points – all coming on three treys. The North coaches were Capriee Tucker of Athens and Steve Sparks of Fort Payne. The South was coached by Carla Berry of McGill-Toolen Catholic and Rodgetta Williams of Central-Phenix City.
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Members of the Collinsville Panther football team met with the media during the annual DeKalb County Media Day on July 28, 2025. Collinsville will hold a Meet the Panthers event on Tuesday, August 12 at 6 p.m. The Panthers will host Appalachian in a Jamboree on Friday, August 15 at 7 p.m. Collinsville will open the season with a home game against Cedar Bluff on Thursday, August 28 at 7 p.m. Other home games for the Panthers this season include homecoming against Asbury on September 19, Geraldine on October 3, Sylvania on October 10, and Holly Pond on October 24. The away games include Fyffe (Sept. 5), Whitesburg Christian (Sept. 12), Sand Rock (Sept. 26), Brindlee Mountain (October 17) and Valley Head (Thursday, October 30). Those representing the Panthers program at Media Day include: Jermiah Killian (#8), Kyler Beene (#2), Sylas Adams (#3), Gavin Lang (#1), Mason McAteer (#10), and Collinsville Head Coach Ernie Willingham. Collinsville Football 2025
2025 Geraldine Marching Band Photo Courtesy of Andy Vance
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