T he S ports L edger
PAGE 8 www.TheSportsLedger.com
MAY 2023
Football Standout Commits To Birmingham Southern By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger It is decision time for
MONTANA FOUTS SKILLS CAMP - University of Alabama softball standout Montana Fouts will be hosting a two day skills camp at Sand Mountain Park in Albertville. The event is set for June 20-21 from 5-8:30 p.m. both days. The cost for the camp is $320 and the registration form can be found on online at www.montanafoutscamp.com. KICKOFF CLASSIC - Selma and Beauregard will officially open the 2023 high school football season in the 18th annual Kickoff Classic on Thursday August 24 at Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl, Opelika (5-5) and Thompson (13-1) will play on Friday, August 25 in the second game of the annual classic. Both games will be at 7 p.m. Last fall, Helena defeated Chelsea 28-6 and Auburn downed Hoover 17-14 in the 2022 Kickoff Classic games. SUMMER SOFTBALL CAMPS - Snead State will host a series of softball camps in June. On June 5-6, the program will host an Elite Camp for ages 12-18, and a One-Day Camp featuring two different sessions open to all ages on June 12. To register for the camp email Coach Tracy Grindrod at tracy.grindrod@snead.edu. Elite Camp (Ages 12-18) June 5-6, 2023 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Snead State Elite Camp will challenge you to learn new skills, improve your softball IQ and apply those tools in a competitive setting. You will have the opportunity to work with Snead State and the coaching staff on all phases of our sport: offense, defense, base running and pitching. Within each phase, you will learn and execute physical and situational drills to help you translate your softball skills and knowledge to winning games. These camps will also cover player development strategies that the Snead State softball staff use to train confident and successful student athletes. It is a two-day camp that's held 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. The cost is $200. One-Day Camp (Open to all ages) June 12 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and from 1-3 p.m. The Snead State One-Day Camp is open to all ages. The camp will challenge you to learn new skills, improve your softball IQ and apply those tools in a competitive setting. You will have the opportunity to work with Snead State and the coaching staff on all phases of our sport: Hitting, Pitching and Catching. Within each phase, you will learn and execute physical and situational drills to help you translate your softball skills and knowledge to winning games. Fielding and Defense will be from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Hitting will be held from 1-3 p.m. The cost is $50 per session. Open Tryout on May 31 from 6-8 p.m. Prior to the scheduled camps, Grindrod said an open tryout for 2023 and 2024 high school graduates was set for May 31 from 6-8 p.m. To register, please email Coach Grindrod at tracy.grindrod@snead.edu. Prospects must provide an updated physical to be eligible for the tryout. BOAZ BASKETBALL COACH - Boaz High School has named Cameron Whitt as the new head Boys Basketball Coach. Whitt is a 2015 graduate of Boaz High School. During his years at Boaz he lettered in both varsity football and basketball. Upon graduation, he attended JSU and earned a degree in elementary education. Throughout his time at JSU, he coached multiple Boaz youth travel basketball teams. He also spent one year as the assistant varsity/9th grade boys coach while completing his student teaching. Whitt began his teaching career at Plainview High School where he has served as a math teacher and held the position of assistant boys basketball coach. While at Plainview he has been a part of six county championships (4 junior high/2 varsity), three straight Sand Mountain championships, one Elite 8 appearance, and back to back 3A state championships in 2022 and 2023. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in Sports Management at JSU. CROSSVILLE COACH - Chris Williams has been hired to coach football and softball at Crossville. He replaces Riley Edwards, who is now the coach at Section. IDER BASKETBALL COACH- Cole Wooten has been hired as Varsity Boys Head Basketball Coach at Ider High School. He attended Ider for 13 years, and for the past 4 years he has been an assistant coach for the Hornets. Sideline Sports
on special teams, for a total of 2,003 all-purpose yards this past fall at Collinsville. His efforts helped him become a Class 2A 1st team All-State running back. With his outstanding performance this past season, Keaton said that he had several colleges offer him a chance to play at the next level. However, after being accepted, visiting campus, and receiving the offer, Deboard said committing to Birmingham Southern was the right choice for him. He stated that students at the college are motivated, well educated, and that they are the type of people he wants to be around. Keaton added that he has grown up around good people in Collinsville and felt like it was “one big family.” “This whole community is going to support you, no matter what it is,” he said. “It could be something small, or something like football, they are going to support you regardless.”
many high school seniors. With graduation comes thoughts of the future and decisions about jobs, college, family, friends and so much more. Deciding which path to take after high school can be difficult for some folks, while others have had plans for a long time. There are even some students, especially athletes, who are holding out for the perfect opportunity or maybe even waiting for their dreams to come true. Well, for Collinsville senior Keaton DeBoard his dream about playing football at the collegiate level came true on May 10, as he committed to Birmingham Southern College. This is something I have “dreamed” about said DeBoard about the opportunity to trade his red and white gear for Birmingham Southern’s Black and Gold.
Keaton DeBoard and Collinsville Head Football Coach Ernie Willingham react while reviewing DeBoard's scholarship papers to Birmingham Southern College. Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
I’m really excited,” he said. As long as I can remember, I have always just loved football.” His commitment and love for the sport showed on the gridiron this past season at Collinsville. DeBoard rushed for 1,281
yards and 18 touchdowns to help lead the Panthers to an 8-3 season and a chance to compete in the opening round of the AHSAA state playoffs. Deboard also had 426 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns, and 296 yards
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Former Auburn Stars Earn Spots On NBA All-Rookie First and Second Teams Members of the Collinsville High School football team were on hand to support Keaton DeBoard during his scholarship signing day. The group even took time to pose for a group photo.
Auburn University men’s basketball alums Walker Kessler and Jabari Smith were honored on the 2022-23 Kia NBA All- Rookie First and Second Teams, A center for the Utah Jazz, Kessler earned a spot on the first team along with Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero, Indiana Pacers’ Bennedict Mathurin, Sacramento Kings’ Keegan Murray and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Jalen Williams. Kessler was third in first team voting with 95 votes and a finalist for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award averaging 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game for the Jazz. He became the first rookie in 25 years to record at least four games of 7+ blocks, trailing Tim Duncan’s five times in 1998, and the first Jazz rookie to ever record a 30-point, 10-rebound game. Smith, a power forward for the Houston Rockets, garnered second team
honors alongside teammate Tari Eason, the San Antonio Spurs’ Jeremy Sochan as well as the Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey. He averaged 12.8 points, 7.2 rebounds per game and shot 40.8 percent from the field. Smith, who is 19 years old, became the first teenager in NBA history to record three straight 20-point, 10-rebound games. He was the also the first Rockets rookie to accomplish that feat since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984. Kessler and Smith,were members of Auburn’s 2021-22 SEC regular- season championship and NCAA Tournament squad and they are now a part of an elite group of former Tigers to be named to the NBA All-Rookie Team next to Charles Barkley (1985), Chris Morris (1989 – Second Team), Chuck Person (1987) and Wesley Person (1995 – Second Team).
LISSA’S FIREWORKS
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Jabari Smith (#10) takes it to the hoop during the Auburn Tigers 2022 NCAA Tournament game against Jax State in Greenville, SC.
We are located in the parking lot of the Henagar Eye Clinic Located on Highway 75 Henagar, Alabama
Collinsville High School senior Maribel Lorenzo Pedro recently signed scholarship papers to continue her soccer career at Shorter University in Rome, GA. She was supported in the decision by her teammates at Collinsville, as well as a host of family and friends. Soccer Standout Signs With Shorter Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
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