SPORTS LEDGER September 2023 Read Free Online at www.TheSportsLedger.com Page 5 The
Albertville Unveils New Indoor Facility
A ribbon cutting was held on Thursday, September 14 for a brand new 54,000 square foot Kinesiology and Exercise Science Building at Albertville High School. Located next to the Fine Arts Center, the building features 35 yards of regulation width turf, nets that drop to create an indoor practice facility for baseball and softball, a sports medicine classroom, a rehabilitation lab, a state- of-the-art weight training facility, and an office for Albertville Strength and Conditioning Coach Gavin Hallford. Albertville worked with the architecture and interior design firm McKee and Associates on the project. “I am so thankful I am part of this place. I’m thankful to be the AD. I’m working hard to find good people to come coach here, and I think we’ve done that, and we’re going to continue to do that,” said Athletic Director Matt Lambert.
“We’re going to keep loving on our kids. We’re going to keep giving them opportunities to get better every single day, and this building is a huge piece of the pie.” Albertville junior student athlete Addison Pierce is excited about the opening of the new facility. Pierce plays softball and flag football for the Aggies. “I’m blessed to be able to be part of this and to experience this facility,” said Pierce. “I know it’s going to provide great things for us. I can’t wait for future seasons and for all our other sports to be a part of this.” The Albertville High School Event Planning and Culinary classes worked together to setup and serve at the event. Event planning students sketched a room diagram, set up tables for guest seating, including high top tables on the turf, placed tablecloths on all
of the tables, and set up sports representation tables. Culinary students planned the tailgate cold cuts table that featured some smoked items from their new smoker and specialized Albertville sport cookies. Interim Superintendent Todd Watkins thanked the Albertville Board of Education for their vision of using funds from the federal government in a way that helps students be successful, whether that be academically, athletically, or through career-related and fine art programs. The Albertville City School system will not carry any debt for the addition, which meets the needs of all athletic programs. “This facility will prepare our students for any athletic event or competition they have,” said Watkins. “It will benefit every athlete in our school and provide them with the tools they need to succeed.”
Jacksonville State University earned a historic season opening win on Saturday, August 26, 2023. The Gamecocks defeated UTEP 17-14 in the program's first ever FBS football game as a member of Conference USA. Jax State moved to 2-0 with a 49-3 win over East Tennessee State. However, the program lost its first game this season falling to Coastal Carolina 30-16 on September 9, 2023. Sean Brown is shown above attempting a catch in the season opener against UTEP. Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Jax State Football Earns Historic Win
Jax State Sets 2023-24 Women's Basketball Schedule CUSA Opener Set for January 6, 2024
Jacksonville State University has released the 2023-24 women's basketball schedule. Head coach Rick Pietri is entering his eleventh season leading the program and he guided his 2022-23 squad to a winning season last year, finishing at 16-14 overall. The veteran head coach has lined up a solid non- conference slate for this season that should have the Red-and-White prepared for its CUSA opener at Florida International on Jan. 6. JSU will open the new year on Nov. 1 in an exhibition game against Montevallo at Pete Mathews Coliseum. Following that Education Day affair they kick off the regular season five days later at Auburn,
marking the team's first trip to the Plains since 2019. Jax State's first three contests of the regular season will all be on the road in matchups versus the Tigers (Nov. 6), Utah Tech (Nov. 9), and Mississippi State (Nov. 12). Those games with Southeastern Conference foes continue a streak of six straight seasons that Pietri's squad has faced off with SEC competition. The official home opener for the Gamecocks will be on November 17, as Jax State takes on Alabama- Huntsville at The Pete. NAIA program Life University will return to Calhoun County the following week for the second year in a row. Jax State will round
out non-conference play with road tests at Alabama State (Nov. 30), Samford (Dec. 3), and College of Charleston (Dec. 11). The Gamecocks non-conference home games will be against Coastal Carolina (Dec. 16), UT Arlington (Dec. 19), and South Carolina State (Dec. 29). In Conference USA action, Jacksonville State will play 16 CUSA contests meeting the other eight schools for home-and- home series. League play starts Jan. 6 at Florida International in Miami and concludes with Senior Day against Sam Houston on March 9. The Conference USA Tournament will take place at Huntsville's Propst Arena from March 12-16.
Sand Rock's 2023 Homecoming was held on Friday, September 15. The 2023 Homecoming Princess was Paisley Ford (left) and the Homecoming Queen was Nevaeh Volyes (right). Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Sand Rock Homecoming
Members of the Fort Payne High School soccer team show off their Class 6A State Championship Rings. The Wildcat's soccer program received their new bling during halftime of Fort Payne's season opening football against Scottsboro. The soccer program earned the rings by defeating Montgomery Academy 4-3 in the Class 6A State Finals this past May. It was Fort Payne's third overall state soccer championship. The Wildcats had previously won the state crown in 2011 and 2015. The 2023 team finished with a record of 26-2-2. Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Championship Rings
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
The Guntersville Senior Class won the school's 2023 Homecoming Float Competition. Guntersville defeated Douglas 56-14 for a homecoming victory and Kennedy Brown was named the Guntersville Homecoming Queen. Guntersville Homecoming
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