SPORTS LEDGER September 2024 Read Free Online at www.TheSportsLedger.com Page 9 The
Auburn's 2024 Schedule Will Be Competitive Tigers to play toughest schedule in Auburn Basketball history The defending Southeastern Conference Tournament champion Auburn men’s basketball team is looking to put together another banner year by playing one of the nation’s toughest schedules in 2024-25. “This is by far the toughest schedule in Auburn Basketball history and probably in my 29 years of being a head coach,” Bruce Pearl said. “Part of scheduling is who wants or is willing to play you. Our success over the last eight seasons has really enabled us to be an attractive opponent to some of the best teams in the country. We are liable to see six or seven teams in the non-conference that could play in this year’s NCAA Final Four." “It sends a statement to our players that I believe in them, and in the world of college basketball, we want to be a perennial Top 25 program. More than anybody, I am happy for our student-athletes that they get to play the very best in college basketball," added Pearl. Neville Arena home games include non-conference meetings with defending America East Conference champion and NCAA Tournament participant Vermont (Nov. 6) in the season opener followed by Kent State (Nov. 13), North Alabama (Nov. 18), Richmond (Dec. 8), Georgia State (Dec. 17) and Monmouth (Dec. 30). Kent State reached the Mid-American Conference Championship Game (lost to Akron), while Richmond was the Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season co-champions and earned an at-large bid to the NIT. Other neutral-site contests include previously announced marquee matchups with defending Big 12 Conference regular-season champion and NCAA Sweet 16 participant Houston as part of The Battleground 2k tournament on Nov. 9 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, NIT participant Ohio State as part of Holiday Hoopsgiving on Dec. 14 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, and national runner-up Purdue on Dec. 21 at Legacy Arena in Birmingham. The lone true road game on the Tigers’ non-conference schedule is a trip to Duke and historic Cameron Indoor Stadium for an SEC/ACC Challenge tilt on Dec. 6 in Durham, N.C. The Blue Devils reached the NCAA Elite Eight a year ago. Eleven of the Tigers’ opponents, including potential opponents in the Maui Invitational, were ranked in the final Associated Press Poll at the end of last season: No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Purdue, No. 3 Alabama, No. 4 Houston, No. 5 Tennessee, No. 7 North Carolina, No. 8 Iowa State, No. 9 Duke, No. 20 Kentucky, No. 24 Dayton and No. 25 South Carolina. SEC midweek games, game times and televised games will be released at a later date. For the 11th-straight year under head coach Bruce Pearl, season tickets are sold out. Single-game tickets for the 2024-25 season will go on sale in October.
Cherokee County's Ellisan Givens Shatters State Volleyball Record Bowling Champs Honored The Jacksonville State University Women's Bowling team was honored during halftime of the 2024 JSU Homecoming football game. The girls program won the National Bowling Championship this past Spring. The National Championship was the first for Jax State since moving up to Division I and also the first since the Division II football title in 1992. It is also the first Title by a Jax State women's program since back-to-back gymnastics championships in 1984 and 1985. Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Cherokee County's Ellisan Givens came close to having a perfect game in the Warriors 3-0 volleyball victory over Anniston in Class 4A Area 12 competition on Monday, September 16, 2024. Givens served 21 aces in the first set to lead Cherokee County to a 25-0 win. She didn’t make it to the service line in the 25-3 set two victory, but in the final set she delivered 22 more aces to lift Cherokee County a 25-0 win. Overall, Givens serving led to 50 of her team’s 75 points with 43 coming on service aces. She didn’t just surpass the current AHSAA state record – she shattered it. Her performance helped her earn the weekly AHSAA Volleyball Spotlight honor. Givens’ 21 aces in the first set broke the previous state record of 19 set by Horseshoe Bend’s Lily Moss in last season’s Class 2A area tournament. Givens broke her own new state record in the third set when she served 22 aces in the 25-0 run. Her 43 total service aces in the match also shattered the previous record of 27 set by Saint James’ Lucy Edwards in 2019. Givens, who had 84 aces after the win, became the first player to serve all her team’s points in two sets in a single match. Cherokee County teammate Macy Lea also had a big week for the Warriors. The junior setter had 169 assists for the week pushing her career total over 2,700. Additionally, the Warriors also handed Head Coach Tiffany Rieger her milestone 250th coaching win a few days earlier as Cherokee County finished second at the Fort Payne Invitational Tournament.
Photo Courtesy of Cherokee County HS
Cherokee County's Ellisan Givens.
AUBURN MEN’S BASKETBALL NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
DATE Nov. 6 Nov. 9 Nov. 13 Nov. 18 Nov. 25 Nov. 26 Nov. 27 Dec. 4 Dec. 8 Dec. 14 Dec. 17 Dec. 21 Dec. 30
OPPONENT VERMONT
vs. Houston (Toyota Center)
KENT STATE
NORTH ALABAMA
vs. Iowa State (Maui Invitational) vs. Dayton/North Carolina (Maui) vs. TBA (Maui Invitational)
at Duke
RICHMOND
vs. Ohio State (State Farm Arena)
GEORGIA STATE
vs. Purdue (Legacy Arena)
MONMOUTH
2024 Geraldine Homecoming Court Geraldine High School held its annual homecoming festivities on Friday, September 20, 2024. The members of the High School Homecoming Court include: 6th grade: Saylor Westbrook; 7th grade: Hallie Sewell; 8th grade: Raylee Ayers; Freshman: Isabella Pendergrass; Sophomore: Sophie Bearden; Junior: Amelia Cofield; Seniors: Jaleece Edwards (Homecoming Queen), Jayln Bearden, and Shasta Webb. The Bulldogs football program earned a 55-6 victory over Holly Pond to improve to 3-1 overall this season.
Plainview's Kayla Feeney (#34) and Sagan Jackson (#21) attempt a block against Geraldine's Karlie Barker (#7) during a tri-match September 17, 2024. Plainview defeated Geraldine 2-0 in the opening game, before falling to Cherokee County 2-0 in the Lady Bear's second game. Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
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