Catching Up On Spring Sports (If You Can Call It Spring)

By: Tim Lambert

Just in case you forgot, spring sports around here actually get their start in February and, as can be expected, weather conditions end up forcing early-season cancellations and fast and furious late-season make-up games. Local highlights so far:

Ardmore
The Tigers have a baseball split with Madison Academy, plus wins against St. John Paul II, Mars Hill, Madison County, Athens Bible School, West Limestone and Lee. Mae Jemison, Athens, Tanner, Madison County were victims of the softball team. Both soccer teams have outscored West Limestone; the Lady Tigers got by Russellville and ABS.

Athens Bible School
On the baseball diamond, the Trojans have knocked off Elkmont, Brindlee Mountain, Clements, Fairview, Phil Campbell, Lindsay Lane, Mars Hill, Paint Rock and Decatur Heritage. The softball team beat Randolph, Mae Jemison, Lee, R.A. Hubbard, Whitesburg Christian and Tanner. The Lady Trojans have tennis victories over St. Bernard, Athens, Lindsay Lane, Sylvania, and Plainview.

Athens High
The Golden Eagle soccer team held the 15th position in the 6A coaches’ poll earlier this week. So far this season they have posted wins over Madison Academy, West Creek, Westminster, Florence, while the Athens girls beat Hartselle, Mars Hill, Florence, and Hazel Green. On the baseball field, victories have come against Westminster, Ardmore, Muscle Shoals, Marion, Lawrence County, Smith County, Elkmont, Florence, Lee and West Limestone.

Clements
The Colts have baseball wins over Tanner, Rogers, Covenant Christian, Lindsay Lane, East Lawrence, Clements, and a split with West Morgan. The Lady Colts’ soccer team also held off ABS.

East Limestone
The Lady Indians were at the #7 in the latest 4A-5A soccer polls; the East boys were 11th. On the field, both teams have topped Ardmore, Danville, West Limestone, Hartselle, and West Morgan; the girls defeated Russellville, Albertville. East Limestone also swept both divisions of the Limestone County tournament. The baseball team has beaten Athens, ABS, Lexington, West Limestone, Batesville, Lawrence County, and split with Brooks and Russellville. The Lady Indians have softball wins over Decatur Heritage, West Limestone, and West Morgan.

Elkmont
The Lady Red Devils are ranked 15th in this week’s 1A-3A soccer poll. Both soccer teams got rival wins against Ardmore and Clements. The softball team has defeated Tanner, Whitesburg Christian, Clements, and West Morgan. Baseball split with East Lawrence and West Morgan.

James Clemens
The Lady Jets soccer team started the season ranked at #6 in Class 7A and moved up a spot in the latest poll. Both teams beat Buckhorn; the James Clemens boys have wins over Grissom, Sparkman, and Cullman, while the girls have turned back Decatur, Sparkman, Huntsville, and Bob Jones. The Jets baseball team has sent Madison Academy, Jemison, Ramsay, Key West, Sparkman, Arab, Etowah, Florence, Decatur, Ardmore, Hartselle, and Buckhorn packing, along with a split with Hoover. Softball victories have come against Grissom, Cullman, Powell, Southaven (MS), and Hazel Green. Both track teams won their own invitational meet, as well as the Huntsville Metro Championships. Tennis teams dominated Buckhorn and Gadsden City.

Lindsay Lane
The Lions baseball team beat St. Bernard, Asbury, and Paint Rock.

Tanner
On the soccer field, the Rattlers have defeated Clements, Elkmont, ABS, Whitesburg Christian, West Limestone, and New Hope. They were #10 in the latest coaches’ 1A-3A poll; the Tanner girls come in at #17 and have beaten West Limestone and New Hope.

West Limestone
Wildcat soccer teams boast victories over Clements; the boys have also defeated Mars Hill and New Hope, while the Lady Wildcats have claimed wins against Tanner, ABS, and Russellville. The baseball team has come out on top of East Limestone, Lexington, West Morgan, Lawrence County, Brewer, Priceville, and Lauderdale County.

Odds and Ends:
Recent changes have also come at various head football coaching positions: Ardmore hired coach P.J. Wright, Clements’ Cody McCain was hired at Hanceville, and West Limestone’s Jordan Cantrell made the move to Elmore County. The Wildcats named Shelby Davis to replace Cantrell. Tanner is also in search of their second head coach in as many years.

Honors were bestowed on local athletes for fall and winter sports – James Clemens’ Garrett Hicks, Tanner’s C.J. Yarbrough and Lindsay Lane’s Tommy Murr made the boys’ all-state basketball team. Murr was also a finalist for this year’s Mr. Basketball. Athens High’s Alexis Woods and East Limestone Jirah Rogers were tapped for the girls’ all-state team. Athens High’s Perry Kirby was picked as a member of the North All-Star team.

James Clemens’ Zuri Falkner signed a track and field scholarship with Southern Mississippi.
By: Tim Lambert
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