The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Dec. 20, 2021

14 YEARS AGO
DEC. 20, 2007

Sparta Academy varsity boys basketball team captured third place in Monroe Academy Christmas Tournament by beating Escambia Academy, 70-39, in Monroeville.
In the win over Escambia, Chris Cinereski, a six-foot-four senior, led Sparta with 17 points.
(Other players on Sparta’s team that year included Mason Black, J.R. Williams, D.J. Buckhault, Drayton Rodgers, Brannon Jordan, Justin Webb, Myles Wiggins, Matt Johnson, Nicholas Hardin, Michael Cook and Michael Morris.)

Hillcrest High School’s varsity boys whipped perennial 1A powerhouse J.F. Shields, 51-40, in Evergreen.

Hillcrest High School’s Lady Jags beat previously undefeated J.F. Shields, 44-34, on Tuesday of last week in Evergreen. Catorica Floyd led Hillcrest with 12 points. (Other players on Hillcrest’s team included Kemara Bawlson and Kawanis Thomas.)

Sparta Academy’s girls basketball team improved its record to 11-2 overall Saturday by whipping Escambia Academy, 60-44, in the Monroe Academy Christmas Tournament in Monroeville.
BreAnna Pate, a five-foot-three junior, scored 20 points to lead the Lady Warriors, who entered the tournament ranked No. 4 in the AISA.
(Other players on Sparta’s girls team included Susan Ann Cook, Erica Palmer, Christin Booker, Camarena Godwin, Morgan Harden, Ashton Raines, Savannah Brown and Mallory Kendrick.)

29 YEARS AGO
DEC. 17, 1992

Four Sparta Academy Warriors scored in double figures last Monday night as the Warriors triumphed over Greenville Academy 65-69.
Senior Bryant Robinson and junior Britt Ward led the scoring with 19 and 18 points respectively. Senior Terry Conway and junior McPherson Cook also scored in the double figure range, each with 10 points. Also scoring during the contest were Chip Gibson with six points and Casey Grant with two.
According to Sparta Academy Sports Information Director Byron Warren Jr., Sparta was in control for the majority of the game, jumping out to a 22-6 first quarter lead. The Warriors will try to keep their winning streak alive during the Monroe Academy Christmas Tournament tonight (Thursday) and Friday.

It’s no secret that bracket racers are a diverse crowd. Drop in on an E.T. racing event and you’ll see everything from rear-engined Econo Dragsters and late-model Camaros and Mustangs to early model muscle cars such as Novas, Barracudas and Chevelles. But an authentic ’50 Chevy C/Gasser? When was the last time anybody saw one of those?
Competitors and fans at the Division 2 eighth-mile Firestone TNN E.T. Racing Tournament Finals in Atlanta saw a prime specimen from drag racing’s early days in Aubrey Padgett’s Big Iron C/Gas ’50 Chevy; its appearance has remained unchanged for nearly four decades.
Padgett, of Evergreen, Ala., has raced the car since 1959. He and former partner Dennis Bailey campaigned it as a class-legal C/Gasser until 1965, when they put the car in mothballs. Padgett and son, Allen, 28, brought out the car a couple of years ago and now compete regularly in Atmore Dragway’s Pro class and at various nostalgia events across the South.

38 YEARS AGO
DEC. 15, 1983

Players were presented with individual awards Saturday night at the Evergreen Quarterback Club’s annual football banquet honoring the Evergreen High Aggies held in the school cafeteria. Winning awards were James Roche, outstanding defensive back; DeWayne Booker, outstanding defensive lineman; Mark Bell, the Wendell Hart Memorial Trophy; Henry Savage, outstanding defensive back; and Nathaniel Grace, outstanding offensive lineman.

Coach Tom Goode, offensive line coach of Alabama’s Crimson Tide who resigned the first of this week to become offensive coordinator for Mississippi State’s Bulldogs (his alma mater), was the featured speaker at the Evergreen Quarterback Club’s Banquet Saturday night.

Sparta Academy’s girls basketball team won the Greenville Academy Christmas Tournament in Greenville last week. The Lady Warriors also won the Fort Dale-South Butler Tip-Off Tournament earlier in Greenville and now sport a season record of eight wins and one loss. Team members are Shawn Hammonds, Susan Ward, Kim Searcy, Jeannie Vonderau and Julie Johnson; and Carol Kendrick, Jan Coker, Leah Carrier, Tammy Booker, Tina Bybee, Angela Sellers, Tracy Holmes and Coach Robert Cumbee.

Tina Bybee, Jan Coker, Tammy Booker and Leah Carrier of the Sparta Academy girls basketball team were named to the All-Tournament Team at the Fort Dale-South Butler Tip-Off Tournament in Greenville.

48 YEARS AGO

DEC. 20, 1973

Gerry Watson is named all-stater: Gerry Watson, outstanding linebacker for the Repton High School Bulldogs, was recently named on The Birmingham News’ All-State Football Team as a member of the second team, Class 2A.
Gerry, a senior, had an amazing record this season. He was in on 182 tackles in 10 games including 131 individual stops and 51 assists, averaging 13.1 individual and 5.1 assists per game. In addition, he blocked eight punts and caused five fumbles, two of which he recovered himself.
Gerry, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Watson of Bermuda, is a good student and one of the most popular students at Repton High.

66 YEARS AGO
DEC. 15, 1955

Ronnie Edson, Aggie Halfback, Signs U of A Athletic Scholarship: Ronnie Edson, stellar Evergreen High School halfback, signed a grant in aid scholarship to the University of Alabama on Wed., Dec. 7. Edson was awarded the D.T. Stuart trophy for the most valuable player on the 1955 team at the recent Annual Quarterback Club Banquet. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Edson, of Evergreen, Rt. C.
A number of high school seniors were taken on a hunting trip Sunday in Conecuh County at Tommy McMillan’s hunting camp near Brooklyn, and the group hunted until the deadline for signing grant in aid scholarships was passed. At 12:05 a.m., nine seniors, including Edson, signed to go to the University of Alabama. These seniors were from high schools in Evergreen, Foley, Georgiana, Talladega, Murphy, Bayou la Batre, Selma and a high school in Georgia. They were signed by Coach Joe Thomas, backfield coach for the Crimson Tide.

Edson lettered four years at Evergreen in football and scored 85 points during the 1955 season from his left halfback post. Proving his versatility, he also ran from the fullback spot, and right half.

He plans to work this summer, up to the time he has to report for fall practice in August. While at the University, Ronnie says he will probably major in physical education. When asked why he chose the University, he said. “I’ve always wanted to go there, and I am very glad to have the opportunity to play for Alabama.”

Coach Wendell Hart’s Evergreen Aggies traveled to Repton Friday night for their first game of the year, and downed the Bulldogs, 67-42, as Randy White and Robert King paced the Aggie hoopsters with 20 and 17 points respectively.
Mickey Joyner, playing his first game, got nine points. Eddie Kelly, the former Bulldog playing against his erstwhile mates, racked up 10 points; Wayne Frazier got eight; Harry Pugh, two; and Timmy Boykin, got one to round out the Aggie scoring.
Ray Blackwell led the Bulldogs with 15 points followed closely by Terry Nall with 11. Tom Salter scored eight; William Ashcraft, five; and G. Owens scored three points.

The Repton Bulldogs have played two games to date and have dropped them both.

Three seniors are on the starting line-up this year: Ray Blackwell, center; Gerald Owens, right forward; and Thomas Salter, left guard. Terry Nall, left forward, and William Ashcraft, right guard, are juniors. First team substitutes are Jerry Nall, Earl Watson and Glenn Nall, seniors; and Palmer Watson and Selwyn Roberson.

The team has good potential, according to Coach Mack Primm.