The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for May 9, 2022

Coach Wendell Hart

17 YEARS AGO
MAY 12, 2005

State Record: Sparta’s Erica Palmer set a new state record in the 400-meter run with a time of 1:06.74. She was also third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 29.61. She also placed fourth in the high jump with a jump of four-feet, four inches. She was fifth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 14.31.

Hand takes reigns of Warriors: On May 20, 18 years since he last held a coaching position, Don Hand will assume the head coach’s duties at Sparta Academy.
Hand is replacing Gerry Watson as the Warriors head coach. Watson will remain on staff and is helping conduct spring drills with Coach Russ Brown.

Hillcrest High School’s Jaguars will wrap up spring football drills Tuesday in East Brewton when the team takes on the W.S. Neal High School Eagles.
(Players on Hillcrest’s team that year included Derek Paige, Aaron Dees, Frank Likely, John Dees, Antonio Jordan and Teridas Wilson. Arlton Hudson was head coach.)

Sparta Academy’s junior varsity girls track team recently won the state championship.
(Members of the team were Sally Matlock, Grace Matlock, Sarah Nielsen, Morgan Harden, Hayden Armuelles, Susan Ann Cook, Christin Booker, Erica Palmer, Mallory Kendrick, Maddie Black, Camarena Godwin, Pia Cumagun, Savannah Brown, Mary Ryan Nielsen, Kelsey Cope and Shaina Hutcheson. Coaches were Terry Jackson and Russ Brown.)

42 YEARS AGO
MAY 8, 1980

Sparta girls win honors state track: Sparta Academy’s girls placed well in the State Private Schools Association Track Meet held recently in Selma, and five of the lady tracksters will compete in the Tri-State Private Schools Meet to be held in Jackson, Miss. on Saturday.
Sparta’s mile relay team won first place in the state meet. Runners on the team are Cheri Johnson, Lesa Ralls, Missy Price and Lynn Hyde.
In individual competition, Lynn Hyde won first place in the long jump with a leap of 16 feet, eight inches. Lesa Ralls cleared four feet, eight inches in the high jump to place fifth in the state.

Dave Brown (No. 44), a native of Conecuh County, was presented a trophy for his outstanding performance with the Omaha (Nebraska) All Stars, who led their league this past season with a record of seven wins and two losses. Brown graduated from the old Conecuh County Training School in Evergreen. He served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1970. He resides in Omaha with his wife and three children. Dave is the son of Mrs. Mary (Putton) Brown of Evergreen and the brother of Correctional Officer Bobbie McCovery of Atmore.

Johnny Boswell, assistant manager of the local TG&Y Family Center, shows this trophy bass he caught recently in a private pond to C.W. (Al) Allen, manager of the store’s sporting goods department. Johnny said he caught the seven-pound, six-ounce fish on a “Rebel Wee-R” lure that he bought from Al. The bass was mounted by Jerry’s Taxidermy.

67 YEARS AGO
MAY 12, 1955

County Amateur League Adds Two More Teams: Garland and McKenzie have been added as members of the Conecuh County Amateur League, Bernard Powell, league head, said today. New schedules are being mailed out to all managers to take effect immediately.
In league play last Sunday, Old Texas out-hit Lyeffion and came from behind to win going away by a score of 20 to 10. Big guns for the Old Texas squad were a pair of Robinsons: Francis, who plays center field, had six for six, and his brother, James, shortstop, had five for five.
Leading the loser’s attack was Frank Chavers, with four for six. He had a homer, triple and two singles.
Winning pitcher for Old Texas was Wesley; losing pitcher was Lyeffion’s Davis.

EHS Athlete Graduates Compile Good Averages: Coach Wendell Hart is not only interested in putting out winning football, basketball and baseball teams, but he likes to know his athletes are making good in the most important part of their school life – that is, learning their lessons.
This week he took time to make a checkup of the grades of those EHS athletes who are graduating this year. The information he gathered revealed that the 11 graduating athletes compiled an overall average of 84.34.
The individual averages were: Vernon Purnell, 91.70; Tommy Melton, 89.60; Charles Roberts, 86.82; Wayne Bell, 84.97; Richard Taylor, 84.50; Ward Alexander, 83.37; John D. Sirmon, 82.05; Jimmy Frazier, 82.00; Roger Stuckey, 81.48; Alvin Mixon, 80.94; and Wayne Douglas, 80.68.

92 YEARS AGO
MAY 8, 1930

LOST: Between Ray Crossing and Owassa, metal fishing tackle box containing quantity of fishing tackle. Willing to pay reasonable reward if returned to E.N. Barron, Owassa, Ala.