The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Dec. 25, 2017

Donald Lee, left, presents plaque to Clinton Smith, right.

TWO YEARS AGO

DEC. 24, 2015

In recognition of Hillcrest High School’s history-making football season this year, the Conecuh County Board of Education presented Hillcrest head football coach Clinton Smith with a plaque during the school’s monthly meeting Tuesday of last week at the New Bus Shop in Evergreen. In the photo above, Smith accepts the plaque from school board member Donald Lee.

Sparta Academy’s varsity boys basketball team, ranked No. 7 in the AISA, captured third-place honors in the Fort Dale Academy Christmas Tournament, which was played Friday and Saturday in Greenville.

In opening round action Friday afternoon, Sparta suffered a 52-49 loss to No. 2-ranked Lee-Scott Academy. On Saturday afternoon, Sparta bounced back and captured the third place trophy by downing tournament host Fort Dale, 58-50.

(Players on Sparta’s team included Tanner Bledsoe, Hunter Bolton, Tyler Davis, Sean Kelly, Zane Lambert, Stone Riley, Lanse Robbins, Ethan Tyree and Griffin Weaver.)

Hillcrest High School’s varsity boys basketball team, ranked No. 10 in Class 3A, opened area play with a big win Tuesday of last week, downing 3A Area 2 rival, Opp High School, 61-56, in Opp.

Freshman Jarrett Taylor led the Jags with 15 points, and Tyrell Riley followed with 14 points. Kobe Bradley and Chris Lett finished the game with 11 points each.

17 YEARS AGO

DEC. 28, 2000

The Hillcrest High School varsity basketball team is shown above. Front row, left to right, Jeff Bonner, Jason Wiley, Chenson Griffin, Calvin Fluker and Ronald Grace. Back row, left to right, Coach Tommy Dukes, Dereck Rogers, Damien Rosh, Rodrika Henry, Jerrod Danzy and Eric Stallworth.

Shown above is the Hillcrest High School B basketball team. Front row, left to right, Damien McMillian, Destry Taylor, Brandon Lewis, Brian Boykin, Chris Straughn, Jason Ingram, Sherrod Dukes. Back row, left to right, J.T. Booker, Rodrigus Rudolph, Robert Caldwell, Chris King, Nick Williams, Rickey Herbert, Seneral Lee, Antonio Jackson and Chris Glover.

The Hillcrest High School girls basketball team is having a good season this year. They are, front row, left to right, Alexis Grace, Cindy Floyd, Candi Jackson, LaWanda Mitchell, LaTrina Merrills, Melonee Thomas, Chivonne Watkins, Stephanie Rudolph. Back row, left to right, Kourtney Mims, Candice Mitchell, Candice Mims, Raven Rudolph, Natalie Nelson, Shundra Lee, Andrell Baxter and Twayla Riley.

Betty Warren of Castleberry recently harvested this antlered doe. The 12-inch antlers were still in velvet, with multiple points trying to form.

32 YEARS AGO

DEC. 26, 1985

Sparta hosts cage tourney: Sparta Academy will host its 10^th annual Basketball Tournament of Champions Dec. 26-27.

This year’s teams include: Crenshaw of Luverne; Sparta, last year’s State Class A Runner-up; Lakeside, last year’s State Class A Champions; and Bullock, last year’s State Class AA Champions.

Dec. 26: Bullock v. Lakeside at 6:30 p.m.; and Sparta v. Crenshaw at 8 p.m.

Dec. 27: Consultation game at 6:30 p.m. and championship game at 8 p.m.

62 YEARS AGO

DEC. 29, 1950

Blue and Gray Bowl Game Slated Dec. 30^th: Montgomery, Alabama’s own bowl game of football rivalry, the classic Blue and Gray, will be played in Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl, Dec. 30.

Unlike other bowl games, the Blue and Gray will be made up of the finest players from many schools throughout the North and South.

A capacity crowd of 22,000 is expected for the tilt.

One of the pleasing features about the game is that it is played on the last Saturday in December, instead of on New Year’s Day, thus giving football fans an opportunity to see other bowl games on that day.

The Blue and Gray idea was fathered by Col. Champ Pickins. It has in the past received widespread publicity in the papers throughout the nation.

Governor-Elect Gordon Persons has invited all members of the newly elected Alabama legislature to be his guests at the bowl game.

A delegation of several hundred is coming from Pennsylvania, and will be accompanied by high ranking state officials, including the lieutenant governor.