The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Jan. 29, 2018

Wendell Hart

NINE YEARS AGO

JAN. 29, 2009

No. 2 Sparta girls improve to 21-1: Sparta Academy’s varsity girls basketball team continued to waylay opponents during the past week, racking up big wins over a trio of 1A Region 2 opponents.

The Lady Warriors, ranked No. 2 in the state among AISA girls teams, slammed Sumter Academy, 61-20, Friday night in Evergreen. Last Thursday night in Evergreen, Sparta collected a 73-33 victory over Central Christian Academy of Selma. On Tuesday of last week in Eutaw, the Lady Warriors wiped out Warrior Academy, 57-17.

(Players on Sparta’s girls team that year included Madelyn Black, Emily Booker, Savannah Brown, Rebekah Coleman, Morgan Harden, Shaina Hutcheson, Mallory Kendrick, Erica Palmer, BreAnna Pate, Ashton Raines and Jordan Smith.)

Warriors slam dunk Sumter by 15 points: Sparta Academy’s varsity boys basketball team improved to 7-16 overall and to 6-6 in region play Friday night with a 48-33 win over region rival, Sumter Academy, in Evergreen.

Mason Black led Sparta with 15 points, five rebounds, two steals and a block. Nicholas Hardin followed with nine points, two rebounds and two assists. Devlin Crosby finished the game with eight points, three rebounds, two steals and two assists.

(Other outstanding Sparta players in that game included Nick Andrews, Dalton Baggett, Joey Bradley, Michael Cook, Matt Johnson, Garrett McClain, Drayton Rodgers.)

24 YEARS AGO

JAN. 27, 1994

The Hillcrest High School varsity basketball team is pictured with their first year coach, Keith Nettles. The Jaguars will host the annual Hillcrest Invitational Tournament beginning tonight at Hillcrest High School. The Jags will be in action Friday night against the winner of the Excel-T.R. Miller game. Pictured are Derrick Rudolph, Roger Rudolph, Terry Holt, Lavon Lyman, Charles Thomas, Jason Boykin, Coach Nettles, Isaac McMillian, Marlon Tolliver, Ray Rudolph, Chris Watts, Gary Betts and Sherman Grace.

Members of the Sparta Academy varsity girls basketball team are Aundria Griffin, Janet Kendrick, Valerie Griffin, Carla Grimes, Kelly Booker, Nann Castleberry, Nikki Jones, Joy’l Lowman and Rachel Bohannon. Their coach is David Mallory.

Members of the Sparta Academy varsity boys basketball team are Casey Grant, Adrian Mitchell, James Johnson, Larry Wright and Nicholas Jones; Coach Keith York, Sandy Salo, Britt Ward, McPherson Cook, Andy Clanton, Aaron Albritton and Brian Gorum.

Ward leads Sparta to victory over Colts: The Sparta Academy Warriors defeated the Catherine Academy Colts by the score of 72 to 69 in a cage game played in Evergreen last Friday.

Senior Britt Ward paved the victory path with 27 points. Sophomore James Johnson collected 16 points and played an excellent defensive contest, according to Sparta Academy Sports Information Director Byron Warren Jr.

39 YEARS AGO

JAN. 25, 1979

Jackets edge Uriah 56-55: The Lyeffion High Yellow Jackets defeated the Uriah Bulldogs, 56-55. Scorers for the Jackets were Adrian Woods with 25 points and 13 rebounds; Eric Finklea, nine points; James Riley, eight points; Donald Lee, seven points and five rebounds; Ricky Hall, four points; and Ricky Johnson, three points. Their record now stands at 9-1.

Blue Devils beat Cyclones: The Conecuh County High School Blue Devils defeated the Southern Normal Cyclones, 65-64, on Jan. 9.

Scorers for the Blue Devils were William Griffin 26 points, three rebounds; Ronnie Sanders, nine points, 16 rebounds; Henry Sanders, seven points, 15 rebounds; Curtis Scott, six points, six rebounds; Robby Moye, four points, four rebounds; Paige Stokes, 13 points, 11 rebounds.

Monroe’s big, tall and undefeated Vols speared Sparta Academy’s Warriors, 62-44, Saturday night to win the championship in the boys division of the Sparta Academy Invitational Tournament held here at the school gymnatorium Friday and Saturday.

Terry Peacock gunned for 15 points to pace the losing cause of Sparta. John Hall had eight points; Bobby Padgett and Tony Baggett, six each; Terry Shipp, four; Tony Raines, three; and Jeff Johnson, two.

Peacock and Padgett were named to the all-tournament team, according to Sparta Sports Information Director Byron Warren Jr.

54 YEARS AGO

JAN. 30, 1964

After So Long EHS 84, C’berry 59: It’s a long trail that has no end, and Conecuh County High’s long trail of victories over Evergreen High finally ended Friday night. Score Aggies 85, Blue Devils 59.

Evergreen’s last victory over Coach Wayne Pope’s cagers took place back in the dark ages, or so it seems, but Coach John Law Robinson’s men were not to be denied.

Pope, recuperating from surgery earlier in the week, was unable to attend the game. Principal M.C. Thomasson filled in for him, coming out of coaching retirement to do a fine job of handing the boys.

The Aggies used a balanced attack and tight defensive play to curb the Blue Devils. Sid Lambert and Kenny Harper sacked up 18 each to lead the charge. Joe Sasser sank 16; Ronnie Jackson, 11; and Scott Cook, 10; to put all starters in double figures. Jimmy Warren added five; Mike Fields, four; and Wayne Tolbert, two.

George Godwin paced the Blue Devils with 17 points. James Glass added 13; Donald Sawyer, 12; Don James, 10; Bobby Ellis, four; Larry Heaton, two; and Jim Oliver, one.

The Evergreen High Aggies edged Frisco City, 63-62, in a nip-and-tuck thriller Monday afternoon at Memorial Gym. Sid Lambert led the balanced attack with 18 points. Joe Sasser warmed up late for 15; Kenny Harper had 14; Ronnie Jackson, 10, before he fouled out; and Scott Cook, six.

69 YEARS AGO

JAN. 27, 1949

Aggies Trounce Whippets 51-35 In Frisco City: The Evergreen High Aggies went on a scoring binge Tuesday night in Frisco City and recorded their highest total of the season, cracking the Whippets, 51-35. Coach Wendell Hart’s cagers played by far their best offensive ball of the season.

John Greel Ralls, playing his second game at the pivot post, continued to show improvement. Time after time the speedy Ralls faked off the Whippet defenders and drove into the basket for layups. Ralls sacked 10 points in the first half. Playing a few minutes of the third period he grabbed another basket and returned in the final three minutes for two more buckets. His total for the night was 16.

The Evergreen Aggies were handed their fourth loss of the current cage campaign by the UMS Cadets in Mobile last Wednesday night. The Cadets took an early lead that the Aggies could never overcome to win, 33-27.

Dickey Bozeman and Guerry Moorer shouldered the load for Evergreen. Bozeman hit for 12 points, and Moorer, nine.

The Aggies of Evergreen High bounced back into the win column here Friday night, trimming the Georgiana Panthers, 47-38. It was the sixth win of the season for Coach Wendell Hart’s cagers, and they have lost four.

Gwyn Daniels showed up well in his first appearance with the varsity. He was promoted Thursday from the ‘B’ squad when it was learned that Jack Cunningham was lost for the rest of the season.