The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Nov. 7, 2022

Wendell Hart

19 YEARS AGO
NOV. 6, 2003

Warriors end season with 26-16 victory: The Sparta Academy Warriors ended their 2003 season on a winning note when they defeated the Ashford Falcons 26-16 Friday night at Stuart-McGehee Field.
Will Ivey was the leading rusher for the Warriors with 170 yards on 17 carries. Perry Castleberry rushed for 54 yards on 10 carries and scored one touchdown, Cody Lowery had 20 yards on six carries, Brandon Burleson had nine yards on five carries and one touchdown and Paul Castleberry had eight yards on three carries.
At the quarterback spot Ivey completed three of his nine pass attempts for 46 yards, two for touchdowns. He also threw one interception. Perry Castleberry’s one pass attempt was complete for 12 yards.
Burleson had two pass receptions for 34 yards and two touchdowns. Lowery had one pass reception for 12 yards, and Paul Castleberry had one reception for 12 yards.
Burleson scored first for the Warriors on a 10-yard pass from Ivey. The PAT was no good. Perry Castleberry scored next on a one-yard run. The try for the two-point conversion failed. Burleson scored his second touchdown on a one-yard run. The try for the two-point conversion failed.
Patrick Cumagun tackled an Ashford runner in the end zone for a safety to put two more points on the board. Burleson scored the final touchdown of the night on a 24-yard pass from Ivey. The try for the two-point conversion failed.

34 YEARS AGO
NOV. 3, 1988

Warriors whip Greenville 7-0; are undefeated: The Sparta Academy Warriors wrapped up the first undefeated season in the school’s history with a 7-0 win over Greenville Academy in Greenville Friday night. Coach Mike Bledsoe’s club used its favorite 1988 weapon – defense – to finish a perfect regular season 10-0.
The Warriors, APSA East Region Class A Champions for 1988 with a 7-0 record in the region, open the state playoffs Friday night when they host Southern Academy of Greensboro at Stuart-McGehee Field with a 7:30 kickoff.
Jamie Deason scored the only touchdown Friday night on a one-yard run. He paced the Sparta attack with 63 yards on 16 carries. Jeff Carrier had 50 yards on 12 carries, Lee Wild 43 on 12 and Kenny Bledsoe lost three on three.
Bledsoe completed two of six passes for 12 yards and had one interception. Jimmy Hart caught one pass for 10 yards and Craig Blackburn one for two.

Sparta posted a number of records this season. They are the first team in the history of the school to go undefeated in the regular season. They are also the first to ever win 10 games in the regular season, and the first to record seven shutouts in a season. Individually, running back Jeff Carrier is the first Warrior to ever score four touchdowns in a varsity game.
As a team, Sparta piled up 1,985 rushing yards in 10 games, an average of 198.5 per game. The Warriors passed for 593 yards, an average of 59.3 per game and had total offense of 2,578 yards, an average of 257.8 per game.

49 YEARS AGO
NOV. 1, 1973

The T.R. Miller Tigers rolled to a 27-14 conquest over the Evergreen Aggies last Friday night at Brooks Stadium.
The score stood at 21-0 until the clock showed 39 seconds remaining in the Tiger-Aggie Battle when Aggie Walter Bullock gathered a 12-yard touchdown pass from Darris Champion. The two-point conversion was no good.
Mike Long trotted into the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown for Miller. The PAT was no good.
When the clock showed only 10 seconds left in the game, Aggie Ray Etheridge picked up the Miller kickoff and sped for a 90-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion by Melvin Stallworth was good making the final score Miller 27, Evergreen 14.

The Sparta Academy Warriors tripped Thomasville Academy, 14-0, in Thomasville Friday night.
The Warriors converted a fumble recovery at the Panther 46 into their first score. Sticking to the ground, Sparta drove down to the two and Walker Scott drove in for the score. The point try failed and it was 6-0 in the first quarter and that’s the way the half ended.
The Warriors put their final points on the board late in the third quarter on a fine, 81-yard drive. Buddy Monroe passed to Bobby Johnson on a wideout and the freshman halfback showed fancy moves as he twisted through the Panther secondary for 38 yards and the score. Scott banged across for the two-point conversion to make it 14-0.
Sparta’s defense rose to the challenge on numerous occasions, holding the Panthers several times inside the 20.

64 YEARS AGO
NOV. 6, 1958

Aggies Play Miller There Friday Night: The Evergreen Aggies trip to Brewton tomorrow night to meet the T.R. Miller Tigers at 7:30 on the Miller field.
Coach Wendell Hart and Jeff Moorer feel that the Aggies are in top physical condition and are as strong as they were before the season. Billy Melton, starting quarterback who was hurt before the opening game of the season, has reported back and is counted on to play against the Tigers.
Paul Pace and Ceylon Strong, both injured in the Andalusia game, are back in uniform. Ken Tucker is the only Aggie remaining on the doubtful list. Ken has been out since the Andy game, but may report back in before the season is over.
The Aggies will be extra strong in the backfield ranks this week with Jimmy Bell, Billy Melton, Ceylon Strong, James Reaves, Jimmy Eddins (who has moved back to Evergreen from Vero Beach, Fla.), Bobby Smith and Robbie Boykin slated to see action.
Coaches Hart and Moorer are planning on taking full advantage of their added depth by substituting freely against T.R. Miller.
T.R. Miller, coached by Bob Riley, was one of the preseason favorites in South Alabama. The Tigers have had a so-so season.
The probable line-up for the Aggies is left end, Leon McKenzie; left tackle, Paul Hardin; left guard, Byron Warren; center, Paul Pace; right guard, George Bolton; right tackle, Wayne Peacock; right end, Wayne Stinson; quarterback, Jimmy Bell or Billy Melton; left halfback James Reaves or Ceylon Strong; right halfback, Bobby Smith or Jimmy Eddins; fullback Robbie Boykin.

Fox Hunters Elect Dr. H.C. Fountain: Dr. H.C. Fountain, Evergreen, has been elected president of the Dixie Fox Hunters Association. The Evergreen dentist was elected during the annual directors meeting at three-day field trials at Burnt Corn held recently.
Other officers include: first vice-president, Dewey Farmer, Montgomery; second vice-president, Lee Smith, Montgomery; and secretary, R.H. Cobb, Camden.
Winners in the annual field trials were as follows: Winner, All-Age Dogs, Raleigh, owned by Dallas Mosley, Greenville; Winner, Derby Dogs, Luck, owned by Dr. Fountain; Alton Tennant of Atmore had a Derby Dog to place on the bench and in the field; D.M. Drinkard of Montgomery had a dog to win on the bench and place in the field.

Among those attending homecoming and the Alabama-Georgia football game in Tuscaloosa Saturday were Mr. and Mrs. W.N. McGehee, Mr. and Mrs. R.G. Kendall Jr. and Zilda, Mr. and Mrs. Ward Alexander and Ward Jr., Mr. and Mrs. V.P. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Bozeman, and Mr. and Mrs. Pace Bozeman.

79 YEARS AGO
NOV. 4, 1943

Mrs. J.C. Hamilton and Miss Mamilu Taylor spent the weekend with Miss Mozelle Hamilton, student at L.S.U., Baton Rouge, La., and attended the L.S.U. and T.C.U. football game.