Edgewood volleyball wins six straight state titles
“Close the lunch box. It’s time to get to work.”
It was a phrase Edgewood senior Avery White shared with her teammates via a group text before their AISA state championship with Hooper Academy. It’s a phrase the Wildcats very much understand because of the work put in to get the sixth championship in as many years.
“Basically means break is over and it's time to get serious,” White said. The work-like mentality was needed this season. The Wildcats lost four seniors, two to the college game. White played in their shadows as five straight state championships were racked up. This year’s team is far different and the feeling after winning the sixth straight AISA Class AA State Championship is different too.
“It's a feeling I can't even describe,” Starks said. “It was hard trying to build people up and put people in the position, because we lost four phenomenal seniors last year. Seniors that did so much for the team and seniors that were irreplaceable.”
Coach Brad Starks knew his team had to grow from last year and White would be the leader. “She was our leading returner as far as production goes,” Starks said. “I knew we had a lot of talent, but it was inexperienced.”
This year it was White’s time to lead.
“It's like she managed to kind of push her way in the lineup last year,” Starks said. “We just had other people in there more.”
Hooper was no stranger to Edgewood in the state championship. The Wildcats lost to them twice early in the season. The losses were learning experiences for Edgewood. This year White led the team .
Kim Moncrief earns 300th career win
File / TPI Elmore County's Kim Moncrief secured her 300th win serving as the volleyball coach this season.
When Kim Moncrief assumed her position of now going on 17 years as the head volleyball coach of the Elmore County Panthers, she was in no way prepared for what was to follow.
Moncrief admits she was unsure of what the program could become, but 16 consecutive area championships later, the program has reached unprecedented new heights.
In addition to winning yet another area championship, Elmore County also helped Moncrief establish a milestone of her own: Capturing her 300th win as a head coach.
One thing that has remained constant throughout her career is the concept of putting the player's experience at the forefront of everything she does.
“It’s honestly just trying to give them the best experience they can have,” Moncrief said. “At times we have had a bed of roses and other times there have been some thorns but my players have always known that this is about them. All I am here to do is really guide the way.”
While state classifications have changed over the years, Moncrief has found unique ways to keep the product she puts out on the court as sharp as it can be.
More than any championship or major win, Moncrief said the most rewarding thing for her is seeing her players take interests in the game beyond their four years at Elmore County. Having sent five players to play at the next level, she has also had a handful of former players enter the coaching world.
Moncrief has managed to accumulate 16 straight area championships and two state tournament appearances along with a sweet 16 appearance as a member of Class 5A.
Tallassee football season turnaround
File / TPI Tallassee coach Lawrence O’Neal is the All Elmore County Coach of the Year.
What coach Lawrence “L.A.” O’Neal did in his first season at Tallasssee was nothing short of incredible.
O’Neal inherited a football team that had only one win the previous season, and he turned it into a powerhouse that was feared by most of Class 4A.
“I am really just proud of the kids because we had a lot of adversity that we dealt with this year,” O’Neal said. “We lost a running back right there before the first game. The perception was that 1-9 was gonna be the best; they said we were going to be able to go 4-6. So to see the kids buy in and the hard work they put in in the summer, we knew that we could just put a couple of things together and we had the opportunity to do something special this year.”
O’Neal is a players coach. He has a unique blend of concept and application.
After a toss loss O’Neal thought the Tigers could’ve won, that’s when things really turned on for Tallassee. It went on a seven-game win streak this season.
“They got rid of a lot of the individual ball and started playing for each other,” O’Neal said. “And you could kind of see it every time a kid made a play man and celebrated with their teammates. Nobody worried about me, me, me, It was all about we, we, and it was just exciting to watch them kind of grow into young men.”
O’Neal has Tallassee poised for another explosive year, and will have some new amenities to boot. Tallassee is having turf installed over the offseason, which is adding to a level of excitement surrounding the program under O’Neal’s control.
Tallassee’s Irvin Delfin leading the nation with 65 goals
Dalton Middleton / TPI Tallassee junior Irvin Delfin (10) dribbles against Demopolis on Monday night. Delfin is the eighth player in AHSAA history to ever score 60 goals in a season. As of Monday night’s playoff win, he is at 62 goals.
Irvin Delfin jumped onto the scene in 2023 as a sophomore. In 2024, he became a household name across high school soccer.
Delfin led the entire nation in scoring this season with Tallassee. He scored 65 goals and added a county-best 21 assists. His 65 goals was 13 higher than the next closest player from Mississippi and his total points (151) were 25 more than the second-place finisher.
His goal total set the school record for Tallassee and finished fourth in AHSAA single-season history.
“He certainly had an amazing season,” Tallassee coach Matt Tarpley said. “It was one that may not be replicated again anytime soon. He’s a supremely talented player, but he also works harder than probably anyone else on the team. Whether it was conditioning and fitness work in October or a freezing cold practice in January or the semifinal game in Huntsville in May, Irvin showed up and worked every day. That led to his success.”
After Delfin’s scoring abilities were discovered he was moved to striker instead of midfielder so he could take advantage of finding the back of the net.
With that, one would expect his goals to increase while his assists decrease.
But both categories doubled from his sophomore season.
“Irvin made a point this season to get his teammates involved,” Tarpley said. “He understood with the amount of goals he’s scoring, he’s going to draw a lot of attention. It will make his life easier if he shares the ball and gets his teammates involved so opposing teams can’t focus all their attention on him.”
Kelby Walker and Ethan Bailey records broken
File / TPI Wetumpka's Kelby Walker finished with 14 tackles and two sacks against Stanhope last Friday.
Wetumpka’s football team has established an identity of toughness and relentlessness under coach Bear Woods. Two players who personified that moniker extensively this past season were seniors Kelby Walker and Ethan Bailey.
Both did so by etching their names in the Indians history books, breaking school records this season. Walker shattered the school’s single-season tackle record, finishing with 164 total tackles — 98 of those being solo tackles. For Bailey, he tied the school’s sack record with 12 on the season.
“Kelby is just a driven kid who never took a day off,” Woods said. “On top of being a great defensive back for us, he also stepped up as a senior leader which was very big for our whole team.”
Walker provided several impressive elements to his game as a member of the Indians defense. Utilizing his uncanny athletic ability along with his instinctive ability to make plays was the recipe for success for Walker.
“Starting the season, summer workouts, I was playing a lot of free safety, switched it over late in the summer to linebacker, where I felt comfortable, because I felt my skill set was more linebacker oriented,” Walker said. “And I got put in the right spot by the coaches, and kind of just did what I knew how to do, and it showed that this is where I was supposed to be and what I was meant for on the football field.”
Bailey also made a transition this year, moving from linebacker to edge rusher. Needless to say, it was the right move for the Indians. Bailey electrified the Indian front seven with his game changing ability to make plays. He amassed 101 total tackles, averaging almost 10 tackles a game, and finished with an astonishing 28 tackles for a loss on the season.
Arthur Mcqueen single game rushing yards records
Cliff Williams / TPI Stanhope Elmore’s Arthur McQueen (4) runs upfield against the Russell County defense.
Stanhope Elmore’s Arthurs McQueen’s state spoke for themselves.
Against Rehobeth, McQueen rushed for 420 yards on the ground against the Rehobeth Rebels. However, not only did he set a new school record; he did it in only two and half quarters. The state of Alabama’s fifth-leading rusher has amassed 1,791 yards through eight games. That means McQueen accumulated 23.5% of his season’s rushing total in one night.
His full stat line included 20 carries, 420 yards, and 5 touchdowns. McQueen’s effort catapulted him into the record books.
McQueen was actually a stalwart all season long. Beyond the Rehobeth game, here were his rushing totals for each game so far this season: 270 yards and 3 touchdowns (Marbury), 142 yards and 1 touchdown (Prattville), 182 yards and 2 touchdowns (Percey Julian), 227 yards and 3 touchdowns (Park Crossing), 185 yards and 2 touchdowns (Smiths Station), 203 yards and 3 touchdowns (Russell County), and 142 yards and 2 touchdowns (Pike Road). Averaging 223 rushing yards per game this season.
Mya Holt school records broken
Brian Tannehill / For Tallapoosa Publishers Wetumpka’s Mya Holt (25) is congratulated on her first home run of the game by Wetumpka coach Daryl Otwell.
There is no doubt Mya Holt is the best softball player to walk the halls of Wetumpka High School. Holt, a current Troy University softball player, wrapped up the best softball career of any player in program history.
Holt is the record holder for 20 Wetumpka softball records. She has eight single-season records and 20 career records. She also is the only player in school history to ever win the Gatorade Player of the Year, which she won as a junior in 2023.
During her senior season, Holt put together another stellar campaign. She hit .481 with 74 hits, 15 doubles, 6 triples, 19 home runs, 54 RBIs and 53 runs scored. In the circle, she went 27-5 with a 1.205 earned run average and 208 strikeouts in 174 ⅓ innings.
“This year, I just came in wanting to perform as well as I did last year,” Holt said. “I knew that would be hard to beat, but I didn’t want to downgrade. I knew this was my last year playing so I wanted to go out with a bang and make the most of it while having fun with everyone.”
The majority of Holt’s records are hitting categories.
She holds the program record for career home runs (70), RBIs (312), hits (310), doubles (74), slugging percentage (.845%) and OPS (1.385). In the circle, she holds the record for wins (118), ERA (1.48), strikeouts (757) and batting average against (.195).
She also holds the record for the most games played (263) and most team wins (212).
“I knew I had a few records but I didn’t know it was 20,” Holt said. “That means so much to me. It feels good knowing that my hard work and dedication has paid off in many ways. I’ve put a lot of hours into this sport. All the hours have paid off.”
Holtville and Millbrook all stars world series
Submitted / TPI The Holtville 8U All-Star finished runner-up in the USSSA 8U World Series held in Baton Rouge. Holtville's team finished the season with a 19-3-1 record and won the region and state championship.
The Holtville 8U All-Star baseball team was honored at Smart-Collier Field by Holtville coach Scott Tubbs and members of the community. The 8U All-Stars wrapped up a successful summer in the USSSA World Series.
Holtville went 19-3-1 this summer and claimed the Region 7 Gold Bracket Championship with a win over Enterprise, then advanced to the state tournament and claimed the Gold Bracket Championship with a walkoff win over Alexandria.
“It was a great ride this summer,” coach Casey Wylie said after the World Series run. “We spent a lot of time practicing and worked really hard to make sure they were ready. That regional championship game against Enterprise was one of the toughest games our guys had to play all summer. At that point, the boys really believed how good they were and how good they could be.”
The Millbrook Firehawks, an 11U All-Star baseball team, traveled down to Baton Rouge and claimed the USSSA 11U All-Star World Series last weekend. The team, which consists of CJ Jackson, Jason Thomas, Justice Gadaingan, Karson Wilson, Shawn Compton, Christian Lewis, Chase Deaton, Carter Taylor, Cam Smith, Caden Southerland and Brantley Jackson, went 6-1 in the tournament and outscored opponents 57-21.
In bracket play, Millbrook played Sylacauga in the semifinals and won, 9-1, to punch its ticket to the championship. The two teams met again and Sylacauga won, 4-3, to force the teams to play a winner take all matchup.
“A lot of people were impressed,” Jackson said. “A lot of people told us they haven’t seen 11-year olds competing and keeping up with older kids and travel ball teams. They stepped up and played tremendously all summer.”
Hugh Phillips and Jack Wood named Hall of Fame
File / TPI Edgewood Academy assistant coach Buzz Phillips hugs his team after winning the 2024 AISA Class AA state championship. Phillips, who has a record of 658-328 at the high school and college level, was recently inducted into the AISA Hall of Fame.
Hugh “Buzz” Phillips, who graduated from Sidney Lanier and has been coaching across Alabama and Georgia since 1970, was named to the AISA Hall of Fame.
He’s won over 10 championships in his career, including the 2001 National Small College National Championship with Huntingdon basketball, and has a career coaching record of 658-328.
“When I got that call from the AISA, it was just unbelievable,” Phillips said. “I’ll always cherish that honor. Even when I was not working in the AISA and was at Huntingdon, I was in charge of the AISA hosting its state tournaments at Huntingdon. I prided myself on getting them the best venue and making the event the best that I possibly could. To be selected to the Hall of Fame is unbelievable.”
Jack Wood was inducted into the National High School Athletics Coaches Association (NHSACA) Hall of Fame on June 25 in Bismarck, North Dakota. He was recognized for excellence during his decades-long coaching career.
Wood spent almost 30 years as a football coach for two Alabama high schools and turned the Hewitt-Trussville program into a statewide powerhouse that garnered four regional titles and had 14 of his 19 teams reach the state playoffs.
“At the end of the day it’s not the awards,” Wood said. “It’s what they thought of you then, what they think of you now. And that they know you cared about them.”
Wrestling state championships
Dalton Middleton / The Tribune Tallassee’s Land Bell wrestles against Elberta in the AHSAA Class 5A duals quarterfinals on Thursday.
Sophomore wrestler Land Bell etched his name into Tallassee history.
Bell claimed the AHSAA Class 5A wrestling championship in the 132-pound weight class. Bell finished his sophomore season with a 43-3 record, including three straight pins at state.
He flattened his opponent, a senior from Jasper with a 47-5 record, in the championship bout in the second period en route to his first state title.
Mason Nelson captured third place at 113 pounds. After falling in the semifinals, he pinned his opponent from Gulf Shores in the third-place match. He finished the year with a 41-4 record.
Caden Griffith (180 pounds) went 1-2 in the tournament and finished in fourth place in his weight class. After a quarterfinals win, he lost both the semifinals match and the third-place match by decision by two points. He finished his season with a 47-6 record.
Despite entering as the No. 2 seed, Elmore County’s Myles Eyerly dominated his weight class with a pair of pins and a decisive championship win.
Eyerly doesn’t wrestle quite like a heavyweight. In a weight class where pins are rarer, he knows how to take care of business. He pinned both of his opponents in the quarter and semifinals, then entered the championship against the same wrestler he lost to sectionals.
Facing off with Sam Schepker from Gulf Shores, Eyerly wasn’t going to let a repeat happen. He changed his wrestling style and pulled out a decisive 7-2 win to claim the championship.
He ended his season with a 38-6 overall record.
Tallassee flag football advances to round three of the playoffs in program’s first season
Cliff Williams / TPI Tallassee huddles up during a timeout in a game against Marbury.
Tallassee isn’t just making a name for itself. It’s cementing itself in AHSAA flag football history. With a 26-0 shutout of Marbury, the Tigers went to the Class 1A/5A semifinals. Where their season ended against Montgomery Catholic in the AHSSA Flag Football semi-finals.
The Tigers’ defense stood strong and got a stop to give the ball back to the offense. The second offensive possession saw Cheyann Easterling cap off a dominant drive with a rushing touchdown to give Tallassee a 6-0 lead at the end of the first.
Marbury’s offense struggled to get anything going against the stingy Tallassee defense.
The Tigers offense was primed for another strong drive following the score, but a tipped ball found its way into the hands of a Bulldog defender, giving Marbury’s offense another possession.
Easterling thwarted any potential Bulldog attack, coming up with a key interception and returning the ball back to midfield.
Quarterback Regan Easterwood connected with wideout Kam Tate for a big gain of 40 yards before the end of the first half.
Leading only 6-0 at halftime, the Tigers — in usual fashion — came out with a plan.
Marlee Osborne got the ball back into the hands of the offense with an interception on the very first play of the third quarter, and Tallassee capitalized.
Easterwood rushed for a score, putting the Tigers up 13-0 to advance.
Masen Goggins honored at Elmore County
Jeff Ryals / TPI Elmore County's Jackson Mann, left, Caleb Spivey, Tyler Payton and Braylon Jackson hold the jersey of Masen Goggins, who died last December in a car accident. The Panthers will bring his jersey to midfield for the coin toss before every game this season.
Masen Goggins’ legacy is still carrying strong.
The Elmore County football team is planning to honor Goggins before Friday’s annual rivalry game against Tallassee. Goggins, who would have been a senior football player this season, died in a car wreck last December.
To honor him, Elmore County has a few plans for Friday night.
The Panthers are going to carry Goggins’ No. 23 jersey to midfield for the coin toss. They did so in Week 0 and did the same every week of the season.
The team also has had a flag made to honor him, and the team will carry it out when the Panthers run through their sign onto the field.
Head coach Kyle Caldwell has also had a plaque made, which will be featured on a large rock, but he is unsure if the plaque will be delivered in time for Friday’s game.
“We want to continue honoring him every way we can,” Caldwell said. “It’s about the love and the brotherhood that you create, especially in small towns. It’s undefeated. They’ll always have a place in their hearts for Masen and they’ll always be able to look back and say ‘Even if I do this or do that, I know Mason loved me and his parents loved me.’ Just being able to honor that and honor his family is special.”
