By Stephen Dawkins

The umpire finally decided the rain was falling too hard.
Jemison’s and Thorsby’s baseball teams had played in a constant rain for about an hour and a half on Tuesday, but the game was called with Thorsby holding a 4-1 lead.
The Rebels (11-1) were at bat with runners on first and second bases with no outs when play was halted.
“The way we’re hitting the ball, I think we could play with just about anybody,” Thorsby coach Ab Argent said as the Class 2A Rebels were leaving the field with an advantage over the Class 4A Panthers (4-8).
Thorsby did most of its damage in the top of the first, before most of those attendance became completely soaked with water.
Jemison starting pitcher Cruz Martinez walked three straight batters—Jace Maddox, Brantley Bice and Cory Woodall—and two runs scored on wild pitches.
Jason Price drove home Thorsby’s third run with a solid single up the middle
Catcher Matt Morgan led off the Thorsby second with a base hit, and his courtesy runner, Stephen Mims, scored one out later on a double steal—Mims from third base and Evan Bryan from first.
Thorsby starter Cody Carroll was effective throughout despite the muddy mound and unsure footing of his fielders.
Carroll allowed two hits in three innings while striking out three, but the singles came in the same inning and produced a run.
Jemison’s Jacob Chapman hit safely with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. After a Thorsby throwing error, Jackson Mims drove a ball to deep right-center field.
Chapman scored easily from second base, but Scott Clements was thrown out at home plate to end the inning on a perfectly executed 9-4-2 relay—Maddox to Wesley Smitherman to Morgan.
Because of the weather, the hosts wouldn’t get another shot.
Jemison coach Jason Easterling said the game could be resumed at a date that has yet to decided.

By Stephen Dawkins

ISABELLA – Asked what his team did better Thursday than it had earlier in the season, Jemison baseball coach Jason Easterling had an easy answer: “Everything.”
The Panthers swept a doubleheader from Isabella, 9-2 and 12-0, for their first two wins of the season after starting out losing eight straight.
“We pitched better, we hit better, and we played better defense,” Easterling said.
The better pitching was thanks to Jacob Chapman, who earned the win in the first game, and Nick Campbell, who held the hosts to four hits in seven innings in the second game while striking out four.
The better hitting came in the form of Jemison putting together big innings.
Isabella (3-7) was within striking distance, down 5-2, until the Panthers struck for four runs in the top of the seventh inning of Game 1.
An error allowed Patrick Sims to record an inside-the-park home run, sparking the rally.
In Game 2, much of the damage was done on three hits.
Chapman’s second-inning single scored Zak Kaylor and Jacob Bass, then Kaylor drove home Alex Campbell and Donny Eslinger with a hit in the third to make it 5-0, and finally, Scott Clements drilled a three-run home run to right-center field in the top of the seventh inning, scoring Bass and Chapman.
And then there was the defense, including a well-turned 6-4-3 double play—Cruz Martinez to Eslinger to Clements—in the bottom of the third inning.
“I think we may be turning the corner—if we’ll just keep it going, Easterling said.”

At the plate: Jacob Chapman (2/4, 2B, R, 2 RBI), Zak Kaylor (2/4, R, 3 RBI), Cruz Martinez (4/5, 2B)

By Stephen Dawkins

County track and field this season will feature one new coach, one team making a reappearance and 15 athletes with state meet experience.

Ginger Williams and her husband, Keith, will coach Thorsby’s track team after also having led the Rebels volleyball team.

The couple put an emphasis on workouts when they took over the volleyball program and will do the same with the track athletes.

“Hopefully, that will lead to the ones that were close last year being able to compete for state championships this year,” Ginger Williams said.

She will have lots of talent to work with.

Sophomore Sade’ Archie won state championships—the first in school history—last year in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash.

Several other Rebels competed in the Class 2A state meet, including Marcus Bray, Dillian Simmons, Nathan Oldroyd, Zac Hensley, Phillip Hicks and Kevin Brasher.

Thorsby’s first meet will be April 3 at Spain Park.

Maplesville did not field a track team last year, but this year’s squad will still include an athlete with state meet experience.

Sophomore Cameron Morrow qualified for state in the 110-meter hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles as an eighth grader in 2008.

Track will still be a challenge for Maplesville, coach Brent Hubbert said, because the number of competitors could vary from 6-12 depending on baseball and softball games.

Maplesville’s first competition will be March 11 at Pelham.

Chilton County’s 4×100 meter relay team qualified for state last year, and three of the four—Will Cooper, Chris Felder and Montel Wilkes—will be back.

“We lost some good runners from last year, but we’re just working every day trying to get better,” coach Matt Maddox said.

CCHS will also compete at Pelham on March 11.

Isabella coach Lanny Jones has a similar situation’s to Maddox’s.

“We’re basically starting over,” Jones said.

If that’s the case, though, the Mustangs have a solid foundation.

Three team members competed in last year’s Class 1A state meet: Senior Blake Lawley in the shot put and the discus, freshman Davis Ratliff in the 1,600 meters and the 3,200 meters, and Willie Stacy in the long jump, 110-meter hurdle and the 100-meter dash.

Seventh grader Sarah Graham turned in possibly Isabella’s performance at its first meet on Feb. 27 at the Hoover Open, which had an average of about 90 runners per race.

“We were the only small school there,” Jones said. “I thought we did real well.”

By Stephen Dawkins

Thorsby senior Kevin Brasher on Tuesday signed to play football for Faulkner University in the fall.
Brasher’s ceremony in front of some family and friends in the school library is proof that hard work can go a long way.
“His work ethic is second to none,” Thorsby coach Billy Jackson said. “You couldn’t ask for a better kid.”
Brasher said he visited Faulkner a couple of weeks ago and liked “the coaches—just all the people down there,” he said.
Faulkner coach Duane McWhorter said Brasher’s grades are more evidence of his willingness to work.
“The first conversation I had with his coach, he talked about his work ethic and he talked about that he’s a good person,” McWhorter said. “Secondly, he’s a good football player.”
McWhorter said he envisions Brasher playing the slot receiver position in the Eagles’ offense.
Brasher was a starting strong safety and backup fullback for Thorsby.
Jackson said he thinks the role will suit Brasher.
“I think he’ll do well for them,” Jackson said.

By Scott Mims

For the first time in at least three years, Thorsby High School has a golf team.
The team has nine members and is coached by Corey Clements.
Darryl Davis, who started a golf team several years ago, could not coach because he had already committed to coaching girls softball. When students showed considerable interest, however, Clements stepped up to fill the role.
“We had several kids that were interested in playing, and Coach Davis had already committed to helping Coach (Nicole) Hilyer with softball—and I enjoy golf,” Clements said.
Clements is not new to coaching. He has coached football for 10 years, basketball for 12 years and baseball for at least seven.
The team as a whole is rather inexperienced. It is led by seniors Cole Jackson and Lance Price and juniors Andrew Farris, Marcus Bray and Dustin Wilson. Rounding out the lineup are freshmen Nathan Oldroyd and Tray Cleckler and eighth graders Jay Norwood and Copeland Browder.
Farris, who has played since he was young but never played competitively, is the team leader. He is also a football quarterback and a basketball starter.
Six of the nine, however, had never been on a golf course prior to practice.
“We have a No. 1 golfer, and then we have eight No. 2s,” Clements said.
The juniors and seniors will compete in matches, and the younger players will start off learning drills on the driving range and the putting green.
Needless to say, they have much to learn, but all are showing promise.
“They enjoy playing,” Clements said. “It doesn’t seem like work to be there. They want to be there, and they want to play.”
Meanwhile, Clements commended Davis both for sticking to his commitment and for giving advice.
“He’s very good and knowledgeable, and he helps me a lot,” Clements said.
Thursday, Thorsby will play Jemison in their first match, at the Montevallo Golf Club.

By Stephen Dawkins

Jemison’s Justin Nemec on Wednesday signed to play college football for Faulkner.

As a senior defensive end for the Panthers, Nemec recorded 28 solo tackles and one fumble recovery.

“A lot of it has to do with his size and his quickness,” Jemison coach Brad Abbott said about Faulkner’s interest in Nemec. “He’s also got a 4.0 [GPA] and a 26 on his ACT.”

Nemec, who checks in at 6’3” and 220 pounds, actually played offensive tackle all four years of his varsity career, and only his senior season did he play defense.

Abbott’s decision to play Nemec on both sides of the ball worked out for Nemec because Faulkner recruited him as a defensive end, Abbott said.

“Just the atmosphere of it really,” Nemec said about what was attractive about Faulkner. “Everybody there is real nice. It just feels like home.”

Nemec also kicked off for the Panthers, which Abbott said demonstrates Nemec athleticism.

By Stephen Dawkins

Thorsby on Tuesday hit like a team in the midst of a playoff run instead of one playing its first game of the season.
The Rebels softball team pounded out six extra-base hits and 14 hits overall in a 15-5, five-inning win over visiting Verbena, who was also playing its season opener.
Ashlin Hilyer, Heather Day and Katie Barnett recorded three hits each.
Hilyer had two doubles, four RBI and four runs scored. Day recorded one double, four RBI and one run scored; and Barnett contributed a double, a triple, two RBI and one run.
Tiffany Morgan earned the win. She allowed five runs on seven hits and one walk over five innings while striking out nine Red Devils.
Haley Kelley and Chanin Hancock both doubled for Verbena. Kelley walked once, and Hancock, who suffered the loss on the mound, drove in a run.
Verbena leadoff batter Mattie Cleckler went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI.
Ashlie Shiers drove in two runs.
Thorsby took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Verbena scored three runs in the top of the third.
The hosts answered with five runs—two on a Barnett triple—in the bottom half of the frame and had the lead for good.

From staff reports

Thorsby on Tuesday took a 15-3 win at Verbena (1-3) to improve its record to 5-0.
Brantley Bice, Blake Elkins, Jace Maddox and Matt Morgan all had multi-hit games for the Rebels.
Bice hit two doubles, and Elkins hit a home run.
Joseph Prather also had a homer, in two at-bats, and two walks.
Stephen Mims earned the win, striking out five in three innings of work.
Evan Bryan struck out four in two innings of relief.
Jacob Wilson had Verbena’s only hit, which scored Jeremy Creger, but both Bay Lucas and Kelly Lucas scored runs.

From staff reports

Thorsby baseball has started its season with four wins—and none of them have been close.
After two wins on Feb. 20 at a tournament at Victory Christian School, Thorsby has outscored its opponents 51-5, or 13-1 per game.
At Victory, the Rebels defeated Ashville, 20-0, and the hosts, 9-2.
Cody Carroll (2-0) tossed a no-hitter in the first game, which was called after five innings. Carroll struck out nine batters and walked one.
Carroll was backed by Brantley Bice (3-for-5 at the plate), Wesley Smitherman (1-for-3 with a double), Jace Maddox (a double in his one at-bat), and Evan Bryan (1-for-5 with a double).
Shane Beam was effective in three innings of relief of starter Brantley Bice and drove in three runs to lead Thorsby in the second game of the day.
Bice earned the win, allowing one run and striking out eight in four innings of work.
Beam struck out five and hit a three run-scoring double in his only at-bat.
Bryan was 2-for-3 with a walk at the plate, and Joseph Prather was 2-for-4 with a walk and a double.

From staff reports

Jemison’s boys tennis team on Feb. 18 evened its record at one win and one loss on the young season with a 7-2 decision at Thompson.
Cole Thompson, Drew Posey, Andrew Morton and Jake Long were all singles winners for the Panthers.
Jemison also got doubles wins from the combinations of Thompson and Posey, Brandon Jones and Taylor Long, and Morton and Jake Long.
JHS dropped its first match of the season, 6-3 to Saint James on Feb. 17.
Morton and Jake Long accounted for all of Jemison’s points. Both won their singles match, and their doubles team was also victorious.
Jemison’s girls team lost to both Saint James and Thompson.