Sports

The Hubbertville Lions opened their regular season Friday night with a hard-fought 28-22 victory over the University Charter Trailblazers at Wiley Hollingsworth Stadium. Winning the coin toss, the Lions elected to receive, sending Landon Dodd and Kane Rushing back for the opening kickoff. Rushing returned the kick 10 yards to the Lions’ 30-yard line. Hubbertville wasted little time finding the end zone. After Charles Keeton gained 7 yards on first down, quarterback Blaize Wakefield connected with Rushing for a 63-yard touchdown with only 57 seconds gone from the game clock.

The Berry Wildcats kicked off their 2026 campaign by hosting the Class 3A Hale County Wildcats. After graduating a large senior class last year, Berry had a lot of new faces playing in key positions on both sides of the ball. The young Berry Wildcats played Hale County close for most of the game, but a couple of late touchdowns handed them a 42-22 loss. Berry won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. Berry returned the kickoff to its own 30-yard line to begin play and put together a 13-play drive that took up more than half of the first quarter.

The Fayette County Tigers opened the 2026 season with a fight to the finish Friday night, trading the lead with Gordo before the Green Wave pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 33-27 victory. Fayette struck first, weathered a 19-point second-quarter surge by Gordo and reclaimed the lead in the third quarter before a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns put the Tigers in a hole they could not quite overcome. The Tigers received the opening kickoff and immediately began moving the football.

The Fayette County High School Tigers got their first taste of action under the Friday night lights on Aug. 14, hosting a four-team football jamboree at John Morgan Brown Stadium. Fayette County was joined by Mars Hill Bible, Tuscaloosa Academy and Bibb County for the preseason event, giving the teams an opportunity to put weeks of summer workouts and preseason practices to the test before the start of regular-season play. The Tigers made the most of the opportunity, shutting out both of their opponents while scoring a combined 33 points during four quarters of jamboree action.

The Hubbertville Lions football team traveled to Curry High School on Friday night to participate in a fall jamboree at Travis Hudson Stadium. The Lions took to James Earl Hubbert Field along with Curry, Dora and Holly Pond to kick off the season. Each team played two games consisting of two 12-minute quarters. The Lions opened against the Holly Pond Broncos, whose first possession was stopped by the Hubbertville defense. Hunter Rochester, Lane Barnes and Charles Keeton were among those making stops, with Keeton recording a sack on quarterback Grayson Baggett.

The final out unleashed a celebration years in the making. 

Players sprinted toward the mound. Gloves flew into the air. Fans rose from the stands inside Jacksonville State University’s Rudy Abbott Field, cheering as Hubbertville players piled together in celebration.

Hubbertville swept Spring Garden in the second round of the AHSAA playoffs on April 30, earning a spot in the third round.
Hubbertville 8,
Spring Garden 5
The Lions opened the series with an 8-5 win, using a strong offensive performance and aggressive base running to take control early.
Hubbertville scored four runs in the first inning, highlighted by a double from Kane Rushing and a single from Carter Brand. The Lions added to their lead in the second when Rushing delivered another hit to extend the advantage to 5-0.

Fayette County’s postseason run came to an end April 30, as the Tigers dropped both games in the second round of the AHSAA playoffs to Alexandria, finishing the season with a 19-16 record.
Alexandria 7, FCHS 0
In the opener, Fayette County fell 7-0 and was held without a hit.
The Tigers kept the game close early before Alexandria built its lead over the middle innings. Fayette County was unable to generate offense against a strong outing on the mound.

After a tough extra-inning loss to Brookwood Panthers, the Fayette County High School Tigers responded in dominant fashion, sweeping Dora in the opening round of the Alabama High School Athletic Association playoffs. Fayette County fell 9-6 to Brookwood despite out-hitting the Panthers nine to five. Porter and Unger led the Tigers with two hits each, while Porter, Stowe and Armstrong drove in two runs apiece. The game was tied late before Brookwood erupted for six runs in the eighth inning to pull away.

The Hubbertville Lions bounced back from a late-season loss to open the postseason with a hard-fought series win over Pickens Academy Pirates in the Alabama High School Athletic Association playoffs. Hubbertville dropped its final regular-season game, falling 13-7 to South Lamar Stallions. The Lions battled back to tie the game early but were undone by a seven-run sixth inning from South Lamar. Kane Rushing led Hubbertville with two RBIs, while Bryce Afshar, Carter Brand, Ceth Hollingsworth, Rushing, Blaize Wakefield and Gavin Hubbert each recorded a hit.

Berry High School delivered a pair of dominant performances on March 31, sweeping Brilliant in a doubleheader with 11-0 and 16-0 victories. In the opener, the Wildcats were powered by a standout all-around performance from Walker Edmonson, who collected three hits and struck out 12 batters in four and two-thirds innings of no-hit baseball. Berry took an early lead in the first inning and added to it in the second behind a home run from Lake Norris and an RBI double from Edmonson.

Fayette County High School put together an explosive offensive showing, sweeping Curry in a three-game stretch March 30–31. The Tigers opened with a 16-0 win, using a balanced attack and strong pitching to set the tone early. Fayette County scored in every inning, highlighted by a four-run third that included an inside-the-park home run by Wade Jackson. Brayden Unger earned the win on the mound, allowing just one hit over four innings while striking out seven. Jeremiah Stowe led the offense with three hits, while Jackson, Brayden Unger and Brady Stocks each drove in two runs.

Hubbertville softball picked up a dominant win over Pickens Academy before falling to Berry in recent action. The Lady Lions cruised past Pickens Academy with a 15-0 win on March 30, powered by a big day at the plate from Anna Sophia Walker, who drove in four runs on four hits, including three doubles. Hubbertville jumped out early and never slowed down, scoring in each of the first three innings.

Bevill State opened the week with a split against Jackson State Community College before dropping a series to Wallace-Dothan in recent action. Bevill State rolled to a 6-0 win in the opener on March 31, powered by a dominant performance at the plate from Cole Payne, who went 4-for-4 with two doubles and two singles. The Bears struck early and added insurance in the third inning with RBI doubles from Payne and Nicholas Peters.

Hubbertville continued its strong run with a pair of decisive wins over Marion County on March 31 and April 2, outscoring its opponent 34-2 across the two games. The Lions opened with a 20-0 rout on March 31, fueled by a huge performance from Kane Rushing, who drove in four runs on three hits, including an inside-the-park home run. Hubbertville broke the game open in the first inning, sending multiple runs across the plate, and never looked back.

Berry High School softball picked up key wins over Brilliant and Hubbertville before going 2-2 in Bulldog Classic play in recent action. Berry opened the stretch with a 4-3 win over Brilliant on March 31, using a late rally to secure the victory. With the game tied in the seventh inning, Maylon Keeton delivered the go-ahead triple to score the winning run. Alivia Morrison drove in two runs earlier in the game, while Rylee Hill earned the win in relief, striking out nine over four and two-thirds innings.

The Bevill State baseball team put together a productive stretch against Bishop State, splitting a four-game series with a mix of timely hitting and high-scoring performances. Bevill State opened the series March 26 with a 9-4 win, using late offense to pull away. After falling behind early, the Bears tied the game in the third inning and took the lead for good in the fifth on a double by Kyle Nunnally.

The Hubbertville Lions turned in a dominant week on the diamond, going 4-0 behind a powerful offense and steady pitching, including a pair of wins at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham.

The Fayette County High School baseball team put together an impressive stretch of games last week, highlighted by explosive offense, aggressive base running and standout pitching performances. The Tigers went 3-1 during their trip to the Gulf Coast Classic and finished the stretch 3-2 overall. Fayette County also recognized its senior players prior to its March 20 home game against Sulligent. Honored were seniors Brayden Unger, Parker Lindsey, Tucker Scott and Ty Sawyer, all of whom have played four years for the Tigers.

The Fayette County varsity baseball team split a pair of games last week, falling to Gordo before bouncing back with a decisive win over Sulligent. The Tigers dropped a 10-6 decision to Gordo on March 17 despite building an early lead.

The Berry varsity baseball team went 2-1 over a recent three-game stretch, earning wins over Carbon Hill and Dora after a loss to Lamar County. Berry opened with an 11-0 loss at Lamar County on March 17. Lamar County scored three runs in the first inning and steadily pulled away, adding runs in each of the next two innings.

The Berry varsity softball team came up short in three games March 21 at Hubbertville, falling to Hubbertville, Fayette County and Carbon Hill despite strong offensive efforts. Hubbertville 8, Berry 6 Berry opened the day with an 8-6 loss to Hubbertville, out-hitting the Lions 8-4 but unable to hold a fourth-inning lead.

Bevill State baseball split a four-game set with Reid State last week, earning a pair of wins in a competitive series. Bevill State opened with an 8-3 victory on March 19, breaking the game open with a four-run fifth inning. Hayden Craycraft, Cameron Simpson, Gresham Baker and Cole Payne each drove in runs during the game.

The Hubbertville varsity baseball team went 1-3 over a recent stretch, highlighted by a high-scoring comeback win over Addison. Winfield 7, Hub 2 The Lions opened with a 7-2 loss to Winfield on March 17. Winfield built an early lead with runs in each of the first three innings.

The Berry High School softball team split a pair of games last week, defeating Winston County before falling in a close matchup with South Lamar. Berry 10, Winston Co.  7 Berry rallied late to secure a 10-7 win over Winston County on March 9.

The Fayette County High School baseball team came up just short in a series of tightly contested matchups. Sipsey Valley 3, FCHS 2 Fayette County suffered a tough 3-2 loss to Sipsey Valley on March 10, with the game ending on a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Hubbertville Lions claimed the Northwest Alabama Conference (NAC) Tournament championship last week, defeating Brilliant, Phillips and Lynn on their way to the title.

Hubbertville’s remarkable postseason run came down to the final seconds Thursday night as the Lions fell to Brantley 45-44 in the AHSAA Class 1A boys basketball state championship game. Despite the loss, Hubbertville delivered a determined performance on the state’s biggest stage, battling back multiple times and holding the lead late in the fourth quarter before Brantley connected on a three-pointer in the closing moments to secure the title.

The Bevill State Bears battled through a busy stretch of games last week, picking up three wins behind explosive offense and strong pitching. Jackson State 25, Bevill State 24 Bevill State opened the week with a wild offensive battle against Jackson State Community College on March 3, falling 25-24 despite one of the Bears’ most productive days at the plate.

The Fayette County varsity baseball team picked up three wins in four games last week, including a pair of late-game victories and a doubleheader sweep of Jasper on March 6. FCHS 9, Cordova 8 The Tigers delivered one of their most exciting finishes of the season on March 3, defeating Cordova 9-8 in walk-off fashion.

The Berry varsity softball team went 2-1-1 over a busy two-day stretch March 6–7, picking up wins over Fayette County and South Lamar while battling Lamar County twice. Berry 1, FCHS 0 Berry opened the stretch with a narrow 1-0 victory over Fayette County on March 6.

The Berry varsity baseball team picked up two wins during a busy week but dropped a pair of games late as the Wildcats faced Carbon Hill, Curry, Pickens Academy and Lamar County. Berry 3, Carbon Hill 0 Berry opened the week with a strong pitching performance in a 3-0 victory over Carbon Hill on March 2.

Bevill State Community College baseball put together an impressive six-game run, sweeping doubleheaders against Blue Mountain Christian University Developmental 26 on Feb. 23 and Central Alabama Community College on Feb. 25 and Feb. 28.

The Fayette County Varsity Tigers battled to the final inning but came up just short in a 7-6 loss to Cordova on Feb. 23 before falling 10-0 to Jasper on Feb. 26. The Tigers later split a pair of contests on Feb. 28, dropping a matchup to Sipsey Valley before earning a 10-6 win over Winfield.

The Hubbertville Lions are headed to the state championship game after overcoming an early deficit and finishing strong to defeat the defending champions of R.C. Hatch Bobcats, 71-60, in the Class 1A semifinals Monday, March 2 at Legacy Arena. The final score does not fully reflect how competitive the game was from start to finish.

Bevill State Community College baseball turned in an explosive offensive performance last week, earning three wins highlighted by big innings, timely pitching and consistent hitting across the lineup. The Bears opened the stretch Feb. 14 with a 12-8 victory over Calhoun. Bevill State racked up 14 hits, jumping ahead early when Nicholas Peters doubled in three runs in the first inning. Additional runs in the second and third helped build a 9-1 advantage that held despite a late Calhoun push.

The Fayette County varsity baseball team split a pair of games last week, falling to Bibb County before bouncing back with a dramatic late-inning win over Tuscaloosa Academy.

The Hubbertville varsity boys are playing their best basketball at exactly the right time. With postseason stakes on the line, the Lions delivered two commanding performances last week, defeating Hackleburg 75-52 on Feb. 14 before rolling past Meek 75-46 on Feb. 17. The victories continue what has been an impressive season for Hubbertville and send the Lions deeper into playoff competition with plenty of momentum.

Bevill State Community College’s baseball team opened the 2026 season with an encouraging but challenging stretch, splitting doubleheaders against Itawamba Community College on Feb. 7 and Gadsden State on Feb. 10 as the Bears began early nonconference play.

The Lady Lions picked up two wins in recent action. Hubbertville defeated Pickens County 50-23 on Feb. 2, powered by Addison Tucker’s 15 points and 13 rebounds. Georgia Gardner scored nine points, while Karlee Pollard, Mylie Kate Hubbert and Jenna Kay Hollis added seven points each. Kadence Cox contributed six.

Hub’s Mylie Kate Hubbert (21) and Fayette County’s Laschelle Cannon (15) and Emma Kate McKelvey (23) fight for a rebound. | Photo by Leah Hollingsworth

Hub’s Tyler Stricklin (7) rushes the ball past a Bulldogs’ defender. | Photo by Leah Hollingsworth

Traveling to Wadley for the third round of the high school playoff’s the Lions battled with the defending state champion Bulldogs.

On Friday night Hubbertville met up with the Hackleburg Panthers once again after closing out regular season play with a 50-20 win over the Panthers earlier in the season at Ray Stadium. 

The Berry Wildcats traveled to Addison to face the sixth ranked Bulldogs in the second round of the state playoffs. The Wildcats kept the game close in the first half, but could not get any traction in the second half as they fell to Addison by a score of 39 - 6.

The Lions welcomed the Woodland Bobcats to Harris Field on Friday night hosting the first round of the high school playoffs in Wiley Hollingsworth Stadium.

Berry’s Ashton Waltrip (13) catches a pass and rushes in for touchdown. | Photo by Sarah Rice

Homecoming is always an exciting time of year. It gives the fans an opportunity to catch up with classmates and to cheer on the next generation of students. With that in mind, the Wildcats welcomed the Brilliant Tigers to Fred Webster Stadium. The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead and never really looked back as they rolled to a 39-point victory.

Fayette County’s Andrew Lollar (15) and Michael Tyree (16) team up for a tackle on an Aggies’ ball carrier. | Photo by Devin Dudley

The Fayette Tigers hosted Hamilton on Friday night and fell 38-21 to the Aggies.

Top row from left to right are Lashelle Cannon, Lainey Deavours, Eady Porter, Emma Strickland, Lauren Unger, Aleyia Nalls, Preslee Kelly, Ava McKelvey, Paislee Kelly, Lakiah Gilreath, Quinn Davis and Aliya Stevenson; bottom row are Caylen Williams, Sofi Gant and Addie Thomas. | Photo by Devin Dudley

Pictured from left to right on the front row are Bella Taylor, Maggie Norris, Hailey Medders and Sydney Rice; back row, Assistant Coach Sarah Rice, Aubrey Helms, Alex Wilson, Leah Ward, Sophie Nelson, Camryn Frost, Emma Kathrine Bozeman and Coach Samantha Estes. (Not pictured is Julia Cook) | Photo by Shelly Hess

The Berry High School girls varsity volleyball team finshed their regular season with a 9-12 overall record, finished 2-0 (2nd) in the region and finished second runner up in area tournament on Thursday Oct. 16.