Local Sports

Berry falls to Woodville in first round of playoffs

Berry’s Dalton Greene is tripped up by a Woodville defender. Greene finished with 255 yards of total offense (92 yards rushing and 163 yards receiving). (Photo by Sarah Rice)

The Berry Wildcats traveled to face the Woodville Panthers in the first round of the playoffs.  The Wildcats stayed in the game for most of the first half before Woodville took advantage of some Berry turnovers to pull away in the second half.  The Panthers defeated the Wildcats 76 – 36 to ultimately bring an end to the Berry season.

Fayette County cruises past North Jackson in first round

Fayette’s Hester Whittaker comes down with the catch to put the Tigers in scoring position. The senior finished with two receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown. (Photo by Orry Cantrell)

Another game in John Morgan Brown Stadium, another win for the Fayette County Tigers. With Fayette County’s 43-7 victory over the North Jackson Chiefs on Friday, Nov. 6, the Tigers remain undefeated at home for the 2026-2027 season. “It means a lot to stay undefeated at home,” Fayette County Head Coach Jared Porter said. “It’s a mindset to this group of kids. Playing at home in November just means more.”

Fayette County Volleyball ends historic season

FCHS reached the AHSAA 3A State Tournament’s Elite Eight for the first time in 14 years. (Photo by Jackie Roberts)

The Bible verse Joshua 1:9 states “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Fayette volleyball Head Coach Jackie Roberts says her team shaped its historic season around this verse, pushing all the way to the AHSAA 3A State Tournament’s quarterfinals, known as the “Elite Eight.” This was the first time the Tigers had reached the Elite Eight since 2012, when the seniors on the team were just toddlers. 

Rickman breaks record as Fayette defeats Stallions 40-3

Coach Porter stands alongside his quarterback, Jake Rickman. The senior has started in Porter’s offense since his freshman year. (Photo by Orry Cantrell)

As Fayette County High School quarterback Jake Rickman’s pass hung in the air late in the second quarter, so did history. 16 years ago, FCHS quarterback Evan Sims set the school record for most touchdown passes in a career, racking up 66 scores through the air during his time as a Tiger. That record stood all the way until Friday night when Hester Whittaker secured the record-breaking pass from his quarterback, going 35 yards for the score. This marked Rickman’s 67th career touchdown pass, the most in Fayette County football history.

Berry drops final regular season game, looks ahead to playoffs

Sawyer Morgan lines up on offense for the Wildcats. (Photo by Sarah Rice)

The Berry Wildcats faced the Meek Tigers in their last regular season home game.  Despite scoring both offensive and defensive touchdowns, a strong running game by the Tigers would prove to be the difference.  The Tigers walked away with a 38 – 28 victory as both teams now turn their attention to the playoffs. 

Hubbertville shuts out Lynn, goes undefeated in region

Hubbertville’s Cruz Kizzire stiff arms a Pickens County defender. The junior finished with 4 receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown. (Photo by Leah Hollingsworth)

Hubbertville closed out regular season play on Friday night welcoming Region Five foe Lynn Bears to Wiley Hollingsworth Stadium. The Lions jumped out to an early lead and never let up as they continued their dominance in Region Five play. 

Fayette extends win streak with victory at East Lawrence

Fayette County’s offense lines up against the Eagles’ defense. Head Coach Jared Porter emphasized the key role his offensive line played in the team’s victory on Friday night. (Photo by Priscilla Gray)

On Friday, Oct. 23, the Fayette County Tigers made the almost two-hour journey to Trinity, Alabama for the first of two final road games to end the regular season. The Tigers would return home with a six-game win streak and a full head of steam from a 45-21 victory over the East Lawrence Eagles. This streak is the team’s longest in four seasons, after the Tigers opened up the 2022 season 6-0.

Berry narrowly defeats Pickens County in 54-52 nail-biter

Berry’s Drayke Parr carries the ball for the Wildcats. The junior finished with 7 receptions for 84 yards along with 75 yards on the ground from 5 carries. (Photo by Sarah Rice)

The Berry Wildcats hosted the Pickens County Tornadoes with the four-seed from Region 5 on the line.   The game looked like it would be led by both defenses when the first quarter ended with both teams failing to score.  However, the offenses would come to life for a combined 106 points over the next three quarters with the Wildcats taking the 54 - 52 victory in the closing seconds of the game.