Flame too much for Wildcats

Published: Saturday, September 26, 2009 12:30 AM CDT

Tharptown - Shoals Christian jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as the Flame beat Tharptown 20-6 in the Wildcats’ home finale.

Shoals Christian’s Taylor Lindsey scored on the first play of the game when he broke loose for a 66-yard touchdown run.

The Flame (3-2, 3-1) extended their lead to 14-0 about four minutes later when they scored on a 6-yard pass.

The Wildcats (1-4, 1-3) drove to the Flame 15-yard line in the second quarter, but an interception ended the drive. Shoals Christian followed the interception by driving for another touchdown to take a 20-0 lead by halftime.

Tharptown avoided the shutout in the fourth quarter when Nathan Gray blocked a Shoals Christian punt at the Flames’ 24-yard line and Kent Allen returned it to the 1-yard line.

Jacob Parker hit Trevor Hallmark with a 2-yard pass for the Wildcats’ only score. The point-after kick sailed wide right.

Gray had 27 rushing yards and 39 receiving yards to lead Tharptown in both categories. Hallmark had 24 rushing yards and Brandon Cothrum pulled in four passes for 34 receiving yards.

Parker completed 9-of-25 for 78 yards and two interceptions.

Tharptown travels to Brilliant Friday. The game begins at 7 p.m.

Copyright © 2009 – Franklin County Times

Click Here to View Game Stats

THS tops Phillips, misses playoffs

Published: Friday, April 10, 2009 4:26 PM CDT

Scot Beard sbeard@franklincountytimes.com

THARPTOWN - The Tharptown baseball team went on a rollercoaster ride of emotions this week as its playoff fate was decided. The Wildcats needed Phillips to lose three games for Tharptown to make the playoffs.

Phillips had not lost an area game all season. The Wildcats handed Phillips its first loss Monday and returned home Tuesday to hand the Bears a 10-4 loss.

Tharptown’s Jacob Parker and Kelby Hallmark scored in the first inning to give the Wildcats an early advantage.

Phillips tied the game in the top of the second. Tharptown regained the lead in the bottom of the second when Mackinley Flannagin and Nathan Gray scored.

The Bears cut the deficit to one in the third, but Tharptown answered again in the bottom of the inning to maintain a two run lead at 5-3.

The Wildcats increased their lead with one run in the fourth, but Phillips answered with a solo homerun in the fifth. Leading 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Nathan Gray singled and moved to second on a single by Parker.

Kelby Hallmark advanced the runners with a sacrifice before Trevor Hallmark hit a double to drive both runners home.

Brandon Cothrum and Wade Berryman both drew walks to load the bases before Flannagin doubled to score Trevor Hallmark and Cothrum for the final runs of the game.

With the sweep of Phillips, the Wildcats needed the Bears to lose to Mount Hope. Following the game, Phillips boarded a bus to Mount Hope to decide the area. Phillips won the game and clinched the top spot in Class 1A, Area 15 with an 8-2 area record. Vina, also 8-2 in area play, clinched second place. Tharptown finished third with a 7-3 area record.

Copyright © 2009 – Franklin County Times

THS keeps Bulldogs at bay 3-2

Published: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 3:14 PM CDT

Scot Beard

sbeard@franklincountytimes.com

THARPTOWN – The last time Tharptown met Belgreen on the baseball field, the Wildcats walked away with a 12-2 victory.

Monday afternoon, they walked away with a 3-2 win, but not without a fight.

“Both teams played a good, close game. Either team could have won,” said Tharptown coach Derek Ergle. “They have improved since the beginning of the season.”

Devin Lawson scored in the bottom of the third inning to give the Wildcats an early 1-0 lead.

Tharptown was unable to add to its advantage until the fifth when Nathan Gray reached first on a dropped third strike and the throw from the catcher sailed over the first baseman’s head allowing Gray to move all the way to third. Jacob Parker followed with a single to drive Gray home.

Belgreen answered in the third when William Washington doubled and stole third. Tharptown’s catcher tried to throw Washington out, but the throw went into the outfield and Washington scored to pull the Bulldogs within one run.

Shawn Hall led off the seventh inning for Belgreen by drawing a walk and moving to second on a passed ball. He too stole third and the pick off throw again went into the outfield allowing Hall to tie the game.

Parker reached base for Tharptown in the bottom of the seventh before Kelby Hallmark flew out to centerfield. The Belgreen centerfielder threw to first to try and double off the runner, but the throw went to the dugout and Parker moved to second.

A sacrifice by Trevor Hallmark moved Parker to third and a single by Brandon Cothrum allowed Parker to score.

Copyright © 2009 – Franklin County Times

Lady Bulldogs beat Tharptown 2-1

Published: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 3:14 PM CDT

Scot Beard

sbeard@franklincountytimes.com

The Belgreen softball team earned a tough 2-1 road win Monday against Tharptown and moved one step closer to forcing a winner-take-all series against Speake for the right to host the Class 1A, Area 15 Tournament.

Belgreen struggled offensively in the first inning as all three batters grounded out.

Tharptown did not fare much better its first time at the plate. Heather Hatton singled with one out, but was caught stealing before Hollie Hines popped out to end the inning.

Katelin Barber led off the top of the second for Belgreen by drawing a walk. She advanced to second on a sacrifice by Amber Smith.

Lauren Oliver grounded out to third, but Barber was able to score from second on the play to give the Lady Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

Tharptown threatened to tie the score in the bottom of the second when Jess Myrick doubled. Her pinch runner advanced to third on a sacrifice by Chelsey McCluskey.

Lauren Scott lined out to shortstop and Belgreen was able to double off the runner at third to end the inning.

Belgreen had a pair of players reach third base in the third inning, but a stingy Tharptown defense prevented the Lady Bulldogs from adding to their lead.

Hines tied the game for the Lady Wildcats in the fourth inning with a solo home run to left field.

Belgreen took the lead in the seventh when Oliver singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Katy Britton. Deborah Billingham doubled to drive Oliver home for the winning run.

Martha Billingham picked up the win for Belgreen, giving up three hits and striking out six in seven innings of work.

Deborah Billingham had a pair of hits while Smith and Oliver both singled.

Myrick took the loss for Tharptown. She allowed four hits and struck out six.

Hines’ homered, Myrick doubled and Hatton singled for the Lady Wildcats.

With the win, Belgreen improves to 5-0 in area play. The Lady Bulldogs travel to Speake Monday and host the Lady Bobcats Tuesday.

Speake is also undefeated in area play and the winner of that series will be the favorite to host the area tournament.

Tharptown, which was swept by Speake, still has an outside shot at hosting, but the Lady Wildcats will need to win the rest of their area games – including another game against Belgreen – and get some help from other teams in the area.

Copyright © 2009 – Franklin County Times

Lawrence County school consolidation could change sports landscape for local teams

Published: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 3:14 PM CDT

Scot Beard

sbeard@franklincountytimes.com

The 2009-10 school year could see record numbers of teams from Franklin County earning playoff berths as the proposed consolidation of Lawrence County High Schools will shrink the number of schools in Class 1A. Suffering from budget issues, the Lawrence County Board of Education is proposing to combine Hazlewood with R.A. Hubbard, Mount Hope with Hatton and Speake with Lawrence County. The result would be a loss of three teams from Class 1A, Region 8 for the upcoming football season and a loss of two teams in Class 1A, Area 15 for basketball, baseball and softball. “In the past if a school closed in the middle of a classification period, they would be removed from other schedules and the region would retain the new number of schools,” said Ron Ingram, director of communications for the Alabama High School Athletic Association. He said when two schools combine the school that becomes the new campus retains its schedule. This means R.A. Hubbard, Hatton and Lawrence County will keep their schedules. Consolidation has not been made official, and opposition to the plan is strong, so there is still a chance Hazlewood, Mount Hope and Speake will still be competing next season. “Teams in Region 8 will lose (three) games and have to make them up somehow,” Ingram said. Darit Riddle, Tharptown’s principal, said the region’s coaches have gotten together and decided to make up the lost games by playing region opponents twice. “The first game is for the region standings,” Riddle said. “The second game will be for the gate.” In the solution, Tharptown will play Vina, Phillips and Shoals Christian twice. Attempts to find out which other schools Vina would play twice were unsuccessful. The consolidation, from an athletic standpoint, has its advantages and disadvantages for the upcoming season. The biggest advantage would be less competition for playoff spots. The biggest disadvantage would be schools growing in size competing against schools with smaller enrollment. In the latest reclassification, the AHSAA released the following numbers as the enrollments for the schools. Lawrence County has 395.1 students; Hatton has 180.55 students; Speake has 117.65 students; Hazlewood has 105.2 students; Mount Hope has 69.25 students and R.A. Hubbard has 62 students. The new enrollments, according to these numbers would be Lawrence County with 512.75 students, Hatton with 249.8 and R.A. Hubbard with 167.2 students. This would move all three schools to a higher class, but since it is in the middle of a classification period, the schools will retain their current classes. In Class 1A, the class R.A. Hubbard will remain in, Belgreen is listed as having 113.65 students, Vina is listed with 76.6 students and Tharptown is listed as having 70.55. In Class 2A, the class Hatton will be in, Phil Campbell is listed with 205.05 students and Red Bay is listed with 191.15 students. Russellville, in Class 5A, is listed with 479.4 students. Ingram concedes there will be an advantage in numbers, but that might not translate to success on the field. “There is a disadvantage in the kids that have not played together before,” Ingram said. Ingram did say after the 2009-10 school year the state would reclassify schools to take make the regions and areas more competitive. For now, however, the new Class 1A, Region 8 in football will have R.A. Hubbard, Phillips, Shoals Christian, Tharptown, Vina and Waterloo while Class 1A, Area 15 for basketball, baseball and softball will consist of Belgreen, Phillips, Tharptown and Vina. Area 15 will guarantee Franklin County will have one team reach the playoffs in baseball and softball while one team will make the sub-regional round of the basketball playoffs. Copyright © 2009 – Franklin County Times

Baseball Photos!!

Photo by Renita Flannagin

Tharptown split a series with Speake this week. The score at home was THS 14- Speake 11, followed by a game at Speake which ended Speake 11- Tharptown 5.

Here are photos from the weeks games

Softball Photos!!

Photo by Donna Hines

I’ve felt bad about not having much Softball information on the site. However, Donna Hines has provided me with some GREAT photos taken during the games against Speake at Tharptown Field. Unfortunately, we got blanked! (11-0)

Anyway, Thanks Donna!

Click here to see Donna’s Photos

Tharptown baseball has tough week

Published: Friday, March 20, 2009 3:25 PM CDT

Slade GilmerFor the FCT

THARPTOWN - The Tharptown baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to Tanner on Thursday afternoon at Tharptown.

The Rattlers took the first game 16-5 before winning the second game 10-4, using a big inning in each game to pull away.

In the first game, the Rattlers used a big fifth inning to blow open what had been a close game. Wade Berryman led Tharptown with two singles and two RBIs, while Brandon Cothrum added a double. Jacob Parker and Nathan Gray each singled for Tharptown.

The Rattlers used the third and fourth innings of the second game to blow open what had started as a pitcher’s duel.

Leading 1-0, the Rattlers took advantage of a single, a walk, an error and two doubles to score three runs and take a 4-0 lead into the fourth.

In the top of that inning the Rattlers got four singles, an error, a walk, and a catcher’s interference call to drive across five more runs and take a 9-0 lead.

Tharptown got on the board in the bottom of the fifth.

Omar Miguel and Mackinley Flannagin led off the inning with walks before Jacob Parker grounded into a forceout at second to put runners on first and third.

Miguel scored on Kelby Hallmark’s RBI groundout and Berryman followed with a single. He came around to score on a two-run single by Gray to cut the Rattler lead to 9-3.

In the bottom of the sixth, Trevor Hallmark reached on an error, moved to second on Miguel’s second walk and scored on a single by Kelby Hallmark. The Rattlers responded with a run in the top of the seventh to close out the scoring.

Kelby Hallmark led the way in the second game with two singles and a pair of RBIs.

Gray added a single and two RBIs, while Berryman and Justin Britnell each added a single.

Berryman took the loss in Game 2, pitching 31/3 innings and giving up seven runs – five earned – on four hits and four walks while striking out five.

Vina 14,

Tharptown 7

The Red Devil offense rolled Wednesday as three Vina players had three hits each and the team recorded 18 hits in a 14-7 win against area foe Tharptown.

Adam Pharr tripled, doubled and singled while Channing Haithcock and Cass White each hit a pair of doubles and a single.

Four other players had two hits each, led by Brent Townsend who hit a home run and a single while Clay Pierce, Patrick White and Judd Childers all hit a pair of singles. Morgan McCarley hit a double to round out the hitting for Vina.

Adam Pharr pitched three innings before Sammy Pardue entered to throw four innings of relief.

Brandon Cothrum led the Wildcats with a triple, double and single while Kelby Hallmark singled twice.

Parker, Wade Berryman, Devin Lawson and Nathan Gray all singled for Tharptown.

Vina 7,

Tharptown 3

Haithcock led the Red Devil offense with a home run and a single while Cass White had a double and a single.

Townsend, McCarley, Matthew Hester and Patrick White each singled for the Red Devils.

Townsend pitched a complete game to earn the win.

Jacob Parker, Kelby Hallmark, Trevor Hallmark and Gray all singled for the Wildcats.

Copyright © 2009 – Franklin County Times

Tharptown softball sweeps Lady Red Devils

Published: Friday, March 20, 2009 3:24 PM CDT

Scot Beard

sbeard@franklincountytimes.com

PHIL CAMPBELL – The Tharptown girls softball team was not hindered by rainouts, as it was able to generate quite a bit of offense against Vina this week.

The Lady Wildcats scored 33 runs in two games against the Lady Red Devils to improve to 3-0 in area play and 5-3 overall.

“I was proud of our hitting,” said Tharptown coach Laura Sellers. “Between regular games and tournaments, we had about 13 games rained out. We’ve been doing hitting drills in the gym.”

The Lady Wildcats had 16 hits in Tuesday’s 16-0 victory at Vina.

Laken Barnett led the way with three doubles for Tharptown while Hollie Hines tripled and Jess Myrick doubled and had a sacrifice bunt.

Heather Hatton and Braeden Sellers had two singles each while Chelsea McCluskey and Lauren Scott hit one single each for the Lady Wildcats.

Myrick pitched three innings and struck out six to earn the win.

Claudia Townsend had the only hit for Vina.

The Lady Wildcats continued its offensive output Wednesday as they scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a commanding lead. Tharptown sent ten batters to the plate in the first.

Vina threatened to answer in the second as Brandi White and Amber Evans each drew a walk to open the inning. Stormi Mitchell reached on a fielder’s choice, but in doing so White was called out at third.

Evans reached third base on a passed ball, but was unable to score as the next two Vina batters struck out to end the inning.

Tharptown seemed to cool off in the second, only plating one run as Hines – the only Lady Wildcat to reach base in the inning – scored on a sacrifice by Myrick.

Vina could not get a runner to reach base in the third inning, but Tharptown’s bats came back to life.

The Lady Wildcats sent 12 batters to the plate. Those batters recorded five hits and put seven runs on the board to take a 14-0 lead.

With one out in the top of the fourth, White singled for Vina and advanced to second on a ground out by Evans. Mitchell struck out to end the inning before White could advance any farther.

After McCluskey grounded out to open the bottom of the fourth, Barnett singled and stole a pair of bases before Hatton drew a walk. Hines hit a ball deep to the outfield to clear the bases and end the game.

Hines led the Lady Wildcats with three doubles while Barnett hit a single and a double and Tosha George hit a pair of singles.

Braeden Sellers doubled and Hatton, Myrick, Scott and McCluskey each singled for Tharptown.

Hines picked up the win on the mound, pitching four innings and striking out four. She allowed one hit and walked three Vina batters.

White had the only hit for Vina.

Jesse Norwood took the loss, pitching 31/3 innings and striking out one Tharptown batter. She gave up 11 hits.

THS Still Undefeated In Area Play

Brandon Cothrum pitches against Mt. Hope
on Friday night. Photo by Renita Flannagin

Tharptown - The Tharptown Wildcats continued their Area winning streak by beating the Mt. Hope Yellow Jackets in both games of a double header on Friday night. The Varsity boys dominated the Jackets with powerful hitting, good defense, and the pitching attack of Brandon Cothrum and Jacob Parker. The Wildcats scored 11 runs in each of the games beating Mt. Hope 11-0 in tthe first game, and 11-1 in the second.

Mackinley Flannagin hits against Mt. Hope
on Friday night. Photo by Renita Flannagin

See photos of the games