RCHS TRACK & FIELD
SPORTS:
more than they seem
by Christian Ginder
Many see sports as a way to pass time or as a fun activity they take interest in, but to others, it means much more. Since I was young, sports have been a big part of my life. They have helped me through tough times. When my parents got divorced, I turned to sports to help me through my struggles and tough times. At times, I would go hit some baseballs, and at other times I would go for a run to ease my mind. Outside of simply learning to play them, sports can teach us some of the most important life lessons. Teamwork, self-discipline, and hard work are all beneficial aspects of sports. Sports can also teach us to have a strong mindset, and they can teach us the importance of overcoming adversity.
To help me make my point, I spoke with CJ Pinkard (senior) about what sports mean to him:
“Personally, I love the game of football,” CJ said. “To other people, football is just men hitting each other.
I have even heard football players described as ruthless. To me, however, football and sports as a whole are what people use to escape reality. To be with your brothers - sweating, fighting, and striving toward a common goal - is truthfully living your best life. While watching sports, people can escape their home life, school life, and life in general. When I am on the field, nothing else matters. This goes for any sport, in my opinion. It does not matter which one it is. Sports teaches boys and girls how to work with others and allows them to build relationships that can not be replaced. It teaches hard work and dedication. Personally, my attitude has gotten better since I started playing sports. I am also better at being on time, and I have become the best man I feel I can be. If anyone is debating on playing sports, I say do it because it could be the best decision they will ever make. The benefits sports provide are well worth all the hard work and effort athletes put forth.”
BASKETBALL
photos by miracle mckissic and aaliyah mckissic
ArCHIVED ARTICLES (2018)
Photos by Jeremy Wortham
RCHS defeats Geraldine, advances to quarterfinals
In round two of the state playoffs, our RCHS Tigers traveled to Geraldine to face the 10-2 Bulldogs.
RCHS jumped out to a 15-0 lead on a touchdown run by Atario Hester and a 37-yard pass from Damarcus Davis and Trey MacFarland.
Geraldine struck back just before the half, and at the break, our boys led 15-6.
Late in the third quarter, Hester scored again, this time from 7-yards out. The Tigers then led 22-6.
With 7:37 left in the fourth quarter,
RCHS Defense Stifles Saks, Propels Team To Semis
On Friday, November 23rd, the Saks Wildcats traveled to Randolph County to take on the RCHS Tigers in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.
Coming into the night, the Wildcats were 10-1, their only loss of the season coming to RCHS back in October. Their offense, which averaged 40.27 points per game, was considered by many to be the best in 3A. If the Tigers wanted to defeat them again, they'd need their defense to be as strong as ever.
The first quarter passed without either team scoring, but with 10:50 left in the 2nd
quarter, Atario Hester found the end zone and the Tigers took a 7-0 lead.
That score stood throughout the quarter, and at the half, the Tigers led by seven.
Late in the third quarter, Hester found paydirt once again, this time from seven yards out.
With 1:45 left in the quarter, RCHS had a 13-0 lead.
The Tigers padded their lead to 19-0 in the fourth quarter when Dante Jordan took the ball SIXTY SIX yards for the score.
As high powered as Saks' offense had been this year, many would have expected them to score more than eight points on the night. However, that is exactly what happened. On this Friday night, the Tigers' defense made the Wildcats look less like an offensive powerhouse and more like a pee-wee squad.
That lone Wildcats touchdown came with 5:25 left in the fourth quarter.
They were successful with their 2-point conversion, but eight points just wasn't enough to win this one.
With the victory, RCHS will travel to Piedmont for the semi-finals.
The Bulldogs (12-2 on the season) won an earlier meeting between the two teams, but RCHS will do everything they can to make sure it doesn't happen again.
Make plans to be at this one.
The winner will pack their bags and head to Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn) for the 2018 state championship game.
GO TIGERS!
Geraldine found the end zone again, making the score 22-12.
Only two minutes later, Hester scored his third touchdown of the night, increasing the Tiger's lead to 28-12.
Geraldine scored one more time, but it wasn't enough.
Our RCHS Tigers are headed to the quarterfinals for the fourth year in a row!
Next Friday night, RCHS will host the Saks Wildcats. Come out and support the team.
RCHS advances with
blowout win
In round one of the state playoffs, our RCHS Tigers hosted the Tigers of Lauderdale County.
RCHS scored early and often as they absolutely dominated their opponent, winning the game 53-6.
Touchdowns were scored on the night by Dante Jordan (2), Atario Hester (2), Jonathan Prothro (2), TJ Sims, and Alex Sheppard.
Our boys will travel to Geraldine to face the Bulldogs in round two. Geraldine defeated Holly Pond in round one by a score of 29-14. They are 10-2 on the season.
Photo by Jeremy Wortham
Huddleston and Wright compete in state competition
by Lula Kidd
Abby Huddleston and Keith Wright both qualified for the state competition in cross country.
The meet was held in Moulton on Saturday, November 10th. They both did a fantastic job.
Keith placed 98th out of 100+ boys and Abby placed 100th out of 150+ girls.
We are very proud of both of them for qualifying and competing. There were many competitive teams at the competition, and even though it was very cold, both of our runners pushed through to the finish.
Congratulations to Keith, Abby, the rest of the team, and the coaches on a great inaugural cross country season.
Hometown
heroes
Every Friday (game day) morning, the RCHS Tigers' football team, band, and cheerleaders head to Wedowee Middle and Wedowee Elementary for "Hometown Heroes." Players, band members, and cheerleaders await students as they unload the buses and head into the school building to start their day. It's a very special event that builds relationships, reinforces support, and generates smiles.
FOOTBALL regular season
by Sophia Milligan
Piedmont later rallied and eventually secured the win, 27-22. It was a tough loss in a game that our boys could have definitely won.
This year’s homecoming game, game four of the season, was against B.B. Comer.
We demolished them with a 32-6 win.
The week following the Comer game, the team traveled to Woodland and wiped the field with the Bobcats, winning by a score of 41-13.
Four additional wins came over Weaver (38-28), Walter Wellborn (53-13), Saks (41-21), and most recently, Pleasant Valley (35-6). At the time of the Saks game, the Wildcats were the #1 team in 3A.
The beatdown we gave them moved us into the top spot where we belong.
On Friday night, 11/2, our boys defeated Wadley by a score of 28-0. The final score handed Wadley its first shutout loss since 2012. This was the final game of our regular season. Our next opponent will come to us next Friday, November 9th. We'll host Lauderdale County in the first round of the state playoffs.
We congratulate each player and coach on a great season so far. Go Tigers!
The air is buzzing this season with people’s excitement about our RCHS Tigers and the state playoffs. Our boys fought hard this season as they compiled an incredible 8-1 record and a state playoff berth.
The first win of the season came against Notasulga, 28-14.
The second victory came in an absolute blowout win over Glencoe, 41-0. The Yellowjackets should have stayed at home.
Following their 2-0 start, our boys went face-to-face with arch- rival Piedmont. Although we led early in the game,
RCHS GOES Cross Country
by Hagen Smith and Miracle McKissic
This school year is the first that RCHS has offered a cross country team. The team began back in August and finished up its inaugural season in October. Coaches Jacob Hicks and Duska Fields said they were very proud of the team's performance overall. The more extracurricular activities we offer at RCHS, the more opportunities for students to find a way to get involved. We are proud to have a cross country team, and we can't wait to see what the future holds for our boys and girls.
Two runners, Keith Wright and Abby Huddleston have qualified for the state championship on 11/10/18. Good luck to both of these student athletes!
ArCHIVED ARTICLES (2017)
Senior Athlete Interviews
with Billy Turner
All Videos
Brody Wortham
Madelynn Sheppard
Tanner Harper & Trent Shelnutt
E.J. Clark
Me: How’s life going right now?
EJ: “Pretty Good , trying to stay focused on football and keep my head on straight”
Me: What is something people don’t know about you?
EJ: “I really have a passion for dancing”
Me: What caused this?
EJ: ”I was five years old at a cookout. An Usher song came on, so I just started
dancing and fell in love with it”
Me: What are your future goals?
EJ: ”To get a degree in psychology and have a successful career in that field”
Me: Do you have any pre-game routines?
EJ: “10 minutes before we go out, I always said a little prayer”
Me: What were some challenges you faced?
EJ: "I cracked my hip in 9th grade. Going through therapy, trying to get back to full health, was tough.”
Me: Did you form any relationships through sports?
EJ: “Relationships? I formed a brotherhood with Tae, Ladarious, and all my teammates.”
Me: How has sports changed your life?
EJ: “They taught me how to be a man, how to take responsibility, and how to be responsible for my actions”
Me: Do you have any memorable moments?
EJ: “When we came came from behind to beat Piedmont and advance to the state championship.”
Me: Are you glad you played?
EJ: “Yeah, sports have been a huge factor in my life. They've been loyal to me when nobody else was. They taught me the ins and outs of life, and they taught me how to be tough.”
Amy Heard
Me: What is something people may not know about you?
A: "I actually talk a lot. I’m not that shy."
Me: What goals did/do you have for sports?
A: "I wanted to make the All-Area team and become a better leader and teammate."
Me: What challenges did you face in sports?
A: "A shoulder injury that caused me to miss half of senior year and very difficult decisions."
Me: Did you have any challenges in school?
A: "I changed schools midway through my junior year."
Me: What routines did you have?
A: "During pre-game, I thanked God for another day. We had special handshakes,
and during post-game, we had a chant we always did."
Me: What relationships did you make through softball?
A: "Playing softball made my friendships stronger and showed me who had my back."
Me: How has softball changed your life?
A: "It has changed it for the better. It taught me how to multitask and manage my time because we practiced until 9:45 every night."
Me: What was your most memorable moment?
A: "Being ninja turtles in the dugouts."
Me: Are you glad you played?
A: "Very glad. I love the sport and everyone involved with it."
Ally Sheppard
Me: How’s life going right now?
Ally: “Pretty good. I have a scholarship to SUSCC to be the volleyball manager.”
Me: What’s something people wouldn’t know about you?
A: “I went to that other school from K-4th grade then was converted to the good
side in 5th”
Me: What are your future plans?
A: “I plan to go to SUSCC for two years then transfer to JSU and continue pursuing
my career as a chiropractor.’
Me: What were your goals for sports?
A: “To not break my knee; it popped out twice. I wanted to make it to state,
but I never did. With my team, I made it to the first round twice, but we lost there both times.”
Me: Do you have any life goals?
A: “To be successful and to move on from past situations.”
Me: What are some challenges you faced?
A: “Negative influences; forced to mature early”
Me: Do you have any game day routines?
A: “Every time I served, I would spin the ball three times, bounce it three times, spin it again and hit it. During pre-game, I always did my signature handshake with my best friend Bailey.”
Me: Did you form any relationships?
A: “Being able to come together in one place to support me allowed my family to grow closer. Countless hours of practice and games allowed teammates to become family. Playing opponents year after year formed rivalries and friendships.”
Me: How did sports change your life?
A: “Volleyball gave me a happy place. This helped me escape my frustrations.”
Me: Did you have any memorable moments?
A: “While playing Beulah, Bailey got hit in the head. I played the ball and we scored a point. When we were playing Woodland, the setter and I went up to block the ball and came down and ended up in the floor laughing and holding each other. Her name was Ally too.”
Me: Are you glad you played? Why?
A: “Yes, very much. It had a huge impact that will affect my life forever. It allowed me to obtain the scholarship I have.”
Andrew Prestridge
Billy: How long have you played basketball?
Andrew: "Probably about 14-15 years. Actually, I came out of the womb ballin’, so let’s say 18."
Me: What’s life going look like for you after school?
A: "I plan to take a year off for pitching lessons and get my arm back to full strength."
Then, I hope to go pitch somewhere and study business or diesel mechanics.
Me: What are some challenges you faced playing sports and being an athlete?
A: "Keeping my position and playing in the Glencoe game with my foot messed up."
Trying to come back from two shoulder surgeries.
Me: What were some routines you had? Pre-game/post-game?
A: "After school, I would eat a meal, use the bathroom, listen to music, and sleep."
Me: How did basketball change your life?
A: "It got me in shape, and it kept me in shape. It taught me how to fight through tough times."
Me: Do you have any memorable moments?
A: "While playing Coosa my 11th grade year, I hit eight three-pointers. This set the school record for most threes made in a single game."
Me: Are you glad you played?
A: "Yes, I love the game. It was, and still is, one of my favorite sports."
The following seniors will go on to play at the college level:
-
Richard Bledsoe: Football - Highland Community College (KS)
-
Madison Christopher: Cheer - Southern Union Community College (AL)
-
EJ Clark: Football - Highland Community College (KS)
-
Dontavious Davenport: Football - Highland Community College (KS)
-
Beyonce Lindsey: Basketball - Southern Union Community College (AL)
-
Ally Sheppard: Volleyball - Southern Union Community College (AL)
-
Madelynn Sheppard: Cheer - Southern Union Community College (AL)
-
Tre Terrell: Football - Birmingham Prep (AL)
-
Brody Wortham: Baseball - University of West Georgia (GA)
Leaving a Legacy
by Billy Turner (4/24/18)
Monday April 23rd, 2018 is a day that will go down in the history books for Randolph County High School. On this date not one, not two, not three, but five students signed to continue their athletic career at the collegiate level. The entire Meteor staff would like to congratulate the following athletes: Madison Christopher, Dontavious Davenport, Madelynn Sheppard, Tre’ Terrell, and Brody Wortham.
Madison Christopher signed with Southern Union Community College for cheerleading. She cheered at RCHS for five years and continues to do competitive cheer. Madelynn Sheppard will continue her cheerleading career at Southern Union as well. She has cheered at Randolph County for six years and will continue to cheer competitively. Congratulations to both of these young ladies on their signings!
Dontavious Davenport will take his talents to Kansas. There, he will play football for Highland. Davenport has played WR and CB for Randolph County for six years. Tre’ Terrell is headed to Birmingham Prep to continue his playing career. Tre’ has made an impact on the field since his eighth grade year when he first started as a rover. Congrats to both of these amazing student-athletes on these opportunities!
Brody Wortham will be headed to West Georgia to continue his baseball career. Wortham has been playing varsity baseball for five years, and he has been a starter for the past three. Before signing with West Georgia, Brody was awarded the prestigious Bryant-Jordan Scholarship. Congratulations to Brody on both of these marvelous achievements!
LEAVING LEGACIES
All five of these athletes are the types that place academics before their athletics. They’re the types of athletes little kids will imitate in the backyard. They’re the types of athletes that will remind people of where Wedowee is on the map. They’re the types of athletes that will continue to show just how amazing Randolph County High School is. They’re the types of athletes that leave legacies. We’re very proud of each of them.
Madelynn Sheppard
photo by: Robert Eason
Madison Christopher
photo by: Robert Eason
Tre Terrell
photo by: Robert Eason
Dontavious Davenport
photo by: Robert Eason
Brody Wortham
photo by: Robert Eason
Brody Wortham and Mr. Darren Anglin
photo by: Robyn Wortham
Monday April 23rd, 2018 is a day that will go down in the history books for Randolph County High School. On this date not one, not two, not three, but five students signed to continue their athletic career at the collegiate level. The entire Meteor staff would like to congratulate the following athletes: Madison Christopher, Dontavious Davenport, Madelynn Sheppard, Tre’ Terrell, and Brody Wortham.
Madison Christopher signed with Southern Union Community College for cheerleading. She cheered at RCHS for five years and continues to do competitive cheer. Madelynn Sheppard will continue her cheerleading career at Southern Union as well. She has cheered at Randolph County for six years and will continue to cheer competitively. Congratulations to both of these young ladies on their signings!
Dontavious Davenport will take his talents to Kansas. There, he will play football for Highland. Davenport has played WR and CB for Randolph County for six years. Tre’ Terrell is headed to Birmingham Prep to continue his playing career. Tre’ has made an impact on the field since his eighth grade year when he first started as a rover. Congrats to both of these amazing student-athletes on these opportunities!
Brody Wortham will be headed to West Georgia to continue his baseball career. Wortham has been playing varsity baseball for five years, and he has been a starter for the past three. Before signing with West Georgia, Brody was awarded the prestigious Bryant-Jordan Scholarship. Congratulations to Brody on both of these marvelous achievements!
LEAVING LEGACIES
All five of these athletes are the types that place academics before their athletics. They’re the types of athletes little kids will imitate in the backyard. They’re the types of athletes that will remind people of where Wedowee is on the map. They’re the types of athletes that will continue to show just how amazing Randolph County High School is. They’re the types of athletes that leave legacies. We’re very proud of each of them.
Madison Christopher signed with Southern Union Community College for cheerleading. She cheered at RCHS for five years and continues to do competitive cheer. Madelynn Sheppard will continue her cheerleading career at Southern Union as well. She has cheered at Randolph County for six years and will continue to cheer competitively. Congratulations to both of these young ladies on their signings!
Dontavious Davenport will take his talents to Kansas. There, he will play football for Highland. Davenport has played WR and CB for Randolph County for six years. Tre’ Terrell is headed to Birmingham Prep to continue his playing career. Tre’ has made an impact on the field since his eighth grade year when he first started as a rover. Congrats to both of these amazing student-athletes on these opportunities!
Brody Wortham will be headed to West Georgia to continue his baseball career. Wortham has been playing varsity baseball for five years, and he has been a starter for the past three. Before signing with West Georgia, Brody was awarded the prestigious Bryant-Jordan Scholarship. Congratulations to Brody on both of these marvelous achievements!
LEAVING LEGACIES
All five of these athletes are the types that place academics before their athletics. They’re the types of athletes little kids will imitate in the backyard. They’re the types of athletes that will remind people of where Wedowee is on the map. They’re the types of athletes that will continue to show just how amazing Randolph County High School is. They’re the types of athletes that leave legacies. We’re very proud of each of them.
Madelynn Sheppard
photo by: Robert Eason
Madison Christopher
photo by: Robert Eason
Tre Terrell
photo by: Robert Eason
Dontavious Davenport
photo by: Robert Eason
Brody Wortham
photo by: Robert Eason
Brody Wortham and Mr. Darren Anglin
photo by: Robyn Wortham
The Year In Sports (so far)
by Billy Turner (4/11/18)
Sports is something we can all agree to disagree on. Whether it’s the Alabama Crimson Tide or the Auburn Tigers, the Atlanta Braves or the New York Yankees, the Cleveland Cavaliers or Golden State Warriors, sports fans all have their favorite team(s). At RCHS, one team we can all agree to cheer on is OUR team. Year in and year out, our Tigers continue to make us proud with their stellar play in all sports. Since this first edition of our resurrected Meteor is being published so late in the year, I will attempt to briefly cover everything that has happened up to this point. From football to baseball and everything in between, this is a look back on the year in sports.
Attempting to stay in order, I will start with football. The varsity Tigers had an amazing season, losing only twice all year. They fought hard and fell just short of the ultimate goal, a championship. The loss was heartbreaking to say the least. One week prior to the loss, the Tigers
overcame a tremendous deficit to defeat defending state champion
Piedmont in a game that will be remembered for many years to
come. The Tigers’ season was nothing short of amazing and all of us
at The Meteor would like to congratulate each member of the team.
The JV football team dominated most of its games and showed great
potential for a possible state championship team in the future.
In other football related news, RCHS had two star athletes sign to
play college football: E.J. Clark and Richard Bledsoe. Congrats to
these two players.
The next Tiger sport was volleyball where the Lady Tigers had a great season. The team was highlighted by several seniors who put their blood, sweat, and tears into the final season of their favorite sport. They finished second in the regional tournament and made the playoffs. Unfortunately, the season came to an end with a heartbreaking defeat in the first round. The JV teams gave us a glimpse into a bright future. The Meteor would like to congratulate both teams on their successful seasons, and we’d like to extend a special congratulations to Ally Sheppard. Ally signed with Southern Union State Community College (SUSCC), where she hopes to take her game to the next level.
The cheerleaders showed out all football season cheering from the sideline and pumping us all up. When it was time for them to take the spotlight, they made us all extremely proud. The squad worked hard all year preparing for pep rallies, games, and competitions. In three competitions, they placed second or higher in two of them. The cheerleaders go unnoticed sometimes and are deserving of more recognition. So, from all of us, thank you for all you do and congratulations on a great year.
Basketball is great sport to watch and play. The boys’ varsity team had a successful season where they finished second in the region and made the playoffs. The season unfortunately came to an end after an early exit in the first round of the playoffs. The girls’ varsity team competed well all year, but they had their season cut short after a first round loss in the region tournament. Senior point guard Be’yonce Lindsey has decided to extend her playing career by signing with SUSCC. Congratulations to Be’yonce from The Meteor. All three of the younger teams: B-team, JV boys, and JV girls, played hard and showed they have the ability and the work ethic to be contributors one day.
At the time of this writing, baseball and softball are in season. Varsity baseball has started the season 16-5 (6-1 in their region). The varsity softball team began their season at 13-10 (4-1 in their region). The JV baseball team has concluded a great season and several players have already made their varsity debuts. The other two softball teams have shown us this season that they will be helping the varsity sooner rather than later. Baseball and softball are both looking to continue their success as they make runs at their respective region championships.
Randolph County has had many successful sports programs over the years. The most recently added is the fishing program. The RCHS fishing program is only in its third year, but at least one team has made it to the state championship in the previous two years. This year, the odds of several teams making it are extremely high. With Lake Wedowee in our backyard, the fishing team sure is making us proud.
While sports are not everything, most do not see the amount of time and effort put in by athletes and coaches to make sure RCHS stays at the top of its games. As I stated in the opening paragraph, sports is something that few agree on. In the college and professional worlds, there are numerous teams to root for, but in the world of high school sports, the one team we should all want to root for is the Tigers of our beloved Randolph County High School.
Photo by Trent Penny (Anniston Star)
