The area’s best and brightest made their collective presence felt last week in Huntsville.East Central Alabama sent a representative to nearly every aspect of All-Star Sports Week, and nearly all of them found a way to contribute to their teams.
Notably, Talladega’s Tae Keith finished as the North team’s leader in all-purpose yards, with 40. He returned two kickoffs and caught three passes in the game, a 12-0 victory for the South.
In softball, Morgan McClure scored a run in two games, as North and South split a doubleheader. She pitched a total of three innings, surrendering six runs on six hits with three strikeouts.
The two teams split the twinbill, with the North grabbing a 7-6 win in Game 1, only to see the South strike back 6-1 in Game 2.
Jessica Merritt was an impact player for the North on the basketball court, scoring 11 points in 16 minutes. She finished 3-5 from the field, grabbed three rebounds and two steals.
Her side dominated that game, defeating the South 86-45.
The boys’ game was more of a defensive struggle, as the North prevailed, 55-46. Darnell Tuck of Talladega played a total of seven minutes in the game, with four boards and a blocked shot.
All the area athletes made their mark over the course of the week. Time will tell if they caught enough recruiters’ eyes to land themselves scholarship offers. Nonetheless, it was a big week for them all.
SOME READING MATERIAL: The International Motorsports Hall of Fame announced recently that it would be expanding the racing library on the grounds.
In a release last week, Talladega Superspeedway reported delightedly that the McCaig Wellborn Research Library — which “houses some 14,000 books and periodicals and more than 10,000 photos” — is undergoing a 1,600 foot expansion currently.
“We are excited that the expansion is progressing so quickly,” said Talladega Superspeedway President and IMHOF Executive Director Rick Humphrey. “The library is a phenomenal resource for motorsports enthusiasts from all around the country. This addition will help ensure the library has plenty of room to grow as our collection of historical books and photos continues to expand.”
The library is open weekdays from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., even in its current state of construction. It’s a valuable asset to race fans like me, who are so new to the sport they find themselves muttering things like, “Where have I heard the name ‘Regan Smith’ before? Shouldn’t I know that name?”
A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA: The popular First Tee Program got some outstanding news last week, as the USGA announced it would award $9,000 to First Tee of Greater Alabama.
Based in Birmingham, the mission of First Tee is “to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Since its inception in 1997, the First Tee has introduced the game of golf and its values to more than 2.2 million participants and students in 48 states and four international locations.”
And that mission was rewarded with the grant.
“The First Tee of Birmingham is a credit to the overall success of The First Tee programs,” said USGA President Jim Vernon. “The world of junior golf would not be where it is today without programs like these.”
This USGA grant is part of an overall financial commitment of more than $22 million to The First Tee Home Office and its local chapters. The USGA is the largest single financial supporter of The First Tee. The check was presented to the organization on July 20.
