Let the games begin

The holiday tournaments are in the books, capping what was an entertaining first half of the high school basketball season. There was no shortage of quality basketball played right here in the tri-county area during the past two months. We have surprise teams that are on the rise, and we have great teams that are primed to contend for regional and state titles.

It was an exciting start, but the real fun begins now with the start of the second half of the season. Here’s a few things to keep an eye on as our local teams begin their stretch runs:

• Will any of the boys teams seperate themselves from the pack in Class 6A, Area 15? This is arguably the toughest area in the state from top to bottom. No. 1 Bob Jones, No. 7 Florence, No. 10 Austin and unranked Decatur all have talented teams capable of going far in the postseason. Austin is currently 2-1 against Area 15 opponents, but the Black Bears looked out of sync while going 0-2 in the Huntsville Times Classic. Decatur, on the other hand, appears to be on the rise, and the Red Raiders’ lineup will be getting a huge boost in the coming weeks  when starting post player Kendrick Cowan returns from a hand injury. Keep an eye on this race, because the two teams that advance out of the Area 15 tournament could very well be playing in the Northwest Regional final.
• Contenders, contenders and more contenders. That’s what we have with our local girls teams. The area is rich with talented teams this season. The unfortunate part is that several of these teams are in the same classification. In Class 5A, Brewer, Athens and Lawrence County all have teams capable of making it to the Final Four. There’s a similar situation in Class 3A, where Clements, West Morgan and Danville all reside in the same brutal area. Which teams will break through? Who knows? There’s not a wide gap between these teams. But one thing is certain, though. The odds that there will be a local team representing both classifications in the Final Four are very good.
• The quality girls basketball doesn’t stop in the classifications mentioned above. Class 6A No. 5 Austin is having its best season since 2005-06, while R.A. Hubbard, led by junior superstar Alex Gholston, appears primed to compete for a second straight Class 1A state title.
• Speaking of state title contenders, how about the Tanner boys? Currently going about 10 deep, the Class 2A No. 1 Rattlers cruised through December. Matthew Hines, Greg Maclin and company practically have everyone back from last season’s championship team, and the Rattlers have lived up to the preseason hype.
• A couple surprise teams emerged in the area during the first half of the season. On the boys side, Class 4A Priceville (14-2) and Class 3A Elkmont (9-5) are off to their best starts in years. Class 4A West Limestone (12-4) has done the same thing on the girls side. Will these remarkable runs continue? I wouldn’t bet against them, so don’t be surprised when these three are playing in the Northwest Regional in February.
• Speaking of the Northwest Regional, two local Class 4A boys teams have that week circled. These two teams also feature two of the best players you’ve probably never seen. East Lawrence guard Orlando Davis is fantastic. Averaging 25 points and 10 rebounds per game, he’s definitely one of the most entertaining players in tri-county area. West Limestone forward Preston Herring, an Austin Peay signee, isn’t too shabby himself. If you’ve never seen this kid play, then head to a local gym and check him out. You won’t be disappointed.

So many storylines. So much good basketball. Watching all of this play out is going to be entertaining, and that’s a gurantee.

It’s championship week

Two area teams will play for football state championships later this week, and here are the stories you can expect to come from this Super (6) week:

Tuesday: Bob does the job — Despite an impressive 14-year career that includes more than 100 wins, nearly 20 playoff victories and a dozen winning seasons, Hartselle head coach Bob Godsey will coach in his first state championship game Thursday night against Vigor. 

For Wednesday: Hartselle heritage — Two current Hartselle High defensive linemen, Alec Durand and Blair Sittason, have fathers who were on the last Tigers team to play for a state championship in 1981. David Sittation and Russell Durand were both members of the 1981 squad that lost 39-20 to Eufala in the state championship game. David Sittason was a senior fullback and linebacker, while Russell Durand was a sophomore on the practice squad.

Don’t forget about the D – The Rattlers’ defense has been overshadowed by an offense that’s scoring nearly 45 points per game. Don’t forget about the D. 

For Thursday: Hartselle vs. Vigor, the game of the century. It’s not quite Alabama-LSU, but it does draw comparisons. Here’s hoping the team in crimson and white wins this time. 

1o Question’s with exchange student and Tanner kicker Marco Vassallo.

For Friday: Game coverage from Hartselle-Vigor, advance for Friday’s Tanner-Elba clash.

For Saturday: Game coverage from Tanner-Elba.

Also, check out my Sunday column on Hartselle at decaturdaily.com. Hang on, it’s gonna be a fun week.

Viewing guides: Hartselle, Tanner

Here are a few storylines for Friday night’s third-round games involving local teams:

The obvious test for both teams Friday night is handling a couple of road tests. Hartselle (12-0) heads to Center Point (11-1), while 2A Tanner (12-0) plays at Woodland (8-4). For Hartselle, it’s the second tough away game in as many weeks, as the Tigers rallied from an early 14-point deficit last week at Pinson Valley.

Both remaining teams win in contrasting styles. Tanner averages nearly 50 points per game, while Hartselle allows opponents fewer than 10. The Rattlers scored 39 last week in a win over Reeltown, last year’ runner-up, and have scored 30 or more points in 11 of 12 games this year. Hartselle’s defense will be tested once again Friday night, as Center Point has set a school record for points in a season.

The stakes are obvious — win and advance. A couple of wins by area teams could produce a pair of semifinal rematches. Assuming Briarwood beats Muscle Shoals, a win would pit Hartselle against Briarwood in a rematch from last year’s 5A semifinals, which Briarwood won in overtime by a field goal. If Tanner beats Woodland and Fultondale beats Lineville, the Rattlers would be paired with its Week 2 opponent. Tanner beat Region 7 foe Fultondale 24-7 in the second week of the season.

For Wednesday: We are family

From left, brothers Blake Whitt and Zach Whitt and brothers Landon Stephens and Hayden Stephens. (Daily photo by Brennen Smith)

Pardon the cheesy headline, but Wednesday’s print feature highlights Tanner’s band of brothers. The Class 2A No. 3 Rattlers, who play Woodland in Friday night’s quarterfinal round, feature two sets of brothers who are also first cousins.

Quarterback Landon Stephens is an older brother to reserve running back Hayden Stephens, and those two are first cousins to brothers Zach and Blake Whitt. Landon and Zach are seniors, while Hayden and Blake are sophomores.

The four share a strong bond that has spurred a team playing for a state championship.

Read more in tomorrow’s Decatur Daily.

Rattlers’ revenge

Tanner hosts Reeltown tonight in the Class 2A state playoffs. (Daily file photo)

Tanner hosts Reeltown tonight in a rematch from last year’s quarterfinals, in which Reeltown ended the Rattlers’ season with a 34-0 decision.

Class 2A No. 3 Tanner hosts the game this year, so that means Reeltown — which advanced to the state title game last year and won it all the previous season — will have to make the four-hour trek from central Alabama.

For more on this story, click here.