Area athletes AISA All-Stars

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, November 8, 2005

Many of the most successful teams in the Alabama Independent School Association’s fall sports have been from the Black Belt, so it’s little surprise that several of those teams have placed players on the AISA’s football and volleyball All-Star teams.

After the Cougars’ second straight perfect regular season, Southern Acad. led the way with three players named to the AISA All-Star football team. Senior Cougar linemen Brad McCrory and Andy Wheeler each received recognition along with likely Player of the Year candidate Wallace Drury. With McCrory and Wheeler’s help, Drury racked up 2,887 rushing yards during the regular season and averaged nearly 13 yards an attempt. The senior added 162 yards and five touchdowns in Southern’s 60-0 win over Chambers in Round 1 of the AISA 1A playoffs.

“They’ve earned this,” said Southern head coach Shaun Bonds. “The kids have worked awful hard to prepare and develop as players so it’s nice for them to be able to be recognized.”

Email newsletter signup

McCrory, Wheeler, and Drury aren’t the only players named to the West Region All-Star team. Senior two-way lineman Robbie Smith of Marengo Academy will be in attendance as will Marion Military’s Wendell Crews, a center and linebacker, and all- purpose back Javoris Smith. Sumter Acad. tackle Brandon Briggs, the Eagles’ only senior, rounds out the area’s representation.

The AISA’s football All-Star game will be held at Selma’s Shug Jordan Stadium Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. But with volleyball season concluded at the state championship tournaments Oct. 28, the AISA All-Star volleyball match was free to be held a little sooner: last Saturday, Nov. 5, at Kingwood Christian Academy in Alabaster.

The West Region team got the victory over the East thanks in part to the play of several area players. Sumter Acad.’s state runner-up team placed a pair of seniors on the West team, Angie Tanner and Brittany Bishop.

“It was a really good experience for them,” said Sumter head volleyball coach Marti Ball. “It’s a tribute to how hard they’ve worked over the last seven years. It was nice for them to end their season and their careers on a positive note.”

Tanner and Bishop were joined on the West roster by Southern Acad. senior Katie Broussard and Marion Acad. senior setter Kimberly Clements.

Broussard was named to a second AISA All-Star team, but one very different from the volleyball team: the AISA’s West All-Star cheerleading squad. Along with Sumter volleyball standout Brandy Walden and fellow Eagle cheerleaders Jessie Hanson and Kaley Hayden, Broussard is invited to cheer on the West football team a the game in Selma Dec. 5.