By By Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer
Athletes from Hartselle’s football, volleyball and cheerleading teams were honored at the school’s annual fall sports banquet Sunday at West Hartselle Baptist Church.
All three teams recently finished successfuls seasons where they competed at the highest level. The football team reached the third round of the state playoffs and finished with a 12-1 record - the best winning percentage in school history - the volleyball team reached the state tournament in Pelham and the cheerleading squad finished first in extreme competition in a summer camp that featured more than 90 teams and 2,000 cheerleaders.
The Tigers honored 18 seniors from the team that beat rivals Russellville and Decatur. Hartselle had two wins over top-ranked teams (Russellville and Cordova) that advanced to the Super Six in Birmingham.
Hartselle’s 2008 seniors on the football team were Marquez Jones, Manquez Jones, David Reeves, Andrew Howard, Luke Bole, Braddock Wilson, Mikhail Provolone, John Stalnaker, Josh Slaten, Daryn Raley, Craig Orr, Carrington Bibb, Russell Powell, Cody Adama, Jeremy Thomason, Mike Hasse, Peyton Speegle and Darrell Dye.
Hartselle set a school record with 12 straight wins and earned the team’s second region championship in the last eight years.
Godsey was named the 2008 Hartselle Enquirer Coach of the Year, while Marquez Jones was the Player of the Year.
The football team’s academic award, presented to the player with the top grade point average, was officially renamed the Virgil Starks Academic award in honor of the 1981 Hartselle High graduate who died suddenly during the season.
An academic adviser in the Auburn University athletic department, Starks was inducted into the Hartselle hall of fame in 2006.
The Virgil Starks Memorial Academic Award was presented to senior Josh Slaten, who currently holds a 4.09 grade point average.
Three other seniors on the football team - Marquez Jones, Peyton Speegle and Russell Powell - also currently have grade point averages of 4.0 o better.
Former Hartselle standout Thomas Hobbie was inducted into the hall of fame.
A 1964 graduate, Hobbie was a three-year letterwinner for the Tigers during the days when the school competed in the Tennessee Valley Conference.
He was All-TVC as a senior in 1963.
Hobbie spent two tours of duty in Viet Nam as a sergeant and tank commander from 1966-68.
He received three purple heart awards, three bronze stars and one silver star - the second highest honor given to a combat soldier.
Volleyball
The Lady Tigers finished 50-19 and reached the Elite Eight tournament before falling to Briarwood Christian.
Hartselle won the area regular season championship and also won the area tournament. The Lady Tigers finished second in the Morgan County tournament.
Seniors honored Sunday were Mallory Jones, Cerra Little and Meeda Stephenson.
Little, the 2008 Hartselle Enquirer Player of the Year, was a first-team all-state player for the Lady Tigers, while Jones earned second team honors.
Also earning all-state honors was sophomore Cory Livingston and juniors Alex Holmes and Callie Miller, and freshman Olivia Golden.
Little was honored for leading the team in aces and assists, while Holmes led the team in blocks. Miller, the Lady Tigers’ libero, had a team-high 583 digs. Livingston was the team leader with 490 kills.
The team’s Scholastic Award was presented to Little, who holds a 4.05 grade point average.
Hartselle head coach Tanya Lybarger was named the 2008 Hartselle Enquirer Coach of the Year.
Cheerleading
Hartselle cheerleading sponsors Beth Long and Beth Bole presented honors to football cheerleaders Brianna Womack, Anna Hall, Madison Cain, Alix Howell, Audrey McClanahan, Rachel Puckett, Jodie Redmond and Lindsey Wallace.
The mascot award was presented to Madison Slate, who served as Champ this season.
Five Hartselle cheerleaders were named UCA all-stars at a summer camp at the University of Alabama: Cain, Hall, McClanahan, Wallace and Womack.
No other squad in the camp had five members chosen as UCA all-stars.
Hartselle took first place in the extreme competition at the camp, fourth place in Home Pom and second place in the Cheer category.
Womack, the squad’s head cheerleader, was presented with the Leadership Award.
The squad’s Spirit Award was given to Rachel Puckett, while Jodie Redmond was presented with the Best Attitude Award.
Alix Howell received the Catherine Ann Sims Memorial Award for the squad’s most dedicated cheerleader.