All-Star Sports week opens for the 29th year

BY TIM GAYLE

Nearly three dozen River Region athletes will be in action over the next few days as the 29th annual Alabama All-Star Sports Week kicks off Monday in the Capital City.

The annual event features players in 13 different sports who just completed their junior year in high school and are preparing for their senior season. They will be divided into North and South teams and will play at various venues throughout the city, beginning on Monday morning with the boys golf and girls golf competition at Arrowhead Country Club.

The week will wrap up with the annual volleyball game at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Thursday afternoon.

Among those playing in the Alabama All-Star Sports Week is St. James senior Sydney Johnston, who will play in both the basketball game on Tuesday and the softball game on Wednesday. Johnston was selected to play guard in Tuesday’s basketball game and was a late addition to the South softball squad after several players withdrew to participate in travel ball nationals this week.

“I was really surprised and thankful for the opportunity,” Johnston said, “just really being recognized for how I play and getting the opportunity to play in the big game.”

Four local coaches were selected to coach the South all-stars this week, including St. James coach Mark Hall in softball, Prattville Christian Academy coach Kaylon Cantrell in girls tennis, Montgomery Academy’s Gui Mondaini in boys soccer and Trinity’s Chad Mansmann in baseball.

Several other local coaches help each year as administrative coaches, including LAMP’s Robb McGaughey in basketball, Carver’s Virginia Franklin in volleyball and St. James’ Keith Lucky in baseball, along with retired coaches Ken Whittle in baseball and Elisa Bowden in tennis.

“It’s obviously an honor to be selected,” Hall said. “It makes you feel like you’re doing something right. To be able to coach such a talented roster is a huge honor. I’m looking forward to it. I’m thrilled and excited to coach in it.” 

All-star week was initiated in the late 1990s under the direction of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association to honor rising seniors in football, basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball. Soccer was added a year later and recently cross country, tennis and golf were added.

The football game is played in Mobile in December.

Among the participants are Trinity’s Brycen Dorsch, Alabama Christian’s Julie Waldo and Pike Road’s Beka Yang in golf, along with six local players in tennis -- Montgomery Academy’s Jackson Brown and Anton Yang and Trinity’s Jameson Sanders in boys tennis and St. James’ Bailey Woods and Helen Johnston and Pike Road’s Grayson Nolen in girls tennis.

In boys soccer, Montgomery Academy’s Drew Phenix and St. James’ Atticus Clements were selected to play, along with Montgomery Academy’s Kirsten Thomas and Pike Road’s Alissa Gregoire in girls soccer.  

 Softball will have the biggest change in its lineup as several players from both the North and South squads are in California participating in the PGF Premier 2025 National Championships. The original South lineup included Elmore County’s Addison Hicks, St. James’ Emily Needham, Catholic’s Rylee Wilcoxson and Wetumpka’s Bailey Carlisle.

Needham is one of five South players in California and Hicks had to drop out of the game due to injuries. Those six were replaced by Johnston. Central-Phenix City pitcher Kayla Storey and Wicksburg catcher Chloe Joyner.

“The main thing I have to remind myself is I don’t want to overcoach them,” Hall said. “There’s a reason they’re in this game. They’re good. I’m not going to do anything or try to reinvent something in one day. I just want to get out of their way and put them in the best spots they should be. I want to make sure they get plenty of playing time, but when it gets down to it, we’re going to try and win both games.”

In baseball, participants include Elmore County’s Gage Davis, Prattville Christian’s Jack Diefenderfer and Wetumpka’s Logan Fawcett.

Joining Johnston on the girls’ basketball squad are Catholic’s Hannah Smith, Prattville’s KeLeigh Mullens and Tariah Magee and Maliyah Meeks of Park Crossing. Pike Road guard Jordan Holmes will be the lone River Region participant on the boys’ basketball team.

A trio of volleyball players round out the local participants on the South squad, with Billingsley’s Alana Jones joined by Elmore County’s Isabella Fuller and Prattville Christian’s Baylee Rogers.

Tickets are $5 per event.

ALABAMA ALL-STARS SPORTS WEEK

Monday

Girls golf, Arrowhead Country Club, 9 a.m.

Boys golf, Arrowhead Country Club, 9 a.m.

Baseball, Riverwalk Stadium, 4 p.m. (DH)

Tuesday

Girls cross country, Gateway Park, 8 a.m.

Boys cross country, Gateway Park, 8 a.m.

Girls tennis, Lagoon Park Tennis Center, 5 p.m.

Boys tennis, Lagoon Park Tennis Center, 5 p.m.

Girls basketball, Multiplex at Cramton Bowl, 5 p.m.

Boys basketball, Multiplex at Cramton Bowl, 6:45 p.m.

Wednesday

Softball, Lagoon Park Softball Complex, 4 p.m. (DH)

Girls soccer, Emory Folmar Soccer Complex, 5 p.m.

Boys soccer, Emory Folmar Soccer Complex, 7 p.m.

Thursday

Volleyball, Multiplex at Cramton Bowl, 2 p.m.