Alabama News

General

Mid-major softball update: Three teams pick up Power Four wins

Three of the state’s mid-major softball teams picked up Power Four wins over the weekend, with South Alabama earning two victories over Notre Dame as the Jaguars went 4-0 in the Mardi Gras Classic at Jaguar Field.

Along with the Jaguars’ wins, Jacksonville State picked up a ranked win over No. 17 Mississippi State in the Rocket City Softball Showcase in Huntsville and Troy beat Wisconsin in the USF Tournament in Tampa.

Read more about those wins and other highlights from the state’s mid-major teams:

South Alabama

Pike County alum Amity White collected two of the Jaguars’ four hits in the leadoff spot and finished with three RBIs in a 5-4 win over Notre Dame on Friday. She put South Alabama on the board with a two-RBI double in the fifth before an RBI single in the sixth.

Senior Stephanie Gonzalez homered for South Alabama in the sixth, while sophomore Ryley Harrison pitched a complete game while striking out five batters.

South Alabama run-ruled Notre Dame the following game on Saturday with a 9-1, six-inning victory as junior Olivia Cato allowed just one run over six innings.

Junior Brooklynn Bockhaus led the Jaguars with three RBIs on a three-run homer in the fifth inning, while freshman Presley Lively went 2-for-4 with an RBI triple and scored twice.

Senior infielder and Faith Academy alum Gabby Stagner finished with two RBIs, hitting a solo homer in the third and bringing home Lively on a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

South Alabama also picked up run-rule wins over Lipscomb (12-1, six innings) and Texas A&M – Corpus Christi (8-0, five innings); Lively set a program record after drawing four walks against Texas A&M – Corpus Christi in the leadoff spot.

The Jaguars will begin play in the Ole Miss Classic on Friday. They will open with a game against Murray State before a matchup against host Ole Miss.

Jacksonville State

Playing in Huntsville for the Rocket City Softball Showcase, the Gamecocks collected their first Power Four win of the season with a 3-0 win over No. 17 Mississippi State on Sunday.

Pitcher Kat Carter shined in the circle, allowing just four runs and two walks while striking out seven in the complete-game shutout.

Abbi Perkins drove in two of Jax State’s three runs with a two-RBI single in the fourth that drove in Ashley Phillips and Amber Reed; Perkins scored on a throwing error in the fourth as well.

The Gamecocks’ first win in the showcase came with a 4-2 win over James Madison on Friday that saw Kat Carter shine in the circle; she allowed three hits and two earned runs while striking out 14 batters against the Dukes.

Freshman Jaci Underwood hit a solo home run in the win, while Emma Elrod, Amber Reed and Morgan Nowakowski also drove in runs.

The Gamecocks started the week with a 7-4 loss to No. 23 Alabama on Tuesday as Norakowski totaled two of the Gamecocks’ five hits.

The Huntsville native and former Buckhorn star went 2-for-3 with a walk, starting the scoring for the Gamecocks with a two-RBI single that scored Underwood and Aria Davis; she also put down an RBI single in the sixth. Emma Elrod had an RBI double for Jax State.

Jax State and Auburn closed the event as the No. 20 Tigers beat the Gamecocks 3-2 on a walk-off solo home run by AnnaLea Adams.

The Gamecocks led 2-0 after the fourth, with Abbi Perkins and Aria Davis driving in runs; Perkins went 2-for-3, while Emma Elrod collected two hits from the leadoff spot.

Jaliyah Holmes pitched every inning for Jax State, allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out four.

Troy

The Trojans went 2-2 in the USF Tournament in Tampa, Florida, highlighted by a 6-2 win over Big Ten foe Wisconsin on Saturday.

Freshman Reaghan Oney shined on offense for Troy, going 3-for-3 with two runs and four RBIs after a two-RBI double in the fourth and a two-run homer in the sixth as the Trojans bolted out to a 6-0 lead. Cassidy Boltz went 3-for-3 with a double.

Tuscaloosa County High alum Alyssa Faircloth shined in the circle, allowing three hits and no earned runs (two unearned) while walking one and striking out 10 across a complete game.

Oney also had a 4-for-4 day against Kent State on Sunday in a 6-4 win, while Boltz drove in two runs with a solo homer and an RBI single. Freshman Caiden Oliva went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run.

The Trojans opened the event with a 10-0 loss to Michigan and closed it with a 10-8 loss to host USF that saw Boltz and Brantley alum Kayden Dunn hit homers and; Boltz, Dunn and Geneva alum Makaley Boswell drove in two runs each.

North Alabama

Off to a 10-3 start, the Lions went 1-3 in the Rocket City Softball Showcase with all three close losses coming to SEC foes in Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Auburn.

UNA opened with a 4-0 loss to Ole Miss before a 6-3 win over ETSU.

Against the Buccaneers, Briley Dover drove in half of the team’s run with a 2-for-3 day that saw her hit a three-run homer in the sixth and a double. Gyvan Hammons had a two-hit day from the leadoff spot.

Auburn outlasted UNA in a 2-1 game, with KK McCrary hitting an RBI double and a solo homer for the Tigers; an RBI double from Hailey Jones to score Dover in the first was the lone run for the Lions.

Buckhorn alum Alivia Wilken collected the UNA loss despite allowing just three hits and two earned runs while striking out six.

The Lions closed out the event with a 6-2 loss to Mississippi State, highlighted by a 3-for-4 day by Jones that included a two-RBI double in the second inning.

UAB

The Blazers opened up the Green & Gold Classic at Mary Bowers Field with a 2-2 weekend, taking down Southern Indiana (4-3) and Belmont (6-0) with a 9-4, extra-inning loss to Purdue and an 11-8 loss to Belmont.

Hayden alum Lindsey Smith logged two RBIs after reaching on an error, with Alyssa Aguilar bringing home Smith on an RBI double. Freshman Brantlee Wortham went 2-for-3 in the win, with the Randolph County alum logging an RBI single in the third inning.

St. Paul’s alum Caroline McLendon allowed seven hits and three earned runs while walking two and striking out four across a complete game.

In the Blazers’ shutout of Belmont on Sunday, Vestavia Hills alum Tait Davidson pitched six innings and allowed just two hits; Fort Payne alum AJ Kramer pitched the final inning and struck out one.

Hewitt-Trussville alum Hannah Dorsett and Fairhope alum Bella Wiggins both collected three hits each; Wiggins had a pair of doubles, scored twice and drove in a run.

Kaily Collett hit a home run and Hope Tucker and Ashlyn Shirah had two hits each in a 9-4, eight-inning loss to Purdue, while Smith went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer and American Christian Academy alum Hannah Miles had a two-run shot against Belmont in an 11-8 loss.

The Blazers will close out the Green & Gold Classic against Samford on Monday at 4 p.m.

Alabama State

The Hornets went 1-4 in the Mercer Tournament in Macon, Georgia, capping off the weekend with a 10-8 win over UConn on Sunday as coach Camise Patterson picked up her first win as the program’s head coach.

Alabama State rallied from an 8-2 deficit, unloading for seven runs in the sixth inning to seal the victory.

Mobile Christian alum JaNiyah Boykin and Leah Richardson both drove in two runs apiece and both logged two hits, with Richardson hitting a two-RBI home run in the first. Junior Brooke Ramsey collected two hits from the leadoff spot and hit a double.

Kohana Pousson picked up the win for the Hornets out of the bullpen, allowing just two hits and striking out three across 4.1 innings of work.

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General

8 new businesses coming to Birmingham area, 1 closing

Business activity continues in February, with several restaurants and retailers announcing openings across the Birmingham metro.

There will also be one closing, along with a well-known pair of businesses changing ownership.

Here’s a roundup of those developments:

Habeneros Mexican restaurant

A popular Mexican restaurant in Hoover has closed, prompting an immediate reaction from its ardent fans.

Habaneros, located on Montgomery Highway, notified customers through social media Thursday that it was closing its doors.

Moe’s Original BBQ

A popular restaurant in Birmingham’s Lakeview district has reopened.

Moe’s Original BBQ, at 731 29th St. S., reopened last week after renovations following a fire June 15, according to posts on its social media channels.

The restaurant has restored its interior and outdoor deck eating spaces.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

A new Chipotle is coming to the Birmingham metro area.

The restaurant will be located at 2641 Valleydale Rd. in Indian Springs Village, in a new development where it will serve as the anchor.

According to promotional material, the restaurant will be adjacent to Starbucks, sit in front of Walmart Neighborhood Market and across from Publix.

Whammy Coffee

A Birmingham-area coffee company will have its first brick-and-mortar location this spring near Railroad Park.

Whammy Coffee will occupy a space at The Denham Building in the Parkside District at 12th Street and First Avenue South.

Mitch and Maddie McEver founded Whammy Coffee in 2022 and operated a pop-up at Pepper Place. They’ve also sold their locally roasted coffee online.

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Nothing Bundt Cakes is coming to Fultondale’s Promenade.

Located at 3441 Lowery Parkway, it will be the chain’s 11th location in Alabama.

A recent social media post by the store said it was in the final stages of construction and hiring. There was no date announced for opening.

Marano’s d’asporto Italian Market and Caffe

A Shelby County-based Italian food provider is opening two takeout locations in the Birmingham area.

Marano Foods has announced it is opening two Marano’s d’asporto Italian Market and Caffè locations at Homewood’s The Edge and at The Shops at Grand River, in Leeds.

The Edge restaurant is set to open this spring. There is no prospective opening date yet for the Leeds location.

Chase Bank branches

JPMorganChase will triple the number of its bank branches in Alabama by 2030, opening 24 across the state, from Muscle Shoals to Mobile.

The banking giant also plans to hire an additional 170 bankers over the next five years.

With regulatory approval, branches are planned this year for Mountain Brook, Birmingham in midsummer and Winchester Road in Huntsville by late August.

Putter Up mini golf

A new entertainment spot described as a high-tech indoor mini-golf experience is scheduled to open this year in Pelham.

Putter Up will be located at Campus No. 124, the development situated at the former Valley Elementary School off U.S. 31, at 2408 Pelham Pkwy.

Continental Bakery and Chez Lulu changes

A pair of popular eateries in Mountain Brook’s English Village is changing ownership after more than four decades.

Carole Griffin, the owner of Continental Bakery and Chez Lulu, has announced on social media that she and partner Shea Rives are turning the businesses over to general manager David Griner.

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General

Nico Collins on the Houston Texans: ‘Just knocking on the door’

Nico Collins starred on a state-championship team at Clay-Chalkville, and he thinks his NFL team is title-ready, too.

“It’s there,” Collins said about the Houston Texans. “Just knocking on the door.”

In Collins’ first two NFL seasons, the Texans totaled seven victories. In each of the past two seasons, Houston has captured the AFC South and won a first-round playoff game before losing on the road to the No. 1 team in the AFC playoffs.

“It’s more room for improvement,” Collins said during an appearance on FanDuel TV’s “Up and Adams.” “I feel like there’s more that’s left on the table. I feel like everybody hasn’t hit that peak yet. You know, I feel like that. And that’s the most exciting part about it, and I feel like we’re just getting started, and I can’t wait for next year and get back on the field with the guys, man. You know, I miss it.”

Collins would include himself among the players who haven’t peaked.

In 2023, Collins had 80 receptions for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns in 15 regular-season games.

In 2024, Collins led the NFL with 567 receiving yards through the first five weeks of the season. He had 74 more yards than the second-place receiver – the Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase, who went on to lead the NFL with 1,708 receiving yards this season.

A hamstring injury caused Collins to miss the Texans’ sixth through 10th games. Despite the five-game absence, Collins still posted another 1,000-yard season with 68 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns.

In the first round of the AFC playoffs, Collins set a franchise record for postseason receiving yards with 122 on seven catches. He also scored a touchdown in Houston’s 32-12 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers and Collins’ college coach at Michigan, Jim Harbaugh.

“It’s a blessing,” Collins said. “I feel like it’s knocking on the surface for me. I got to continue to grow, continue to have fun playing the game. I feel like my journey is just getting started, having fun with it and just enjoying life.”

The Texans also dealt with season-ending injuries to receivers Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs in 2024.

In his second season, Dell, who started his college career at Alabama A&M, tore the anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and posterior cruciate ligament, dislocated the patella and damaged the meniscus in his left knee in Houston’s 15th game. He’s not expected to be ready for the 2025 season.

The Texans lost Diggs to a torn ACL in the eighth game of the season. The four-time Pro Bowler will become a free agent on March 12 unless Houston re-signs him before then. Collins hopes the Texans will do that.

“Having Stef in the room, it was big for me because I’m learning from him,” Collins said. “I feel like for me, I’m still learning. I’m still finding ways to improve on my game, finding ways to go about my business and finding ways I can be better. I feel like in order to do that, you have to be a student of the game and ask guys like Steph and guys that’s been around the game and that’s been successful. So I feel like having Stef in the building, man, having a lot of older vets — you know, I had Brandin Cooks, Chris Conley, Chris Moore, guys like that. So learning from them while I was there, it really, really helped me out till today.”

At Clay-Chalkville, Collins earned Alabama Sports Writers Association first-team All-State recognition as a senior in 2016 after receiving second-team selections in 2014 and 2015.

In 2014, Clay-Chalkville swept through 15 games without a loss, scored at least 35 points in every contest, rocketed to 85 points in its playoff opener against Scottsboro and capped the season with a 36-31 victory over Saraland in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A championship game.

The next season, the Cougars raced through 14 games by scoring at least 38 points in all of them until Spanish Fort defeated Clay-Chalkville 31-28 in the Class 6A title contest.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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General

Rewinding Monday’s Day 1 of the AHSAA state basketball tournament

The AHSAA state finals open today with Class 1A and 2A girls and boys teams taking the floor at Legacy Arena.

Reigning Miss Basketball and Alabama signee Ace Austin and two-time defending champion Spring Garden take on R.C. Hatch in the 1A semifinals. Tipoff is set for noon.

RELATED: Tickets, schedule, TV

Action starts at 9 a.m. The final game is scheduled to tip at 7:30 p.m. Check back frequently for highlights, photos and videos.

FINAL SCORE, Class 2A Boys, Tuscaloosa Academy 72, Section 56

9:23 p.m., Title game matchup: No. 1 Providence Christian vs. No. 3 Tuscaloosa Academy on Friday.

9:20 p.m., Danilo’s big finish: TA’s Danilo Stojakovic scored 13 of his game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter, including 10 in a row at one point. He also had 10 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. Jackson Cooper led Section with 20.

9:18 p.m., Exclamation point: Section turned the game around in the third quarter, but Tuscaloosa Academy restored order in the fourth in a major way. The Knights outscored the Lions 21-3 in the final eight minutes.

9:10 p.m., Taking control: Danilo Stojakovic with three straight baskets for TA. Knights lead up to 65-56 with 2:35 left. Stojakovic with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Section continues to have good looks at open 3s, but only one has fallen this quarter. TA has opened the period with a 14-3 run when it looked like Section had all the momentum.

9:06 p.m., Back on top: Knights open the fourth with an 8-0 and have regained the lead, 59-53, with 4:50 left. Stojakovic with 17 points, 9 rebounds. Jackson Cooper has 20 for Section.

9 p.m., Quick TO: Danilo Stojakovic ties it with a basket to open the fourth. It’s 53-53 with 7:20 left.

8:58 p.m., End 3: What a quarter for Section. Lions hit six 3s and outscore Tuscaloosa Academy 28-16. They now lead 53-51. Kyler Stewart, injured in the second quarter for Section, has returned to the bench to support his teammates.

8:50 p.m., Timeout on the floor: Section is right back in this one. Lions have cut a 40-28 TA lead earlier this quarter to 44-42 behind five 3-pointers. Still 4:13 left in the third.

8:47 p.m., Reigning 3s: Section staying close from long range. Lions have four 3s this quarter. TA leads 44-37.

8:40 p.m., Team stats: TA hit 14-of-33 shots from the field, 4-of-13 from 3 and 3-of-5 from the foul line. Section was 10-of-30 from the field, 2-of-12 from 3 and also 3-of-5 from the foul line. There were six lead changes and three ties in the first half.

8:38 p.m., Key stats: Danilo Stojakovic leads a balanced TA scoring attack with 10 points. Six Knights scored in the first half. Jackson Cooper leads Section with 14 points. Kyler Stewart had a basket before going down with a second-quarter injury.

8:32 p.m., Halftime: Tuscaloosa Academy leads 35-25.

8:26 p.m., Tough spot for Section: Lions down 29-20 and just lost a key player with an injury. 3:20 left in the first half.

8:23 p.m., Injury on the floor: TA leads 25-16 with 4:16 left, but a hush has come over the crowd as Section’s Kyler Stewart is down after an apparent left knee injury. He has been helped to the lockerroom.

8:16 p.m., Knights on a roll: Tuscaloosa Academy with 7 straight to open the second quarter. Matthew Atkins’ 3 gives the Knights a 21-14 lead with 6:31 left in the half and forces a Section timeout.

8:11 p.m, Good one brewing: Looks like we are in for a good one in the finale on Day 1. After 1 quarter, TA and Section are tied 14-14.

8:06 p.m., Timeout on the floor: Section leads 12-8 with 1:45 left in the first quarter. Each team with a pair of 3s so far.

8:03 p.m., Setting the pace: Section up 7-5 with 3:35 left in the first quarter.

7:49 p.m., Pregame: Final game of the day. Section looking for its fourth state title. The Lions last won 9n 2022. Tuscaloosa Academy has not won an AHSAA title. Winner plays No. 1 Providence Christian for the title.

FINAL SCORE: Class 2A Girls: Pisgah 64, Highland Home 31

7:37 p.m., Timeout: Highland Home calls a timeout trailing 64-31 with 1:06 left to play.

7:34 p.m., Winding down: Pisgah has pulled its starters and leads 58-27 with 2:31 left to play.

7:26 p.m., One left: Pisgah’s girls head into the final quarter with a 47-21 lead over Highland Home. Campbell Barron has 13 points and 5 rebounds for Pisgah, while Paisley Patalas has 12 points. Janya Foster has 11 points for the Squadron.

7:20 p.m., Another 3-pointer: Ella Samples hits a 3-point basket for Pisgah as the Eagles take a 45-19 lead late in the third quarter.

7:15 p.m., Timeout: Highland Home calls a timeout as Pisgah now leads 38-15 with 6:03 left in the third quarter.

7:02 p.m., Halftime: The Eagles closed the first half on a 26-8 run and lead 31-13 at halftime in the Class 2A semifinals. Campbell Barron has 11 points for Pisgah, while Highland Home’s leading scorer is Janya Foster, who has 5.

6:59 p.m., Eagles rolling: Pisgah has broken out for a double-digit lead over Highland Home led by 11 points from Campbell Barron.

6:44 p.m., One down: Pisgah’s girls lead Highland Home 16-7 at the end of the first quarter. Campbell Barron leads all scorers with 9 points so far.

6:39 p.m., Double digits: Campbell Barron hits a jumper to give Pisgah a 10-7 lead with 2:15 left to play. She leads all players with 7 points.

6:32 p.m., First timeout: Highland Home calls a timeout as Pisgah leads 4-0 with 7:06 left in the first quarter.

6:23 p.m, Pregame: Pisgah looking for state title No. 11. The Eagles last won in 2022. Highland Home has never won a state title.

FINAL SCORE, Class 2A Boys: Providence Christian 57, Decatur Heritage 56

6:21 p.m., Stats: Logan Hagler led Providence with 15 points. Cas Boone and Pearce Boone each had 13. Hayden Page finished with 26 for Decatur Heritage. Brady Wilson had 6 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 blocks.

6:14 p.m., Block party: Providence’s Luke Strickland with a block at the basket in the final seconds. Providence Christian wins it.

6:11 p.m., Going to the wire: Providence leads 57-56 with 12.7 left. Decatur Heritage ball. Best game of the day. DH has made 5 of its last 6 shots.

6:07 p.m., Not done yet: Providence Christian built a 51-45 lead and looked to be on the way, but consecutive baskets by Decatur Heritage have cut the lead to 51-49 with 2:00 left. Providence ball out of the timeout. Hayden Page with 26 for DH, but he also has 4 fouls.

6:02 p.m., Staying in it: Hayden Page and Brady Wilson keeping Decatur Heritage close, but Providence Christian still leads 47-42 with 3:49 left. Pearce Boone with 9 points and 8 rebounds for PC.

5:55 p.m., Lead change: Providence Christian with a 13-3 run to end the third quarter. Providence now leads 41-34 heading to the fourth. Cas Boone with the last five points, including a 3.

5:49 p.m., All tied: Got a good one here. Decatur Heritage and Providence Christian all tied 33-33 with 2:55 left in the third quarter.

5:46 p.m., Tight one: Decatur Heritage still leads 27-23 with 5:17 left in the third quarter. Eagles have had a couple of open looks in the second half that haven’t dropped.

5:39 p.m., Key stats: Decatur Heritage was 9-of-25 from the field, 7-of-12 from 3 and 0-of-2 from the foul line in the first half. Three players (Page, Jordan Davis, Karter Jeffries) combined to score all the Eagles’ points. Providence was 8-of-23 from the field, 1-of-8 from 3 and 4-of-6 from the foul line. Cas Boone has 8 to lead the way.

5:32 p.m., Halftime: Hayden Page hits a 3 in the final seconds for Decatur Heritage — his 5th of the half. Eagles lead 25-21 at the break. Page has 17 points to lead all scorers.

5:30 p.m., Closing in: Providence with 6 straight points. Logan Hagler’s layup and free throws cut the Decatur Heritage lead to 22-21 with 1:14 left in the half.

5:26 p.m., Update: Decatur Heritage is 6-of-10 from 3-point range and leads 22-17 with 2:43 left in the half.

5:17 p.m., Nice start: Decatur Heritage leads 15-13 after the first quarter. Eagles led 15-6 at one point, but Providence closed on a 7-0 run capped by Walker Morton’s 3-pointer.

5:13 p.m., Bombs away: Decatur Heritage five 3s in the game already. Eagles lead 15-8 with 2:04 left in the first.

4:55 p.m., Top 5 matchup: No. 1 Providence Christian against No. 5 Decatur Heritage next in the first 2A boys semifinal game. Winner gets Section or Tuscaloosa Academy in the final.

FINAL SCORE, Class 2A Girls: Decatur Heritage 65, Abbeville 34

4:52 p.m., That will do it: Decatur Heritage moves onto the the title game. Leslie Hames finished with 19 points. Genie McGhee had 13 points, 13 rebounds and 7 steals. Gabrielle Brown led Abbeville with 13 points and 7 rebounds.

4:45 p.m., Mass subs now: Decatur Heritage up 59-34 with 2:01 left. Eagles will advance to the 2A title game against either Pisgah or Highland Home.

4:43 p.m., Winding down: Decatur Heritage in total control here. Eagles lead Abbeville 57-31 with 3:09 left.

4:03 p.m., Halftime: Decatur Heritage leads Abbeville 29-14 at the end of the first half. Aaliyah Troupe has 10 points for the Eagles and Gabrielle Brown leads Abbeville with 7.

3:59 p.m., Eagles are rolling: Class 2A No. 1 Decatur Heritage leads Abbeville 22-10 with 2:48 left to play in the first half. The Eagles have held Abbeville scoreless for the last 3:25 of the game.

3:46 p.m., Two-possession game: A pair of free throws by Aaliyah Troupe with 1:09 left in the first quarter gives Decatur Heritage a 13-8 lead.

3:36 p.m., Back and forth: Decatur Heritage and Abbeville are tied 5-5 with 4:22 left in the first half. Gabrielle Brown has 5 points for Abbeville and Aaliyah Troupe leads the Eagles with 3.

FINAL SCORE: Class 1A Boys, R.C. Hatch 65, Oakwood Adventist Academy 61

3:07 p.m., 1-point game: A 3-point basket by Oakwood’s Austin Germono makes it a 1-point game with a minute left as R.C. Hatch leads 61-60; the Mustangs will have possession.

3:03 p.m., Closing minutes: Oakwood Academy has closed the gap after a pair of free throws by Jaiden Morton; R.C. Hatch leads 58-54 with 2:42 left to play.

2:57 p.m., Timeout R.C. Hatch: The Bobcats had a streak where they went 3-for-3 from the field and lead Oakwood Academy 58-51 with 4:34 left to play.

2:51 p.m., End 3: R.C. Hatch ends the quarter on a 4-0 run, capped by Merion Jones’ tip-in at the buzzer. Bobcats have their largest lead, 52-41, entering the break.

2:46 p.m., Spoke too soon: Bobcats with two straight layups. R.C. Hatch lead up to 43-35 late third quarter.

2:44 p.m., Still tight: R.C. Hatch leads 39-35 with 3:09 left in the third. Neither team has been able to separate.

2:33 p.m., Team stats: R.C. Hatch is 13-of-30 from the field, 2-of-6 from 3 and 3-of-4 from the foul line. Oakwood is 13-of-33 from the field, 3-of-12 from 3 and 0-of-6 from the foul line. Lead changed hands five times in that first half.

2:31 p.m., Individual stats: Marion Jones and Theotis Dudley each have 9 points for Hatch. Dudley also has 7 rebounds and 6 blocks. Dylon Pognon leads Oakwood with 14 points and 8 rebounds. Austin Germono has 12 points.

2:27 p.m., Halftime: It’s a good one. R.C. Hatch leads 31-29 at the break. Teams going up and down the court.

2:20 p.m., All tied: Oakwood with a 7-0 run, capped by Dylon Pognon’s acrobatic follow. It’s 27-27 with a timeout on the floor and 3:14 left in the first half.

2:17 p.m., On the run: R.C. Hatch has opened the second quarter on an 8-2 run. Bobcats lead Oakwood 25-18 with 5:12 left in the half.

2:12 p.m., After 1: Good one here at Legacy Arena in the last game of the first session. R.C. Hatch leads Oakwood 17-16.

2:06 p.m., Quick start: R.C. Hatch up 13-9 midway through the first quarter.

1:47 p.m., Coming up: R.C. Hatch vs. Oakwood. Winner will play Brantley for the state title on Thursday. Oakwood looking for State Title No. 1 this week. Hatch has won 10, the last coming in 2008.

FINAL SCORE, Class 1A Girls, Spring Garden 81, R.C. Hatch 34

1:44 p.m., It’s over: Spring Garden rolls 81-34. Ace Austin finishes with 32 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and didn’t play in the last five minutes of the game. The Panthers will play Brilliant at 4 p.m. Thursday, trying to win their third straight title.

1:31 p.m., Floor problems? Timeout on the floor as Knight-Eady officials try to “hammer” out a problem on the floor under the Spring Garden basket. Spring Garden leads 77-25 with 4:42 left.

1:26 p.m., Subs in: Spring Garden coach Ricky Austin calls TO for substitutions with 5:42 left. Austin and company head to the bench. Ace finishes with 32 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and 5 steals. Spring Garden leads 77-23.

1:23 p.m., Back in: Austin back in to start the fourth. Quickly hits a 3 and gets a rebound to complete the triple double.

1:21 p.m., End 3: Spring Garden 72, R.C. Hatch 23. Ace Austin with 29 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds. She went to the bench in the final second of the quarter. Will she check back in for the triple double?

1:12 p.m., Keeping the momentum: Ace Austin with a pair of 3s to start the second half. She has 29 points and 10 assists. Her Panthers lead 65-19 with 3:50 left in the third.

1:05 p.m., Halftime stats: Spring Garden shot 18-of-31 from the field and went 11-of-12 from the foul line. R.C. Hatch was 5-of-15 from the field, 3-of-10 from the foul line and committed 16 turnovers. Breyonce Myers led Hatch with 8 points. Olivia Law followed Austin on the Spring Garden scoring list with 13. Maggie Jarrett had 10.

1:01 p.m., A Miss Basketball repeat? Very likely. Reigning Miss Basketball Ace Austin’s first half: 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting to go with 8 assists, 5 steals and 4 rebounds.

12:58 p.m., Halftime: Spring Garden 51, R.C. Hatch 15.

12:48 p.m., Getting worse: Spring Garden leads 41-8 with 4:37 left in the first half. Panthers rolling toward another finals appearance.

12:40 p.m., End 1: It’s all Spring Garden. Panthers up 32-8. Alabama signee Ace Austin with 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting. She also has 5 assists and 3 steals.

12:32 p.m., Ugly early: Panthers already up 18-2 with 3:20 left in the first quarter. Another TO called by R.C. Hatch.

12:28 p.m., Early lead: No. 1 Spring Garden up 8-0 with 4:49 left in the first quarter. Ace Austin with a quick four points. Timeout, R.C. Hatch.

12:15 p.m., Ace on the floor: Spring Garden and star player Ace Austin on the floor next. Panthers looking for a three-peat. Winner plays Brilliant in the 1A title game on Thursday.

FINAL SCORE: Class 1A Boys, Brantley 78, Hubbertville 67

12:03 p.m., Timeout Brantley: The Bulldogs call a timeout with 42.7 seconds left to play, with Brantley leading 75-64.

11:52 a.m., Winding down: Hubbertville calls a timeout with 2:29 left to play as Brantley leads 69-57.

11:47 a.m., Brantley up by double figures: The Bulldogs lead Hubbertville 66-55 with four minutes left to play.

11:36 a.m., One quarter to go: Brantley leads Hubbertville 61-46 heading into the fourth quarter.

Brantley’s Jayden Parks leads all scorers with 24 points, while Tracee Cowan III has 13 points for the Lions.

11:33 a.m., Brantley going on a run: The Bulldogs are on an 11-0 run over the last three minutes.

11:27 a.m.: Hubbertville closing the gap: The Bulldogs are ahead of Hubbertville 50-44 with 4:22 left in the third quarter, but the Lions have made all four of their last four field goals.

11:12 a.m., That’s halftime: Brantley leads Hubbertville 41-29 at halftime in this Class 1A semifinal matchup as Jon Harper Kilcrease hit a pair of 3-point baskets in the final 13 seconds; the Bulldogs closed out on an 11-0 run in the final 54 seconds.

Jayden Parks leads with 19 points and 4 assists, while Julius Sylvester has scored 9 for Brantley.

Hubbertville’s Kane Rushing has 10 points.

11:07 a.m., Plenty of points: Both teams have combined for 12 points in the last 1:28 as Brantley leads 30-27 with 1:54 left in the first half.

11:04 a.m., Bulldogs lead by 3: Jayden Parks hit both free throws to give Brantley a 25-22 lead.

10:58 a.m., Brantley catching up: A 3-point basket from Jayden Parks makes it a 1-point game with 6:41 left in the first half.

10:53 a.m., One quarter down: Hubbertville leads Brantley 15-10 at the end of the first quarter. Kane Rushing leads the Lions with 6 points, while Jayden Parks and Julius Sylvester have 4 each for Brantley.

10:48 a.m., All tied up: The Bulldogs are on a 6-0 run after a dunk from Julius Sylvester, with the game tied at 10-10 with 1:41 left in the first quarter.

10:43 a.m., Back and forth: Brantley calls a timeout as Hubbertville leads 5-4 with 4:41 left in the first quarter. Five different players have scored so far in this matchup.

10:38 a.m. Underway: Brantley heads into this one at 23-4, while Hubbertville is 25-6.

NEXT UP: Class 1A No. 7 Hubbertville will face No. 8 Brantley in the boys’ state semifinals.

FINAL SCORE: Class 1A Girls, Brilliant 54, McIntosh 51 (OT)

10:22 a.m., Ballgame: McIntosh gets a steal but a desperation 3-pointer is no good. Brilliant advances.

10:20 a.m., Big plays: Brooke O’Mary with the go-ahead basket for Brilliant. She then goes 1-of-2 from the free throw line. Tigers lead 54-51 with 10.4 left in OT and have the ball.

10:17 a.m., Action has picked up: Hadlee Sanderson with the last seven points for Brilliant, which now leads 49-47 with 1:34 left in OT.

10:12 a.m., OT: First game of the week is heading into OT tied at 41-41. McIntosh’s Alisa Johnson tied it with a jumper. Demons had a chance to win it with the final possession but didn’t get a shot off. Chauncey Dixon and Hadlee Sanderson each playing with 4 fouls.

10:08 a.m., Tied again: Keragan Stanford’s layup for Brilliant ties it at 39-39. 1:16 left.

10:06 a.m., Timeout on the floor: McIntosh leads 39-37 with 2:06 left. Brilliant ball.

10:01 a.m., Still tied: It’s 33-33 with 4:23 left. Chauncey Dixon with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals and 4 blocks for McIntosh. However, the Demons are just 2-of-15 from the free throw line.

9:54 a.m., Heading to the 4th: Brooke O’Mary ties it with a pair of free throws. Brilliant 29, McIntosh 29. O’Mary has five steals.

9:49 a.m., Still tight: McIntosh leads Brilliant 27-24 with 2:07 left in the third. Hadlee Sanderson back in and making key plays now. She and Chauncey Dixon each have 3 fouls.

9:40 a.m., Big advantage: Pretty clear where the advantages are in this one. McIntosh has as 16-0 edge in points in the paint, while Brilliant has hit five 3-pointers compared to one for the Demons. Second half starting now.

9:35 a.m., Key stats: Chauncey Dixon had 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals in the first half for McIntosh. She had seven of the Demons’ nine baskets from the field. McIntosh was just 1-of-9 from 3-point range and 2-of-12 from the free throw line. Brilliant was 5-of-19 from the field, 5-of-13 from 3 and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. Hadlee Sanderson was saddled with 3 first-half fouls.

9:30 a.m., Halftime: McIntosh leads 21-17. Brilliant played most of the game without Hadlee Sanderson, who was saddled with 3 fouls playing against 6-foot-2 McIntosh center Chauncey Dixon. All 5 of Brilliant’s first-half baskets were 3-pointers.

9:22 a.m., Staying in it: Brilliant staying in this game with the 3-ball. All five of the Tigers’ baskets are 3-pointers. McIntosh leads 19-17 with 3:25 left in the half.

9:14 a.m., End 1: McIntosh leads Brilliant 14-11. Chauncey Dixon with 6 points for the Demons. Brilliant tied the game with back-to-back 3-pointers at 11, but McIntosh scored the final three points.

9:07 a.m., On a run: McIntosh with 9 straight points after a slow start. Demons lead 9-5 with 3:36 left in the first quarter. 6-foot-2 Chauncey Dixon with 4 points already.

9:01 a.m., Underway: Brilliant up 3-0 early in the first game of the week.

8:42 a.m., Game 1: Brilliant comes in at 23-11. McIntosh is 25-7.

MONDAY’S SCHEDULE

CLASS 1A GIRLS SEMIFINALS

Brilliant 54, McIntosh 51 (OT)

Spring Garden 81, R.C. Hatch 34

CLASS 1A BOYS SEMIFINALS

Brantley 78, Hubbertville 67

R.C. Hatch 65, Oakwood Adventist 61

CLASS 2A GIRLS SEMIFINALS

Decatur Heritage 65, Abbeville 34

Pisgah 64, Highland Home 31

CLASS 2A BOYS SEMIFINALS

Providence Christian 57, Decatur Heritage 56

Tuscaloosa Academy 72, Section 56

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General

Costco opening 6 new stores next month with more coming in April: Here’s when and where

Costco is on track to have more than 900 locations worldwide with several new warehouse locations opening in the coming months.

READ MORE: Costco’s latest announcement is good news for members

The Washington-based retailer said it would open 29 new locations in fiscal year 2025 that ends in August, USA Today reported. According to Costco’s website, six new stores are opening in March:

They are:

• Brentwood, California
• Genesee County, Michigan
• Highland, California
• Prosper, Texas
• Sharon, Massachusetts
• Weatherford, Texas

Two more stores – Stuart, Florida and Minami Alps, Japan, are set to open in April 25. Another location, this one in Ardeer, Australia, has a 2025 opening date but no month has been set.

Costco currently operates 897 warehouses, 617 of which are in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

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General

How paychecks would change in each state if Trump erased federal income tax

President Trump has indicated he’d like to do away with the federal income tax, replacing it with tariffs and other taxes on foreign nations.

What would that mean for the average taxpayer?

In a January speech, the president referenced the idea saying the U.S. economy was stronger before a national income tax.

“We had no income tax. The income tax came in 1913. As I said in my speech last week, instead of taxing our citizens to enrich foreign nations, we should be tariffing and taxing foreign nations to enrich our citizens,” Trump said, according to a report on Fox Business.

“It’s time for the United States to return to the system that made us richer and more powerful than ever before,” he said. “You know, the United States in 1870 to 1913, all tariffs. And that was the richest period in the history of the United States, relatively speaking.”

In 2023, U.S. Treasury data shows federal income taxes accounted for $4.92 trillion.

What would paychecks look like without a federal income tax?

GoBankingRates.com analyzed what checks and income would look like in each state if federal income taxes were abolished.

According to the data, Alabama’s figures are:

• Median household income – $50,536
• Total income taxes for single filers – $12,264
• State income tax for single filer – $2,911
• Bi-weekly check with all taxes – $1,472
• Bi-weekly check with no federal tax – $1,872

The difference would be an extra $360.

The figures come from the 2023 American Community Survey of median household figures and income tax estimates for a single filer using the standard deduction. You can see more on the methodology here.

Other states would see higher savings. In California, where median household income is $73,235, the cut would save some $723. In Hawaii, eliminating federal income tax would save $758 bi-weekly.

You can see examples from every state here.

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General

Home improvement chain makes a major change to compete with rival

In a move likely aimed at rival Home Depot, Lowe’s has revamped a program aimed at professional contractors.

The home improvement chain announced last week it was relaunching its MVPs Pro Rewards & Partnership Program under the name “MyLowe’s Pro Rewards.” The program, a companion to the MyLowe’s Rewards designed for homeowners, allows participants to earn points that can be redeemed for MyLowe’s Money, deals and more.

The new program is in response to a move by rival HomeDepot which, in 2024, opened more processional distribution centers for contracts that handle large jobs, The Street reported. The larger hubs are located across the U.S. and designed to provide start-to-finish quantities for large jobs.

In a statement, Lowes said its Pro Rewards program is specifically designed for small-to-mid size professional builders with access to other types of goods, including merchandise, sports memorabilia and gift cards as well as volume discounts, business tools and more. The program also offers a MyLowe’s Pro Rewards Credit Card with a 5% daily savings.

The program is free to join and users accrue points with every qualifying purchase.

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General

Legendary MLB star hits $10,000 halfcourt shot

Alex Rodriguez showed off his shar-shooting skills over the weekend.

The former MLB all-star, who now works as an MLB analyst for Fox, came out of the stands to hit a halfcourt show during Bucknell’s game against Army.

In hitting the shot, Rodriguez won a student $10,000.

The former Yankees star banked the shot.

“We’ve converted him from a Phillies fan to a Yankee fan,” Rodriguez said of the student, who is from Philadelphia, per The New York Post.

The three-time MVP was at Bucknell to speak about his company Jump Platforms, which he founded with two other entrepreneurs, Jordy Leiser and Marc Lore. Lore and Leiser graduated from Bucknell, and Leiser is a trustee.

Rodriguez hit 696 career homers with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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General

How many days until spring? Is more cold weather in store for Alabama?

Today (Monday) marks the final week of February.

It’s also the last week of the 2024-25 meteorological winter.

Meteorological spring begins in five days on March 1 (Saturday).

If astronomical spring is your benchmark then you’ll have to wait a bit longer.

The spring equinox, which marks the first day of astronomical spring, won’t arrive until March 20, or in 24 days.

Alabama’s temperatures will warm up some this week, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service.

Highs today will mostly be in the 60s statewide. North Alabama will be in the low 60s, central Alabama will be in the low to mid-60s, and south Alabama will reach the mid- to upper 60s:

Tuesday should be even warmer. The weather service is forecasting highs to get into the 70s for a large part of the state on Tuesday:

Wednesday could be even warmer, with 70s expected statewide for highs, according to the weather service:

Temperatures will cool down just a bit on Thursday in north Alabama thanks to a cold front moving through (no severe weather is expected, and maybe not much rain). However, highs won’t be all that cold, with high 50s in north Alabama, low to mid-60s forecast for central Alabama and upper 60s to low 70s expected in south Alabama:

Highs in the 60s and 70s will be the story through the end of the week. Here are Friday’s forecast highs:

Is another cold snap looming, though?

It’s safe to say that Alabama will have another cold snap before spring is over, but it doesn’t look like it will be in the next few weeks.

The eight- to 14-day temperature outlook from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting near-average temperatures for all of Alabama through the first week of March:

The Week 3 and 4 temperature outlook contains an increased probability (55-60 percent) of above-average temperatures for Alabama from March 8-21. The exception would be northeast Alabama, which has a 50-55 percent probability:

And the temperature outlook for all of March, shown at the top of this post, contains good news for those who enjoy warmer weather.

The March outlook has higher probabilities of above-average temperatures for the entire state.

South Alabama has the highest probabilities at 50-60 percent.

Central Alabama has a 40-50 percent probability of higher than average temperatures, and north Alabama has a 33-40 percent chance.

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General

Pope Francis health update: ‘Kidney insufficiency’ treated on 10th day hospitalized

Pope Francis woke up and was continuing his therapies Monday after a quiet night, on the 10th day of his hospitalization for a complex lung infection that has provoked the early stages of kidney insufficiency, the Vatican said.

“The night passed well, the pope slept and is resting,” it said. The 88-year-old pope is continuing to feed himself and is not receiving artificial or liquid nutrition, the Vatican said, adding that he was in good spirits.

A medical bulletin was expected later in the day. Also later Monday, the Vatican No. 2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, was to lead a nighttime prayer of the Rosary in St. Peter’s Square.

Late Sunday, doctors reported that blood tests showed “early, slight kidney insufficiency” that was nevertheless under control. They said Francis remained in critical condition but that he hadn’t experienced any further respiratory crises since Saturday.

Francis, who has pneumonia in both lungs, was receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen and, on Sunday, was alert, responsive and attended Mass. They said his prognosis was guarded.

Doctors have said Francis’ condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease. They have warned that the main threat facing Francis is sepsis, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia.

To date there has been no reference to any onset of sepsis in the medical updates provided by the Vatican.

This hospitalization now stands as Francis’ longest as pope. He spent 10 days at Rome’s Gemelli hospital in 2021 after he had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon removed.

In New York on Sunday, Cardinal Timothy Dolan acknowledged what church leaders in Rome weren’t saying publicly: that the Catholic faithful were united “at the bedside of a dying father.”

“As our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and probably close to death,” Dolan said in his homily from the pulpit of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, though he later told reporters he hoped and prayed that Francis would “bounce back.”

Francis’ condition has revived speculation about what might happen if he becomes unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, and whether he might resign.

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