By Daniel Boyette, al.com Huntsville City Councilman Mark Russell will return to the scene of his recent heart attack Friday. Russell, who collapsed while refereeing a game at Madison Academy on Aug.25, will perform the coin toss for the Mustangs’ home contest against Madison County. Madison Academy will recognize Russell before the coin toss, which is set for approximately 6:55 p.m. at Bill Washington Stadium in Huntsville. The game kicks off at 7. Russell suffered a heart attack at the 10:22 mark of the second quarter during the Mustangs’ game against McCallie (Tenn.). Paulette Berryman, Madison Academy’s photographer and a cardiac care nurse at Huntsville Hospital, started chest compressions to revive Russell. He was treated for 20 minutes before being transferred to Huntsville Hospital. Russell received a stent to treat a blocked artery. He was released from the hospital the following Monday.
MONTGOMERY – Mortimer Jordan High School outside hitter Makayla Pharris led the Blue Devils to five wins last week, including going 4-0 to capture the championship in the Jefferson County Volleyball Tournament. The 5-foot-11 senior had 14 kills and 14 blocks in the tourney to earn MVP honors on the way to grabbing the AHSAA Volleyball Spotlight for Week 6. The Class 5A Blue Devils (21-10) of Coach Kelsey Treadaway beat Curry earlier in the week, then reeled off victories over Pleasant Grove, Gardendale and Clay-Chalkville before beating Gardendale again in the tourney finals. Senior setter Kayla Dollar had 46 assists and eight aces, 5-11 junior Laci Reese contributed 17 kills, eight blocks and nine service aces and junior Emma Kate Dean registered 17 digs for Mortimer Jordan.
MONTGOMERY – Homewood High School junior Will Stone clocked 15:22.12 to win the Gold Division of the 19th annual Jesse Owens Cross Country Invitational at Oakville Indian Mounds Park near Moulton last weekend. The Jesse Owens meet is one of the most prestigious high school meets in the nation with 1,375 boys’ participants representing 158 teams competing this year. The girls’ division had 1,209 runners representing 138 schools. Schools competed in five different divisions (Gold, Silver, Bronze, Green and Red). More than 3,000 runners competed counting the middle school and junior varsity divisions.
Jacksonville State announced on Tuesday that Bill and Sandra Stone and Mark Jones have been selected as this year’s recipients of the Jimmy Bryan Award, which will be presented the Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday.
