2018: local sports year-in-review

July
•Chris Franks eats, sleeps and dreams about fishing and hunting. The electrician by trade said one of his dreams came true when he got to fish with the FLW pros in April of this year at Smith Lake.
•Game and Fish magazine recently ranked Lewis Smith Lake in Winston County as one of the five best bass fishing lakes in Alabama.
•Jack Hayes  was one of the seven individuals who have been selected  as the 2018 Making a Difference Award by the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association for  making an impact as exemplary role models.
•A cross country standout at Haleyville High School is continuing his athletic career at Wallace State. Hamza Abusammour signed an athletic scholarship with the Lions.
•The Haleyville Elementary School Cafetorium was filled with those in attendance of the 2018 Winston County Sports Hall of Fame banquet. Named to the WCSHoF were: Kelly Rushing, Trey Barnes, Timmy Miller, Jeff Rasbury, Drema Haley, Kayla Brown Howton, Carl Hunter, Kim Rooks, Abe Rooks, Jeff Burdge, Brandon Kelly, Jerry Goodwin, Tabitha Garrison Mays, Dusty Hayes, Dusty Cordrey, Anna Cagle and Caleb Smith.
August
•It is a venue the city of Haleyville has needed for a long time. The Haleyville Sports Complex completed its first year in operation as of April and is a huge success. Mayor Ken Sunseri said the concession stand alone brought in $93,008.  The net profit was $54,588.
•The Haleyville 12&Under softball All-Star team captured the first pre-area championship and the North Central Area Championship.
•Holly Ward is a power house of a pitcher and athlete. The Haleyville High School graduate and former Lions softball pitcher contracted with Scrap Yard this summer to play professional softball. The Scrap Yard Fast Pitch team is an independent women’s profession softball team based in Conroe Texas, just north of Houston.
•Haleyville High School hosted its annual Meet The Lions to introduce fall athletes.
September
The path  to the Major Leagues goes through the East Coast Pro, and that is exactly where a Haleyville High School senior found himself this summer. Blake Bennett was selected to play for the Miami Marlins at the East Coast Pro Event, which took place at the Hoover Met Aug. 1-4.
•Rodney McCarley, of Hackleburg, won the first Pick ’Em and Win Contest sponosred by the Northwest Alabamian.
•The Evelyn Burrow Museum is proud to announce an upcoming exhibition featuring the artwork of renowned sports artist Daniel A. Moore. A collection of original paintings and bronze sculptures by the artist will be on display through November  in the museum, located on the campus of Wallace State Community College.