Ben Thomas

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Local High School Reporter, Alabama Media Group at AL.com

Covers High School sports in Alabama for the Alabama Media Group

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Articles

Top Alabama HS football recruit turns down 7-figure NIL deal to stay at Thompson

6 days ago | al.com | Ben Thomas

One of the top high school football recruits in the state of Alabama has turned down a lucrative NIL offer from another state to stay at Thompson High School. Cameron Pritchett, a 6-foot-3, 231-pound EDGE in the Class of 2027, declined a $750,000 offer to leave the reigning Class 7A Warriors. The decision was reported on social media by 5 Star Football Recruiting. Thompson head coach Mark Freeman confirmed the accuracy of the report.
Hoover star, Tennessee signee DeWayne Brown named Alabama’s 2025 Mr. Basketball

6 days ago | al.com | Ben Thomas

As a freshman at Hoover High School, DeWayne Brown had a choice to make. Change his work ethic and his body or spend a lot of time on the Bucs’ bench. “He was a tall kid already but was overweight and didn’t like to run,” Hoover coach Scott Ware said. “We probably helped him with that because we basically told him he wasn’t going to play the minutes he wanted to play unless something changed. “He mentally flipped the script.”The rest is history.
ASWA Baseball Rankings: Who is on top as the state playoffs open?

1 week ago | al.com | Ben Thomas

With the 2025 high school baseball playoffs now underway in both the AISA and the AHSAA, the Alabama Sports Writers Association has released its final baseball rankings of the season. This week’s first-round pairings in the AHSAA include several top 10 matchups. One of those has No. 4-ranked Oxford traveling to play No. 2 Mountain Brook in Class 6A. RELATED: See the Round 1 pairingsThe AHSAA Class 7A playoffs begin next week. Here are this week’s rankings:CLASS 7A1. Hewitt-Trussville (29-2)2.
‘We are going to fix this:’ Are AHSAA’s core values being impacted by HS transfer issue?

1 week ago | al.com | Ben Thomas

AHSAA Central Board of Control president Terry Curtis wants the new Task Force focused on evaluating the issue of non-compliant high school transfers to work quickly. “It needs to be done as soon as possible,” said Curtis, one of the state’s all-time winningest high school football coaches.
Longtime UMS-Wright assistant football coach joining rival St. Paul’s staff

1 week ago | al.com | Ben Thomas

After nine years coordinating UMS-Wright’s defense against Old Shell Road rival St. Paul’s, Jay Koziol is changing sides. The veteran coach has signed on to lead the Saints’ defense under head coach Ham Barnett. “I’m excited about the change,” Koziol said Tuesday. “After nine years at UMS, it was probably just time for something different. We definitely had a good run. I appreciate everyone at UMS, especially the players.
AL.com fans choose their girls basketball player of the year

1 week ago | al.com | Ben Thomas |Thomas Ashworth

Central-Phenix City star Jabria Lindsey made it through four rounds of voting and claimed the first AL.com girls basketball player of the year award. Lindsey held off Good Hope senior Ava McSwain in the final, garnering 75% of the votes (9,787) in the final poll. Lindsey will be awarded with the AL.com trophy for the win. As the No. 2 seed in the bracket, Lindsey took down No. 15 Blakely Nixon, No. 10 Sarah Gordon and No. 14 Jamonica Chambers to advance to the final.
See the 2025 Round 1 baseball playoff pairings for the AHSAA, AISA

1 week ago | al.com | Ben Thomas

The high school baseball playoffs in the AISA and Classes 1A-6A of the AHSAA begin this week around the state. The Class 7A playoffs open next week. RELATED: Monday’s statewide spring roundupHere is a look at the Round 1 pairings. Each series is a best-of-3. AISA playoffs begin Tuesday unless otherwise noted. AHSAA playoffs open Friday unless otherwise noted. AHSAACLASS 1AArea 4 RU: Choctaw County (5-7) at Area 1 W: Millry (22-8), Thur., Apr. 17, 1 and 3:30 p.m. (Fri., Apr.
AL.com fans choose their boys basketball player of the year

1 week ago | al.com | Ben Thomas |Thomas Ashworth

Huntsville’s Brayden Rivers survived four rounds of voting by fans to win the first AL.com boys basketball player of the year award. Rivers defeated Central-Phenix City’s Jacoby Hill in the final. He received 2,956 votes compared to Hill’s 1,264. Rivers will be awarded with the AL.com trophy for his win.
Nathan McDaniel stepping down as Elberta High football coach, athletic director

1 week ago | al.com | Ben Thomas

Elberta High head football coach and athletic director Nathan McDaniel is stepping down after five years at the school. McDaniel turned in his resignation Friday morning. “It’s been an incredible honor and privilege to serve as the head football coach and athletic director at Elberta High School for the last five years,” he said in a statement.
This week in HS Sports: Bucky McMillan, Robi Coker have left Alabama HS basketball in good shape

1 week ago | al.com | Ben Thomas

This is an opinion piece. It doesn’t seem that long ago that Bucky McMillan and Robi Coker were competing for – and winning – state basketball titles at Legacy Arena in Birmingham. Coker won four Class 3A boys titles at Plainview from 2018-2023 before spending the last two years coaching the Fort Payne boys. McMillan won five state titles at Mountain Brook, compiling a 333-74 record in 12 seasons with the Spartans.