D4 Thursday, June 6, 2019 |TimesDaily Bluesbeating Bruins inbattleofattrition By Stephen Whyno to play against our forward him on the penalty kill and The Associated Press lines when they’re play- defensively could make a ing the way they can. You big difference. BOSTON —Twice the can see the momentum we “We prepare for agame Boston Bruins have been create by our line changes from our side,” Conn forced to finish aStanley in the offensive zone, we’re Smythe Trophy candidate Cup Final game down a just using all four lines. If I Vladimir Tarasenko said. defenseman. The St. Louis was adefenseman, that “We can control our game. Blues won each time. would be tough to defend We don’t know what’s That’s not acoincidence. against.” gonna happen if he’s gonna Wearing out opponents Chara did not go to the play or no. We just follow and winningthe war of arena at all Wednesday, 36 our plan. That’s it.” attrition has been an ingre- hours after taking apuck to The absence of Chara dient of the Blues’ playoff the jaw in Boston’s Game 4 could prove to be the tip- success. They took advan- loss that tied the series at ping point in abruising tage of injuriestoSan Jose’s two games apiece. Coach battle between the Bruins Erik Karlsson, Joe Pavelski Bruce Cassidy didn’t talk to and Blues. Boston defen- and Tomas Hertl to move and only briefly texted with seman Matt Grzelcyk is JUNE 11 •6:30 -8:00 PM on to the final, and with the 42-year-old defense- out with aconcussion and Boston potentially without man, who has afacial injury St. Louis forward Robert at the Florence/Lauderdale Coliseum captain Zdeno Chara for that hasbeenreported to be Thomas is out with asus- Game 5Thursday St. Louis abroken jaw. pected handorwristinjury. Join theTimesDailyaswehonor local high school is now two victories away Just like the Sharks series Cassidy said Grzelcyk, from lifting the Stanley Cup in the Western Conference who practiced in ano-con- coachesathletes and name an overall male and female as the healthier team. final, the Blues insist their tact jersey Wednesday, is “We can see it through- game plan doesn’t change stillinconcussionproto- Athlete of the Year out games and throughout depending on who’s inor col and would need to be series,” BluescaptainAlex out of the lineup on the medically cleared in order Guest Speaker: ClayDyer, Pietrangelo said Wednes- other side. That includes to play in Game 5onThurs- day. “It’s tough minutes Chara, even though missing day night. BassmastersFisherman &MotivationalSpeaker Honorees: DUO TIMESDAILYCLASS 4A-7A ALL-AREA BASEBALL TEAM TimesDailyCoaches of the Year From Page D1 First team Football •C–Caleb McDougle, Jr., Muscle Shoals –Hit .406 with eight doubles, 1A-3A-Darrell Higgins, Mars Hill Bible School lucky charms to happy two triples and two home runs 4A-7A-Bo Culver,Deshler High School memories. •INF –Carson Villalta, Jr., Brooks –Shortstop batted .382 with 10 BrooksbeatDeshler,Cher- Tennessee-Rick Rice, WayneCounty High School doubles, three triples and five home runs for 4A state champion Lions Volleyball okee County, Haleyville, •INF –Conner Wynn, Sr., Wilson –Batted .453 with 13 doubles, a Hokes Bluff and Sipsey triple, ahome run and 37 RBIs 1A-3A-Melissa Hammond, Lexington High School Valleytowinthestatecham- •INF –Jackson McCreless, So., Muscle Shoals –Hit .425 with nine 4A-7A-DrewMurphy,Central High School pionship, sweeping every doubles and two home runs as Trojans made the 6A playoffs Basketball opponent but Hokes Bluff. •INF –Brett Urban, Sr., Brooks –Led team with .430 batting average 1A-3A Girls-Scott Veal, Phillips High School “After that Haleyville and struck out only seven times series, we came to the •OF–Devin Buckhalter, Sr., Russellville –Hit .385 with 10 doubles, 4A-7A Girls-Blak Prestage, Rogers High School huddle, both teams,and two triples and two home runs; was 17 for 17 stealing bases 1A-3A Boys-Bret Waldrep, Covenant Christian Haleyville’s coach(Todd •OF–Brantley Holden, Sr., Florence –Hit .382 with eight doubles and 4A-7A Boys-AnthonyReid, Florence High School McNutt) said he told Coach atriple; was hit by apitch program-record 25 times Fowler going into that who- Baseball •OF–NickWhitten, So., Deshler –Batted .391 with nine doubles and 1A-3A-Richard Maggerise, RedBay High School everwinsthisserieshethinks two homers as Tigers qualified for 4A playoffs will win it all,” Villalta said. •DH–John Miller Lawson, So., Haleyville –Batted .427 with nine 4A-7A-Jacob Fowler,Brooks High School “I didn’t want to think that doubles, two triples and four homers as Haleyville reached 4A Softball he jinxed us or nothing, or quarterfinals say anything, but it made me 1A-3A-Matt Burgess, Mars Hill Bible School •DH–Hayden Walton, Sr., Brooks –Hit .390 with fivedoubles, atriple 4A-7A-HaleyStutts, Rogers High School feel good. Especially going and two home runs in addition to helping astrong Brooks pitching into the Hokes Bluff (series), staff excel in playoffs it gave us all confidence I TimesDailyAthletes of the Year •UT–Zeke Bishop, So., Florence –Batted .364 with 11 doubles, a Football think.” triple and four homers; hit series-clinching single to beat Huntsville in Villalta said at the end of first round of playoffs 1A-3A-Colt Smith, Mars Hill Bible School practicesduringtheplayoffs, •UT–Thorne Tapp, Sr., Brooks –Acapable outfielder as well as 4A-7A-Jackson Bratton, Muscle Shoals High School head coach Jacob Fowler or pitcher, Tapp didn’t rack up Ks but excelled at drawing weak contact. assistant coach Luke Man- Tennessee-Owen Risner,Wayne County High School Aseason highlight was his complete game in game one of the state Volleyball sell would gather the team finals. together and remind them •P–Luke Daniel, Jr., Wilson –Part of atwo-headed monster with 1A-3A-Skylar Hammond, Lexington High School the opponent was agood fellow junior Brycen Parrish, Daniel went 7-1 with an ERA below 0.60 4A-7A-Tori Walker,Wilson High School team. in helping Wilson reach the second round. Cross Country Then there would be a •P–Grant Taylor, So., Florence –Facing several of the state’s top pause, and Mansellor Fowler 1A-7A Cross CountryGirls-Jaycee Biffle, Rogers High School teams, Taylor achieved a5-3 record and 2.28 ERA and helped Florence 1A-7A Cross County Boys-Bennett Brake, Florence High School would say “But y’all are a win aplayoff series for the first time. great team.” Basketball “That gave me chills every 1A-3A Girls-Karly Weathers, Loretto High School time,” Villalta said. Second team Villaltasaidhegotstronger 4A-7A Girls-SaraPuckett, Muscle Shoals High School C–Sam Harris, Sr., Hamilton 1A-3A Boys-Avery Thrasher,Mars Hill Bible School as asophomore but tried too INF –Ben Arnett, Jr., Florence hard to channel it into extra- INF –Carson Daniel, Jr., Brooks 4A-7A Boys-Mark Sears, Muscle Shoals High School base hits in 2018 and wasn’t INF –Ben Lowman, Sr., Haleyville Baseball as productiveashe might INF –Brayden Buckner, So., Deshler 1A-3A Hitter-Blade Tidwell, Loretto High School havebeen. After theseason, OF –Lawrence Sutton, Jr., Lawrence County (Tenn.) 1A-3A Pitcher-Colt Smith, Mars Hill Bible School coaches reminded Villalta of OF –Lake Spurgeon, Sr., Brooks the importance of trying to OF –Jackson Thompson, Jr., Wilson 4A-7A Hitter-Carson Villalta, Brooks High School hittheballupthemiddleorto DH –Jackson Lindsey, So., Russellville 4A-7A Pitcher-Grant Taylor,Florence High School the opposite field and focus DH –GrantWisdom, Jr., Deshler Softball more on hitting –period – UT –Blake Bennett, Sr., Haleyville 1A-3A Hitter-Morgan White, Lauderdale County High School than hitting for power. UT –Scott McAlpine, Sr., Haleyville At this year’s exit inter- P–Cade Henry, Jr., Florence 1A-3A Pitcher-RileyVaughn,Mars Hill Bible School view, the coaches greeted P–BrycenParrish, Jr., Wilson 4A-7A Hitter-Johnna Staggs, Wilson High School himwithsmiles–Villaltaand Honorable mention 4A-7A Pitcher-Megan Warhurst, Russellville High School the rest of the Lions having Brooks –Charlie Crowley, Preston Junkin, Peyton Plants accomplished their ultimate Tennis Central –Christian White, Colby Holcombe 1A-7AGirls-Lee-Taylor Bishop, Shoals Christian goal –but the conversation Deshler –Ryan Kelley, Parker Willingham this time also concerned Florence –Raleigh Claunch 1A-7A Boys-LukeSingletary, Florence High School leadership. Haleyville –Brantson Lambert, John Whiteside Soccer “I was more like aco- Hamilton –Eli Jackson, Christian Loving 1A-7A Girls-Samantha King, Mars Hill Bible School leader this year. We had a Lawrence County –Luke Stofer 1A-7A Boys-Edi Alvarado, Florence High School bunch of guys who were all Muscle Shoals –Chandler Moon upthere and we all listened Rogers –Devin Gooch Track to each other. We had agreat Russellville –Hunter Briles 1A-7A Girls-Kaylie Wright,Muscle ShoalsHigh School teamchemistry.Itwasoneof Wilson –Payton Graham 1A-7A Boys-Greyson Eady,Russellville High School the best teams I’ve ever been apart of,” Villalta said. Golf “But they said Ineed to be 1A-3A Girls-Anna Margret Hayes, Muscle Shoals High School aleader next year because baserunner Fowler will have to make 4A-7A Boys-Hunter Battles, Muscle Shoals High School we are going to have some at the plate sure the Lions aren’t rest- Wrestling younger guys look to step up to seal awin ing on the past but pursuing 1A-7A-Carson Casteel, Florence High School in that role.” for Brooks. new success as eagerly as Villalta insisted the Lions “That was they did this year. Tickets: $25 won’tbecontent to just try one of those “I think they’ve got ataste To order tickets contact Cecilia Brumley, Event Coordinator and repeat what they did but Fowler moments of how good that feels,” he want to be even better next as acoach said. “They believe in what at 256-740-5802 or [email protected] year. you start to kind of feel it,” we’re doing out here.” “Hopefully we can go Brooks coach Jacob Fowler Fowler is quick to credit Brought to you by: back,” he said. said. assistants Luke Mansell, ® Brooks finished the sweep Stephen Darwin and Logan TM Coach of the Year: with another win later that Michael forthe workthey Jacob Fowler,Brooks night and won its next did making sure Brooks At the close of Game 1in twoseriestobecomethe players were positioned and JASON PARKER Brooks’ third round playoff school’s first state base- prepared well to make plays series at Haleyville,Thorne ball champion, and Fowler and be their best. NORTHALABAMA Tapp made his longest and is the TimesDaily’sClass Four times arunner-up, most memorable throw of 4A-7A baseball coach of the Brooks baseball now has the Bone &Joint

the night. year. state title toshowfor that clinic, p. c. Each Office Independently Owned and Operated Tapp had pitched most “It was huge for our team, work. of the game but was in for our school and for our right field for the end of community,” said Fowler, Contact Craig at Craig. whose team is still in the [email protected].

it and made apinpoint 1 - 6

soaking-in phase of its title. Follow him on Twitter: @ 9 toss to catcher Hayden 2 5 7 Walton, who tagged out a Eventually, though, TD_CraigThomas 2