LANETT — Lanett senior Jasmine Dawson stepped to the line with the score tied and 0.9 seconds to go in the title game of the James Hardy Classic on Saturday.

TUSCALOOSA — Ryan Wittman and Cornell had the edge in experience, savvy and poise while Anthony Grant’s first Alabama team is still working out the kinks.

TUSCALOOSA — Senior Felix Kiboiywo earned the third NCAA South Region crown of his career Saturday morning, winning with a time of 29:35.88.

MONTGOMERY — Playing a rare basketball doubleheader, the Opelika girls fell in the finals of the St. James Tournament on Saturday.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The large gap between a middle-of-the-pack Southeastern Conference team and the Sun Belt’s best was evident Saturday night.

Ben Tate sprinted down the right sideline, looked over his shoulders and saw Kodi Burns’ spiraled ball sailing deep toward the corner of the end zone.

At least he admits it.

Last year’s loss was fresh on Wetumpka senior middle linebacker Jamichael Taylor’s mind.

DeWayne Reed ended Auburn’s 2008-09 season with two missed free throws and tears in the postgame press conference.

Auburn simply doesn’t have the bodies to bog itself down with foul trouble.

LOACHAPOKA — Jerome Tate has used almost every superlative imaginable to describe the play of his senior quarterback, Patrick Moore, this season.

Mississippi State season-ticket holders have seen some excellent football this fall.

Thibodaux (La.) wide receiver Trovon Reed, considered the top prospect in Louisiana by some services, committed to Auburn on Friday, giving the Tigers yet another top-billed prospect for their 2010 class, according to the Tigers’ three major recruiting Web sites.

REELTOWN — The Reeltown defense flexed its muscles once again, and the offense used a barrage of big plays to lead the Rebels to a dominating 45-6 victory over the St. Jude Pirates in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs at Nix-Webster Stadium on Friday.

Zach Sollie had spent only seven months on this earth when his parents found out he had only 12 months to live.

PRATTVILLE — Darren Daniel is listed at 6-foot-4. But even Central’s senior quarterback couldn’t see over the wave of maroon jerseys coming after him as he received the snap.

CORDOVA — Dadeville kicker Kyle Caldwell’s last-second, 48-yard field goal fell 3 yards short as the Cordova Blue Devils knocked off the Tigers, 36-33, Friday night at Hudson-Kirby Field.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Auburn’s soccer season came to a disappointing end Friday night as it dropped a 2-1, overtime heartbreaker to California in the NCAA Tournament first round at the Seminole Soccer Complex on the campus of Florida State.

MONTGOMERY — Opelika’s girls basketball team opened its season with a 51-43 win over Prattville in the first round of the St. James Tournament on Friday night.

Alabama opens its basketball season today with a new coach, a new system and all eyes focused on … well, the football game 83 miles away in Starkville.

TROY — When Troy faces Arkansas tonight at 6:30, the Trojans won’t see stud running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, but will see another explosive offense.

With no more true marquee games on the SEC slate until the title game Dec. 5 (other than maybe the Iron Bowl), you have to dig a little deeper to find the big game each week.

Any hopes of making a run at their respective divisions were lost long ago for Auburn and Georgia, but whichever comes away victorious in the 113th meeting of the oldest rivalry in the Deep South will see its respective bowl stock soar.

There’s a different DeAngelo Benton walking through the Auburn Athletic Complex these days.

There’s been a passing craze developing in Loachapoka.

In Tim Carter’s mind, the defense starts with the line.

Lucas Hargrove might not be able to find Niagara University on a map, or even a conference-by-conference listing of college basketball teams for that matter, but he’s well aware of the challenge its veteran basketball team presents.

Nell Fortner chuckled and shook her head when she was reminded of an interesting statistic that came from the Tigers’ exhibition victory over Georgia College and State University.

Mark Ingram is the Heisman Trophy candidate, but the most prolific running back on the field when Alabama visits Mississippi State on Saturday night will be State’s Anthony Dixon.

With his senior football season at Lee-Scott ending in a 17-13 loss to Bessemer in the first round of the AISA playoffs last week, Will Garner is free to hit the links.