Russellville High School athletes make North-South All-Star sports rosters
The 28th annual All-Star Sports Week will be held July 15-19 in Montgomery with RHS baseball player Neyland Baker making the North team roster, along with Russellville boys’ soccer standout Manny Martinez. The North girls’ tennis coaching staff includes Russellville head coach Charlotte Dollar.
Rosters of rising seniors from the class of 2025 for the baseball, soccer, tennis, basketball, softball, volleyball, cross country and golf teams were announced by Brandon Dean, director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association. The 65th annual North-South football game was played last December in Mobile, and the South got the win by a 31-28 score.
Baker, a first baseman and designated hitter on head coach Jess Smith’s RHS team, is one of 36 total players to make the North-South baseball roster. The 18-member North squad will be led by a coaching staff that includes Scott Brackett of Gadsden City, Jason Scott of Madison County and Keith Lucky of St. James.
Martinez is a striker on Russellville head coach Trey Stanford’s team. The North-South soccer rosters also include 36 players with 18 on each side. Coaches for this year’s North boys’ team are Matt Smith of Tanner and Cody Wilkerson of Springville High School.
Dollar will be joined by North coaches Alanna Shankles of Gardendale and Sue Marshall from Randolph School. The girls’ North tennis squad consists of 12 players, including Deshler’s Landon McCalpin. Deshler is a Class 4A-5A Section 8 opponent of Russellville. This year will be the fifth for tennis to be a part of the All-Star Sports Week. The North girls have a 4-0 record after winning 8-1 a year ago.
