FC basketball players nab all-state spots
By Bart Moss for the FCT
Five Franklin County high school athletes were named to all-state teams.
Red Bay’s Darby Madden headlines the five all-state selections from Franklin County. The UNA-bound guard was the only Franklin County player selected to the first team of an Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State basketball team. Madden was named 2A first team All-State for the second consecutive year. She was Red Bay’s leading rebounder and scored 2,240 points in her career. Because of her size and agility in the paint, Madden spent a lot of time at the free throw line, where she was almost automatic, making 75 percent of her free throws in her five-year varsity career. She was a second team selection in 2015.
Madden’s teammate Allie Kennedy was selected 3rd team 2A All-State. Kennedy, a Southern Miss signee, was one of the most prolific point guards in the area. She averaged 17 points per game, and Coach Donnie Roberts has called her “a real leader and second coach on the court.” This is Kennedy’s third time to be selected to an All-State team.
Abby Hester, a junior guard at Vina, was selected to the second team 1A All-State. Hester led Vina to a 22-9 season, averaging 18 points, eight assists and six steals per game. She has 1,067 career points.
Senior Russellville guard Bailey Motes was selected to the second team 5A All-State. Motes helped the Golden Tigers to an area championship. He averaged 19.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game for Russellville.
Belgreen’s Mason Bragwell, a sophomore forward, earned Honorable Mention in class 1A. Bragwell, who averaged 16.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, helped lead his team to a Franklin County Tournament championship and an area championship and advance to the Northwest Regional tournament. He also had 39 blocked shots and has scored 729 points as a varsity basketball player.
